Anchorage August 16, 1983

Dear Family,
So how do you like my new writing paper? I am using just about anything I can so I won't have to buy more paper.
IT was good to hear and to talk to you the other day. I still haven't found out when I will be arriving in I.F. but talking with he other missionaries they usually fly them out on the midnight special and if they do I would be arriving about 8:00 that morning, the 1st.  I should know for sure in about a week so I will write as soon as I find out.
We sure had a good wee this past week. We had one baptism, his name was David Laurence Marinez Jr. It was a really god baptism. His mom is getting re-activated an his dad isn't a member so we really put on the spirituality. His mom, Kitty Kelly (2nd marriage), was really touched.  She was just a bawling, you know how ladies are. I guess his dad was touched also, he had tears in his eyes.  So we are going to stay with it and hopefully get the dad also! David is a super guy.  He is only 10 but he really likes the church and the things are are teaching him.
When I was on a split last week I taught these two girls who are going to be baptized in Sept. and tld them the situation and that I was leaving and I would like to be to their baptism.  They thought it would be a good idea to have it earlier but they had to ask their parents first.  Their dad is Jewish and doesn't mind if they are baptized but he hates to rush into it. So we will have to see what happens when I get with them again. 
Boy I am trying hard to keep my mind on the work but he closer it gets the harder it's getting. The missionaries out here all know when I'm going home and they are constantly reminding me and it makes me trunky! It's going to be nice to be back home and see everyone again but it is also going to be weird. It's like starting all over again, for 1 1/2 years I have been doing the same things and in a couple weeks it's going to all stop. I sure have ha some crazy dreams about that, being home all alone and not knowing anyone. I guess it's like getting going in a new area.  You just have to get out and meet everyone and get settled in. But I do have a few things I want to do when I get there, I would like to go down to Oxford and meet all of Elder Cox's family and also I have been telling everyone about the 'big buck' I'm going to get this year, so I'm looing forward to taht too.
Well now don't think that I have already given up on the people here, because I haven't. I still have a good couple of weeks left and maybe I can still get a baptism out of it. Love Daren