MARCH 1982

Apache Junction
March 5

Yesterday Ida & George, Wallace & I went to Roosevelt Dam.  We went east of Apache Junction to Superior and then to Miami.  Both are mining towns.  They mine mostly copper.  At Miami we turned north.  Huge rocks were on every side.  Many piled up like a huge backhoe had piled them on each other.  The rocks were different colors.  Some streaks of green and some were red.  Some looked like it was a soft yellow rock because there were cracks in every direction.  When we got to the lake we went to a government or recreation area.  Up on the mountain were houses in the rocks, ancient ruins.  The people had raised corn, four kinds of beans.  They ate from the desert, the cactus and what wildlife which was not very much.  They used the cactus to make their clothing. It was very interesting day.  We loved it very much.


March 25

Don & Janette Wilding, Wallace's brother have been visiting.  It has been so nice to have them here.  We spent one day and went to the flea market together.  The sun was hot and we got sunburned.  We had lunch together and then in the evening we all went out to eat.  George, Ida, Don, Janette, Vera, (George Wilding's wife) and Wallace and I.  It was very nice to be together.  Janette and I played horseshoes.  It was fun.  She had never played horseshoes before.  She was very good.  This morning they started home.  Ida is doing some better.  She has a hernia very close to the stoma and it has caused her a lot of pain.  The doctor had her get a support belt and it has helped her so much.  The sores around the stoma are healing but very slowly.

March 23

This morning before breakfast Wallace & I walked out across University Drive into a section that is just desert.  So many kinds of birds!  We walked up on a dove sitting on her nest.  We got very close but she did not fly.  She was so beautiful.  When we got back from our walk we watched the space shuttle land on t.v.  It had been in space for 8 days and made a beautiful touch down.  It was thrilling to see it land.
Since the first of the year Patricia has had a hysterectomy, also Charlene and last week Ronda had surgery too.  They have all done well.  Talked to Ronda Sunday.  She sounded weak but she said she was fine.  Daren Charles second son entered the mission home the 10th of March and will be going to Alaska.  Yesterday we got a letter from Charles & Evelyn and Daren will leave the mission home April 7th.  They will go to Salt Lake to see him off on the plane!
They sent us two wonderful letters from Mark who is in Australia.  They have two boys in the mission field now.  I know that is not easy but our Heavenly Father will bless them double.