Thoughts and stories, by Pal

I have been gone a week, to a grandson's wedding, and visiting family up north.  It is always good to be home, and have had a safe trip! This is the time of year our thoughts go to the Prophet Joseph Smith, and the early Saints in Nauvoo, in 1844.  In just 5 days it will be the anniversary of his martyrdom.  I had many ancestors who were there at that time. 6 Things You Didn't Know About the Plot to Murder Joseph Smith by Mark Goodmansen  | Jun. 20, 2016 Makes You Think There is more to Joseph Smith's martyrdom than you may think. Read on to find out which famous American figures were involved in a plot to kill the first prophet of the LDS Church. As early as 1843, the Prophet Joseph Smith was aware of plots to have him silenced, whether by placing him back in jail or killing him.      In September 1843, Joseph Smith was shown a copy of a letter from Samuel Owens of Independence, Missouri, and wrote in his journa...

This is a very interesting article which helps us realize that even though we pray about problems, we need to have faith in Heavenly father's plan for us.  President Hinckley used to say to have faith -- that everything would turn out right. The True Antidote to Worry By Darla Isackson  · April 28, 2016 Worry. The more we practice it, the better we get at it. Let me share a personal example of being pulled into old worry patterns. A son recently had a mediation day scheduled, the results of which would affect the quality of his life for the next many months. If he and his estranged spouse were able to resolve their differences they could finalize their divorce (which had already dragged on for many months) and move ahead with their separate lives. If not, she was determined to take it into a full-blown court battle, which her lawyer said would take anywhere from one to two years. In the meantime, they would be in limbo: my son would be unable to go to a ...

These are good ideas when we need to have a difficult conversation with someone.  Helps on how to keep good feelings and understanding. Can We Talk? How to Have a Difficult Conversation How to Have a Difficult Talk Posted by  Hey Sigmund In any relationship, whether it’s with a work colleague, friend, partner, parent, sibling, there will often come a time where a hard conversation has to happen. They’re the conversations that need to be handled gently. The anticipation of them can easily have you imagining your relationship gasping for breath in that cold wasteland fed by misunderstandings, too much honesty, not enough honesty, and drunk texting.  There will always be people who don’t deserve the gentle handling – the ones who cause more pain than joy. If a difficult conversation comes with a very real risk that they will get up and leave your life, let’s call that a reward for your honesty and be done with it. Glorious.  In any r...

  15 weeks ago today was my dear husband Wayne's last full day on earth.  Time passes so fast!  I miss him and think of him often each day.  I have a video of his telling about his experience indexing 685,000 names, and I love to watch it and hear his voice.  This article has other new thoughts about the Spirit World.  5 Insights into the Spirit  World from Those Who  Have Seen It by Marlene Bateman Sullivan  | Jun. 10, 2016 Makes You Think Job posed the question of the ages when he asked: “If a man die, shall he live again?” (Job 14:14). Jesus Christ answered, saying; “Because I live, ye shall live also” (John 14:19). Like birth, death is a necessary step in our eternal progression—a doorway that leads into the next life. The written accounts we have of early Latter-day Saints visiting the spirit world stand as a witness that life does not end with death. When the Savior came to earth, died, and ...

If you like recipes, these sound interesting and fun to make and eat! 10 Lettuce Free Salads You'll Make All Summer Long! from  Huffington Post Who says a good salad must have greens? These crowd-pleasing salads are packed with nutritious and tasty ingredients — from fresh corn to quinoa to avocado — and they’re 100% lettuce-free. Get ready to discover your new summer staples! 1. Black Bean, Corn & Avocado Salad with Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette AKA “veggie crack,” this black bean and corn salad is one of my most popular recipes — and it doubles as a dip. The vinaigrette is similar to the smoky-sweet salad dressing served at  Chipotle .  GET THE RECIPE 2. Grilled Asparagus & Feta Salad This is the kind of wholly satisfying salad that makes you wonder if you might possibly be a very happy vegetarian. Don’t forget the warm crusty bread for mopping up all the lemon-scented olive oil and feta.  GET THE RECIPE ...