Thoughts and stories, by Pal

Christmas  Quote by Pres. Thomas S. Monson "May you have a wonderful Christmas. May there be love and kindness and peace within your hearts and homes. May even those whose hearts are heavy rise with the healing which comes alone from Him who comforts and assures. With the Spirit of Christ in our lives, we will have goodwill and love toward all mankind, not only during this season, but throughout the year as well."                                           ------------------ If you cannot get the Christmas Devotional on your own TV at 6:00 p.m. Sunday Dec. 8th (tomorrow) it will be live on www.lds.org,or you can watch it on the internet address below.       LET'S WATCH IT ! ! http://www.lds.org/broadcasts/watch/christmas-devotional/2013/12?cid=HPFR120613187&lang=eng Today we had some interesting experiences.  I went to the funeral of my first...

I decided to start a blog, just over 3 weeks ago.  In our recent Stake Conference, we were encouraged to do anything we could to enhance missionary work, and as my husband and I are what many call “elderly”, (though we don’t FEEL elderly) we are at home a lot.  I don’t get out among various groups of people often.  So - - -      I really hope that something I write will lift someone’s day, and also help keep family history stories alive! .  That is my “mission statement”!   I guess what I write would be called an “LDS Blog”!  I have sent notes about my blog to people on my e mail list, and posted each entry on Facebook, and did something which recommended it on Google.  And yet I have had from one to many readers from many places: The toll I think indicates how many different times one of my posts is viewed by someone – Today the count is: The United States, 1444, Sweden, 16, Germany, 17, South Korea, 5, Malasia, 1, The United Arab...

Dear folks,  It has been really touching today to read about the life and mission of Nelson Mandela in South Africa.  It brings quite a few thoughts to my mind.  These are from the histories of Pratt and Ruth Miles book. My great-great grandfather, on my mother's side, John Lowe Butler, whose journal is included in our book of my ancestors, was married in Tennessee in 1831, and given 2 slaves as a wedding present from his wife's family.  They became converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and were baptized in 1835.  This is in their history: (On Page 119)      "At the wedding celebration held in their home, parents of bride Caroline Skeen, surprised her with three special gifts.  According to family tradition, Jesse and Keziah Skeen, gave  her an expensive sidesaddle so she could ride horseback in style, like a Southern woman of breeding should.  They also presented to her and new son-in-law John Lowe But...

It was really fun for me to see how many comments we got about the family picture I posted in the last post.  I'm quite busy for the next 3 days, so I think I'll put a few family photos on, and see how many memories they bring!  This may not be as fun for non family members, but hopefully it will give you a "slice of our lives" at different moments in time! This is Blaine on the left, Grandma Gladys Eckman in the center, and Wayne, when the twins were around 18 years old, about 1948.  Grandma Eckman was 4 ft. 10 inches high.  Her husband, Grandpa Roy was 5 ft. 10 inches. This was one of the photos Wayne sent me when he was in the army, 1954, taken in Austria.  Handsome, huh?    I noticed how proud the little boy was to have an "army man" have his arm around his shoulders.  This gave me an idea of how much Wayne loved children! There are 15 of our 29 grandchildren in this photo, taken in our family room in 2003.  We love havi...

There are several stories about Christmas in our family, and you may enjoy these: ---- My mother, Ruth, was just 6 years old when her father passed away.  In the summer of 1914, her father, John Butler Allen, got a sliver in his eye.  Later a horse switched his tail and a long hair cut through his eye again.  These accidents caused him gradually to go blind in that eye.  The infection from this brought on Bright's Disease (the old-fashioned term for kidney problems).  He suffered very much with the infection which now could be cured in a few days with antibiotics.  He grew steadily worse until on October 26th, 1914, he finally passed away.  There were 8 children in the family, the 9th child having died at just four and a half months, before Ruth was born.  His wife was left with 8 children: Vina, the eldest was just 19 and Earl 17, and Adelia the youngest was only a year and 6 days old. The first steps she took were to walk across the floor to h...

Today I woke up, thinking about my great-grandfather, Haden (or Hayden) Wells Church, and his wife Sarah Ann Arterbury, and the fact that they were two of the original pioneers to enter this St. George valley in December,1861.   Their story begins much earlier.  The only mention of Haden in the Hickman County Tennessee History, where he was from,--  telling of some of the first school teachers states:  "Hayden Church, who also taught on this creek (Swan Creek), was a typical old-time schoolmaster who spoiled no child by sparing the rod."  In 1840 when Haden, an unmarried school teacher, was about 23 years old,  he heard the missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints sing their first song, and knew they were speaking the truth.   He desired to know more, and from Tennessee he journeyed the four hundred miles to Nauvoo, Illinois.  There he met the Prophet Joseph Smith, who baptized him on April 5, 1841.  Soon he wa...

As December comes, with its hustle and bustle to get ready for Christmas, it is so important to take a few minutes each day, and contemplate about Jesus Christ, His life, and His teachings.  To feel gratitude for our Savior will truly help us remember what we are celebrating at Christmas.  It is so disturbing to realize how much the world, and even our own country, wants to consider it just a holiday, and not allow any mention of Jesus Christ.  Many businesses don't say "Merry Christmas", but just "Happy Holidays".  Other places don't allow manger scenes, etc.   Last night, after attending a beautiful fireside in the historic St. George Tabernacle, (for Temple workers) we drove around the St. George Temple and were delighted with the beautiful lights.  Also there were many spectators there looking at the life-size manger scene, and listening to the Christmas hymns which were being played loud enough for people to hear across the street.  There are ma...