Thoughts and stories, by Pal

Family Counselor: How Parents Can Avoid the Destructive Messages We May Be Sending Our Children Without Realizing It by Christy Kane PhD, CMHC  | Mar. 23, 2019 Makes You Think Mormon Life The other day I was in a grocery store when I noticed a small child giving his mother a run for her money. As I watched the two of them, I could tell the mother was getting very tired; and in a moment of desperation, she directed a few unkind remarks toward her small son. As she did so, I wanted to say, “Please don’t. You may not mean what you just said, but your little boy will believe you! If he believes you, and such exchanges between you and him continue, I may find him in my office years later as a teenager or a grown man, wondering why he is such a failure and why he is never good enough.”  I think sometimes we forget how very powerful words are. For example: • a stirring orator raises a crowd to their feet in momentous accolades • a funer...

This is a lovely little true story that shows how much a word of encouragement can mean to another person, especially a teacher!  A great story! It’s the Simple Things That Matter Most By Daris Howard  · April 23, 2019 Sign up for Meridian’s Free Newsletter, please  CLICK HERE The end of the semester was busy with students complaining about their grades and wanting to know if there was any way they could make up for their lack of diligence during the semester. I was feeling quite tired and sat down in my office chair to rest. That was when I noticed an envelope that had been slipped under my door. I picked it up, opened it, and a letter fell out. I started to read. “Dear Professor Howard, I am Richard Hampton. It has been a couple of years since I took your calculus class, so you probably don’t remember me.” I paused and smiled as the memory came back. It started in a very basic algebra class, one that students usua...

I enjoyed reading this article in Meridian Magazine so much, I thought you readers would enjoy it!  Serendipity is something I haven't studied much! How to Evolve from Control Freak to Friend of Flow By Richard Eyre  · April 24, 2019 Sign up for Meridian’s Free Newsletter, please  CLICK HERE Editor’s Note:  This is the second article in a four part series about a new Happiness Paradigm that replaces the attitudes of control, ownership and independence with their more spiritual alternatives.  Read the first overview article here. Our Addiction to Control The term “Control Freak” brings to mind a certain type of person—a type none of us want to be, but that many of us feel that we are becoming. Oh, how we long for  Control .  We try to control the events of our day by making lists and checking them off.  We try to control our children by disciplining and rewarding them.  We try to control our destin...

Dear friends!  This beautiful new song "Risen", by Shawna Edwards is accompanied by Daniel Blomberg! You can see him in the video.  We knew Daniel when he was 15 years old, in Sweden, when my husband Wayne and I were there on a mission.  He was a fantastic musician at that time also. He grew up, active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, went on a mission, learned several languages, went to BYU, and other universities, receiving a fantastic education.  He has taught in universities, but his real love is helping arrange and perform music.  He lives now in Utah, and he and his wife have five talented children, and he is really making a name for himself! If you ever want his help in arranging music, or making a beautiful video of music you have already composed, he is the right one to contact! I am proud to be his friend!  

As a special video for Easter Sunday, you would love to watch the final testimony of Elder Bruce R. McConkie, given in April Conference, 1985.  He passed away just 12 days later.  This is so impressive, I hope you enjoy it, and that it strengthens your testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ, whose Atonement and Resurrection we celebrate today on Easter Sunday. Here are 2 different links, to the same video! https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1646588748725157 https://www.facebook.com/LDSStandingUnited/videos/1646588748725157/UzpfSTE2NDIzNDE1NzM6MTAyMTY5MDgxNjI4MDk5NzM/?notif_id=1555811053288800&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic

Here is a beautiful article in Meridian Magazine, that will help you have the true spirit of Easter, and the Resurrection and Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ. 6 Ways to Prepare your Heart for Easter By  Book of Mormon Central  · April 14, 2019 Sign up for Meridian’s Free Newsletter, please  CLICK HERE View the article  on Book of Mormon Central .  Easter is the most important holiday of the year. While Christmas often gets a lot of focus, Christmas is only the beginning of the story of Jesus Christ. The final week of Jesus Christ’s life, often referred to as “Holy Week,” is the pinnacle of the ministry of Jesus Christ and the climax of the entire Plan of Salvation. Easter is the perfect time of year for Latter-day Saints and Christians all over the world to reflect upon the life, Atonement, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. More importantly, it is a time for everyone to reflect upon their own lives and recommit to living...

This story, in LDS Living today, is such an inspiration, and I wanted to share it with you dear readers.  It made me shed a few tears! What a Stranger's Prayer in an Emergency Room Taught One Latter-day Saint Dad About Miracles by Nate Checketts  | Apr. 12, 2019 Makes You Think Mormon Life The following has been published in full with permission from Nate Checketts.  Four weeks ago was without question the scariest night of my life. It has taken me that long to revisit in detail that night and the events that followed it. I have made several attempts, facing down the blinking cursor but unable to get through the memories without fear and worry filling me again and leaving me in a state of panic. But as I have reflected on the experience again and again, it has been clear to me that it is meant to be shared. Not because I have any desire to draw attention to us as a family, but because I have felt prompted to do so a...