Thoughts and stories, by Pal

Some Good thoughts for the Day! You can see the goodness and kindness in my mother Ruth Allen Miles' face, can't you? August 14, 2017 Things That We Can Do SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY Doctrine & Covenants 123:17 "Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed." QUOTE OF THE DAY Lorenzo Snow "There are many important things required at our hands, and many things which we can do, when assisted by the Spirit of the Lord, which may at times seem almost impossible to accomplish" ( Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow , p. 77). August 4, 2017 Spirit of the Lord SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY Doctrine & Covenants 39:6 "And this is my gospel---repentance and baptism by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire ...

Thanks to LDS Living, this Letter to Mormons can open our eyes to things we may not have thought about.  There are many kind, good, honorable people around us who desire and want our friendship, without our preaching! I hate to admit, in the 1960's and 70's when I was raising my children, I could have been guilty of the attitudes here expressed.  But we were always living in a neighborhood which was almost 100% LDS.  I do have some great non-LDS friends whom I love with all my heart!  This has other applications -- possibly to children of inactive LDS parents.  I know we all desire our children to stay close to the Gospel, and marry within our faith.  It requires prayer and compassion! A Letter to Mormons: Mom of Another Faith Shares Powerful Message to Members by Renee Tumolo  | Aug. 10, 2017 Makes You Think Mormon Life The following has been republished in full with permission from   laughsli...

Why a NYT Bestseller Written by a Catholic Shares How Mormons Are Getting Religion Right Are Mormons Leading the Way Again? By Joni Hilton  · August 9, 2017 Sign up for Meridian’s Free Newsletter, please  CLICK HERE After watching American churches crumble when it comes to gathering young adherents, and observing that many sects backpedal their positions on social issues as they grow more and more secular, author Rod Dreher proposes a drastic solution. He advocates going the other way—constructing a counterculture that embraces the ideas of St. Benedict of Nursia. His controversial suggestion has become a bestseller called  The Benedict Option. In his book, Dreher observes that communities are losing their connectivity, their sense of belonging. People no longer watch out for one another as they did in years gone by, and families are fragmented. He urges the world to pull away from the world and embrace the ancient Christian lifesty...

I read the article below this obituary about "Why Strong Women Stay in the LDS Church."  Then I read this obituary of Fae Picklesimer, and needed to remember her in this entry!   I was her one of her visiting teachers for several years before I left St. George last April.  She was delightful -- her mind was clear all her life.  She taught school with my own mother, Ruth Allen Miles, ( another strong LDS woman! ) when she was beginning teaching, and my mother was nearing the end of her teaching years.  They were great friends.  She truly was an icon in St. George, and with all knew her.  It was a privilege to know her, and be a friend to her!  Fae Garda Anderson Picklesimer Written by  Obituaries August 10, 2017 March 15, 1919 – Aug. 9, 2017 Fae Garda Anderson Picklesimer returned to her Heavenly Father on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017 after stuffing more into her short 98 years than most people fit into 125 years...