Letterhead is from American President Lines and Postmarked
from Honolulu Hawaii
6 September 1969Dearest Dad, Mom, Lynn, and Layne,
We received your letter and we have purchased and sent or are brining with us all the things you asked for. It is going to be so good to have you meet us in California. We think your plan to sight see before we arrive is excellent and then we should be able to go back to Utah together. We have a lot of luggage so we hope you will have some room to help carry some of the things we are bringing. We should arrive at the pier at 0800 hours and it shouldn’t take too long to clear customs. Our car is at the Oakland Terminal so we can pick up our car and be on our way very quickly.
We are having a great time on the ship. The meals are fantastic. A great variety and changes everyday and any amount you can hold. We will arrive in Hawaii and remain for about two days. The manager of the Polynesian Cultural Center is an old friend so he is meeting us and taking us around the area and we hope to get to a session of the Hawaiian Temple. We really wish you could come there to meet us but it is too late to get you the exact date. We have had a day and a half with very little calm seas. This big old ship really tosses back and forth but none of us have been really sick so we are really blessed.
Well dad, we hope you have some calves to brand and some other things for us to do because we are going to have to work off some of this fat. I better close and let Shirley write a line or two.
12 Sept 1969
We leave Hawaii in 45 minutes so must hurry. We are anxiously looking forward to being with you on the trip home.
17 Oct 1969
We have tried to remember to call you for the last few days
to let you know how much we love you and how much we enjoyed our few days at
home.Almost a week has passed since we arrived at Chanute and we now have a house about 15 miles from the base on a beautiful little lake. It is really a beautiful place and so restful and pretty. We will probably be there about three months and then we should get on base housing.
We got the car fixed and I got my classes at BYU and then we got on our way. We got into snow over Colorado and rain across Kansas, and Missouri. Then the generator went out on the car so no windshield wipers or lights on in.
We will write more after we are settled.
We received your letter and were so happy to hear from you. It was wonderful to talk to you on the telephone and look forward to talking to you each month.
We are becoming more and more busy all the time. Jim is Adult Aaronic General Secretary and teaches the class for the adult Aaronic members each Tuesday night. He is doing a wonderful job. He is an alternate High Councilman also. He is the Hospital Chaplain here on the base, and is doing a terrific job there. It is wonderful to see the great amount of good he can do in such a short time. It isn’t difficult for me to understand now why we were sent here. He is needed badly, both in the Church and out. They just had a big inspection here on the base, and two chaplains came from ATC headquarters. They had a dinner the other night for these two men and all of the chaplains here on the base. Afterward Jim and I were talking to one of the men (a truly fine Christian) and he told us that he had heard some wonderful things about Jim from one of the head chaplains over the Air Force in the Pacific. He told Jim that he was the greatest example and representative for the Church that we could have. He said that the other Protestant and Catholic chaplains always think that the LDS Chaplains can’t possibly do a good job, because they haven’t had the “theological training” and education which the other chaplains have had, but he said, “you have proven them wrong in everything which you have been given to do.” He is arranging for Jim to be sent to a special Hospital Training Course, which will be a great help to him. Even though I dislike having him gone from home, we will support him in this as I am sure this is what our Heavenly Father wants. I am so very proud of him. I know you are too. And you have done a wonderful job of teaching and guiding him. Everyone who knows him loves him.
Our little ones are getting very anxious for Christmas. Jim Suggested that we have a small Christmas this year, and each one of us donate what we would normally have spent on us to our new chapel. The little ones are all excited about doing this, so this is what we are doing. Each one suggested one special present which they would like, and then on Christmas they will each take the rest of the money which would have been spent on them to the Branch President. They really feel like they have helped to build the chapel.
You asked for suggestions for Christmas. Please don’t worry about sending anything as you will have a great expense getting the boys out on their missions. If you feel you must send something to the kids, they enjoyed the Mattell talking toy you sent them while we were in Japan, and they have been fascinated by the Mother Goose one.. They are about $5.00 here. Please don’t go to any bother. We would really just rather that you spent it on things which Lynn and Layne need. We are so proud of them, and so pleased with their mission calls.
We wish so much that we had gotten their cameras while we were in Japan as they are so much cheaper and I think probably better than the ones here. The Japanese people are very talented and skilled in this area. Jim will go into the BX here tomorrow and see what he can find out, and the finish the letter at that time.
After Christmas, please send our mail to 1703 Spaatz Ave. Chanute AFB, Illinois, 61866. (Changed to the 20th of January)
I have been called to be the Primary President. What a responsibility! I surely don’t feel capable, and have to keep reminding myself that our Heavenly Father has called me to this position and will help me.
P.S. You really made us homesick when you talked about going after Christmas Trees.
22 December 1969
We just received your letter and I was surprised that you hadn’t received a letter from us recently. Shirley wrote a long one along with our Christmas card to you and gave it to me to mail. All I had to do was add the prices of the cameras and send it to you. I had trouble getting the prices so I thought I had sent the letter before. I will search again and if I can find it, I will send it off. I can get the following cameras on base. The Kodak Instamatic “S-10” for $26 “20” for $46.50 and the “414” for $39. They also have a Retina S, 2:8 Lens from Germany for $46.50 without the case. Then they have a Mamiya 528TL with a regular lens, telephoto, wide angle lenses and a large and small carrying case. A very beautiful camera set for $93 and last of all a Yashica IC, Lynx 5000L with case and 1.8 lens for $63. These two Japanese cameras are excellent and I would strongly recommend one or the other. You will pay a little more money but you will have a camera for a lifetime. The Mamiya with the two extra lenses is the best for taking all different kinds of shots such as portraits, close up or long distance but on normal slides and regular pictures the Yashica will do just as well. If you want me to get them now or later just let me know. I would strongly discourage you from buying a cheap camera such as a Kodak because they will then just have to turn around in a few years and get the kind they really want.
We are so grateful for you and especially at Christmas Time we would like to jump in the car and be with you but I guess that will have to wait until spring. We are happy that you chose to get clothes because that is what we can use the easiest. We really need them.
We are all doing well. We are just completing our new chapel here so we are going to have a light Christmas and donating $50 to the building fund. If Lynn and Layne do not receive the books you mentioned in your last letter, be sure and let us know because we would like to get them and send them to them.
I must close.
27 July 1970
Dearest Dad and Mom,
We arrived here safely at 10:30 p.m. Monday night. We spend Friday night in Pocatello and went through the park the next day. There was no room in the park so we stayed about 50 miles outside in Wyoming. We saw several moose, which were beautiful, also “Old Faithful” and the “Grand Canyon” of Yellowstone, but no bears. It is just beautiful up there. Sunday morning we left Sharon and Joe in Cody Wyoming as they didn’t have to be back until Monday. We drove through the Black Hills of South Dakota – What beautiful country!! Then to Mt. Rushmore which was just so much more than we had anticipated. Those carvings are just unbelievably true to life. They look just like the pictures we’ve seen of Washington, Jefferson, T. Roosevelt and Lincoln. They gave us a brochure telling it’s history. It was really fascinating. We all really enjoyed this and would like to go back again. We decided we would like to be stationed there. You know, that is where we would have gone if Jim had become a supply officer and not a Chaplain. We already had orders to go there, when his Chaplaincy acceptance came through. Of course, we are very grateful that he is a chaplain and not a supply officer and we might get another chance at that base up there.
We were greatly blessed with good health, good sleep, and good roads. We hope you had a nice trip back home. We thank you with all our hearts for all you have done for us. The meat was beginning to thaw on top as we weren’t’ able to find any dry ice, but we had no spoilage at all, and it is delicious. We enjoyed the cake and bread so much also.
I must close now and get to bed. There is so much to catch up on. Write when you can.
1972
Dearest Dad and Mom –
Sorry we haven’t written sooner, but we’re just slow, lazy, and busy I guess. It takes me so long to do anything anymore that I don’t get much done. I do a little bit and then rest. Just 4 weeks left. I would be great to have one on time for a change. We are all so anxious. The Chaplain’s wives gave us the nicest little carrying seat for the baby and we’ve bought a few other little things and this really makes me excited. I also have my things ready to go to the hospital, nightgowns, etc. We’ve gotten all the kids school clothes and most of their supplies so that’s a big load off my mind. It seems so funny to be getting Lori ready to go. I guess I’d decided she would always be my baby, but she’s growing up right along with the rest. She comes up and rubs my stomach and says that baby sure is getting fat. She’s really a character. The kids are all concerned about the baby and are good to help. They and Jim have been doing a lot of the cooking.
We are so glad you had such a good time with Gay, Jim, and Jimmy. I’m sure it did you both a world of good. You’ll have to write and tell us all about it. We finally got the things Danette ordered for you. They aren’t as nice as I had hoped they would be.
How are things going on the hay? Has it been a problem for you? Are you sure you don’t mind taking care of the colt? Jim’s afraid it will be too big of a burden for you. Please be honest with us and tell us. If you feel like you can take care of it, could you ask Glen if he would throw on enough hay with his to take the colt through the winter and then Glen take whatever is left. We hope all this isn’t too much for you. Please be honest with us and let us know.
Please take care of yourselves. We love you so much. Write when you can. Call if you need to.
Our love always,
Jim, Shirley, and the little ones
No comments:
Post a Comment