Thoughts and stories, by Pal

  I am 86 years old, and in about 6 weeks I will have a right hip replacement. I have been quite sedentary for a few weeks, and haven't kept up well with writing blogs.  But I've listened to and watched many inspiring videos recently. Today I have had a most interesting morning.  I was looking on my tablet in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints site, and at the "Come With Me" section.  I checked it out, and watched a video telling about Oliver Cowdery coming to help the Prophet Joseph Smith, and be his scribe.  I was really touched while seeing the video.  I must check out much more on various places in the information there!  I encourage any of you to check several of those sections, on the Gospel Library site, and you'll be very thrilled, and it will increase your testimony, and also your family's testimonies. My son who lives in Oceanside, California texted me this morning, with a video of some hail they were receiving this morning.  It is so ra

Levinah Emmaline Wilson , or “Emm” was born down on “The Muddy”, St. Thomas, Nevada, as it was called, on April 14, 1870.   It was covered now Lake Mead.    She was born in a dirt floored and dirt roofed house.  Her father had been called there to start a saw-mill.  She told the story, as it had been told to her, that at her birth it was raining,  (a rare thing for that section), and that sisters had to hold pans over the bed to catch the rain water, during her birth process.   Only the tops of a few trees used to show through the lake to show where the town had been.   It since is uncovered now due to the lake having less water.   Her father was George Deliverance Wilson, and her mother was Martha Ann Riste.   She was the 7th child out of eleven.  There were eight boys and three girls.  Aunt Martha was 10 years older than Mother and quite sickly.  Aunt Sadie was 8 years younger, so Levinah had brothers both younger and older than she was.   When Levinah was about 1 ½ years old t

This morning I again attended a Temple session, and took through the name of a woman born 400 years before me -- 1534!   I  was again was inspired by our first mother, Eve.   We know she went through heart wrenching experiences, and mourned over some of her children.  What mother has not had that experience?  I wonder if any of us realize how great of an impression our mothers have had on our lives and the way we live them?  As I was waiting for the session, I reviewed the scripture of the 2000 Helaman stripling  warriors: Alma 56: 47 and 48:  Yea, they had been taught by their mothers , that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.  And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it. What a blessing to those young men!   Of course the fathers had a great influence also.  But this time I'm writing about mothers. I really appreciate several lovely comments I have received about my mother's poems, yesterday.   By pl

We are very blessed to live here in St. George, Utah, where there are many wonderful and inspirational activities to go to.  On Wednesdays, here in the Tabernacle, they have a program, usually quite musical, and on Friday nights, they have an inspirational lecture by a well known person.  On Saturdays from 12:15 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. they have an organ recital, or other musical recital.  Many other nights they have concerts by local choirs and musical groups. This is an amazing building, to realize it was built in the desert small pioneer town of St. George, when people were so in need.  My grandfather, William Gustavus Miles, was a stone cutter on that very building.  It has a magnificent interior, and has spiral staircases, and a balcony on 3 of its walls.  I have enjoyed accompanying many talented people in several concerts there.  It has a lovely Steinway piano! Tonight we went to a wonderful program by Clive Romney.   It was his great grandfather who was the architect of the