063026, Tuesday

Weight: 231.4

BP and Pulse: 115/78, 74

GMI: 7.1, Glucose level:148 @ 0430, Three day Average: 167

Finger Prick:

Reported Sleep: 7:23 (88)

Yesterday's Steps: 5,851

Journal Entry:

In the Come Follow Me lessons for today, what I'm getting is that today, as well as in Old Testament and Book of Mormon times, there are and were many people attempting to put their own spin on the teachings of the Lord. Some of it is good and some not so good. We need to be careful to stick to what we know are the teachings of our Heavenly Father and we get those with the help of the Holy Ghost from the leaders of today's church exclusively. 

Be careful!

Come Follow Me:

1 Kings 17:5 So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

7 And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

"Even when we do what is right, the circumstances in our life can change from good to bad, from happiness to sadness. God answers our prayers according to His infinite mercy and love and in His own time.

The brook where Elijah drank water dried up…

Circumstances change.

When circumstances change from good and positive to bad and negative, we can still be happy because happiness does not depend on the circumstances but on our attitude toward the circumstances. President Nelson said, “The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives.”

We can sit back and wait for circumstances to change on their own, or we can look for and bring about new circumstances."

Elder Hugo Montoya of The Seventy, October 2022

Mosiah 26:15 Blessed art thou, Alma, and blessed are they who were baptized in the waters of Mormon. Thou art blessed because of thy exceeding faith in the words alone of my servant Abinadi.

16 And blessed are they because of their exceeding faith in the words alone which thou hast spoken unto them.

062926, Monday

Weight: 232.1

BP and Pulse: 122/77, 71

GMI: 7.1, Glucose level:155 @ 0400, Three day Average: 173

Finger Prick:159

Reported Sleep: 5:56 (65)

Yesterday's Steps: 8,431

Journal Entry:

Come Follow Me:

1 Kings 12: 28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

"Jeroboam’s plan to rule the kingdom involved a mixture of good and evil. He established Shechem as the nation’s capital, a city of great religious significance to his people. But sadly he introduced satanic rituals into their worship.

Jeroboam convinced himself that some of God’s commandments were not applicable to him. As a result of his actions, all of his descendants were slain, and because of the heathen practices he had introduced into their sacred ordinances, the ten tribes of Israel were eventually driven from their inheritance.

...[O]ur partial or selective compliance with God’s laws will fail to bring the full blessings of obedience."

Elder Bruce A. Carlson of The Seventy, April 2010

062826, Sunday

Weight: 230.3

BP and Pulse: 129/84, 71

GMI: 7.0, Glucose level:149 @ 0410, Three day Average: 167

Finger Prick:

Reported Sleep: 6:11 (75)

Yesterday's Steps: 6,103

Journal Entry:

Come Follow Me:

1 Kings 11:9 And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,

10 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the Lord commanded.

"Are we serving priorities or gods ahead of the God we profess to worship? Have we forgotten to follow the Savior who taught that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments? If so, our priorities have been turned upside down by the spiritual apathy and undisciplined appetites so common in our day."

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Apostle 

062726, Saturday, New Name insights

Weight: 231.0

BP and Pulse: 115/75, 73

GMI: 7.0, Glucose level:173, Three day Average: 158

Finger Prick:

Reported Sleep: 7:22 (87)

Yesterday's Steps: 5,860

Journal Entry:

I was able to serve in Initiatories for the first part of my time in the temple. Then I closed with a half hour of Veil training. During that time, as with many other times, I have pondered the "New Name" we received during each of our Endowment ceremonies. As with many other parts of Heavenly Fathers plan, there are things I don't understand yet but I'm sure I will at some future time. In the mean time I remember mine and Cathy's. And that's what's important for now.

Ponder the following:

“The scriptures proclaim that the Savior’s atoning sacrifice was for those who “believe on his name.” Alma taught that Jesus Christ, the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, would come “to take away the sins of the world, yea, the sins of every man who steadfastly believeth on his name.” (Alma 5:48; 9:27; 11:40; Hel. 14:2.) In the words of King Benjamin, “Whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ.” (Mosiah 5:9.)

Thus, those who exercise faith in the sacred name of Jesus Christ and repent of their sins and enter into his covenant and keep his commandments (see Mosiah 5:8) can lay claim on the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Those who do so will be called by his name at the last day.”

Dallin H. Oaks, Apostle, April 1985, "Taking Upon Us the Name of Jesus Christ"

Come Follow Me 

1 Kings 8:56 Blessed be the Lord, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.

"Brothers and sisters, I testify that God hears every prayer we offer and responds to each of them according to the path He has outlined for our perfection. I recognize that at roughly the same time so many were praying for the restoration of my health, an equal number—including me—were praying for the restoration of my wife’s health. I testify that both of those prayers were heard and answered by a divinely compassionate Heavenly Father, even if the prayers for Pat were not answered the way I asked. It is for reasons known only to God why prayers are answered differently than we hope—but I promise you they are heard and they are answered according to His unfailing love and cosmic timetable."

President Jeffrey R. Holland, Apostle 

062626, Friday

Weight: 232.3

BP and Pulse: 115/77, 75

GMI: 6.9, Glucose level:167, Three day Average: 148

Finger Prick:

Reported Sleep: 5:54 (69)

Yesterday's Steps: 3,835

Journal Entry:

Serving in the temple today starting at 0500.

Come Follow Me 

1 Kings 8:10 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord,

11 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord.

"On the outside of our temples, we place the words “Holiness to the Lord.” I know for myself that those words are true. The temple is a holy place where revelation comes to us easily if our hearts are open to it and we are worthy of it."

President Henry B. Eyring, Apostle 

062526, Thursday

Weight: 232.5

BP and Pulse: 110/68 (86

GMI: 6.9, Glucose level: 122 @ 0440, Three day Average: 149

Finger Prick:

Reported Sleep: 7:35 (85)

Yesterday's Steps: 4,356

Journal Entry:

Come Follow Me 

1 Kings 3:12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

"If you are willing to pay the price for success, good things, even great things, can happen to you, even beyond your fondest dreams and expectations!...We must recognize that our natural gifts and abilities are limited, but when augmented by inspiration and guidance of the Holy Ghost, our potential increases manyfold. You need help from a power beyond your own to do something extraordinarily useful. You...can have opportunities and receive blessings beyond your wildest dreams and expectations. Your future may not hold fame or fortune, but it can be something far more lasting and fulfilling. Remember that what we do in life echoes in eternity."

President James E. Faust, Apostle 

There is some modern research, Science of the Heart (vol. 2) 

An Overview of Research Conducted by 

the HeartMath Institute 

that indicates that in certain cases the heart can control the brain. I read some of it and it's very complex but when Heavenly Father suggests that "I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart" as is found in 1Kings 3:12, that is something to be considered seriously.

062426, Wednesday

Weight: 231.4

BP and Pulse: 125/79, 72

GMI: 7.0, Glucose level: 133 @ 0620, Three day Average: 148

Finger Prick:

Reported Sleep: 6:08, (72)

Yesterday's Steps: 4,358

Journal Entry:

I truly enjoy serving at the Bishops Storehouse. While it's true that we sometimes seem to sit around doing little as we wait for patrons to serve, we often are able to meet and serve those who have very desperate needs. It's rewarding to try to truly help people where we can. There was a time when a woman was in tears because she had no money for gasoline and though we had filled her order for food and supplies she wouldn't be able to get home because she was nearly out of gas. I asked her to follow me the short distance to Walmart where I could buy her some gas. She did and I put $30 worth of gasoline in her vehicle. She was tearfully grateful and gave me a hug. I'm not sure what happened to her later but I felt good about the short term help I gave her.

Yesterday another woman came to our desk. We had filled her order but she couldn't get her car to work. The motor would start but she couldn't get it into gear to even back up out of her parking place. Gordon Gibb and I went out to try to help her but neither of us could get her car working. She was, of course, pretty distraught. We do deal with people who are truly in need. Gordon suggested she call her Bishop for help. She ended up getting a ride from a friend and after transferring her food, etc. to the friends car, she left her car in our parking lot for the time being. 

I can't help thinking about her and hoping she will get the help she needs. We do deal with people who need help and while we do what we can for them we are constantly aware of the needy people in our world and we do what we can for them. I'm truly grateful to serve in a church that works hard and diligently to help needy people. 

Come Follow Me:

1 Kings 3:9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

"Although the Savior asked us not to judge others, He still expects us to use excellent judgment...Good judgment is needed not only in understanding people but also in facing decisions that often lead us to or away from our Heavenly Father...Many blessings in life are missed because worldly judgment was applied to what was really a spiritual decision."

Elder Gregory A. Schwitzer of The Seventy, April 2010

062326, Tuesday

 Weight: 231.0

BP and Pulse: 126/78, 75

GMI: 7.1, Glucose level: 125 @ 0415, Three day Average: 153

Finger Prick:

Reported Sleep: 7:13 (93)

Yesterday's Steps: 5,039

Journal Entry:

Come Follow Me:

2 Samuel 12:9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

"David commenced well the race, then faltered and failed to finish his course...Lust for power, greed of gold, and disdain for honor have ever appeared as faces of failure in the panorama of life. Captivated by their artificial attraction, many noble souls have stumbled and fallen, thus losing the crown of victory reserved for the finisher of life’s great race.

Concerning those who fall short, John Greenleaf Whittier’s words seem particularly fitting:

“For of all sad words of tongue or pen,

The saddest are these: ‘It might have been!’”

Elder Thomas S. Monson, Apostle 

062226, Monday

Weight: 231.7

BP and Pulse: 123/78, 73

GMI: 7.1, Glucose level: 130 @ 0400, Three day Average: 156

Finger Prick:

Reported Sleep: 4:38, (57)

Yesterday's Steps: 8,699

Journal Entry:

Come Follow Me:

2 Samuel 11:26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.

27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.

"Do you see how David got caught in this trap? He was on a rooftop courtyard of his palace, and looking below in a neighboring yard, he saw something he never should have seen. That was the adversary’s bait. Modesty, chastity, and good judgment required that David turn away immediately and not watch, but he didn’t do either thing. Instead, he allowed his mind to turn to forbidden fantasies, those thoughts led to actions, and things quickly spiraled downward from bad to worse to fatal. David was trapped, and for him the consequences were eternal."

Elder L. Whitney Clayton of The Seventy 

062026, Saturday

 Come Follow Me:

2 Samuel 5:3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the Lord: and they anointed David king over Israel.

"The Old Testament frequently mentions anointing with oil as part of a blessing conferred by priesthood authority. Anointings were declared to be for sanctification and perhaps can also be seen as symbolic of the blessings to be poured out from heaven as a result of this sacred act."

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Apostle 

062126, Sunday

Weight: 232.1

BP and Pulse: 120/77, 74

GMI: 7.1, Glucose level: 136 @ 0420, Three day Average: 157

Finger Prick:

Reported Sleep: 7:48 (92)

Yesterday's Steps: 6,084

Journal Entry:

Come Follow Me:

2 Samuel 7:10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,

"Personal peace can be achieved despite the anger, contention, and division that blight and corrupt our world today. It has never been more important to seek personal peace. A beautiful and beloved new hymn, written for today’s youth by Brother Nik Day, titled “Peace in Christ” declares, “When there’s no peace on earth, there is peace in Christ.”

Elder Quentin L. Cook, Apostle 

061926, Friday

Weight: 231.2

BP and Pulse: 122/83, 69

GMI: 7.2, Glucose level: 123 @ 0310, Three day Average: 160

Finger Prick:

Reported Sleep: 6:07, (73)

Yesterday's Steps: 8,944

Journal Entry:

All readings obtained between 0300 and 0330. 

Serving in the temple as a Temple Worker this morning starting at 0500.

Come Follow Me:

061826, Thursday

Weight: 231.0

BP and Pulse: 128/76, 83

GMI: 7.2, Glucose level: 163 @ 0420, Three day Average: 160

Finger Prick:

Reported Sleep: 7:02, (74)

Yesterday's Steps: 3,651

Journal Entry:

Come Follow Me:

1 Samuel 18:1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

"...I feel that friendship is a fundamental need of our world...Perhaps...the scriptures make little specific mention of the principle of friendship is because it should be manifest quite naturally as we live the gospel. In fact, if the consummate Christian attribute of charity has a first cousin, it is friendship.

...If our children feel friendship within the family, with each other, and with parents, they will not be desperate for acceptance outside the family...It’s definitely a miracle that those in our family who in younger years occasionally threatened one another with serious bodily harm now seek out and genuinely enjoy each other’s friendship. Similarly, I think no finer compliment can be paid to parents than to have children say that their parents are among their best friends."

Elder Marlin K. Jensen of The Presidency of The Seventy, April 1999

061726, Wednesday

Weight: 230.8

BP and Pulse: 129/75, 73

GMI: 7.1, Glucose level: 145@ 0405, Three day Average: 160

Finger Prick:

Reported Sleep: 5:14 (69)

Yesterday's Steps: 11,357

Journal Entry:

Come Follow Me:

1 Samuel 17:46 This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

47 And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.

"There are Goliaths all around you, hulking giants with evil intent to destroy you...

The giants who are behind these efforts are formidable and skillful....They would like to ensnare you....You can triumph over them by disciplining yourselves to avoid them. You can say to the whole lot of them as David said to Goliath, “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.”

Victory will be yours....You have His power within you to sustain you. You have the right to ministering angels about you to protect you. Do not let Goliath frighten you. Stand your ground and hold your place, and you will be triumphant....When temptation comes your way, name that boastful, deceitful giant “Goliath!” and do with him as David did to the Philistine of Gath."

President Gordon B. Hinckley 

061626, Tuesday

Weight: 230.1

BP and Pulse: 125/81, 73

GMI: 7.2, Glucose level: 124 @ 0440,   Three day Average: 159

Finger Prick:

Reported Sleep: 7:02, (90)

Yesterday's Steps: 3,233

Journal Entry:

Come Follow Me:

1 Samuel 17:40 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

"While David used only one stone to kill Goliath, he was prepared with five. With five! This makes me think about how I can prepare myself to face the world.

What if each of David’s stones represented a strength we need to be triumphant in our lives? What could those five stones be? I thought of these possibilities:

The stone of my love for God.

The stone of my faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

The stone of the knowledge of my true identity.

The stone of my daily repentance.

The stone of my access to God’s power.

I actually wish David had had one more stone; that would be the stone of my testimony. Our testimony is built by personal spiritual experiences in which we recognize the divine influence in our lives. No one can take that knowledge from us. Knowing what we know from having lived our spiritual experiences is priceless. Being true to that knowledge gives us freedom. It gives us joy! If we love the truth, we will seek it, and once we find it, we will defend it."

Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus, Second Counselor, Young Women General Presidency, April 2024

061526, Monday

Weight: 228.3

BP and Pulse: 117/78, 73

GMI: 7.2, Glucose level: 157 @ 0615,   Three day Average: 165

Finger Prick: 173 @ 0445

Reported Sleep: 6:33, (86)

Yesterday's Steps: 9,172

Journal Entry:

The teachings of prophets and other scriptural accounts are full of stories of miracles of all types. The general theme is that God, through prophets or other people or means, can literally do anything and often does things that can be described in no other way but miraculous. These actions can mistakenly cause some of us to wonder why God doesn't do miraculous things for us whenever we want him to. Basing our faith on whether or not God does what we want Him to do whenever we want is usually a big mistake. We exist to learn how to accomplish difficult and often painful things. 

These experiences are what cause us to grow and learn and are absolutely necessary for our eternal development. Miracles that we see or read about are needed to show us that God exists and they demonstrate that He can do miraculous things but we need to have experiences and problems that help us to learn and grow. His actions are all designed to help us learn to be more like Him. We may not see that at the time but considering the length of eternity... endless compared to our mortal life on earth... We need to remember that God truly loves us and wants us to grow and develop so that we become like Him so that we can live with Him comfortably and eternally.

So when things become difficult or even painful never forget that you are a project that your Heavenly Father is watching carefully and that He will provide the blessings you need whenever He sees that these blessings are needed. Hang in there.

Come Follow Me:

1 Samuel 17:37 David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.

"The comfortable narrative for David would have been a return to tending sheep. But instead he reflected upon his experience saving lambs from a lion and a bear. And building on those heroic feats, he mustered the faith and courage to let God write his story, declaring, “The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.” With a desire to let God prevail, with an ear to the Holy Ghost and a willingness to let the Savior be the author and finisher of his story, the boy David defeated Goliath and saved his people. 

The sublime principle of agency does, of course, allow us to write our own stories—David could have gone home, back to tending sheep. But Jesus Christ stands ready to use us as divine instruments, sharpened pencils in His hand, to write a masterpiece!"

Camille N. Johnson, Primary General President, October 2021

061426, Sunday

Weight: 229.2

BP and Pulse: 118/78, 72

GMI: 7.1, Current Glucose level: 146, Three day Average: 163

Finger Prick: 

Reported Sleep: 6:41, (83)

Yesterday's Steps: 8,640

Journal Entry:

Come Follow Me:

1 Samuel 16:7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

"Here on earth, most of the differences we notice—the differences some of us use to categorize each other—have to do with earthly things: physical appearance, nationality, language, clothing, customs, and so on. But “God does not view things the way people do. People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 

From His perspective, there is one category that comes before all others: child of God. And we all fit perfectly in this one.

It’s natural to want to be around people who look, talk, act, and think like we do. There is a place for that.

But in the Savior’s Church, we gather all of God’s children who are willing to be gathered and who seek the truth. It is not our physical appearance, our political views, our culture, or our ethnicity that brings us together. It is not our common background that unites us. It is our common objective, our love for God and love for our neighbor, our commitment to Jesus Christ and His restored gospel. We are “one in Christ.”

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Apostle 

061326, Saturday

Weight: 232.8

BP and Pulse: 118/73, 66

GMI: 7.2, Current Glucose level: 156, Three day Average: 160

Finger Prick: 

Reported Sleep: 6:03 (81)

Yesterday's Steps: 8,854

Journal Entry:

Come Follow Me:

1 Samuel 15:24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

"Likewise, we make poor and irrational decisions if we are motivated by fear: fear of man, fear of not being popular, fear of failure, fear of public opinion.

As Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.”…When we stand at the crossroads of life and must make a decision whether to go to the great and spacious building of the world’s ways or to walk the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life, we must realize that we cannot travel both roads—although sometimes we try. It is difficult to come back, but we can; and our greatest satisfaction will more than likely come from taking the lonelier road which is less traveled."

Bishop Robert D. Hales, Presiding Bishop, October 1988

061226, Friday

Weight: 229.7

BP and Pulse: 114/69, 68

GMI: 7.2, Current Glucose level: 143, Three day Average: 161

Finger Prick: 

Reported Sleep: 6:18 (75)

Yesterday's Steps: 2,130

Journal Entry:

Come Follow Me 

1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

"Saul did not follow the Lord’s commandment. He practiced what I call “selective obedience.” Relying on his own wisdom, he spared the life of King Agag and brought back the best of the sheep, oxen, and other animals.

The Lord revealed this to the prophet Samuel and sent him to remove Saul from being king. When the prophet arrived, Saul said, “I have performed the commandment of the Lord.” But the prophet knew otherwise, saying, “What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?”

Saul excused himself by blaming others, saying the people had kept the animals in order to make sacrifices to the Lord. The prophet’s answer was clear: “Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken [to the commandments of the Lord] than the fat of rams.”… My brothers and sisters, are we hearkening with exactness to the voice of the Lord and His prophets? Or, like Saul, are we practicing selective obedience and fearing the judgments of men?"

Elder Robert D. Hales, Apostle 

061126, Thursday

Weight: 229.4

BP and Pulse: 117/78, 74

GMI: 7.2, Current Glucose level: 136, Three day Average: 159

Finger Prick: 

Reported Sleep: 7:13 (88)

Yesterday's Steps: 2,871

Journal Entry:

My glucose levels are gradually coming down. It might be a result of the cinnamon capsules I've been taking our just that I'm eating a better diet. Either way, I'm going to continue with both.

We are both scheduled for Initiatories this afternoon. Looking forward to that.

I'm scheduled to get my Lazy Boy recliner repaired today. A tech is coming here to install the new parts that I ordered and received. It will be nice to have that done. The chair is leaning slightly left and making a lot of noise when I move in it so it will be nice to have it fixed.

Come Follow Me 

1Samuel 15:17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel?

"Saul, swollen with selfishness, was reminded about an earlier time “when thou wast little in thine own sight.”  

Selfishness is often expressed in stubbornness of mind. Having a “mind hardened in pride” often afflicts the brightest who could also be the best. “One thing” the brightest often lack: meekness! Instead of having “a willing mind” which seeks to emulate the “mind of Christ,” a “mind hardened in pride” is impervious to counsel and often seeks ascendancy. Jesus, who was and is “more intelligent than they all,” is also more meek than they all."

Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Apostle 

061026, Wednesday

Weight: 230.8

BP and Pulse: 110/65, 75

GMI: 7.2, Current Glucose level: 148, Three day Average: 160

Finger Prick: 

Reported Sleep: 6:52

Yesterday's Steps: 4,909

Journal Entry:

Come Follow Me 

1 Samuel 10: 9 And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.

"Of course, we all have some habits or flaws or personal history that could keep us from complete spiritual immersion in this work. But God is our Father and is exceptionally good at forgiving and forgetting sins we have forsaken, perhaps because we give Him so much practice in doing so. In any case, there is divine help for every one of us at any hour we feel to make a change in our behavior. God gave Saul “another heart.” Ezekiel called on all of ancient Israel to cast off her past and “make … a new heart and a new spirit.”] Clearly the possibility of change and living at a more elevated level has always been one of the gifts of God to those who seek it."

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Apostle 

060926, Tuesday

Weight: 231.4

BP and Pulse: 111/76, 66

GMI: 7.3, Current Glucose level: 141, Three day Average: 160

Finger Prick: 

Reported Sleep: 5:25

Yesterday's Steps: 9,744

Journal Entry:

Come Follow Me 

1 Samuel 9:6 And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.

"Jesus also taught an important truth about the servants He sends to us. “He that receiveth you,” He said, “receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.”

The most important role of the Lord’s prophet is to teach us of the Savior and lead us to Him.

Elder Neil L. Andersen, Apostle 

060826, Monday

Weight: 231.4

BP and Pulse: 112/70, 81

GMI: 7.4, Current Glucose level: 130, Three day Average: 163

Finger Prick: 

Reported Sleep: 5:50

Yesterday's Steps: 7,675

Journal Entry:

Come Follow Me 

1 Samuel 8:7 And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

"In the book of First Samuel, we have an instructive example of the results of making wrong decisions. In the first chapter we are told that Israel objected to being governed by judges. They wanted a king. The prophet told them that a king would make them servants. But they hearkened not, and persisted in demanding a king. This grieved Samuel, and the Lord said to him, “Hearken unto the voice of the people…for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me.”  

Israel thus surrendered the form of free government God had given them. They got their king all right, and a few decades later they were taken captive into slavery. Slavery entered into by one’s own choice is no less slavery than that imposed upon him by external force."

President Marion G. Romney, Apostle 

060726, Sunday

Weight: 230.8

BP and Pulse: 105/71, 73

GMI: 7.4, Current Glucose level: 130, Three day Average (June 4-7), 167

Finger Prick: 

Reported Sleep: 5:34

Yesterday's Steps: 4,930

Journal Entry:

Come Follow Me 

1 Samuel 3:13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.

"Eli served as the high priest in Israel during the childhood of Samuel the prophet. The scriptures explain that the Lord rebuked him severely “because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.” Eli’s sons never did repent, and all of Israel suffered because of their folly. The story of Eli teaches us that parents who love their children cannot afford to be intimidated by them."

Elder Larry R. Lawrence of The Seventy, October 2010

060626, Saturday

Weight: 231.4

BP and Pulse: 109/71, 72

GMI: 7.5, Current Glucose level: 175,  Three day Average (June 3-6), 167

Finger Prick: 186

Reported Sleep: 7:17

Yesterday's Steps: 6,623

Journal Entry:

Come Follow Me 

1 Samuel 3:10 And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

"You need to keep your minds clean so you can recognize and respond to the quiet whisperings of the Spirit. Select with care the information you allow to enter your mind. Avoid the cluttered clamor of the world. Television, movies, and especially the Internet can provide an open window through which you can peer into the far reaches of the world. They can bring to you information that is uplifting, good, and inspiring. But if used improperly, these media technologies can fill your mind with such unwholesome thoughts that you will be unable to hear the gentle prompting of the Spirit. Live each day so that you are able to be in tune with the Spirit like the boy prophet Samuel and you are able to respond to the Lord and say, “Speak [Lord]; for thy servant heareth."

Elder Harold G. Hillam of The Presidency of The Seventy 

060526, Friday

Weight: 231.2

BP and Pulse: 

GMI: 7.5, Glucose level: 157, Three day Average (June 2-5), 171

Finger Prick: 

Reported Sleep: 6:28

Yesterday's Steps: 10,588

Journal Entry:

Start a new CGM today. The last one seemed to be about 20 points higher than finger pricks.

Served in the temple today beginning at 0500. I served brief stints in Initiatories and Name Issue.

060426, Thursday

Weight: 232.5

BP and Pulse: 110/68, 81

GMI: 7.6, Glucose level: 199, Three day Average (June 1-4): 175

Finger Prick: 163 at 0445

Reported Sleep: 6:30

Yesterday's Steps: 9,556

Journal Entry:

My blood glucose levels are too high. Yesterday I made a point of being very careful of what I ate... No sweets, healthy lunch and dinner, but still my levels are high. I did two finger pricks this morning and both were about 30 points lower than my CGM but still too high. I might have to go on insulin if this keeps up.

Come Follow Me :

1 Samuel 2:29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?

30 Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

"Eli the priest was relieved of his calling when he permitted wickedness in the house of the Lord. The Lord said, “For them that honour me I will honour.” The great priesthood power and authority with which we have been entrusted must be exercised by those authorized to do so who have proven themselves worthy to do so. Only in this manner will our acts be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise and thus be honored by the Lord.

We honor the Lord by keeping our baptismal covenants, our sacrament covenants, our temple covenants, and by keeping the Sabbath day holy. The Lord has said, “All among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice—yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command—they are accepted of me.”

President James E. Faust, Apostle 

060326, Wednesday

Weight: 231.9

     BP and Pulse: 116/72, 83

     GMI: 7.6, Glucose level: 164, Three day Average (May 31-june 3) 175

     Reported Sleep: 7:22

     Yesterday's Steps: 3,169

Journal Entry:

We had a good day serving in the Bishops Storehouse. Limits my distance walking.

Come Follow Me :

1 Samuel 11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

"Faithful daughters of God desire children. In the scriptures we read of Eve, Sarah, Rebekah, and Mary, who were foreordained to be mothers before children were born to them. Some women are not given the responsibility of bearing children in mortality, but just as Hannah of the Old Testament prayed fervently for her child, the value women place on motherhood in this life and the attributes of motherhood they attain here will rise with them in the Resurrection. Women who desire and work toward that blessing in this life are promised they will receive it for all eternity, and eternity is much, much longer than mortality. There is eternal influence and power in motherhood."

President Julie B. Beck, Relief Society General President, October 2007

I sent this to Adam to share with Myisha. They want to be parents and this assures that they will be at some point in the future.

060226, Tuesday

Weight: 233.2

     BP and Pulse: 106/63, 83

     GMI: 7.5, Glucose level: 163, Three day Average (May 30-June 2): 180

     Reported Sleep: 6:06

     Yesterday's Steps: 10,290

Journal Entry:

Don't know why my blood sugar is going up. Finger pricks seem to agree with the high readings on my CGM. I'm afraid I'm going to be on insulin soon. I'm going to try to keep my eating under better control but there's not much I can do that I'm not already doing. Actually I can try eating less and eating smarter. Stay tuned.

Come Follow Me 

"Another source of spiritual uplift and growth is an ongoing practice of repenting, even of seemingly small transgressions. Our own inspired self-evaluations can help us see how we have fallen short and how we can do better. Such repentance should precede our weekly partaking of the sacrament. Some subjects to consider in this process of repentance are suggested in the hymn “Have I Done Any Good?”

Have I done any good in the world today?

Have I helped anyone in need?

Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?

If not, I have failed indeed.

Has anyone’s burden been lighter today

Because I was willing to share?

Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?

When they needed my help was I there?

Surely these are small things, but surely they are good examples of what Alma taught his son Helaman: “And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord … bringeth about the salvation of many souls” (Alma 37:7)."

President Dallin H. Oaks, Apostle, April 2018

060126, Monday

Weight: 231.7

     BP and Pulse: 110/64, 74

     GMI: 7.4, Glucose level: 163, Three day Average (May 29-June 1): 182

     Reported Sleep: 6:49

     Yesterday's Steps: 8,464

Journal Entry:

Come Follow Me 

Ruth 1:16 And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:

17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

"As Christ followed the Father under any circumstance, we should follow His Son. If we do so, it matters not what kind of persecution, suffering, grief, or “thorn in the flesh” we face. We are not alone. Christ will assist us. His tender mercies will make us mighty under any circumstance.

Following Christ may mean forsaking many dear things, as Ruth the Moabite did. As a new convert, out of love for God and Naomi, she left everything behind to live her religion."

Elder Walter F. González of The Presidency of The Seventy, April 2011