Thoughts and stories, by Pal

    This is the 3rd entry from Samuel Miles' journal.  Entries # 128 and 130 tell of his early life, and his time in the Mormon Battalion.  Blog # 131 is a brief history of his life, written by his granddaughter, my aunt Sarah. This begins after he returned home from California, after working a year at Sutter's Fort after being in the Mormon Battalion.   We arrived at the fort in the Salt lake Valley on the 10th of September 1848.  The families who followed the pioneers were living in a fort built of logs and adobes.  I found my brother Ira and wife here he having come with the company who followed the pioneers and had returned with some of the Battalion men going to the frontiers.  I made my home with them and we bought a log house in the fort where we lived through the winter.  I sent one hundred dollars to assist my folks to the valley.  I learned of the death of my father who died December 22nd 1847 in St. Louis Missouri o...

Today I read a very inspirational article in the Meridian Magazine, which reminds us of the message of Easter -- That our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for all of us, and that we all will be resurrected with a perfected body, and according to our choices in life, to more than we could imagine of glory and joy. I'll include the first part, and if you like it and have time, you can read the rest on the link I will leave.--  Have a wonderful Friday, -- some call it "Good Friday" I send my love to you. Friday, April 18 2014 Easter Reflections By Darla Isackson The spiritual crescendo of Easter-time causes me to reflect on the lives of special people I’ve known that are now on the other side of the veil. I’ve been blessed with some extraordinary friends with extreme physical challenges. Several have already been called home (along with many of my relatives), which makes Easter’s promise of the Resurrection even more meaningful for me. I...

I want to put this shorter condensed history of Samuel Miles Jr. in today.  I still have 2 more entries which are from his own journal, and more detailed, and I will add them later for those who want to read the more complete journal.                        SHORT HISTORY OF SAMUEL MILES   BY A GRANDDAUGHTER, SARAH MILES WALLACE, SISTER OF PAL'S                                                  FATHER, ORSON PRATT MILES.   My grandfather, Samuel Miles, was one of the most humble and appreciative men I ever knew.   He expressed many times his thankfulness to the Lord for many blessings given him.  He was an efficient speaker and took many home missionary assignments.  He found great comfort in the Spirit of the Lord and lived a life worthy of the guidance of the Lor...

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS BLOG # 128, ABOUT SAMUEL MILES JR., NAUVOO, AND HIS TIME IN THE MORMON BATTALION AND IN CALIFORNIA AT SUTTER'S FORT WHERE GOLD WAS DISCOVERED!   We moved to Nauvoo in the fall of 1839.  Then we bought a lot on the hill of the upper part of the city and a short distance to the south of the Temple site.  We built a small log house on our lot and were prepared for winter. My brother Ira who was married to Mary K. Bent before we moved from Missouri and my brother Joel made their homes in Nauvoo.  Father by working at his trade (a tailor) was able to build a comfortable house the following year after we settled in the city.   I attended school and became well advanced in my studies.  Facilities for acquiring education were quite limited.  The saints were struggling to make homes and raise something to live on.  Many were prostrated with sickness, the fever, and ague so prevalent in this section.  We then moved into ...

Just to let you readers know, Blog # 95, of Beautiful Poems by my mother, Ruth Allen Miles,. has reached an all time high of 100 viewers!  After I finish the next one or two entries about my great grandfather, Samuel Miles Jr., I will write more of her life.  She was such a remarkable and noble woman!  I'm enclosing several pictures of her below.  Some of these photos have been in here before.                                                             Ruth, about 1930                               Ruth, in a costume for one of the operas she sang soprano in, around 1928.                                               ...

AUTOBIOBRAPHY OF SAMUEL MILES JR., SON OF SAMUEL AND PRUDENCE MARKS MILES SR.       The first part of the autobiography of my great grandfather, Samuel Miles Jr.  His parents joined the Church in 1833, and lived through the days in Kirtland, and Nauvoo, including many of the persecutions there.  His story gives quite a vivid picture of life in those times.  I'm so grateful for faithful pioneer ancestors!   Today in Stake Conference, a visiting Seventy, Elder Ellis, talked about how many people we affect in our lives, and our effect also on the posterity of those we teach.  We have no idea how much our actions affect many people, now and in generations to come.  Samuel Miles Jr. wrote quite an extensive journal.   The next 3 entries will be of his life, as it is too long for one entry, but it is very interesting.  He was only 7 when his parents joined the Church, and he lived through the entire early history of the Church, even...