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 

041726, Friday

Vitals: 

     Weight: 233.0

     BP and Pulse: 124/81, 88

     GMI: 7.2

     Reported Sleep: 5:34

     Yesterday's Steps: 4,765

Journal Entry:

I served at the Lindon Temple starting at 0500 this morning so I wasn't able to do much of my Come Follow Me  daily studies. It was a very good day though.

Come Follow Me 

041626, Thursday

Vitals: 

     Weight: 230.1

     BP and Pulse: 119/86, 80

     GMI: 7.2

     Reported Sleep: 6:27

     Yesterday's Steps: 3,229

Journal Entry:

Come Follow Me 

041526, Wednesday

Vitals: 

     Weight: 230.3

     BP and Pulse: 125/83, 80

     GMI: 7.2

     Reported Sleep: 6:13

     Yesterday's Steps: 3,841

Journal Entry:

Come Follow Me 

Exodus 15: 2 The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him. 

"Moses exulted, “The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation”… How can we build this kind of faith in the strength of the Savior? David had counsel for the people of his time that I repeat to you: “Seek the Lord and his strength … continually.” “Blessed is the man [or woman] whose strength is in thee. … Go from strength to strength”…

[S]trengthen yourselves by seeking the source of true strength—the Savior. Come unto him. He loves you. He desires your happiness and exults in your desires for righteousness. Make him your strength, your daily companion, your rod and your staff. Let him comfort you. There is no burden we need bear alone. His grace compensates for our deficiencies.

Your strength will strengthen others—your children, your [spouse], your friends, and your sisters in the gospel. That strength will flow back from them to you when you need it."

Sister Chieko N. Okazaki, First Counselor, Relief Society General Presidency 

041426, Tuesday

 Vitals: 

     Weight: 229.9

     BP and Pulse: 111/71, 85

     GMI: 7.2

     Reported Sleep: 7:40

     Yesterday's Steps: 7,350

Journal Entry:

Come Follow Me 

Exodus 14: 21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.

“If we will do what the Lord tells us to do, he will take care of us all right.

He told the Israelites to leave the land of Egypt, you remember, and they left. When they got to the Red Sea, Pharaoh’s armies caught up with them. I suppose they were worried, wondering how they could escape from that army. They did not know, but the Lord knew. When the time came, he simply said to Moses, “Lift … up [your] rod”. He did, and a dry-land passage through the Red Sea appeared, and they went through without the loss of a man. They never would have been thus protected and saved if they had not been doing what the Lord directed them to do.

Let us do what he has told us to do and then put our trust in him. He can take care of us, and in the day of need he will do so.”

President Marion G. Romney, Apostle 

041326, Monday

Vitals: 

     Weight: 229.9

     BP and Pulse: 101/66, 78

     GMI: 7.2

     Reported Sleep: 5:29

     Yesterday's Steps: 4789

Journal Entry:

Come Follow Me 

Exodus 14: 13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

"As His covenant people, we need not be paralyzed by fear because bad things might happen. Instead, we can move forward with faith, courage, determination, and trust in God as we approach the challenges and opportunities ahead.

We do not walk the path of discipleship alone…

“The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”..Do we live in a time of peril and turmoil? Of course we do.

God Himself has said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

Can we exercise the faith to believe and to act accordingly? Can we live up to our commitments and sacred covenants? Can we keep the commandments of God even in challenging circumstances? Of course we can!

We can because God has promised, “All things shall work together for your good, if [you] walk uprightly.” Therefore, let us set aside our fears and live instead with joy, humility, hope, and a bold confidence that the Lord is with us.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Apostle