A Truly Special Message from an Unexpected Source

One of my inmates on my prison caseload gave me a belated Christmas card and note this morning.
He is serving 75 years for sexual child abuse, not eligible for any programming, and really struggling to understand and deal with his emotional disorder.
In part, his message read:
"...I truly appreciate all your kind words and prayers as we have talked privately..the honesty in your words and wisdom..along with your stories and jokes, have enriched me greatly..."

Postscript from Larry:
This is in response to the comment posted by LDS Bishop John Cline (click on "comments" below to read)-
All of us perceive others through the lenses of our own perspectives and values.
What John sees in me is much more of a reflection of his own innate goodness than of any special qualities that I can claim.

If Only...

On this Christmas Eve afternoon, I was so pleased to again watch one of my favorite movies.
In that movie, Frank Capra's "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town", Gary Cooper plays Longfellow Deeds.
Our poor old world needs many more everyday heroes such as Longfellow Deeds.
If only more of us were as "pixilated".

How to Prepare for Miracles

From time to time, someone will ask me about how I have been able to endure some of the trials and tribulations in my life.
It still somewhat befuddles me that anyone would believe that my lot in life has been any more difficult than that faced by so many others.
Nevertheless, my answer always is much the same as recently was expressed by Carlos E. Aguero:
"From these and other experiences, I learned how the Lord works in our lives. The price for good things is paid in advance by our patience, humility, and obedience, especially during trials. If you don't give up during your trials or let frustration and discouragement overcome you, trials will refine you spiritually and prepare you for better things. You will see the fulfillment of beautiful miracles in your lives."
And so it also has been for me.
(Elder Aguero is an "Area Seventy" of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in South America)

Remembering Debbie & LeeAnn

Debbie Packman and LeeAnn Alford were two Hoosier ladies who deeply touched my heart and soul.
Debbie and her husband Jerry were my next door neighbors when I lived in the Homestead Apartment complex on Indianapolis' West 34th Street.
My good friends and neighbors, Debbie and Jerry did all they could to help me when I was diagnosed with terminal cancer in June of 1981.
They later moved to a little town just South of Indianapolis, and subsequently were divorced.
I don't know what happened with Jerry, but Debbie thereafter still kept in touch with me, and, not long after that, we began to date.
I even was entertaining thoughts of marrying her and maybe also adopting her two grade school age daughters.
Sadly, Debbie contracted lung and heart disease, and, after several major surgeries, died in a Chicago hospital.
LeeAnn then came into my life as the Dietitian of my Health Maintenance Organization (HMO).
She was trying to help me improve my health habits, and she at first thought I was "pranking" her when I first confessed my terrible dietary choices to her.
We also became friends, and she became very interested in learning more about the LDS Church.
Thoughts of marriage were in both of our minds.
However, on Christmas Eve, she was murdered in her home by a drug addict.
Her body, hidden in the front hall closet and still wearing her coat from when she returned home from work, was discovered on Christmas morning by her neighbors, when they became concerned upon seeing her two year old son wandering around without supervision.

Postscript: Vicarious Temple ordinances have been completed on behalf of both of special ladies.

A Not So Secret Snow Angel

Early on the morning of Friday, December 9th (after a major night-time area snowfall and before the crack of Dawn), a Dastardly Do-Gooder and all around Good-Guy furtively cleaned all of the snow from my elderly parents' car and also shoveled all the snow off their porch entrance walk-way ramp.
Well, Mike Hall, we know who you are, and we know where you live!
(Mike is my parents' Falling Waters, West Virginia neighbor and friend, and, even though his own health isn't good, it still was important to him to watch out over my parents' welfare)

Seeking Strength in Sadness

Feelings of frustration and discouragement oft times weigh heavily upon all of us, and so it likewise sometimes happens with me.
The best remedy for these ailments, in my experience, is profound personal prayer and Scripture study, albeit, our Savior also has counseled us that some challenges require much more effort: "And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer AND fasting." (From Mark 9:29, emphasis added)
And so it also has been with me.