Guided
Missives : Letters from Meridian
Readers
Edited and compiled by Kathy Green
Northern
Light
Crickets
and Seagulls with Steven Kapp Perry -- Read Article Here
I
am a Canadian fan of Steven Kapp
Perry. I love the way his music touches my heart in a
very personal and meaningful way. It always invites the
spirit, which I treasure. I felt drawn into this story,
which caused me to remember emotion and memory of my own
in a nursing home as a youth. His words are respectful
and tender as he shares the reticence of youth to give
service. I really hope that Steven will continue to share
his gifts of music and written word. I work with youth
and know that the youth also "feel" the messages
shared in his music when we have had occasion to sing
together.
With
sincere appreciation for his willingness to share his
talents,
Jennifer
Stewart
Guelph, Ontario Canada
*******************************************************************
Behind
The Eight Ball
December’s
Family Value: “Fidelity and Chastity,” by Linda and Richard
Eyre -- Read
Article Here
I
disagree with the "eight-year-old
" rule of new privileges, responsibilities
and the "talk." My wife and I have worked to
accomplish much of what you present by gauging, quite
accurately it turns out, the "time" for the
items above, particularly the talk. "Good touch,
bad touch" comes much earlier, initial discussions
of sex are tailored to the child and from hints we gather
from what the child is saying or asking.
Public
schools are trying to "prepare” children, and they
are children, much earlier that we believe is necessary.
Consequently we take on an added responsibility to know
what is taught, how it is taught and opt out as necessary.
I don't brag about how our kids turned out but their lives,
their missions, their temple marriages, their children
indicate that they received healthy physical and spiritual
understandings on the topics of sex and chastity.
Frank
Mcleskey
Fairfax
Sation, Virginia
********************************************************************
War
and Peace
Our
Troops Need Your Christmas Gift
of Love, by Gary and Joy Lundberg
-- Read Article Here
Here
is another great way to support our troops: If you don't
have a family member or personal acquaintance serving
overseas, I encourage you to support Any Soldier. This
website provides all the information you need: www.anysoldier.com
Cards
and letters as well as care packages are all appreciated.
They're doing a very hard job, and doing it very well,
in spite of the constant denigration of the press. If
you appreciate your freedoms, thank a soldier!
Diann T. Read, Lt Col, USAFR
HQ AIA/DOOI
Lackland AFB, Texas
**
We
read your article with interest. We have a son serving
in Afghanistan as part of his National Guard duty
and he is the LDS Group Leader. He has been there almost
a year, with expectations of coming home in January. His
perspective on this war has been most interesting. Recently,
upon commenting about his experiences, he said that he
has been happy to serve his country even though he doesn't
care for the military life, nor does he believe a great
deal is being accomplished in his location for the 'good
of America.'
We
support our military but we do not support this war. This
is not the contradiction your article states. Our son
is a soldier and we support what he has to do because
it is his duty. We think that this war is a huge mistake
and that there is no end in sight.
Our
son is in the intelligence branch. He has very little
hope that Afghanistan is ready for democracy. The centuries
of evil traditions are preventing them from moving forward
from the stone age to a democratic society. He has worked for months
developing relationships with the locals in order to get
information on the location of terrorists and weapons
caches. Most of the time the human intelligence
sources that he has been courting put their information
up for sale to the highest bidder. There is no
loyalty. It is worse in Iraq.
I
have to shake my head when LDS friends tell us about all
the copies of the Book of Mormon being handed out to the
locals and about all the baptisms. The only baptisms that
take place are among the military. It is absolutely true
that if a native Muslim in Afghanistan or Iraq were to be baptized, he would likely
be stoned to death or shot by his family and friends.
We know of one LDS convert in Iraq and he was converted outside the
country.
Why
do Latter-day Saints as a whole support this war so enthusiastically?
We know that the Gospel of our Savior will be sent throughout
the world in one way or another. Is war the conduit? I
think not. What a terrible price to pay, for the locals
and for us. Surely the Lord has something in mind of a
more peaceful nature.
Again,
we state, we support our troops, they do what they do
because they are following orders. We do not support this
war. It was ill-conceived and totally unnecessary.
Name withheld
*****************************************************************
Puppy
Love
The Twelve Dogs of Christmas, by Maurine
Proctor -- Read Article Here
The
Hollywood premiere of "The Twelve Dogs of Christmas" was mentioned on
Entertainment Tonight, Monday night. Ken Kragan
and his daughter were highlighted.
Amy
Lee Corbin
Colorado Springs, Colorado
******************************************************************
Shutter
Bug Story
Kieth
Merrill Ask Scot Proctor Some Questions about Photography,
by Kieth Merrill --
Read Article Here
I
loved this article on photography by Kieth
Merrill and Scot Proctor!
Cindy
Shrack
Dunkirk,
Indiana
**************************************************************
Like
It and Lump It
Turning
Old Clichés into New Maxims:
Children are Like Lumps of Clay,
and Parents are the Sculptors,
by Richard Eyre -- Read Article
Here
Another
thing we always hear is that a child is a gift from God.
I have a different point of view. When I was 4, my birthday
gifts were a coloring book, crayons and a panda. I loved
pandas so much, I wanted to make
mine prettier, so I drew circles around its eyes with
my new crayons. Mom was upset, but my dad said they were
gifts and the panda was mine, so I could play with it
any way I wanted,
So
when I found out a baby was on the way and friends told
me I was expecting a gift from God, I had to come up with
a new idea.
Babies
are like library books. You have to return them in good
condition; otherwise you have to explain why you left
the book out in the rain or how the pages got torn.
So
this new baby would have to be in good condition to return
to Heavenly Father. This child would be loved, nourished,
given choices, reproved at times, given both a temporal
and spiritual education, tickled and made to eat green
vegetables. He would be read to, taken to the zoo to
see pandas, taught to make good choices, have parents
who would try to be good examples and would laugh at bad
riddles and jokes with no punch lines.
Parents
who would share their love of the scriptures and the gospel,
and their testimonies.
There would be an abundance of love, ice cream cones and
burnt toast because they wanted to help. There would be
songs, laughter and love.
So
one glorious day I will stand in the midst of my children
and their families and hear that I have returned my daughters
in good condition.
This
is my prayer.
Janice
Snyder
Fort
Dodge, Iowa
*******************************************************
Slam
Dunk
States
of Grace, God’s Army II, reviewed by Margaret Blair Young
-- Read
Article Here
I have wanted to see this movie, but I may end up going alone
since Richard Dutcher’s slam
on Halestorm's movies.
My family, avid lovers of laughter and joy, has often commented
on how nice it is that we can finally laugh at ourselves
a little, and were shocked at Richard's comment on the
LDS spoofs.
We have been great fans of Dutcher's
work as well, and in an effort to support these good men
and their work, we have made sure that we own them and
give them as gifts. In the world we live in, spirituality
is needed, and we appreciate those who give us something
that we can feast on; but we also enjoy and need a little
snack of laughter too.
We are different from the rest of the world, and yes the movies
make that glaringly clear, but let us enjoy that difference
and “the different talents” we find in each other’s work.
Anastacia Prisbrey
Manti, Utah
******************************************************
Some
Light Reading
Kieth
Merrill Reviews Scot Proctor’s Witness of the Light --
Read Article Here
I
am thrilled to see that you have done this DVD! (Bonus
that it is in time for Christmas! I just ordered
3.)
I
have enjoyed and shared the book Witness of the Light
for 10 years now! It is underlined and highlighted and
I have used it in teaching seminary. It made a difference
during our family's Church History trip ten years ago.
My 83-year old mother took your Institute class years
ago when you lived in Salt Lake City, and she loved it! This is a marvelous
way to honor the Prophet! Thanks for making this 200th
anniversary celebration even more wonderful.
I
wrote it in the front of your book (Witness of the
Light) years ago... “Every member of the Church ought
to have some understanding of, and familiarity with, the
history of this tremendous movement. Without such understanding,
it is difficult to sink the roots of faith deep enough
that the tree will not topple when false winds of doctrine
blow. No man can really appreciate Joseph Smith without
reading his history. No one can really understand the
tremendous heritage we have, which has been made possible
by the sacrifice of the generations who have gone before.
Without such understanding, it is not likely that there will be much
of gratitude or appreciation” (Gordon B. Hinckley, Church
News, January 4, 1997, p. 2).
I
am looking forward to using the 52 family home evening
segments. You do a wonderful daily service in your Meridian
Magazine and now, this production is another evidence
of your heart... I thank you for making my life better
and helping me sink my roots
of faith deeper.
Cyndy Weiss
Vancouver, Washington
**
I
am so very excited about this DVD. Last year I made arrangements
at our visitor center to have a private viewing of the
First Vision on December 23rd — Joseph Smith’s
Birthday. I invited my two children and their families
to meet me there for a birthday party.
I
have 6 grandchildren who are now 8, 7, 5, 3, 3, and1.
I introduced Joseph Smith to them and what film we were
going to see. After I bore my testimony I asked them to
remember Joseph Smith and learn all they could about him
this next year because we would meet again on December
23, 2005 and celebrate his 200th Birthday.
We left the visitor center and I had birthday cupcakes
in the car and we sang Happy Birthday and toured the temple
grounds.
I
have been trying to think of what I would do for this
year when we meet for the 200th birthday party.
This is perfect!
Becky
Jones
St. George, Utah
**
I read with great delight Brother Proctor’s description
of his new film on the Prophet Joseph. Let me say that
I am so happy that he has turned this dream into a reality.
This is the great challenge of artists, but when we do
what compels us, we feel deep inside that we are actually
honoring covenants made long ago with our Heavenly Father.
I once heard Neil Anderson, of the Quorum of the Seventy, say in a stake conference, as he pointed his finger
out to the congregation, "Each of you here has something
to do to build Zion. Now, go out there and do it."
I can't wait to see the film.
Sarah Hinze
Mesa, Arizona
*******************************************************
The
Right Path
The Yellow Brick Road, by Vickey
Pahnke-Taylor -- Read Article Here
I
enjoyed your article re: the comparison of Gospel principles
with "The Wizard of Oz". It reminded me of the
time I was assigned as a home teacher to a young convert
in Georgia, and I used the analogy of the yellow brick road and
the Emerald City to illustrate that she now
had her feet on the path to the Celestial Kingdom and exaltation. She just needed to "follow the yellow brick road.”
Robert Starling
Riverton,
Utah
********************************************************************
Vital
Records
The Book of Mormon, A Latter-day
Corrective ― #10
Our Records Are Vital for Our Well-Being, by
H. Wallace Goddard
-- Read Article
Here
Perhaps
we should also maintain a list of the challenges that
God places in our paths as obstacles for us to overcome.
Richard Gage
Winters, California
*******************************************************************
A
Meridian Miracle
How
Do I Get My Spouse to Change, by Laura M. Brotherson
-- Read Article
Here
I
am an LDS bishop, and I'd like to share an experience
with you. I recently had a wife visit with me who was
very upset at her husband and has been for some time.
I asked the husband to visit with me, knowing there are
always two sides. They both said that they loved each
other and wanted to save the marriage. I asked them to
talk things out together and come up with a plan and present
it to me.
That
was to happen last night. When they came in they had not
come up with a plan because of disagreements, but the
wife had brought in her list of grievances. The meeting
started to deteriorate as the wife attacked the husband
with her complaints, some of which were things that had
happened years ago. The husband had heard these same complaints
over and over through the years. He was frustrated with
her unwillingness to forgive him.
Before
things got too far out of control I said I had something
I wanted to read to them. I told them that what I was
about to read may be hard to take because it will require
a complete change in their approach. That they will have
to forget the past and start with a completely new mind
set. I then pulled out your article "How Do I Get
My Spouse to Change". I had a copy for each of them
to follow along with as I read it to them. When I finished
reading it I was greatly pleased with their responses.
They both said it was the best article on the subject
they had ever heard. They then began to point out the
parts of the article that they were impressed with. I
then pointed out to them the date that I printed it. It
was that same day. I let them know that my wonderful wife
who, of course, has no idea of those who I am working
with had emailed it to me that morning and that it was
an answer to my prayer on their behalf. Thank you again
Laura, for this great article. I'll be sharing it with
eight other bishops at our Bishop's Council meeting.
Name
withheld
