(This is a letter written to my dear friend Margaret Arnold--she and Ned, husband, are serving as full-time missionaries/ Executive Secretaries to the Area Presidency in Hong Kong)

Oh Margaret,

What a beautiful, peaceful way to spend my Sunday afternoon reading and picturing your life in Hong Kong--what an experience/s to remember! As I've said many times before, "it's the next best thing to being there." I especially loved viewing your church office bldg, doorway to your apartment bldg and coveting the foot massages!! It is all so interesting. What a beautiful and cultural city/country. Oh, how I hope to go there one day with a special guide such as yourself! Do you think I'll live that long.

Your children and grandchildren are spectacularly beautiful. What a wonderful gift to have each of them visit you while serving your mission. Surely, they helped the home and family laments you must have felt at times.

I just put Steve on a plane to Dallas, TX, to hopefully assist Janie and Mark's big move to Provo. Unfortunately, their McKinney, TX, home sale fell through last Monday (family out-of-state put earnest money down but couldn't secure a loan), and they are back to 'square one.' What a disappointment; most of their personal and moving plans had gone smoothly. Janie returned home from 5 days at Stake girls' camp as Stake Camp Director at 1:30 AM and 30 ward members showed up at 6:00 to assist in packing the ABS truck. To add 'insult to injury,' all of their belongings wouldn't fit on the truck, so they have rented the largest U-Haul, and will load the residual of their belongings in it. Mark will drive it (with a trailer behind with one of the cars on boards) and Steve will drive their 15 passenger van (and hopefully Janie will sleep and receive strength and laughter from her father). Because of serious exhaustion and coming home from camp to find out their home is not sold and all belongings didn't make it on the truck, I guess she had a meltdown for a few minutes! Hurray for Janie--she is usually as strong as the Rock of Gibraltar! She can now go forward and face her Goliaths'! Unfortunately, this means Steve and Janie (Mark had sold his practice, released as being Bishop last Sunday) will begin painting and giving the home an additional face lift now that the house is empty (shows more deficits when furniture isn't there to hide then). She and Mark have really been through it the past few months, but they are keeping their eye on the goal and Mark's---lifetime dream---to teach at BYU!!! When she flew up in May to house search, she couldn't find one that "felt right," so she returned home 'empty-handed. One week later, Steve and I found a 45 year-old home in Indian Hills, Provo, not far from BYU campus they will be leasing, split-level (which she didn't' want but was all that was available). Of course, she's never seen it but happy to have some place to 'light' (one year lease). Now we know why it didn't feel right (wouldn't have had the money for the down payment). Unfortunately, they'll have double house payments until the TX house sells--they also needed the money out of the house for family reunion (2 weeks away) transporting kids and wedding reception. Anyway, is your head spinning with all these minute details! I told her I would help with the McKinney reception decor (tables, etc.) night after the wedding (being married in Houston on Friday). One blessing is they'll be here and all of working together will help pull this off! Aren't families wonderful?

How are you feeling, Margaret? You don't respond to this question, so I'm worried the heat and humidity and rigorous schedule might have taken its toll (all missions do this, I think). Thank you for sharing visuals of your handiwork (beautiful gift baskets for the G.A's)--you are the best! If you have a minute, I would love to hear about your menus and food selections you prepared. I have it a bit easier--just phone the Lion House and JSMB and order from their menu selections, etc. and COB florist for their spectacular floral arrangements (I'm sure nothing like Hong Kong). This Wednesday, the Audiovisual administration (David Nielson, 8 Directors and myself) are hosting a 'farewell' luncheon for Elder C. Scott Grow and Elder Craig C. Christensen who have been assigned to other responsibilities at the COB (Elder Sybrowsky remains on the EDM Committee). Elder Grow (former finance specialist will be assigned to the auditing area for the church and restoration of blessings and Elder Christensen to the Priesthood Committee. How beloved these men are to me as I've sat in weekly meetings with the three of them and David, taking minutes, and hearing the 'musings' of their hearts and the inner workings of the church. How blessed I feel. As farewell gifts, we had 2 clocks made from old-fashioned movie reels with film tape cascading down, and small, brass name plates engraved and affixed as a special memento of our love and appreciation. June is a huge month for training the new General Authorities and last Wednesday, David, Elder Grow and Christensen trained 7 new ones, e.g. Elders Richards, Foster, Ringwood, Satati, Mazzardi, Uceda most of the day (with me taking minutes)! What a thrill, once again. There's a long and funny story there which I will save for later.

Anyway, enough of all that. I just wish to know and understand one day why we are placed where we are other that this point in time (even disregarding age, etc.) than willing hearts to assist in building the kingdom on this earth in some small way. I feel humbled, Margaret. Thank you for allowing me to share some of this as no one else would really understand. Won't we have wonderful tales to tell when you come home. Oh, how you are missed.


It's time for me to get studying for next week's gospel doctrine lesson--how I love (even crave at times) studying the scriptures and having the Holy Ghost in attendance. This will be a most unusual Sabbath with Steve gone and Jen and Christy and families in Moab bicycling. We're gearing up for our family reunion in Yellowstone in two weeks--all will be there except Chip, Liz and precious 5 children. They are in transit to N.C. to begin his new phase of army life. On with the show!!!!!