Thoughts and stories, by Pal

Today, I am sending a letter back to a dear friend of Wayne's that he had written to Wayne while he was in the Korean war and Wayne was on his mission in Sweden.  This friend was my dear husband Wayne's best friend from high school to the end of his life, along with his twin brother Blaine.  When Wayne was able to go on a mission to Sweden from 1950 to 1953, Arlen, his friend, had to go into the army and he served in Korea.  At that time only 2 young men could go from each ward to serve a mission.  All the rest were drafted.  The photo below is of Blaine, left, Arlen, and Wayne.   They played baseball and other sports together as young teenagers, and were friends forever. Since I have moved up to West Bountiful to live with our son Wayne and his wife, Julie, I have been going through many papers, etc., that I brought with me, but hadn't really gone through.  One box included the letters which Wayne's parents had sent to him while he was on hi...

Lovely peaceful thoughts for a Sunday evening!   PARENTING The Family Is Like A Book By Nicholeen Peck  · February 25, 2015 Our family memorizes a poem and a scripture each week. Every day after family scripture time we say the poem and the scripture three times each. After a week, we usually have them memorized. This brief moment of deliberate daily memorization has created an atmosphere of learning and deep discussion in our home. It’s one of the best practices we ever made into a family tradition. Some time ago we found an old poem by Anon called “The Family” which we have really enjoyed memorizing and thinking about. The poem actually offers great insight and instruction for families on how to raise good, happy children. The poem goes: The Family The family is like a book – The children are the leaves, The parents are the covers That protecting beauty gives. At first the pages of the book Are blank and purely fair, But Time s...

This year we will study the teachings of President Joseph Fielding Smith.  I remember President Joseph Fielding Smith when he was an apostle.  We had the vague impression that he was very strict, and that he would be that way if he became the Prophet.  NOT SO!  He was so kind, and perhaps the reason we misunderstood him was that he was so obedient, it seemed unbelieveable.  I really enjoyed the article about him in the new January 2014 Ensign.  I'll quote a bit from it: When 33-year-old Joseph Fielding Smith entered the Salt Lake Tabernacle on April 6, 1910, to attend general conference, an usher said to him, “Well Joseph, who is the new apostle to be?” “I don’t know,” replied Joseph. “But it won’t be you and it won’t be me!”   As the names of the Twelve Apostles were being read for a sustaining vote, Joseph suddenly received an impression that his name might be the next one mentioned. It was, and he was then sustained as the 12th man in t...

I have almost always prayed about any problem that has come up in my life.  I haven't kept a good journal of answers to my prayers, and I'm going to try to do that as the new year approaches.  I have had answers to my prayers, in actually small things in the last few days.  I find that Heavenly Father is quick to answer small things as well as large things, and it makes me love Him even more, to realize He cares about the small things.  I like the scripture in The Book of Mormon, Alma, Chapter 34, verses 18 to 27 -- But I'll quote only some verses: "  (20 - on) Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks.  Cry unto him in your house, yea, over all your household both morning, mid-day, and evening.  Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.  Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness.  Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them.  Cry over t...