Thoughts and stories, by Pal

Today I am re-posting blog # 71, and tomorrow # 72, about my 2nd great grandmother.  She was a true pioneer, and went through many amazing experiences during her lifetime.  My great great grandmother on my mother's side,   Caroline Farozine Skeen, the wife of John Lowe Butler,   was an amazing woman herself.  She had to run their farm and take care of the children many times when her husband John was gone with the Prophet Joseph Smith, as one of his ordained bodyguards.  I'll post several different stories of her in the future, as her life is very inspirational.                       The Story of Grandmother Squaw               After the Prophet was killed and the saints were moving West, John left with his family in Emmett’s Company.   (Remember John Lowe Butler was the Prophet's bodyguard, see post # 66, and he also is mentioned in post # 26) ...

Yesterday a Senior couple gave their homecoming talk in our ward. They said some things that have given me an insight as to why some missionaries have problems, and perhaps come home early, even though they have a testimony, etc.  She  was a professional counselor before they left, and they were called to the South east part of the U.S., Alabama, etc., and were mental health counselors to 18 different missions.   She mentioned that before anyone goes on their missions, Heavenly Father knows how long they will be able to serve.  She very kindly explained that whatever problem a person has, either physically or mentally, socially, etc., they take that with them on their missions.  She said that if someone has diabetes, anxiety, depression, etc. and other physical ailments before their missions, the stresses of a mission add to what they already had problems with.  She mentioned one young missionary whom they counseled, and he wanted so much to stay on ...

I first posted the blog below on December 9, 2013, and it was blog # 30.  My mother, Ruth Allen Miles, was in the very first extraction mission, in March 1977, which was the beginning of what is now Family Search Indexing.  It began right here in St. George, to help provide names for the Temple.  Just last Sunday, a worldwide record was set.   The information is here: First of all was this notice sent out early in July, 2014: On July 2, 2012, a total of 49,025 FamilySearch indexers and arbitrators joined together to set the all-time record for the most indexing participants in a single day. That lofty record is about to be broken—by you! Join volunteers from around the world on July 20 and 21 for an international history-making event! The goal? For 50,000 indexers and arbitrators to submit at least one batch in a 24-hour period! Then, on July 23, 2014, this notice was sent out: FamilySearch volunteers are amazing! On July 20th and 21st, FamilySearch indexer...

As we are still in July, the pioneer month, I want to re-post some special stories from previous blogs.  Many of you who read these blogs may not have time to look back or know which stories are very special to our family.  So I will put a few back on from the past.  This story was first posted on February 13, 2014.  I had been to the St. George Temple that morning.  My thoughts were really deep and grateful for my heritage.  Each of you has a special heritage and if you don't know now what your ancestors did to bring you the life you now have, I hope you will be able to find their stories and record them for your posterity.   In the days to come in this wonderful world we live in, there will be more trials. Perhaps the stories from the past will give us each courage and faith to live the lives we are given in faithfulness and gratitude.  I hope you all have a wonderful Saturday, today, July 26, 2014.  Yesterday I know of 3 ...

This is an article that I found on  Meridian Magazine a couple of weeks ago.  I believe it has some great ideas we can remember when we go to Church this Sunday, and look for strangers, (or our own ward members who may be lonely or having problems) -- who are visiting our Church! Thursday, July 10 2014 Soft Landings By Joni Hilton Last week in Ward Council, our bishop used a phrase that perfectly described what we can provide for tormented souls who come into our wards: Soft landings. The world provides the sorrow, the grief, the loss and disappointment; we can be there with open arms to help and heal as best we can. Raw with hurt and pain, members often find themselves in a congregation where they don’t know a single person. They may even be in a new part of the world where nothing seems familiar. Some people arrive not wearing what some might consider proper attire. Others come tenuously, unsure if they will be ...

Do you have Mormon pioneer heritage? FamilySearch has created a simple sign-in tool that will allow you to discover your pioneer heritage. After you discover more about the pioneers in your history, take the time to read their trail stories, also found on this page. The past is an amazing storybook. http://spr.ly/6185lI9X    (copy and paste!) Wayne's great great grandfather Phillip Kirk, had quite a history, and 3 of his children came 4 years before the parents had enough money to come also.  This tells their touching stories. 61. Wayne's great great grandfather, Phillip Kirk, "Burned in effigy" Today, I want to tell the story of Wayne's great great grandfather, Phillip Kirk, and his wife Mary Ann Taylor.    Mary Ann was 17 years old when she married Philip Kirk, 20 years old. They had 10 children, four of whom died young. Early in the 1840’s, Mormon missionaries had been sent to England to tell the people there of a new rel...