080624, Tuesday

Vitals: Weight: 220.1, GMI: 7.0

Book of Mormon review (review of earlier Come Follow Me lessons): Alma 27

Journal Entry 

My shift coordinator from the temple texted me yesterday to check on my recovery and wondered if I might know when I will return to service. I had been anxious to return and told him that I would be back one week from tomorrow. He was happy to hear that and I was happy to have made that decision. I honestly think I will be able to function normally in that assignment as a temple ordinance worker by next Wednesday. Really looking forward to it. 

Today, Cathy is planning on serving at the Bishops Storehouse. I don't think I should do that yet. I'm still less than a week out of surgery and I really don't want any more problems with my spine. Serving at the Bishops Storehouse presents too much risk of aggravating my spine I think. Another week or two of recovery should be useful.

My GMI is down to 7.0 which indicates that my efforts at controlling my diabetes are paying off. As I recall, I was down to 6.7 not to long ago and I am shooting for that level again. 

The world is currently a mess in many ways. There is brewing war in the middle east where Israel is being attacked from all sides. The political mess here in the U.S. is pretty precarious. The democratic party seems to be embracing socialism and is very popular with a huge segment of the population. The "main stream media" has abandoned honest reporting of what's going on with the federal government. There are several pushes by the democrats to circumvent our constitution in several ways and they make it sound attractive to their followers. There are serious questions among some of us as to the fairness and integrity of our elections. The weather has been chaotic throughout the world and including here in the U.S. 

I fear (hope?) we are approaching the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and, of course, there are unknowns relating to that. Exciting times seem to be upon us.

Come Follow Me 

Alma 39: 15 And now, my son, I would say somewhat unto you concerning the coming of Christ. Behold, I say unto you, that it is he that surely shall come to take away the sins of the world; yea, he cometh to declare glad tidings of salvation unto his people.

"Alma testified that Christ would take away sin. Without the Savior’s Atonement, the eternal principle of justice would require punishment. Because of the Savior’s Atonement, mercy can prevail for those who have repented, and it can allow them to return to the presence of God. We would do well to ponder this wonderful doctrine."

     Elder Quentin L. Cook Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, October 2022

This was, of course, a lead up to the Savior's first mission to the world but one cannot help but see the many paralells to today and the impending Second Coming.

Alma 37:33-34

 33 Preach unto them repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ; teach them to humble themselves and to be meek and lowly in heart; teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ. 34 Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek and lowly in heart; for such shall find rest to their souls.