Thoughts and stories, by Pal

  This article has very deep meaning!  And I'm going to learn from it!   Must Everything Be Political? By  Steven Smith  · October 29, 2020 The following first appeared in Public Square Magazine. You’ve been a devoted member of the local Birdwatchers Association for . . . how long has it been? . . .going on fifteen years now.  Although you initially joined almost on a whim, your membership has become important to you: it’s pleasant getting together on a sunny Saturday morning with people you wouldn’t otherwise encounter to go out into nature and appreciate, together, the many-hued marvels of your feathered friends. This is something you’ve come to look forward to. Then, last week at the association’s annual meeting, something changed.  There was the usual business: officers were elected, scheduling discussed, association dues set for the coming year.  And then one of the members, Robert, proposed that the Association’s website should add an e...

Our Stake Conference, with President Russell M. Nelson and others!  Dec. 9th and 10th, 2017     We were excited for around 2 weeks when they announced that President Russell M. Nelson, his wife Wendy, and also Elder Berne S. Broadbent of the 70's, and his wife Suzanne would be our visiting General Authorities! Our Stake President McReynolds, in his talk Sunday morning first of all mentioned how people asked him if he was nervous with Pres. Nelson coming.  He said that he figured that Pres. Nelson could literally see into his heart!  and see if he needed a "valve job"!   He talked about last year's youth conference in which they enacted several Book of Mormon scenes.  One was having a long 500 foot rope, which was the "rod of iron" mentioned in Lehi's dream.  There were leaders along the way, taking the part of tempters, trying to get them to leave the "rod of iron", and go do something fun -- such as a video game, sports, food, etc...

For any who are having contentions in their own family, whether it is long standing, or recently because of the election, this article by my long time friend and mentor Larry Barkdull is very appropriate. In our local newspaper it mentioned some families may have problems with a family Thanksgiving get together, as the recent politics have divided them.  That is so sad, and so unnecessary!  Our loved ones are still the same dear family members we have loved all our lives.  They are not who they voted for.  Let's be peace makers at this time wherever we may be. GREAT ARTICLE! The Destructive Nature of the Spirit of Contention By Larry Barkdull  · November 8, 2016 To sign up for Meridian’s Free Newsletter, please  CLICK HERE Editor’s Note: Our friend and longtime Meridian writer Larry Barkdull recently passed away. To remember and honor him this is one of a series of his past articles that we are republishing weekly. ...