Dear Timothy Stoen,
Thank you for your letter. I really liked it. I enjoyed all the letters that I got from the people at the Temple. I’ll be coming back to stay after I help my parents moved to Berkeley. I’m really looking forward to coming to live in Redwood Valley.
I am still trying to get over all of the nice things people wrote about me. It is kind of overwhelming. I think it’s great that so many people have gotten together that are so concerned about the world and people. I’ve never seen anything like what’s going on at the Peoples Temple before. Of course, I haven’t really been around too much but I have doubts as to whether there’s anything as good as it around, anywhere. Anyway I’m really glad that I will be able to become a part of it.
I’ll have to be selling their possesions [possessions] too. I don’t have any fancy car or close but I have lots of records and musical instruments that I don’t need. Well, anyway all have quite a few changes to make. I’m pretty much on the same wavelength as the church in my thoughts, I think, but I’ll have to learn all the “rules” and stuff.
It took me a while to decide to come back because I can never make snappy decisions like some people. I had to sit and ponder about it and tried to decide if it’s the right thing to do. It was too much pressure for me when everyone kept bugging me about whether I was going to stay or not because I thought I was just out for a friendly visit to see my sister Carolyn. I guess it’s good that everyone bugged me about staying because if they hadn’t, I most probably wouldn’t come to stay. I had already made plans to stay with my other sister, Becky and her husband in Washington D.C. and I was really looking forward to it. No one had to convince me of the goodness of the church. I guess it seemed too good to me and I thought I should spread my goodness around the other places. Also I was reluctant to calm because how could I be sure the Temple wasn’t just another phoney [phony] group that there are so many of today. So anyway I’m glad I have decided to come and I’ll probably be much gladder (?) (more glad) after I have been with you for a while and get more taste of the church.
I look forward to coming and thanks again.
Love,
Annie