Readers
and Redemption: Ordinary and Extraordinary Miracles
Edited and compiled
by Kathy Green
Lasting
Love
Read
Article Here
Slavery and Redemption on
Every Family Tree, by Sherlene Hall Bartholomes
I read this when it first
published and loved it then.
The article is a short story
that is wonderfully composed. It is a moving story.
When I read it the first time it moved me to tears. I
realized then, perhaps for the first time, what happened
to that segment of our American community so many years
ago, and why many social banes dog them now in such a
profound way. Their families were disenfranchised systematically
to bring them under the control of the plantations. The
problems that confront them now are a product of that
systematic destruction.
Since the first reading I
have seen what that CD has done to begin the healing process
among this segment of our Father's children. In Philadelphia
the Church has grown as never before. The ward serving
principally the new saints of African descent in North
Philly was divided early in 2006 because of the growth.
Has it been the work of the
missionaries? Yes. Has it been the work of the saints
there? Yes. Sister Pingree talked about this change
in April Conference 2006. But the real key has been the
hand of the Lord moving to heal the people and bring them
to a knowledge of the gospel. He has done this also among
the Latin Americans who have come to the US. It follows
a scripture in the Book of Mormon:
And at that day shall the
remnant of our seed know that they are of the house of
Israel, and that they are the covenant people of the Lord;
and then shall they know and come to the knowledge of
their forefathers, and also to the knowledge of the gospel
of their Redeemer, which was ministered unto their fathers
by him; wherefore, they shall come to the knowledge of
their Redeemer and the very points of his doctrine, that
they may know how to come unto him and be saved. (1 Nephi
15:14)
The people are coming unto
the Gospel of the Redeemer, learning the true points of
doctrine and the path they need to follow to come unto
Him to be saved.
Anyway, thank you for writing
that story. It is powerful —< perhaps more powerful than
you know.
Daniel Vincent, PhD
Newark, Delaware
**** **** **** ****
Friends of the Internet
Read Article Here
Thanks, Mr. Terry, by Susan
Law Corpany
I lived in Seattle from 1965
to 1979, and during that time Thom Curtis’ parents joined
our ward. They were new converts. Thom had joined the
Church and was going on a mission, and he got his parents
to join.
His mother, Kerry, became
one of my closest and dearest friends. My children all
loved her dearly.
When I last spoke to Kerry,
she told me about Thom’s first wife Susan passing. I
had met her on several occasions and was stunned to hear
she had died. Kerry also told me that Thom had recently
met and married another LDS woman who was named Susan.
She said the children all accepted her very well. She
must indeed be a very special lady.
I enjoyed so much hearing
her account of her first meeting with Thom.
Nora Nell Holm Thompson
Olympia, Washington
**** **** **** ****
Hope Shining Brightly
Read Article Here
Putting Our Trust in the
Lord, by Wendy Rojas
Thank you so much for your
insight. I felt the spirit as I read her story. We too
are struggling with afflictions and we have much hope.
Shauna Taylor
Pocatello Idaho
**
Thank you, thank you, thank
you. Can I say it enough? Please pass these sentiments
along to Wendy and let her know how much her talk is appreciated.
I have gone through so many trials in my life and have
watched as others have breezed through their lives seemingly
untouched. I have wondered why.
I have lost faith and I feel
like I just don’t matter that much to God. I know He loves
me but have come to the conclusion that He just isn’t
too concerned with me, and my life, and my problems. Ask
and ye shall receive, knock and it shall be opened unto
you — this hasn’t seemed to apply to me, but this article
has helped me to see that maybe I am wrong. I know I have
a long way to go but this is one step in the right direction.
Thank you for taking the
time to print Wendy’s talk. It has helped one soul turn
the corner and rethink her position.
Name Withheld by request
**** **** **** ****
A Five Year High Five
Read
Article Here
Lesson
27: The Influence of Wicked and Righteous Leaders 1 Kings
12-14; 2 Chronicles 17; 2 Chronicles 20 by Scot Facer
Proctor
I just want to let you know
how much I enjoyed this article written by Scot Proctor.
I've taught Sunday School
for five years and have used the Meridian Magazine lessons
every lesson, along with the manual. But I don't think
I have gotten as much out of any of the articles as I
have this one.
I just want to commend Scot
for his way of writing to help me more fully understand
these lessons and for the help he has been in aiding me
to teach a more meaningful lesson.
Mem Bryan
Riverton, Utah
**
Thank you so much for the
wonderful story told so all can understand. I teach Gospel
Doctrine and I always go to Meridian Magazine for help.
This one has been especially good in my estimation.
Annette Lundquist,
Swan Valley,
Idaho.
**** **** **** ****
A Learned Taste
Read Article
Here
Being Thankful for Manna,
by Kathryn H. Kidd
Thank you for that well thought
out article. I learned many new insights from it, some
of which are quite timely for my life and situation.
I really like the term Appetite Fatigue. It is so interesting
how we tire of things in this way. I've heard it called
the "Law of diminishing returns" as I grew up.
The first ice cream cone is quite delicious to the taste
and very desirable. So, we want to have more. By the
third or fourth serving (size depending) we are sick of
it or just plain sick.
It seems that those things
that pertain to satisfying our desires and appetites undertaken
in life over an extended period almost always do not continue
to reward and content us as when we first tasted or experienced
them. Turning from them, as you pointed out, certainly
is due to the change in our attitudes since the thing
we are consuming or doing remains the same.
Without question, the quest
for righteousness and the attainment of perfection, something
that we are commanded to do, that gives us continual joy
and satisfaction, are worthy pursuits to cling to unfailingly
every day of our lives. We should never get weary in
doing good. There is nothing in our divine character,
save our agency, that explains our giving up or losing
our taste for obedience. But people do lose their way
and seemingly tire of the continuing sacrifice that is
required to endure in this life and they choose to turn
aside from the straight and narrow way.
I'm ashamed to admit that
I've done it myself numerous times. Sadly, our desires
and appetites cloud our vision of the future so easily
when we lose our focus on what really matters in this
life. We seem to be forgetful creatures by nature, easily
distracted by the cares of the day, the hunger pangs in
our stomachs or emptiness of our pockets. We forget our
eternal goals, our families, our desired direction so
easily and frequently. It's no wonder God has commanded
us to meet weekly and renew our covenants and realign
our wills to His. We'd surely forget if it were any longer.
Seven days is often times too long of a period to be by
ourselves occupied with so many cares and distractions.
Personally, I am so glad
for the still small voice of the Spirit and the forgiving
nature of our God. Often times I wish I could discern
His voice better because I need His direction or inspiration
or just need to be comforted or assured. There are so
many distractions in my life at times that listening to
the spirit is like talking on a phone with almost no volume
in the middle of a busy and noisy city street intersection.
I cannot hear the voice on the other end of the line.
There is so much external noise that the voice of the
Spirit is difficult to sort out. I know it is there,
but I cannot hear it.
I need answers or assurance,
but all I hear is the noise around me. I will persist,
however, and prove to myself that I can learn how to reopen
the clear line of communication with God again. I have
tasted of its sweetness before. I also know he will not
let me starve if I persist and struggle to bend to His
will in all things.
Eventually, I am certain
that I will learn how to concentrate, block out all the
noise around me, ignore all the distractions, focus my
mind and heart on worthy desires, and I will hear His
voice. I know it will be manna to my soul and that it
will be worth the struggle and the wait. Your article
helped remind me of what may be needed to be able to establish
a connection with the heavens.
Tom Lugaresi
Los Gatos, California
**** **** **** ****
Handcart Blanche
Read Article Here
“All is Well,” by Darla
Isackson
How delighted I was to read
the main message of this article: You don't have to be
pulling a cart to be a pioneer! Our district here in
Amman, Jordan is having a youth conference the last weekend
in July on exactly that theme. We are talking about Moses
and Joshua, about leaders in the church for the future.
We also will have activities which require cooperation
and being willing to pull your own weight to let these
young people experience for themselves that they are capable
and that they can rely on each other and the Lord to help
them through hard times.
Due to the crisis in the
Middle East, our one YM in Beirut will not be able to
come now. We are planning to write letters of encouragement
to him and let him at least hear about the feelings of
the youth here. What dedication and pioneer spirit it
takes to stay in your own country to build up the church
and society in a positive way!
We want to help the youth
see that the church everywhere started out small
and that even where it grows, it still takes everybody's
shoulders to the wheel and helping hands to accomplish
its purpose: to help bring to pass the immortality and
eternal life of man. Here every activity still requires
that faith of being willing to step onto new territory
— not physically perhaps, but with trust, devotion and
a willingness to learn and to teach.
Christine Bradshaw
Amman, Jordan
**** **** **** ****
Truth is Beauty, Beauty
Truth
Read Article Here
Ancient Prophets of Genius,
by James T. Summerhays
Beautiful article. Creation,
science, knowledge t's all poetry from the Master.
W. Rojas
Texas
**** **** **** ****
A Sacrifice of Children
Read Article
Here
Children and the Social
Interest in Marriage, by Bruce C. Hafen
Elder Hafen has helped us
see more clearly the size of the moral disintegration
in America.
I have often thought that
our shock at cultures that sacrificed children on the
altars of their gods is disingenuous. As a nation today
we are really doing the same thing, aren't we?
If we could help our fellow
citizens see the child sacrifice that is occurring in
America, we could perhaps begin to turn it around, but
it's hard to fight the entertainment world with all their
resources.
Keep those missionaries coming.
Kathy H Stanger
Idaho Falls,
Idaho
**** **** **** ****
A Bountiful Migration
Read
Article Here
A Mesoamerican Place Name
for Bountiful? by V. Garth Norman
In the 1980's I worked at
an upscale store in Chevy Chase, Maryland with a young
woman named Moroni (pronounced by her, Moronee). She was
from India and, if memory serves, from one of the northern
provinces.
Has any research ever been
done in this region of the world to locate possible connections
to the Book of Mormon, through language, art, architecture,
customs or technology?
I stayed with the Navaho
briefly in the 1970's, near the Indian Schoolhouse archeological
site. What struck me about this young woman was that her
skin tone, eyes, hair, facial features (which had a slight
touch of the oriental, especially the eyes) and overall
body composition were akin to the Navaho. If she had donned
the Navaho dress, there would have been no way to distinguish
her from the Native Americans on the reservation.
In contrast, I have a good
friend who is Lakota and his features appear to be more
Semite, as if he was more akin to the nomads of Arabia.
I have noticed those same similarities in some of the
Eastern Woodland folks also, while others look as if they
just left the plains of central China, or Mongolia.
Charles H. Marvil
Sharpsburg,
Maryland./span>
**** **** **** ****
Taking Flight
Read Article Here
Spiritual Bumblebees,
by C.S. Bezas
Your thesis is well presented
and very valid.
I skipped Sunday School classes
a lot at age 17. I was bored [my wife thinks I have ADD
or ADHD]. I read electronic catalogs in seminary. The
seminary teacher called them "bolt and nut books"
(he was also the high-school principal and district superintendent
in that small southern Colorado town). He started me
into electronics in a constructive way by letting me take
a radio-TV servicing correspondence course he didn't have
time to finish because I was always in the way in school.
I wanted to skip science
as a freshman because I already knew that stuff. Instead,
he gave me a physics
book and workbook to occupy my time in study hall (homework
was already done and I was bored). Years later, I completed
an extended major in physics, went through the course
of study required for a master’s degree in electrical
engineering and became a registered professional engineer
in 1980. Then I abandoned it all for 20 years as a technical
writer producing computer manuals and designing and creating
online help for complex computer software and operating
systems.
I filled a mission and married
my wife who was on a mission at the same time (my idea
— to make her "unavailable" to other male competitors).
We were engaged for three years and never saw each other
the entire time.
We have nine children and
have filled multiple stake missions. One of our five
sons was a severe alcoholic at age 19. He has been sober
for over 8 years. He recently received his endowment,
and his bishop speaks very highly of him. Of our nine,
six are endowed, and the same bishop tells me a seventh
will be soon endowed. Four have filled missions. Two
are struggling spiritually, but progressing, even if slowly
— one very slowly. But he was also heavily into drugs
and alcohol.
We rely on the blessings
earned by my parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents.
The Lord knows his and they will be gathered, even if
it takes a lifetime. Sometimes I think they're there
to
help us learn too, often
through the adversities they create in our own lives.
How else to learn the mercies and love the Lord has for
us?
We need to recognize that
many of us were, and in many ways still are, spiritual
bumblebees. I recall the bishop's son in my 12-year-old
Sunday School class. Always horizontal on the chairs.
I would toss a question at him, thinking he wasn't paying
attention, and he always had the correct answer. I decided
that as long as he was getting the material, posture was
unimportant. He filled a mission, is married, and has
a young family — all active.
Sometimes those who appear
to be bumblebees, incapable of flying, are already flying.
We just need to learn to recognize it, be patient, and
keep climbing through the stuff of life ourselves.
Name withheld by request
**** **** **** ****
Honored Ancestors
Read
Article Here
Happy
Birthday, Grandpa. The Prophet’s Great-Great Granddaughter
Tells Her Story, by Kimberly Jo Smith Davis
We just had Kim speak at
our Ward (combined Relief Society and Priesthood with
the youth). It was really wonderful. I first met Kim
in Nauvoo when my daughter and I went there to see her
daughter who was attending Joseph Smith Academy. She and
Garcia Jones were speaking at the first Women's conference
and we loved both of them. They have beautiful spirits
and we feel we have new friends for eternity.
Jan Matthews
Fruit Heights,
Utah
**** **** **** ****
Printer’s Ink
Read Article Here
Ron Larter: Drawing From
Life, by Kathy Green
I have received six responses
so far with regards to the print survey, and hope many
more will come forward as the week advances.
Thanks for your help.
Ron Larter
UK
[Note: Readers,
if you would like to offer Ron Larter some advice on creating
limited versus unlimited prints of his work, go to the
end of the story and “vote” on your preference. Thanks
for your helpfulness in responding to Meridian polls.
Your input is very much appreciated.]
