Thoughts and stories, by Pal

This article was in LDS Living.  It is quite interesting! One Big Reason Young Mormons Are Afraid of Marriage (And How to Fix It) JENNY SPENCER - JUNE 17, 2015 You may not have even heard of this particular reason why young single adults are delaying marriage, but it's no less powerful. Find out what it is. As a young single adult in the Church, I’ve had a plethora of conversations with friends about why we’re afraid of dating, afraid of commitment, afraid of marriage—or all of the above. Our general Church leaders tell us that it’s the most exquisite and important thing we’ll ever experience in life. And yet, many of us put off the search to find a spouse. We want to be with the absolute best person for us. Keep searching, they say. Don’t settle for anything less than the best, we’re told. We get the same message from the media that surrounds us. If the phone you have is better than the last one you had, then it’s a sure-fire bet that the next phone you ge...

 LDS teen spends final days at church  and  temple, caring for  others By  Sarah Petersen ,  Deseret News Published: Monday, June 22 2015  Afton Wallace attends church with her family. From left: Robert Wallace, Scott Wallace, Sheri Wallace, Katie Wallace, Abigail Wallace, Afton Wallace and Kaylynne Wallace. Provided by Robert Wallace Summary "We were all crying," said Afton's father, Robert Wallace. "It’s the worst news that you could have. Then she said, ‘Dad, can I go to the temple?'" “ I think that the thing that is so remarkable about Afton, despite the pain, despite the unsettling knot in her stomach, ... she remained herself. ... She had this infectious ability to be happy, even when she should have been the most miserable.” Robert Wallace When doctors told Afton Wallace, then 17, there was nothing else they could do to save her life, Wallace spent time grieving with her immediate family. But ...

Great Story!  This is such an interesting story, of a young convert in New Zealand who had to have a tatoo removed to serve a mission.    New member cuts out tattoos to serve mission   Thomas Swain   June 8, 2015 Written by Ione Cussen Pasi Haufano didn’t always want to serve a mission, it wasn’t until he was in his mid-twenties that he even starting to consider the idea. But when he’d made that choice, nothing was going to stop him. His perseverance became a beacon of faith, an example of determination that has quite simply become legendary. Pasi was raised in a Polynesian (Tongan/Samoan) home in New Zealand and was Baptised in 2006, but he didn’t really understand the significance of what he was doing. “I knew I had to be baptised, but I never understood the doctrine behind it”, he said, “I couldn’t even remember the name of the church, I didn’t know that there was a Book of Mormon.” Pasi at home in New Zealand wi...

This is such a comforting article.  It contains thoughts from a book by Robert L. Millet, a BYU Religious Professor, entitled "When a Child Wanders."  Why There Is Hope Even If Your Child Has Strayed ROBERT L. MILLET - from lds living Learn more about the doctrine behind what happens when a child wanders from the faith. I thought I knew something about the depth of divine love and the supernal power of the everlasting covenant when I chose to write  When A Child Wanders . The last two decades have, however, sharpened my convictions and deepened my faith. My wife Shauna and I have witnessed miracles as loved ones have been drawn back to the fold, but we still seek with all our hearts for the restoration of each one of our children to full and complete acceptance of the restored gospel. And we trust in the assurance that “Our heavenly Father is more liberal in His views, and boundless in His mercies and blessings, than we are ready to believe or receive” (Jo...

This is truly a great resource for all of us, whether we have freed slave ancestors or not.  I have several ancestors who freed their slaves before the Civil War.  I would love to find their names, and do their Temple work.  I'm not sure how to go about that.  If any of you find out, please e mail me.  My e mail is in my profile.  I would love to hear from anyone reading this.  Tell me what you think about what I post or about yourselves and your lives.  I am truly interested!  THANKS!  Elder Christofferson Announces 4 Million New Freed Slave Records Released for Indexing SOURCE: FAMILYSEARCH An event today launched the volunteer indexing effort of 4 million freed slave records. Image from The Freedmen's Bureau Project  Live Broadcast FamilySearch, the largest genealogy organization in the world announced the digital release of 4 million Freedmen’s Bureau historical records and the launch of a nationwide volunte...

This article tells about the fathers of some of the prophets.  All you fathers who read this, can be a father to a future Church leader, and perhaps you will be.   Fathers of the prophets By Ryan Morgenegg For the LDS Church News Published: Thursday, June 18 2015 1:00 p.m. MDT President Joseph F. Smith and his son Joseph Fielding Smith, 1914 Source: BYU Religious Studies Center Prophets have been some of the most influential men throughout time and are often referred to in scripture as “fathers.” But what kind of men were the literal fathers of the prophets? A look at the fathers of modern-day prophets LDS Church New The impact of righteous fathers in the gospel is real. From Christ’s relationship with His own Father to the scripture stories of Lehi and Nephi or Abraham and Isaac, there are principles learned, behaviors modeled and lessons taught. The Church’s Proclamation on the Family states, “By divine design, fathers are to pre...

This article will touch your heart! LDS senior missionary serving in Ghana   builds pulpit for paralyzed  branch president                   By  Sarah Petersen ,  Deseret News                   Published: Tuesday, June 16 2015 7:15 a.m. MDT                                           With the help of people around the world and divine intervention, Elder Gary Parke completed a project that one branch president in Ghana calls "a total miracle." “ He just sat there for a minute, and he looked at me, and he said, 'Elder Parke, we have been praying that we could finally figure out some way to allow President Azumah to be able to conduct the meetings like anybody else would.' I knew then, without any doubt, that the Lord was mindfu...