012626, Monday

Daily Vitals: Wt. 232.1, GMI: 7.1, Steps (previous day): 1,983, BP: 121/73, Pulse: 77, Reported Sleep: 6:47

Journal Entry

I think we will go to the Orem Family Fitness Center today and reinstate our membership there. One of the many benefits of having served on LAPD is our membership in a program called Sharecare. It gives me an app for my phone with a Prime Fitness membership card that gives us free membership in places like the Orem Family Fitness Center. So we will renew that membership today (no charge) and they have a walking/running track, lots of exercise equipment and a nice pool. So with temperature at about 20 degrees outside we can get some decent exercise.

Come Follow Me 

Genesis 5: 1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;

2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.

"Eternal marriage is a principle which was established before the foundation of the world and was instituted on this earth before death came into it. Adam and Eve were given to each other by God in the Garden of Eden before the Fall. The scripture says, “In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Male and female created he them; and blessed them.”

Elder F. Burton Howard of The Seventy

“Whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die” (⁠Ruth 1:16–17⁠).

012525, Sunday

Daily Vitals: Wt. 231.4, GMI: 7.0, Steps (previous day): 1,611, BP: 108/71, Pulse: 76, Reported Sleep: 6:40

Journal Entry

I removed the dressing from my toe surgery and everything looked good after cleaning it up. It feels good and hopefully I'll begin to be able to exercise some.

Come Follow Me 

Moses 5: 6 And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me.

7 And then the angel spake, saying: This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth.

8 Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore.

"Remember that there may be many questions for which we have no answers and that some things have to be accepted simply on faith. An angel of the Lord asked Adam, “Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord?” He answered, “I know not, save the Lord commanded me.” There may be times when we are called upon to climb Mount Moriahs and to sacrifice our Isaacs without a full and prior explanation. Faith is the first principle of the gospel; it is a principle of progress."

Elder Carlos E. Asay of The Presidency of The Seventy

012426, Saturday

 

Daily Vitals: Wt. 233.6, GMI: 7.0, Steps (previous day): 2,401, BP: 120/71, Pulse: 74, Reported Sleep: 6:57

Journal Entry

This world is getting closer and closer to being unmanageable. The news is often depressing when we see that the news media seems so disinterested in reporting actual truth and more interested in distorting truth. And many are influenced by this reporting. Thank heaven we have the church and our Heavenly Father. 

Come Follow Me 

Moses 5: 4 And Adam and Eve, his wife, called upon the name of the Lord, and they heard the voice of the Lord from the way toward the Garden of Eden, speaking unto them, and they saw him not; for they were shut out from his presence.

"As “Adam and Eve…called upon the name of the Lord,” a precedent was established. As each of us follows that pattern of prayer, blessings of wisdom and personal peace will ensue.

“Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good.” Pray alone in your closet—in the solitude of your own sanctuary. Pour out the longings of your soul…Let the weight of your innocence be felt as you lovingly motivate others to good works. With your mind so attuned to the Lord and his power, your influence for good becomes immeasurably great. And in this world of sin and temptation, the power of prayer will protect you and be a shield for your loved ones."

Elder Russell M. Nelson, Apostle 

012326, Friday

 

Daily Vitals: Wt. 236.7, GMI: 7.0, Steps (previous day): 1,706, BP: 122/72, Pulse: 63, Reported Sleep: 7:00

Journal Entry

Today is Friday. My toe surgery was only two days ago and I'm really tired of keeping off my feet. My blood glucose levels are high partly from the surgery, I'm told, and partly from no exercise. Plus Cathy feeds me too well. My GMI is back up to 7.0 and at this moment my glucose level is 149. I haven't had anything to eat, of course, all night so that seems high but everyone says it will come down once I get going again which should be Sunday but more likely Monday. We'll see.

Come Follow Me 

Genesis 4: 8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

9 And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?

"Cain killed Abel. The scriptures say that he did so “for the sake of getting gain,” the flocks of his brother. Seeing this, the Lord asked Cain, “Where is Abel thy brother?” Cain first attempted to cover his sin with a lie: “I know not.” Then he added a rationalization: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” 

Are we our brothers’ keepers? In other words, are we responsible to look after the well-being of our neighbors as we seek to earn our daily bread? The Savior’s Golden Rule says we are. Satan says we are not…. We live in a world where many look on the marketplace as a ruthless arena where the buyer must beware, where no one is obligated to do more than the law requires, and where fraud isn’t fraud unless you can prove it in court.

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ have a higher standard. President Harold B. Lee said, “The standard…in the Church must be visibly higher than the standard…in the world.” We are commanded to live the Golden Rule."

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Apostle 

Moroni 10: 18 And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that every good gift cometh of Christ.

19 And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that he is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that all these gifts of which I have spoken, which are spiritual, never will be done away, even as long as the world shall stand, only according to the unbelief of the children of men.

20 Wherefore, there must be faith⁠; and if there must be faith there must also be hope; and if there must be hope there must also be charity.

21 And except ye have charity ye can in nowise be saved in the kingdom of God; neither can ye be saved in the kingdom of God if ye have not faith; neither can ye if ye have no hope.

22 And if ye have no hope ye must needs be in despair⁠; and despair cometh because of iniquity.

012226, Thursday

 

Daily Vitals: Wt. 236.9, GMI: 6.9, Steps (previous day): 2,184, BP: 111/68, Pulse: 61, Reported Sleep: 4:07

Journal Entry

I had my foot surgery yesterday and so far it has gone quite smoothly. I should be able to remove the dressing in a couple of days. In the meantime, I still have the waterproof shower gear that I got when I was originally injured and hospitalized. So I can easily take showers.

Cathy is taking good care of me of course but she seems to be still suffering after effects from her deviated septum surgery. Fortunately I don't need much care. I'm hoping she might want to drive me to Del Taco fir a breakfast burrito. I won't be driving 'till probably Sunday or Monday.

Come Follow Me 

Genesis 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

The narrative accompanying this verse in the We Believe app seems to emphasize that we are bordering on useless because we were "dust" and will become "dust" again. Of course I don't see it that way. I believe that this is an explanation that Father Adam's body was originally created from the dust of the earth, in other words from earthly matter and that his physical body will become dust again once his spirit leaves that body and moves on to the other side of the Veil.

Of course there is much more to it than that but I found it a little disturbing the way it was described in the app. 

The more complete story found in Genesis 3:17-18, helps:

Genesis 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it:

cursed is the ground for thy sake;

in sorrow shalt thou eat of it

all the days of thy life;

 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee;

and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19 In the sweat of thy face

shalt thou eat bread,

till thou return unto the ground;

for out of it wast thou taken:

for dust thou art,

and unto dust shalt thou return.

012126, Wednesday - Foot surgery

Daily Vitals: Wt. 231.0, GMI: 6.8,  Steps (previous day): 4,361, BP: 117/70, Pulse: 73, Reported Sleep: 5:20

Journal Entry

Come Follow Me 

Moses 4:3-4

 3 Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down; 4 And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice.

We need to be constantly aware of Satan's tactics and desires and always strive to have Heavenly Father's spirit and influence in our lives.

Paul Partridge 

012025, Tuesday

 

Daily Vitals: Wt. 231.9, GMI: 6.8,  Steps (previous day): 7'362, BP: 116/69, Pulse: 60, Reported Sleep: 6:41

Journal Entry

Come Follow Me 

Moses 4: 2 But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me—Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever.

"The first quality of the Savior is humility. Jesus Christ was very humble from the premortal life. At the Council in Heaven, He recognized and allowed the will of God to prevail in the plan of salvation for mankind. He said, “Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever”. 

We know that Jesus Christ taught humility and humbled Himself to glorify His Father.

Let us live in humility because it brings peace. Humility precedes glory, and it brings God’s favor upon us: “Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble”. Humility brings gentle answers. It is the source of a righteous character."

Elder Alfred Kyungu of The Seventy