031126, Wednesday

Vitals: 

Weight: 229.4

BP and Pulse: 134/75, 79

Reported Sleep: 5:29

Yesterday's Steps: 3,765

Journal Entry

Come Follow Me 

Genesis 39: 9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

"What are we doing today to engraven in our souls the gospel principles that will uphold us in times of adversity?

For example, what did Joseph who was sold into Egypt plant in his soul to reply, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” when avoiding pressure from Potiphar’s wife to break the law of chastity?...

What [Joseph] did was allow the Spirit to write gospel principles in [his soul]. This writing doesn’t happen overnight. Profoundly exposing our souls to the principles of righteousness will make a difference in our preparation for spiritual quakes. This exposure can be enhanced by pondering and by cutting off bad influences."

Elder Walte4 F. González of The Presidency of The Seventy 

031026, Tuesday

Vitals: 

Weight: 230.1

BP and Pulse: 127/82, 78

Reported Sleep: 5:47

Yesterday's Steps: 7,106

Journal Entry

Come Follow Me 

Genesis 39: 2 And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

3 And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

To give what you have been denied is a powerful part of divine healing possible through faith in Jesus Christ. To live in such a way that you give, as Isaiah has said, beauty for the ashes of your life is an act of faith that follows the supreme example of a Savior who suffered all that He might succor all.

Joseph of Egypt lived a life with ashes. He was hated by his brethren, betrayed, sold into slavery, wrongly imprisoned, and forgotten by someone who had promised to help. Yet he trusted in the Lord. “The Lord was with Joseph” and consecrated his trials to his own blessing and growth—and to the saving of his family and all Egypt. 

...Through the Savior, Joseph’s life became “beauty for ashes.”

Sister Kristen M. Yee, Second Counselor, Relief Society General Presidency 

030926, Monday

Vitals: 

Weight: 229.7

BP and Pulse: 124/78, 88

Reported Sleep: 5:54

Yesterday's Steps: 2,571

Journal Entry

Come Follow Me 

Genesis 37: 23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;

24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.

"Young Joseph, the son of Jacob, was thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, betrayed, and abandoned. Joseph must have wondered if God had forgotten him. God had something unimaginable in mind for Joseph. He used this period of trial to strengthen Joseph’s character and put him in a position to save his family."

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Apostle 

030826, Sunday

Vitals: 

Weight: 230.3

BP and Pulse: 127/71, 85

Reported Sleep: 3:24

Yesterday's Steps: 4,152

Journal Entry

Come Follow Me 

Genesis 33: 3 And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

4 And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.

"Surely each of us could cite an endless array of old scars and sorrows and painful memories that this very moment still corrode the peace in someone’s heart or family or neighborhood. Whether we have caused that pain or been the recipient of the pain, those wounds need to be healed so that life can be as rewarding as God intended it to be. Like the food in your refrigerator that your grandchildren carefully check in your behalf, those old grievances have long since exceeded their expiration date. Please don’t give precious space in your soul to them any longer. As Prospero said to the regretful Alonso in The Tempest, “Let us not burden our remembrance with a heaviness that’s gone.”

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Apostle, October 2018 General Conference 

030726, Saturday

Vitals: 

Weight: 229.4

BP and Pulse: 127/82, 78

Reported Sleep: 6:09

Yesterday's Steps: 2,388

Journal Entry

Come Follow Me 

Genesis 32: 28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

"With the help of two Hebrew scholars, I learned that one of the Hebraic meanings of the word Israel is “let God prevail.” Thus the very name of Israel refers to a person who is willing to let God prevail in his or her life. That concept stirs my soul!

The word willing is crucial to this interpretation of Israel.  We all have our agency. We can choose to be of Israel, or not. We can choose to let God prevail in our lives, or not. We can choose to let God be the most powerful influence in our lives, or not.

For a moment, let us recall a crucial turning point in the life of Jacob, the grandson of Abraham. At the place Jacob named Peniel (which means “the face of God”), Jacob wrestled with a serious challenge. His agency was tested. Through this wrestle, Jacob proved what was most important to him. He demonstrated that he was willing to let God prevail in his life. In response, God changed Jacob’s name to Israel, meaning “let God prevail.” God then promised Israel that all the blessings that had been pronounced upon Abraham’s head would also be his."

President Russell M. Nelson, Apostle 

030626, Friday

Vitals: 

Weight: 227.2

BP and Pulse: 133/87, 85

Current Glucose Level: 144 @ 0550

Reported Sleep: 6:01

Yesterday's Steps: 5,745

Journal Entry

Come Follow Me 

Genesis 32: 9 And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:

10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.

"I know the Lord has great and marvelous plans for us—individually and collectively. With compassion and patience, He says:

“Ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath … prepared for you;

“And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along.”

My dear brothers, I testify that He has been, and is, indeed leading us along, as we seek to hear Him. He wants us to grow and to learn, even through—perhaps especially through—adversity."

President Russell M. Nelson, Apostle 

030526, Thursday

Daily Vitals: 

Weight: 225.3

BP and Pulse: 131/86, 81

Current Glucose Level: 134 @ 0435

Reported Sleep: 7:13

Yesterday's Steps: 4,372

Journal Entry

Come Follow Me 

Genesis 28: 16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.

"... This time of bleakness after World War II left its mark upon the world. It left its mark upon me.

Back then, in the solitude of my loneliest hours, I often wondered, “Is there any hope left in the world?”

Angels among Us

As I pondered this question, I thought about our young American missionaries who served among us during those years. They had left the safety of their homes half a world away and traveled to Germany—land of their recent enemies—to offer divine hope to our people. They came not to blame, lecture, or shame. They willingly gave of their young lives without thought of earthly gain, wanting only to help others find the joy and peace they had experienced.

To me, these young men and women were perfect. I am sure they had flaws, but not to me. I will always think of them as being bigger than life—angels of light and glory, ministers of compassion, goodness, and truth.

While the world was drowning in cynicism, bitterness, hatred, and fear, the example and teachings of these young people filled me with hope. The gospel message they offered transcended politics, history, grudges, grievances, and personal agendas. It gave divine answers to important questions we had during these difficult times."

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Apostle