Thoughts and stories, by Pal

I found this great entry on Brian Mickelson's blog, while checking out which of my blogs had been read this last day.  I wasn't following his blog when this was written.  But I'm including it today, as today I will be starting my Church Service Mission in the Records Preservation Unit here in St. George.  From now on, many of my posts will be on various aspects of finding our ancestors!  It is one of my very favorite topics!   Photo of my dad, Orson Pratt Miles, taken when he was about 40 years old, about  1931, in his barber shop.  Tomorrow, September 7, 2016, would be his 125th birthday!  I hope to honor his memory by how I live my life! From the Other Side of the Veil: “Please Try and Help Us…” 5 Replies I had an interesting, though not-as-dramatic-as-it-is-going-to-sound, experience on Saturday… I had spent a week and a half  planning  to do family history  work. But projects got in the way, and nothing came...

The new Church policy on children of married gay couples actually protects both the children and the parents.  This article by Brian Mickelson is very thoughtful and inspiring.  He is an institute teacher in Logan, Utah.  I can understand this new policy from his inspired explanation, and agree with it! New post on  Brian Mickelson.... My Experience With an Update in Church Policy… by  BJM I'll try to keep it brief. I felt some surprise last night when I opened up my browser to find an update in Church policy regarding married gay couples and their children. My gift of being prone to anxiety (with her soul sister, "over-reaction") caused some immediate feelings of either dread, panic, anxiety, or worry (I never can tell which I'm feeling at the outset) at the headline "LDS Church to exclude children of same-sex couples from membership" (thanks to KUTV for adding click-bait drama to an already controversial subject). Of cours...

This new blog by Brian Mickelson is really great, and goes with the one I posted yesterday, on transitions in life -- including coming home from a mission and getting on with life. MyPlan.lds.org, and a Pattern for Transitions… by  BJM My friend and colleague recently posted a link to  MyPlan.lds.org , where returning missionaries will put together and follow through on plans that will make their transition from full-time missionary to returned-missionary a little easier and more effective. Interestingly, their first "learning experience" relating to returning home successfully will take place  before  they enter the MTC. Another learning experience will take place when they've been out in the missionary field for about half of their service time. Then, various learning experiences will occur each week of their last six weeks in the field. These plans will be shared with their mission president and home-stake president so that they have built-in support for...

Before I put this new post by Brian Mickelson on my blog I want to mention that I wrote several entries with my mother Ruth Allen Miles' biography in April and May of 2014.  Blogs numbers 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, -- and 146 and 147, are all about my mother's life.  Also blog # 95 is of her beautiful poems, and has been almost the all time favorite of readers.  You may enjoy going back and reading some of them. --------------------- I really like this new post today, May 8, 2015, by Brian Mickelson.  I feel the same way he does about the Gospel and its truth.  Living the commandments brings its own confirmation that they are true, and that they bring happiness.   This I know also! New post on  Brian Mickelson.... What I Mean When I Say that “I Know the Gospel is True”… by  BJM The phrase “I know” seems pretty definite and makes people a little nervous, if not dubious and doubtful. I totally get it. Hearing other...

This is a new post of Brian Mickelson today.  It is a sweet story about a small service Pres. Monson did.  People remember small kindnesses, and I hope we will all try to find some small kindness, even a smile, that we can do for someone today. New post on  Brian Mickelson.... Thomas S. Monson, Maddox Restaurant, and Crab…. by  BJM Since my grandmother passed away a few weeks ago I've been stopping in to see my grandfather each week on my way home from work. I love the visits. I ask him a bunch of questions and he tells stories to answer. I'm learning a lot... For example: Years ago Grandma and Grandpa were enjoying a meal at Maddox  (if you live anywhere near Northern Utah and don't know Maddox, stop reading, get up from your chair, and drive to Brigham City right now...get this problem solved). I don't know what Grandpa was eating, but Grandma had ordered crab. Apparently she wasn't super experienced with cracking crab open, et...

With the New Year coming, it would be an excellent time to make a goal of doing more FAMILY HISTORY WORK! I'm not sure where I got this old photo, and I honestly don't know who they are, but the photo is so interesting!  If you recognize any, let me know! I've taken the liberty of putting some of our old photos inserted in Brian Mickelson's article.  Each of these have a story, and want their Temple work done, if it hasn't been already.  I love genealogy and Temple work! New post on  Brian Mickelson.... From the Other Side of the Veil: “Please Try and Help Us…” by  BJM I had an interesting, though not-as-dramatic-as-it-is- going-to-sound, experience  on Saturday ... I had spent a week and a half  planning  to do  family history  work. But projects got in the way, and nothing came of it. Finally, I determined to sit down and just do something. Anything , really. So I spent about three hours browsin...

We finally got our phone and internet on -- after 4 long days.  That may not seem long, but it happened the day after Wayne got out of the hospital, and the next day was our family reunion with all of our 9 children coming to celebrate my 80th birthday, which will be on October 6th.  So our cell phone got a lot of use!  Wayne was weak and dizzy, and we took him to the hospital on Sunday, Sept. 14th, and he was there 5 days, with pneumonia and renal failure.  He came home on his 84th birthday, and is doing a bit better each day.  Also, in keeping with the post by Brian Mickelson below, I can't use my right arm, it's in a sling from a rotator cuff operation on Aug. 25th, and I probably will have to wear the sling for 2 to 4 more weeks.  Before Wayne went in the hospital, he was helping me!  I have to try and do everything with my left hand, and I am right-handed! This is our entire family who were together last Saturday, Sept. 20th, 2014.  Fr...

This new post by Brian Mickelson is a great followup to the entry I posted last night.  ENJOY !    It makes a lot of sense how he uses social media! New post on  Brian Mickelson.... Putting Social Media in its Place… by  BJM I'm telling you right now,  I love Twitter . I like having my news sources all combined into one streamlined place. I like funny people. I like simplicity and minimalism. Twitter gives me all of that. I also like  Pinterest . I like pictures. I like keeping track of things. I like curating good ideas. Again, I like simplicity. Pinterest gives me all of that. I like  Instagram . I do some photography, so...of course. Throw in  Facebook ,  Google+ ,  Snapchat ,  Tumblr ,  Reddit , and the many other social media sites, as well as blogs and email and texting, and you can see the potential problem: Keeping up on your social media life could get in the way of, wel...