042426, Friday

Vitals: 

     Weight: 230.6

     BP and Pulse: 119/75, 67

     GMI: 7.2

     Reported Sleep: 4:01

     Yesterday's Steps: 2,309

Journal Entry:

Today was, I think, my last official training day for the Lindon Temple. Two weeks from today I will be, at lasr, officially functioning again as a Temple Worker. I'm really enjoying the training and I really believe this temple is being extremely well managed. This is the fourth temple wherein I will have served as an Ordinance Worker or as we are now designated, a "Temple Worker". I am learning more and more about the Gospel and especially about temple covenants. A great opportunity.

Come Follow Me 

Exodus 32: 1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

"[C]arnal man tends to let his loyalty drift toward idols.

For example, we marvel at computers and the Internet that enable transmission of data with remarkable speed. We are truly grateful for these electronic servants. But if we let them take over our time, pervert our potential, or poison our minds with pornography, they cease being servants and become instead false gods.

The Master warned of those who “seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol.”

False gods can only lead to dead ends. If our journey through life is to be successful, we need to follow divine direction."

Elder Russell M. Nelson, Apostle 

042326, Thursday

Vitals: 

     Weight: 230.3

     BP and Pulse: 118/72, 81

     GMI: 7.3

     Reported Sleep: 6:44

     Yesterday's Steps: 6,661

Journal Entry:

Come Follow Me 

Exodus 31: 16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.

17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

"Perhaps most important, the Sabbath was given as a perpetual covenant, a constant reminder that the Lord may sanctify His people...Repeatedly, He has asked us to keep the Sabbath or to hallow the Sabbath day. We are under covenant to do so.

How do we hallow the Sabbath day? In my much younger years, I studied the work of others who had compiled lists of things to do and things not to do on the Sabbath. It wasn’t until later that I learned from the scriptures that my conduct and my attitude on the Sabbath constituted a sign between me and my Heavenly Father. With that understanding, I no longer needed lists of dos and don’ts. When I had to make a decision whether or not an activity was appropriate for the Sabbath, I simply asked myself, “What sign do I want to give to God?” That made my choices about the Sabbath day crystal clear."

Elder Russell M. Nelson, Apostle 

042226, Wednesday

Vitals: 

     Weight: 231.0

     BP and Pulse: 124/77, 73

     GMI: 7.3

     Reported Sleep: 5:40

     Yesterday's Steps: 5,635

Journal Entry:

While serving at the Bishops Storehouse yesterday, I had the opportunity to serve a patron who was a young mother of five children. She had brought her three year old daughter with her and she had a very large order for her family of seven.

At first, I realized I would have to do most of the work because she had her hands full with her little daughter. She obviously wanted to help and tried where she could but it was going to be mostly me loading her cart and keeping track of her order. And I was actually fine with that.

As we progressed through the Storehouse, we wound up sort of paralleling another couple who were having some difficulty because they were Spanish speakers and they were being served by Elder Story who doesn't speak Spanish. It was then that I observed that my patron was bilingual Spanish/English and she was able to offer significant assistance to Elder Story and his Spanish speaking patrons who were obviously a very nice married couple. Anyway, we all had a very pleasant experience together and I truly felt that we were blessed to all be together as these patrons were being served in the Bishops Storehouse.

Come Follow Me 

Exodus 24: 15 And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount.

16 And the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.

17 And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.

18 And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

"Of course it’s hard. Everything to do with becoming more like the Savior is difficult. For example, when God wanted to give the Ten Commandments to Moses, where did He tell Moses to go? Up on top of a mountain, on the top of Mount Sinai. So Moses had to walk all the way up to the top of that mountain to get the Ten Commandments. Now, Heavenly Father could have said, ‘Moses, you start there, and I’ll start here, and I’ll meet you halfway.’ No, the Lord loves effort, because effort brings rewards that can’t come without it."

President Russell M. Nelson, Apostle 

042126, Tuesday

Vitals: 

     Weight: 229.4

     BP and Pulse: 128/77, 65

     GMI: 7.2

     Reported Sleep: 6:06

     Yesterday's Steps: 8,266

Journal Entry:

We are going to take our old patio furniture and a few other items to the dump today in a continuing effort to make our home more neat, clean and organized. Then it's off to the Bishops Storehouse for our weekly duties there. Should be a good day.

Come Follow Me 

Exodus 20: 7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

"To our modern ears, this sounds like a prohibition against irreverently using the Lord’s name. The commandment includes that, but its injunction is even more profound. The Hebrew word translated as “take” means to “lift up” or “carry,” as one would a banner that identifies oneself with an individual or group. The word translated as “vain” means “empty” or “deceptive.” The commandment to not take the Lord’s name in vain can thus mean, “You should not identify yourself as a disciple of Jesus Christ unless you intend to represent Him well.”

Elder Dale G. Renlund, Apostle 

042026, Monday

Vitals: 

     Weight: 231.0

     BP and Pulse: 131/89, 70

     GMI: 7.2

     Reported Sleep: 6:33

     Yesterday's Steps: 3,626

Journal Entry:

Unfortunately, some of Jake's kids were sick so we didn't have them over for dinner yesterday. We, actually Cathy, made dinner and we took it over to their house and they really appreciated that. Made me feel good too. It was a good day and the weather is getting good. Should be in the 70's today.

I think a HOA yard guy is coming over today to help us get our sprinkling/irrigation system set up for the coming summer.

Come Follow Me 

Exodus 20: 2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

“The placement of this commandment helps us understand that if we place Him as our main priority, everything else will ultimately fall into place—even our service to others. When He takes the preeminent position in our lives by our deliberate choice, then He is able to bless our actions to our good and to the good of others…Can such a godly focus apply in everything we do? Can performing even a menial task become an opportunity to demonstrate our love and devotion to Him? I believe it can and will. 

We can make each item on our to-do list become a way to glorify Him. We can see each task as a privilege and opportunity to serve Him, even when we are in the midst of deadlines, duties, or dirty diapers.”

President Joy D. Jones, Primary General President 

041926, Sunday

Vitals: 

     Weight: 232.3

     BP and Pulse: 124/74, 66

     GMI: 7.2

     Reported Sleep: 6:10

     Yesterday's Steps: 4,493

Journal Entry:

We enjoyed an Endowment session at the Mt Timpanogos temple yesterday afternoon.

Then we went shopping for some food to feed Jake and his family who are coming over later today for a visit. We are looking forward to seeing them all.

Come Follow Me 

Exodus 18: 20 And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.

"An early scriptural account of this need [for both the priesthood line and the personal line] is in Father Jethro’s counsel that Moses should not try to do so much. The people were waiting upon their priesthood leader from morning till night to “enquire of God” and also to “judge between one and another.” We often note how Jethro counseled Moses to delegate by appointing judges to handle the personal conflicts. But Jethro also gave Moses counsel that illustrates the importance of the personal line: “Thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do”.

In other words, Israelites who followed Moses should be taught not to bring every question to that priesthood leader. They should understand the commandments and seek inspiration to work out most problems for themselves… We must use both the personal line and the priesthood line in proper balance to achieve the growth that is the purpose of mortal life."

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Apostle 

041826, Saturday

Vitals: 

     Weight: 231.3

     BP and Pulse: 118/76, 68

     GMI: 7.2

     Reported Sleep: 7:39

     Yesterday's Steps: 4,239

Journal Entry:

I got up early yesterday to be at the Lindon Temple for my first training session of my regular shift as A temple worker, 5-7 AM on Fridays. The temple will be dedicated on Sunday, May 3rd and will be begin normal operations that week. This will be a great temple and I am humbled to be able to serve there.

My training yesterday was in conducting Endowment sessions properly. I have done that numerous times in Louisville and Mt Timpanogos temples but it was a great reminder of how to conduct these sessions correctly and I enjoyed the instruction. Next week my training will be in conducting Initiatory sessions and this will be very interesting because of the significant changes that have been made in Initiatory facilities and their operations. The ordinances themselves have, of course, not changed but the facilities and methods have been modified in what I see so far as a big improvement.

Come Follow Me 

Exodus 17: 11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

12 But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

"I wish to convey my appreciation to all those who raised their hands in a covenant to the Lord to sustain me. I have felt the expression of your hearts and your commitment to the Lord as your hands pointed heavenward.

I am reminded how Moses up on the hill raised his arms for the victory of the armies of Israel. As long as his arms were raised, Israel prevailed, but when they dropped from weariness, then the enemy prevailed. And so Aaron and Hur “stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side,” and Israel was victorious.  So will we be victorious as we hold up the arms of the Lord’s anointed servants."

President Ezra Taft Benson, Apostle