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Saturday, 2 November 1985 Dear Mom & Dad,
Last Saturday afternoon was the Halloween Carnival at school. Angelique and Steven had a ball. Jeannie helped at Angelique's Halloween party at school. Actually, she coordinated the whole thing. We used the computer to figure out who volunteered to take what and then sent them letters. We were surprised that there was a group of Italian kids who came to the door on Halloween. They were so pushy that Jeannie and I slammed the door in their faces. Our biggest news here is that John and Faye Sigle moved back to the States. His mother was reported as near death. Since they were to leave in four months anyway, the Air Force decided to just move them back now. They left this past Wednesday. Our whole family (not to mention the church) misses them a great deal. It all happened so fast. I have written several programs on the computer similar to the one you saw on the plan of salvation. If you can find anyone at church with a Commodore 64, I would gladly send them copies of these programs. In place of tapes on 13 Oct, I presented my program on the plan of salvation. There was one person in the group who was not a Christian. After we finished, he asked to be baptized. So, we have now baptized four people in our bathtub. Well, that sold the program to everyone present. John is going to try to market the program after he gets settled in San Antonio, Texas. 
Last Sunday night we had some of the newer Christians over for supper and had a Bible study based on a program I wrote on worship. They all enjoyed it very much. I was afraid the computer would be distracting, but it wasn't at all. Last Saturday morning about 20 people from church toured the catacombs together. One of the women at church speaks fluent Italian and translated everything. Jeannie and the kids didn't go. I took John and his older son. We had a different tour guide from when you went. I finally got the Bible [text] program for the computer. Everyone thinks it is a fantastic program. It does some really impressive things. It almost makes a concordance obsolete. We had a going away party (picnic) at Carney Park for the Sigles last Sunday. We managed to spend nearly every free minute with them from the time they told us they were leaving. John and I shared most of the principle responsibilities at church. I now feel like a burden has been dropped on my shoulders. We are losing two more men that can "preach" before Christmas. That will mean I will have to preach more often. I am not sure I can come up with enough sermon ideas for that often. It finally started raining here after you left. It has turned chilly, too. It has rained nearly every day. Steven has a new teacher at Pony Palace. She cannot replace Faye, but Steven seems to like her well enough.
I am taking the Fiat to the shop Monday. It is going to have to have a new radiator. There is a crack in the present one. Getting that and the gas gauge and the muffler fixed will surely cost a lot. Did you know that those guys who hijacked the ship got on it here in Naples while you were here? Our missionary friends in Holland are planning to go to the retreat in Germany with us. That will be fun to visit with them for a week without either family having to clean house, etc. Did Becky get her crackers? Jeannie and I are going to study the Bible with a couple that are not Christians on Monday night. They expressed an interest in this. I suspect we will be able to baptize them. The husband is too big to fit in our bathtub, so we will have to be prepared to go to the sea. Jeannie said she feels like a preacher's wife, as well as a doctor's wife. Don't forget to send one of those coin holders for my Roman coin. Have you shown yours to anyone? We will almost certainly be staying here until June. Jeannie has started the campaign again to try to get at least her mother here before we leave. There must be something else I need to say, but I can't think of anything. Write soon. Love, Michael, Jeannie,
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I can't believe it has been nearly two months since I last wrote. The kids got your Halloween
cards yesterday.
This past Monday afternoon, Angelique was initiated into Brownies. I filmed the ceremony.