072924, Monday

Vitals: Weight: 221.7, GMI: 6.9

Book of Mormon review (review of earlier Come Follow Me assignments): 

An account of the sons of Mosiah, who rejected their rights to the kingdom for the word of God, and went up to the land of Nephi to preach to the Lamanites; their sufferings and deliverance—according to the record of Alma.

Comprising chapters 17 through 27. Alma 19

Today's Journal Entry

Cathy has arranged to have Karen join us for a walk up the canyon this morning. The plan is we will pick up Karen at 0730 but we shall see.

Other than that, I'm hoping to hear from Dr Kimball as to what he has in mind for repairing my spine. The preliminary thinking was that he would do whatever surgery needs doing this coming Thursday. Obviously I'm anxious to hear. Yesterday At Sandgren and Bill Steven's came over after church and gave me a blessing. Then we all have Cathy a blessing for her osteoporosis coming solutions.

Later in my Come Follow Me reading I noticed the following in Alma's advice to his son, Helaman, and it really touched me. So I included it here:

Alma 36: 3 And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day. 

I believe it and it gives me great hope.

As I reflect on this situation, I am reminded how many times in the past that I actually had the thought that things are going awfully well with me and wondering when "the other shoe would drop" so to speak. Nearly six weeks ago I underwent my most recent spine surgery because of increasing numbness and pain in my left hip, thigh and knee. The recovery has been long and painful and I have to admit that when I saw Dr Kimball last Friday I was wondering about the success of the surgery. It turns out That he too was wondering. He ordered a CT Scan that I underwent that same day and it revealed that there were problems with some of the hardware he had installed during my surgical procedure. He reviewed the results and called me that night. We came to the conclusion that Follow up Surgery was indicated and that we would probably do it this coming Thursday. Anyway, to cut to the end, I'm thinking the other shoe may have dropped.

I can't begin to tell you how difficult it has been to not be able to do much for the last five plus weeks and now to not be able to do much in the foreseeable future. That's why Alma's advice to Helaman struck home with me this morning. I know that at some point my life will be better again.

Come Follow Me 

Alma 36:17 And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.

18 Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.

19 And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.

20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!

21 Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.

"In Alma’s case, it was his mind that reached out and secured this powerful truth of Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice. Acting in faith on that truth, and by the power and grace of God, he was rescued from despair and filled with hope.

While our experiences may not be as dramatic as Alma’s, they are nonetheless as eternally significant. Our minds have also “caught hold upon this thought” of Jesus Christ and His merciful sacrifice, and our souls have felt the light and joy that follow."

     Elder Neil L. Andersen Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, April 2023