Thoughts and stories, by Pal

This is an interesting sequel to blog # 278 about floating islands.  It gives insight into how some people live today, without modern technology. By Daris Howard  · November 11, 2014, in Meridian Magazine Ancient And Modern Technology We had just finished touring the first of the floating islands of Lake Titicaca, with the rest of the day ahead of us to visit others. As we gathered back to our boat, some Peruvian men rowed up in a boat they had made from the same reeds as the islands. It was designed in the same Peruvian style as their ancestors had done for thousands of years. For only ten sol each (about $3.50) they offered to transport anyone around the lake to the other islands that we planned to visit. Our whole group was fascinated by the boat and gathered around it. It was an incredible feat of ancient engineering with tightly interwoven reeds, even boasting a second story. It was rowed by two men who also steered it. When the men...

Sorry, I inserted this by accident.  I hope you enjoyed reading it again!  As of today, I am about back to normal with my arm recovered from rotator cuff surgery, and 6 weeks of physical therapy.  This was first published on June 4, 2014, before I even knew I would have surgery on August 25, 2014. ---------I am so grateful today that I am finally feeling almost back to normal!  For almost 2 months I have not been feeling well, some days worse than others.  It seems that I had been taking ibuprophen and aspirin too often, and it irritated my stomach so I was feeling nauseated a lot of the time.  After a stomach scope I knew I didn't have stomach ulcers, or stomach cancer, for which I am very thankful!  I can't imagine what people go through that have those ailments. Three times, on particularly miserable days, my husband Wayne gave me a Priesthood blessing, each time assuring me I would recover completely from this ailment.  But as usually is...

Today I'm honoring my father, Orson Pratt Miles, who was in World War I, and also my husband, Wayne D Eckman, who was in the army during the Korean War.  But Wayne didn't go to Korea -- instead, he and his twin brother Blaine were sent to Europe.  I'm posting an entry about my father, and you can find more about him in posts #;s 153, 33, 34, 37, 227, 28, 7, 85 -- (and others.)  He is listed under "Miles Orson Pratt", in the "Labels" and also under "My father Pratt".  I probably should have them all together! My father Pratt was a very sensitive soul, and he was on the front lines, either in France or Germany -- I'm not sure which.  But the "shell shock" left him with a full disability, and he had poor health the rest of his 84 years.  Also my husband, Wayne, was never on front lines, but he and his twin brother served in Trieste, and Austria, and were blessed to never have to actually fight.  There are posts about him and B...

    This is an article in Meridian Magazine, and also Deseret News.  It is very touching, and a bit long to read but I didn't want to condense it.   It is an important part of history. The  Deseret News   had an hour-long interview with President Uchtdorf as he recalled his escape from East Germany. November 9th, Sunday, marked the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall.  The LDS Church and the Berlin Wall: President Uchtdorf recalls escape from East Germany, life with the wall By  Tad Walch ,  Deseret News Published: Saturday, Nov. 8 2014 10:29 p.m. MST Seated in his office in the LDS Church Administration Building, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint, looks at a piece of the Berlin Wall. Tad Walch, Deseret News President Dieter F. Uchtdorf made a harrowing escape from East Germany as an 11-year-old before...

I read this in the LDS Church News last night, and I really enjoyed it!  Tenacity is a virtue that will help us stay committed to the right!  In these days where "anything goes", it is important to live true to the Gospel! Tenacity is required to become Savior's disciples By Amber Clayson LDS Church News Published: Friday, Nov. 7 2014 12:00 p.m. MST Updated: yesterday   Elder David F. Evans speaks about the importance of tenacity in the lives of Christ's disciples at the BYU devotional address in the Marriott Center Nov. 4. Mark A. Philbrick Summary Elder David F. Evans of the First Quorum of the Seventy spoke about the importance of developing tenacity at the BYU devotional in the Marriott Center on Nov. 4. LDS Church News The LDS Church News is an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The publication's content supports the doctrines, principles and practices o...