Journal of Mary Phyllis Fisher - Thomas Davies

1978. Friday April 14 th is the day on the news paper. But I’m not sure this is the last paper.
Oh I have such a time to remember what day it is
Ren tells me to do things but unless I write it down I can remember what it was. He tries so
hard to be patient with me. No one could be more kind and patient as he is with me. I ask him
the day and he tells me. He is the most patient man in the world. I love him so much and am so
grateful for his kindness to me in helping me to remember.
1978. Saturday April 15 th
Ren and I are at home alone. He is reading the newspaper as he does every evening. He just
came home from seeing Lynn in the hospital. Ren and I went down to see her earlier and bought
her a new night gown. She is about eighty years old, 83 I think. She surely has a good memory
for being as old as she is.
Ren often says to me you don’t try to remember. I’ll make up my mind I’ll remember this or
that and keep saying it over and over again the things he tells me to do but when I stop saying it
I can’t remember it. No matter how I try I can’t remember. He gets so cross at me. I just say
“all right”. It doesn’t help when I am all upset. I am not going to make myself sick trying to
remember things.
Nobody wants me. I must be such a terrible person. I can’t remember anything. I am such a
trial. My sister won’t have me. Ada took me up to her home but she brought me back. I don’t
know what to do. I’m such an awful person. Nobody wants me. Oh how can I be better?
Lynn, Ren’s sister wants to come and live with Ren but she doesn’t want me. My children say it
is Dad’s place to look after me. My brothers and sister say it is not their place to look after me.
It is Ren’s place or his children’s, to look after me. Kathy came over to visit me and Ren came
and sent her home because it was getting late. She came to stay with us but he sent her back to
Shields where her sister works. I feel so bad. I thought if she was here she could remember for
me the things he says to do or not to do but he sent her home. Oh he says “she can remember
when she wants to remember.” I am so tired and discouraged.
Ren bought me a pretty new dress to wear. I’m not sure if I’m to go to the temple this morning
or not. It seems to me before he left he said there was not temple sessions today.
Yes I’m sure that is what he said.
1978. April 29 th
Ren and I have been alone most of the day so about 4pm he said lets go for a ride and see some
of the children. They’ll be home from school now. So we went to Ann and Blair’s. One of the
children was sick and asked us to pray for her. She had been administered to by her father and
the ward teacher so Ren said we would remember her in our prayers tonight. I won’t say
anything about it or he’ll say you pray and they want him to. He holds the priesthood and works
in the temple.
Today is May 12, 1978 it says in the paper. I think it is the last one.
Ren goes to the temple early. He got out of bed without waking me, so he was not here when I
finally woke up. He said he would be home at noon. It is now 8:30.
I played the piano for a little while but I don’t think I’ll ever be able to play, only to entertain
myself. But I love to play the hymns and sing them.
The little girl who delivers the paper brought our paper, The Lethbridge Herald
118