Thoughts and stories, by Pal

 I have loved how Wilford Woodruff wrote "I went on my way rejoicing!" “And He Went on His Way Rejoicing”: Mental Health and the Spirit of God  By  Roger Connors  · June 3, 2022 As a mission president, you are constantly looking for ways to help missionaries cope with the anxiety and stress of life on a mission. While it can be incredibly rewarding, missionary work isn’t easy—particularly when life provides a surprise like a worldwide pandemic that literally increases the difficulty of missionary life in an instant. Add to that the normal challenges of mental and physical health that manifest at this age and the need becomes even clearer: mental health isn’t something you can just assume, it’s something you have to develop and maintain. [1] I remember being quite amazed at the missionary life of Wilford Woodruff. He participated in the difficult march with Zion’s camp, then chose to stay in Missouri to do missionary work. He was an amazing missionary, serving several...

  LATTER-DAY SAINT LIFE David T. Morgan: 2 scriptures that help us understand why God allows us to pass through hard things By  Dr. David T. Morgan   May 02, 2022 05:00 AM MDT Twitter Pinterest Email Print Shutterstock I often get questions about the purpose and origin of mental health challenges. Are they part of divine design for our growth? Are they effects of choices made by others that afflict our development? Are they the natural, random outcome of living in a fallen world? In my experience, the answer to all three of these questions is “yes.” Understanding the beginnings of such issues can bring insight. But ultimately, those who are affected are still left with the long, arduous journey of growth and change that transforms poor mental health into more effective functioning. I don’t believe there is a way around that process. Practically every good thing requires much hard work and years of consistent determination. Advanced education, good health, material wealth,...

  Beautiful thoughts on being prepared for storms that will come! How Can I Make Mine the House That Survives the Storm? By  Kathy K. Clayton  · April 13, 2022 Spring is a season of emerging. Winter-weary gardens everywhere are enlivened by determined, purple and marigold crocuses dotting the dirt as they press upward. Those tenacious flowers have awaited the spring sunshine under layers of short days and winter snow. This year there has been a different and unprecedented emergence occurring simultaneously. Unmasked neighbors and friends are resurfacing after having been hunkered down under layers of hand sanitizer and social distancing. The whole blessed time of return has been a welcome celebration of rebirth. This season of emergence is an opportune time to look around and within to enable us to conscientiously attend to the details of the structures of our lives with care, as we dust off the remnants of a long winter, both literally and figuratively. It’s a valuable t...

  I saved this from 6 days ago, and forgot to post it, but it is still very appropriate.  The patriotic citizens who are left in Ukraine are so brave, and need our prayers! Things Worth Fighting For By  Meridian Magazine  · March 16, 2022 This points to an article written by journalist Bari Weiss at Substack. You can find the entire thing here.  https://bariweiss.substack.com/p/things-worth-fighting-for?s=r It feels like we are living through President Volodomyr Zelensky’s moment in history. Kyiv is being shelled and has been for the past three weeks. But the former comedian remains at his desk, wearing his army t-shirt and sitting in his green leather chair on Bankova Street in the center of the city. More than two million Ukranians have fled the country, but he will not budge. “The fight is here,” he said, responding to an offer from the Americans to help him evacuate. And then, reportedly: “I need ammunition, not a ride.” (I’m in Florida right now, and I saw ...

  I saved this from almost a year ago.  It is appropriate today also! How Can We Survive This Disaster? By  Joni Hilton  · September 30, 2020 Last week my husband and I drove to San Francisco, about two hours from our home. My ongoing cancer journey includes doctor visits there. And, not surprisingly, it took us through an eerie stretch of hills blackened with soot and the charred remnants of the deadly wildfires that have ripped through California. Dozens of blazes have shattered previous records as flames ravaged more than 3 million acres and claimed 27 lives. Quietly, we stared at the destruction, the twisted tree trunks, the gloomy, lifeless ground. And then I saw it.  They were almost imperceptible, but there they were: Tiny shoots of green grass pushing up through the ashes. Barely a sprinkle of life, but life nonetheless. My heart leapt. Somehow, through complete devastation and ruin, nature finds a way. The Earth yet lives. Grass, shrubs, and wildlife wi...

I really love the writings of this dear lady, who had many problems in her life! How the Refiner’s Fire Purifies Our Beliefs By  Darla Isackson  · September 7, 2020 Editor’s Note: Beloved Meridian author Darla Isackson recently passed away. We will continue to share her wonderful insights here periodically. We can lean on the following words from the 4 th  verse of “How Firm a Foundation”: When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply. The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine. What flames of the refiner’s fire are you currently dealing with? Wayward children, financial reverses, disease, aging? Almost twelve years ago the suicide of my son was that kind of refiner’s fire for me. No event in my life has ever caused me to re-think what I believe as much as that one. As a practicing, believing Latter-day Saint, my identity was intertwined with “forever family” goals and “I am a c...