March 6, 1968

Dear Family,

It seems a long time since I wrote the last decker and for a while I wondered if I would ever write
another. Whatever that bug was that hit me in San Francisco, it was sure a lulu. I began to get ill as we
reached Marta’s on the way back and was afraid I would pass the bug on to the baby. This did not
happen, but we left there as soon as we could. I remember driving the Freeway, than Mother took over
and drove almost all the rest of the way to Tucson. I sure had a time of it. It took the prayers of those of
you who knew I was ill, plus the administering by the Elders, plus a peck of antibiotics, to snap me out of
it and I am still a bit on the week side.

Rina, you are the only one we have received a letter from since we returned. In a way I am glad
that your “slow boat to China” tour was canceled. Knowing what a Mamma’s boy my buddy Lane is, I
hate to see him left alone. Now, our only plans for the summer are to go to Bill’s about the time School
is out, so that he can go fishing with us before he goes to work in the timber. Then we are coming back
to Tucson to wait for you. If you truly want to go to the white Mts., (I am afraid you will want to stay
around Tucson and yak with friends), I think you should be thinking of reserving a camper, tent or what
have you I mind, right now.

Another reason I have not written is because my church responsibilities were in such a mess.
The forming of the new Ward, (8th) took about 35 families from our Ward. I lost Home teachers, had to
regroup my Home Teaching areas and even lost my Assistant, which is the hardest blow. The fact that I
did not go to church for two weeks after we returned, did not help either. It seems the people we lost
were the young energetic ones, like Bill Biggs, way out in the East side of town. When I bugged the
Bishop about getting me an assistant he showed me a list of 16 vacancies he could not fill.

Mother talked to Marion Sunday. Her entire family had also been bitten by the bug that got me
and were just getting back on even keel. We have had not report from the Rices or the McKays and have
been wondering if they too were ill.

Mother and I started at the wrong end of Skousen’s thousands of years. We started at the
4ourth thousand and we are now reading the 1st thousand. His explanation of things I have always been
a bit skeptical of , seem very logical to me and I don’t believe I ever did thank you for your book, The
Naked communist”, also by Skousen. I am reading parts of it in our weekly Home Evening. Last night our
lesson was #26 in the Manuel. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house.

Mother is still having a lot of aches and pains, but keeps going just the same. I think she is just
feeling pains she did not have time to feel while I was ill. It was quite a strain on her. She is in Relief
Society to-day. Her work also went to pot while I was ill and she is working overtime now, getting it
squared away.

Hey David! Did you find a new girl among the mob that visited the ship? How about dropping us

a line?

Vaya Con Dios,

Dad