Thoughts and stories, by Pal

  This is one of the best articles I've read for quite a while! The Best Way to Motivate the Rebellious is to Get Out of God’s Way  By  Joseph Grenny  · June 29, 2022 The following is part 5 of a 5-part series. To read the previous part,  CLICK HERE . It was a cold and snowy December night in Utah. Seth was over eighteen at this point and had been living on his own for some time. This particular night he was staying with us. Three days before, he had begged for help to get off drugs. He had promised to do anything so he could. I told him—as we always did—that we would only help if we believed what we were doing would truly help. We were unwilling to rob him of the consequences of his choices. I explained we did not believe it was loving to keep someone from learning. But I added—as we always did—that if he was asking for help to turn his life around, there was nothing we would withhold. He assured me that turning his life around was the goal. I explained it woul...

 This is a very thought-provoking article!  We need to be able to think very deeply about life, and what we are doing here, and the choices and decisions we make daily! Three Crucial Questions about Mortality By  Richard Eyre  · November 9, 2020 Editor’s Note:  This is the sixth article in a 12-part Tuesday/Thursday Meridian Series that explores some of the most remarkable and exciting doctrines of the Restoration.  Read the two-part introduction to this series    here ,  and  here , and read article 1    here , and article 2   here , and article 3  here , and article 4  here ,  and article 5  here . This series poses fundamental and intentionally provocative questions about the doctrines of the Restoration, and in many cases includes the author’s own interpretation of certain Gospel beliefs and principles that do not pretend to be official doctrine of the Church and that are necessarily endorsed by Mer...

I follow Brad McBride's blog called "Thus We See", which used to be named "Middleaged Mormon Man", and really enjoy it.  You could also go there and sign up to receive his free posts.    Today he posted a Baccalaureate Speech written basically to his son, who is graduating from High School this year, and anyone else who would like to read it.  I am one of those who has been inspired with it.   It would be great for all to read -- not just graduates!  Go to "Thus We See" and there is a link where you can sign up. My Unsolicited Baccalaureate Speech            by  Brad McBride |         Posted on  May 24, 2020 My son graduated this week! Our final, fifth experience. On the upside it wasn’t 100 degrees on the bleachers, nor did it rain- because no event was held. On the downside, it was a furthering of the Class of 2020’s experience in missing out. Our High School has a...

This is a very thought-provoking article, with a lot of wisdom!  Enjoy it! Why the Church is Worth Choosing: A Follow-up By Craig R. Frogley  · June 3, 2019 Sign up for Meridian’s Free Newsletter, please  CLICK HERE   To read the original article this piece references,  CLICK HERE . Cover image via ChurchofJesusChrist.org. In response to last week’s article on “Why the Church is worth Choosing,” came several thoughtful responses.  One comment particularly invites a second article. Geoffery Turner, among other things asked this question, “Both Churches believe in Christ and that He is the way to salvation; both Churches have a leader through whom they receive guidance; both celebrate the Sacrament and, on the ground, members of both Churches do all they can for their neighbors. So, what is the practical difference that flows from what the article describes? Are Catholics not “saved”? Does the Pope not receive guidance from Go...

This article has so much wisdom in it!  It gives me a new way to think and understand the true meaning of repentance! Repentance: Emergency Brake or Steering Wheel? By Tom Obenchain  · May 19, 2019 Sign up for Meridian’s Free Newsletter, please  CLICK HERE I grew up thinking that repentance was an emergency brake. Now, I know it is really the steering wheel. I literally cannot move forward without carefully using it every day. For many years, a daily practice of repentance never quite made sense. It was a mystery to me. Why would I need to repent each day if repentance was for emergencies? I remember thinking that if I needed daily repentance, I should reconsider my lifestyle and that instead of repenting daily I should consider not sinning daily to an extent that required repentance. If sin is the only thing we use repentance for, this thinking might be adequate. If, for now, we define sin as one of the big seven: lust, gluttony, gre...