032726, Friday

Vitals: 

     Weight: 228.8

     BP and Pulse: 123/85, 65

     Reported Sleep: 7:49

     Yesterday's Steps: 5,295

Journal Entry

I very much enjoyed going to the temple yesterday for the 6AM session. I was surprised at how few patrons were present. I think there were about eight women and maybe 16 men in the session. But nevertheless I enjoyed it very much. 

Come Follow Me 

Exodus 3: 13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?

14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

"To Moses, who was faced not with a dimming past or a misty future nearly so much as with the brutal presence of a godless Pharoah, Jehovah said, “I AM THAT I AM. … say unto the children of Israel, I AM … this is my name for ever. …” Repentance and faith, service and compassion—now is always the right time for these. The past is to be learned from, not lived in, and the future is to be planned for, not paralyzed by. God has declared himself in the present tense. I am the Great I AM."

Jeffrey R.Holland, Apostle 

032626, Thursday

Vitals: 

     Weight: 228.0

     BP and Pulse: 112/76, 86

     Reported Sleep: 6:07

     Yesterday's Steps: 3,237

Journal Entry: I went to the 0600 Endowment session of  the temple today by myself. So I didn't get to this journal entry until the following day. It was a very good day though. Cathy and I spent the rest of the day together as we usually do and enjoyed it.

Come Follow Me:

Exodus 3: 8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

"So here we have the burden of those called to bear the messianic message. In addition to teaching, encouraging, and cheering people on (that is the pleasant part of discipleship), from time to time these same messengers are called upon to worry, to warn, and sometimes just to weep (that is the painful part of discipleship). They know full well that the road leading to the promised land “flowing with milk and honey” of necessity runs by way of Mount Sinai, flowing with “thou shalts” and “thou shalt nots.”

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Apostle 

032526, Wednesday

Vitals: 

Weight: 229.4

BP and Pulse: 118/79, 87

Reported Sleep: 5:26

Yesterday's Steps: 3,502

Journal Entry

I enjoyed serving in the Bishops Storehouse yesterday with Cathy. It's a wonderful place where we can truly meet and interact with people of all backgrounds and who are our brothers and sisters. It's always a learning and uplifting experience.

Come Follow Me 

Exodus 3: 4 And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

"When we go to the temple, we clear our minds and hearts of thoughts and feelings which may not be in harmony with the sacred experiences of the temple. We also dress in a modest, proper, and dignified manner. Our dress and grooming for this sacred occasion are signs of reverence and respect for the Lord and His holy house. Once inside the temple, we change into white clothing, which symbolizes cleanliness and purity. We are then ready to participate in the quiet reverence of temple worship. This eternal blessing is available to all who are worthy to receive it.

…Let us be worthy to have a current temple recommend…Let us return to the temple as often as our circumstances will permit…Let us enjoy the spiritual strength and the revelation we receive as we attend the temple regularly. Let us be faithful and make and keep temple covenants to receive the full blessings of the Atonement."

Sister Sylvia H. Allred, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency 

032426, Tuesday

Vitals: 

Weight: 228.1

BP and Pulse: 117/77, 79

Reported Sleep: 6:50

Yesterday's Steps: 2,606

Journal Entry

Last weekend we enjoyed a very nice visit from Kevin and Becky. The weather was great for March and we went out to lunch at one of my favorite places which is Guru's in downtown Provo. 

The photo here is us across the street from Guru's on the grounds of the the Provo City Center Temple.

Come Follow Me 

Exodus 2: 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.

"I witness our Savior lives and “His promises are sure.” Especially for you who are troubled or who are “afflicted in any manner,” I testify that our Heavenly Father hears your tearful pleadings and will always respond in perfect wisdom."

Elder Brian K. Taylor of The Seventy

032326, Monday

Vitals: 

Weight: 228.6

BP and Pulse: 121/75, 70

Reported Sleep: 6:07

Yesterday's Steps: 5,576

Journal Entry

My first official assignment as a Lindon Temple Worker was last evening. I attended a meeting at the temple that was conducted by President Scot Westover. It turned out to be a nice recap of what it means to be a temple worker followed by letting us just wander around the temple to see what it's like. I enjoyed the whole evening a lot and look forward to working there once the temple becomes completely operational.

Come Follow Me 

Exodus 1: 15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:

16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.

17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.

"Today, let me add that we need women who know how to make important things happen by their faith and who are courageous defenders of morality and families in a sin-sick world. We need women who are devoted to shepherding God’s children along the covenant path toward exaltation; women who know how to receive personal revelation, who understand the power and peace of the temple endowment; women who know how to call upon the powers of heaven to protect and strengthen children and families; women who teach fearlessly."

President Russell M. Nelson, Apostle 

032226, Sunday

Vitals: 

Weight: 227.7

BP and Pulse:

Reported Sleep: 6:03

Yesterday's Steps: 5,187

Journal Entry

Today's quote below by Elder Marvin J. Ashton is one of the greatest definitions of explanations of charity. Think about it.

Come Follow Me 

Genesis 50: 20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

"Charity is, perhaps, in many ways a misunderstood word. We often equate charity with visiting the sick, taking in casseroles to those in need, or sharing our excess with those who are less fortunate. But really, true charity is much, much more.

Real charity is not something you give away; it is something that you acquire and make a part of yourself. And when the virtue of charity becomes implanted in your heart, you are never the same again."

Elder Marvin J.Ashton, Apostle 

032126, Saturday

Vitals: 

Weight: 228.8

BP and Pulse:

Reported Sleep: 6:52

Yesterday's Steps: 4,395

Journal Entry

We enjoyed a beautiful, warm, sunny outdoor lunch with Kevin and Becky at Guru's in downtown Provo yesterday. We are really enjoying their visit and are looking forward to taking them all - including Jake and Meredith - out to dinner this evening. 

Come Follow Me 

Genesis 49: 22 Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:

"But was there only one tribe of Israel? What of Joseph, the birthright son, who saved all of Israel’s family from famine? What of Joseph, whose sons Israel blessed and said, “Let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac”? What of Joseph, whom Israel blessed and promised that he would be “a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall”? Where is the record of Joseph?

We testify to the world that we have the record of Joseph—even the Book of Mormon. Like Judah, Joseph had a people—the Nephites and Lamanites. Like Judah, Joseph had a land—the Americas. Like Judah, Joseph had prophets, and his descendants also had a visitation from Jesus Christ, even the resurrected Lord.

“Know ye not,” the Lord says in the Book of Mormon, “that there are more nations than one? …

“Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another?

“… And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another.”

We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ."

President Ezra Taft Benson