Thoughts and stories, by Pal

 I just read this touching story which is about a World War II veteran, and today is Pearl Harbor Day so  I am posting 2 entries today .  The picture below is of my own dear father, Orson Pratt Miles, in his World War I uniform.  It left him disabled the rest of his life with what was then called "Shell Shock", now Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. My father, Orson Pratt Miles, in World War I. The Gift Of Oneself By Daris Howard  · December 6, 2016 Sign up for Meridian’s Free Newsletter, please  CLICK HERE Christmas was fast approaching, and as I sat in church, all I could think of was the many things that I needed to do. The lesson was titled “Caring and Sharing,” but I heard little of it. Then the teacher said something that caught my attention. “As you rush through your busy life this time of year, remember what this season is all about. It is about giving. And the most important thing you can give is your time to...

This is the first of 3 articles which Richard and Linda Eyre will post about Grand-parenting.  The others will be published the next 2 weeks.  I will put them on this blog. These are especially interesting, as I will be moving up in April to live with my son and his wife, and be much closer to several grand and great-grand children.  I hope to be much closer to them. Can Grandparents Save the World? By Richard and Linda Eyre  ·  December 6, 2016 Sign up for Meridian’s Free Newsletter, please  CLICK HERE Editor’s note: This is the first article in a three part series on “Mormon Grandparenting”. The second article will appear here in a week and the final one two weeks from today. Statistics tell us that if you are a baby boomer, (now in your 50s or 60’s) you likely have another 20 good years ahead of you and that you probably have grandkids who you consider to be the best part of this “Autumn of lif...

These words of wisdom were published in Meridian Magazine on Thanksgiving Day.  We all were so busy, I saved it for a day like today!  Have a good one! The Importance of Learning Little Lessons in Life By Vickey Pahnke Taylor  · November 24, 2016 To sign up for Meridian’s Free Newsletter, please  CLICK HERE “In fact, is not managing life’s  little  challenges so often the  big  challenge? Those who wait for a single, spectacular, final exam are apt to flunk the daily quizzes.” (“Thanks Be to God”, Elder Neal A. Maxwell) Quizzes. I remember having pop quizzes in school. Sometimes, the announcement would bring a shiver through my body. Largely because I knew I wasn’t properly acquainted with the material that would be included in that quiz. Ughh. Other times, it didn’t phase me. I was on top of class teachings and ready to ace that quiz. So it goes in life. Because we are multi-faceted people, with ...

An Apostle Shares What Santa Claus and the Temple Have in Common by Boyd K. Packer, excerpted from "The Holy Temple"  | Nov. 30, 2016 Makes You Think Mormon Life President Packer's book,  The Holy Temple , is a classic of LDS literature that has become one of the most comprehensive and definitive works written about temples. In fact, much of the material found in the Church's temple preparation pamphlet comes from this inspired book. The following is an excerpt from this book, where President Packer shares insights from John A. Widtsoe of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostle's and his groundbreaking talk, "Temple Worship." The reason the teaching of the gospel ofttimes is so difficult is that ideals in the gospel are such intangible things as faith, repentance, love, humility, reverence, obedience, modesty, and so forth. The dimensions of size and shape and color and texture just do not serve us there. In teachi...

I found this before Thanksgiving, but it is also appropriate for Christmas.  At this time of the year, my heart is filled with gratitude for my many blessings -- my family, friends, having the Gospel in my life, our Savior, Jesus Christ, and living in this beautiful world -- only to start with!  There are so many I can't count! 16 Quotes on Gratitude from Each of the Latter-day  Prophets by Jannalee Rosner Makes You Think Mormon Life As the seasons of Thanksgiving and Christmas approach, we all remind ourselves to focus a little more on the things that we are blessed with in our lives, instead of complaining. Though not all of these men were president of the Church at the time they said these quotes, their words still ring true as prophetic reminders of how important it is to fill our lives and hearts with gratitude. What are you thankful for? Share it in the comments below! Joseph Smith Let us be thankful that it is as well ...

Inspiring thoughts for the Sabbath Day -- coming!  For the 3rd day of the Light Of The World, I found 2 pair of glasses I don't use anymore.  Hopefully someone can use them when I donate them to Deseret Industries.  Today my son helped me put up our small Christmas tree -- we haven't had a large Christmas tree for a few years.  Usually my husband Wayne loved to decorate the tree.   He really loved holidays, and getting together with the family.    I found this photo below of Wayne with one of our sweet great grandchildren.   It is so typical of him, and so natural!  He always loved little children, and one of the things I noticed first about him was how he always would smile, wave, talk, etc. to little children, and they loved him! Jesus Christ SCRIPTURE OF THE  DAY  Helaman 5:9 " O remember, remember, my sons, the words which king Benjamin spake unto his people; yea, reme...