Robert writes home #66 19 May 1996
19 May 1996
Dear Mother,
Is
spring starting to come to Utah yet? The weather must be nice there now.
We had
a great evening at some friends in the ward, the Sanders’, house last Saturday.
Four couples (it’s a Relief Society program) alternate having dinner at each
other’s place once a month. Margaret had a gourmet, multiple course dinner by
candle light with classy china and silver. I can’t remember when I’ve been to that
classy a dinner. And the food was supreme. It was really fun. Janet and I host
April. I don’t know what we’re going to do yet, but I’m anxious to do it.
I have several pair of pants that are too tight for me and I’m
too “tight” to abandon them and buy new ones. I’m going to have to do something
about my food intake. I think I’m going to try experiencing 6 hrs. of hunger
every day and then going to bed with a bowl of oatmeal and pretending that I’m
a pioneer trudging across Iowa in the mud, until I lose 10 lbs. (except for
those days when I get to go out to dinner.)
Today in priesthood meeting, Harlan Hillyard gave the lesson
on the name extraction program of the church then passed out five forms to each
of us and asked us to do them and bring them back next time. Visiting, was Jim
McClure, who lived in the Branch back before I moved here. He went on a mission
in 1966 out of Los Banos Branch. He was probably the first missionary out of
our branch. He has stopped in to visit a few times over the years to see some
of the old families, so I’ve met him. Anyway, he told us that in his stake in Tucson,
the High Councilman in charge of name extraction got the stake president to
devote a PEC meeting to name extraction. There he passed out a few sheets to
everyone, in the stake PEC meeting and had them process them on the spot to get
a feel for the program. Then they assigned each high councilor over a ward to
do the same in his ward PEC meeting and to assign the high priest leader to be
in charge of the program. He said it worked really well and they have the
program going in their stake now. I was really happy to hear that. I’ve been
struggling with that assignment in our stake and people treat it like a myth or
something not really apart of the gospel. I’m going to write the Stake
presidency about it.
After the class I talked to him and asked if he knew my wife’s
sister and brother-in-law, Paul and Nancy Turner, who live in Tucson. He was
shocked. He said, “That’s the high councilor who I was talking about who had
the idea.”…small world.
Janet and I and the boys are going to Utah this weekend to
an event in her hometown that we have been talking about going to for 35 years.
Each year they have this shindig called the “Old Folks Sociable” in
Grantsville. Some guy did a master’s thesis on the history of Grantsville. We
have a copy. I was reading it and the sociable started back in the 1800’s. It’s
kind of a hometown reunion. This will be the first one that we’ve made it too.
They boys and I are coming back on Monday. Janet is staying on to go up to a
Mother-daughter thing at Ricks the following weekend, plus visiting Melinda and
Mary on the way. I’m trying to get time to read up so I’ll be knowledgeable. It’s
really interesting. Janet has told me a lot about Grantsville. As she tells me
about the social structure it’s really interesting to relate the history of the
community to the present day residents.
I’m getting psyched up to plant another watermelon patch
this year. I’ve been getting advice on what to do about the spider mites that
wiped us out last year. I think I’m about ready for them. I really want a patch
for the family reunion in August.
I hope you’re doing okay. You’re in our prayers every day.
Love, Robert, Janet, Charlie, and Sam
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