I HAVE DECIDED TO WRITE A WEEKLY JOURNAL AND THEN SEND IT TO OUR CHILDREN SO THEY CAN SEE WHAT WE HAVE DONE THIS WEEK AND WHAT I AM THINKING ABOUT.

WE HAD BEEN DOWN IN ARIZONA FOR ONE WEEK WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT LENNIS CHRISTIANSEN, ONE OF OUR DEAREST FRIENDS FOR THE LAST 40 YEARS PASSED AWAY. WE HAD SUPPER OUT AT THEIR HOUSE THE WEEK BEFORE AND KNEW IT WAS CLOSE TO THE END SO WE GOT TO SAY OUR GOODBYES THEN. WHAT A GOOD MAN! HE WAS A VERY SIMPLE MAN WHO LOVED THE LAND AND LOVED FARMING. HE WAS VERY DEVOTED TO HIS WIFE AND HIS FOUR CHILDREN. WE FEEL A GREAT LOSS WITH HIM GONE BUT KNOW THAT HE SUFFERED TOO MUCH AND WAS READY TO GO. HIS LAST WORDS WERE TO JEFF, HIS SON, TO "TAKE CARE OF YOUR MOTHER".

WE DROVE BACK TO YUMA AND ARRIVED HOME ON THURSDAY AFTER-
NOON. IT WAS NICE TO GET BACK TO WARM WEATHER AS IT WAS GETTING
VERY COLD BACK IN UTAH.

SATURDAY MORNING YOUR DAD AND I SPENT OUR TIME TAKING DOWN A FENCE IN OUR BACK YARD. WE ARE GOING TO PUT UP A CEDAR BOARD FENCE AND IT WILL MAKE OUR YARD ABOUT THREE FOOT WIDER. WE ALSO HAVE TO TAKE OUT A ROW OF OLEANDER BUSHES WHICH IS A NIGHTMARE. CECIL CAME OVER SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND HE AND YOUR DAD DUG DOWN AND FINALLY WITH A WENCH PULLED OUT TWO OF THEM. A MAN CAME AROUND AND WANTED $50.00 TO DIG OUT EACH AND WE HAVE FOUR OF THEM TO DIG OUT! SO WE
WILL SAVE A LOT OF MONEY BY REMOVING THEM OURSELVES. MONDAY THEY ARE GOING TO TAKE OUT THE OTHER TWO. WHAT A PROJECT, BUT IT WILL BE REALLY NICE WHEN WE FINISH. WE ARE TRYING TO GET IT READY FOR THANKSGIVING AS WE ARE HAVING TEN OF US PLUS KATHY'S THREE LITTLE ONES.

WISH WE COULD ALL GET TOGETHER BUT WE JUST LIVE TOO FAR APART.

WE ARE ENJOYING THE WEATHER HERE IN ARIZONA AND CAN GET OUT AND TAKE A WALK, SWIM AND RIDE OUT BIKES. WE ARE LOVING OUR NEW HOUSE AND ARE MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO FIT OUR NEEDS LITTLE BY LITTLE. WE WENT TO THE GARAGE SALES SATURDAY MORNING AND PICKED UP A LITTLE TABLE AND A CHEST OF DRAWERS AND A VACUUM CLEANER.

YOUR DAD HAS HIS LITTLE OFFICE AND HIS COMPUTER AT ONE END OF OUR ARIZONA ROOM AND I HAVE MY OFFICE AND COMPUTER AT THE OTHER END.
WE SEND MEMOS BACK AND FORTH!

WE HAD A LESSON TODAY IN SUNDAY SCHOOL ABOUT THE GATHERING IN THE LAST DAYS OF ISRAEL AND THE THOUGHT CAME TO ME THAT GATHERING WAS
PULLING OUR FAMILIES CLOSER THROUGH LOVE AND CARING FOR ONE ANOTHER. WE LOVE EACH OF YOU VERY MUCH AND ESPECIALLY OUR LITTLE GRANDCHILDREN. WE PRAY FOR THEM EVERY DAY - FOR THEIR CONTINUED HEALTH AND LEARNING AND THAT YOU WILL BE GOOD PARENTS TO THEM FOR THEY ARE PRECIOUS IN HIS SIGHT AND GIFTS FROM OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.

BLESS EACH OF YOU THIS COMING WEEK THAT YOU WILL BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER AND CONSIDERATE IN YOUR ACTIONS TO EVERYONE.