Thoughts and stories, by Pal

  Another great article from Meridian Magazine.  We all can use this counsel! Creating a Family Culture of Self-Reliance By  Carolyn Nicolaysen  · September 1, 2021 “Preparedness, when properly pursued, is a way of life, not a sudden, spectacular program. We could refer to all the components of personal and family preparedness, not in relation to holocaust or disaster, but in cultivating a life-style that is on a day-to-day basis its own reward.” –Spencer W. Kimball September is National Emergency Preparedness Month in the United States. What a perfect time to recommit and create a culture that will bring peace now and for generations to come. A successful self-reliance program is all about creating a mindset, making preparing something the family does without even thinking about it; a family culture. Family culture is the combination of a family’s habits, traditions, goals, values, beliefs, and choices. Your family may have a family culture of service. When any fami...

  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 miss being with the wonderful people in our ward.  I am 85 years old, and so I will not be returning to Church meetings for awhile.  I don't know how soon, but I will follow the instructions from our Prophet Russel M. Nelson!  I don't want to be part of the problem! When We Gather Again By  Barbara Keil  · June 23, 2020 A small group of us were discussing the Come Follow Me lesson for that week via a Zoom meeting. The group leader asked a question for discussion: “The primary reason we meet together on the Sabbath is to take the Sacrament. During the pandemic, we have established we can take the Sacrament and hold worship services at home. Why should we return to church?” A number of thoughts were shared about a variety of benefits that result from worshiping together. We didn’t realize then, that within the next few days we would learn important lessons about that question.     A Catastrophic Flood I l...

This is a very touching story of how some were saved in the Tsunami in 2004. What Surviving a Tsunami Taught Me About the Lord’s Awareness of His Children By  Becky Douglas  · January 9, 2020 It had been a beautiful Christmas Day.  The glorious unwrapping mess in the living room was finally cleaned up, the Christmas dinner had been enjoyed and cleaned up and our nine children had all gone upstairs to play with their new treasures. As I cleaned up the last few peanut shells sliding down between the cushions on the couch, I could hear peals of laughter coming from upstairs as the kids played together with a new game. I’m sure you know the feeling on a wonderful Christmas evening: exhaustion, gratitude, happiness, warmth. Little did I suspect that in a few short minutes my life would be turned upside down, although not as much as the lives of more than a million other people across the world. The year was 2004, soon to be 2005. 2004 had been a...

Have we thought recently about the people who went through the Paradise, California, fire on November 8th?  This is a touching story about a missionary there that day. When My Missionary Son Was Caught in the Paradise Fire By Rachel J. Trotter  · December 27, 2018 Sign up for Meridian’s Free Newsletter, please  CLICK HERE The following comes from Rachel Trotter’s blog,  Evalogue Life . Sometimes life just goes along – things get busy and you’re kind of caught in the thick of thin things and then, out of nowhere you are awakened from life’s tasks and you re-evaluate everything you hold dear. That’s what happened to me the morning of November 8, 2018 – the day of the Paradise Fire. My son Joseph on his LDS Mission in Paradise with his second cousin once removed, Jayne Franck and our beloved Morris Family Cookbook Cookbooks and Family Stories But let’s rewind a couple of weeks. My son Joseph had ...

I received an e mail yesterday from a young Sister Missionary.  The father of her former companion, who is now home, is the Bishop of a ward in Paradise, California.  This is part of that e mail --- One of my former companions and her community have recently been involved in a fire that left 30,000 homeless.They lost all--house, church,community.   After talking with my companion the biggest need they have right now is that of clothing. Her father is the bishop in the ward and has a lot going on as you can imagine. If any is looking for a service project for a ward activity or a personal one, please consider sending clothing.  Harrison Family  340 Nielson ave Gridley, CA 95948 Thank you for anything you can do to help her!! This article features her family:    https://ldsmag.com/ californias-worst-fire-its- easier-to-count-the-number-of- homes-in-our-ward-that-werent- burned/?fbclid= IwAR33WiLykzVjTVzRrs1W90yei- w2F3DAiTRE8qV...