the beat goes on!

truthfully, the bike speeding up that I said I'd do, ended up more like shifting from slower gear to slow gear!  I have confidence that consistent effort will eventually pay off beyond the ability to be more awake during the day!!!  Not complaining for sure!

So I write the above and then later I see an article from the New York Times entitled What's the Value of Exercise?  I think I'm on task!!!  Here are just two paragraphs that I felt featured in....

For people still struggling to make time for exercise, a new study offers a strong incentive: You’ll save $2,500 a year.

The savings, a result of reduced medical costs, don’t require much effort to accrue — just 30 minutes of walking five days a week is enough.

A separate part of the survey covers lifestyle issues, such as the person’s income, educational level, and whether he or she smokes, as well about physical activity, and how often the person engages in moderate or vigorous exercise. (Moderate activities, according to the survey, would include brisk walking, bicycling gently, or raking leaves; vigorous exercise would be running, strenuous cycling or other activities that significantly increase heart rate and sweating.)

I had no idea that I'm doing moderate activity!  My bicycling gently qualifies me!!!  I'm definitely not doing strenuous cycling.  No vigorous exercise!    

******************

Yesterday I ended up feeling unsettled by my talk.  Today I decided that I love doctrine and talking about doctrine and I was all excited about, to me anyhow, an exciting bit of doctrine.  I felt maybe the joy I felt just didn't come through so I'm going to tell you that part and just make myself feel good!

#1--So....Christ knew His Meridian Mission would be short.  He was young and it was only for 3 years.  He taught all that He was tasked to do.  He tried to prepare his disciples that He was going to leave them.  He would die.  He would not be in their midst.  Surely they heard what He said but surely also, it didn't make any sense.  He, in His Godly wisdom, told them that He would not leave them comfortless.  He would give them the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  He even told them that the Gift of the Holy Ghost would bring all things that He'd taught them to their remembrance.  (Don't you find this amazing????!)

#2--Fast forward and Christ is now gone.  Died/resurrected/ascended. A feast/festival day and a great crowd of people.  To the surprise of all present, they realize that no matter what language, foreign to them, is being spoken, they can understand in their own language!!  Some thought the reveling was because they were drunk but what it actually was? --them seeing the promise of the Holy Ghost.  One of those gifts is the gift of tongues.

#3--Move ahead again.  Phillip's busy baptizing in his Samarian ministry.  A sorcerer named Simon sees the working of miracles in healing and casting out evil spirits.  He joins the Church.  The Apostles in Jerusalem hear about the baptisms in Samaria and know that they have not received the Gift of the Holy Ghost so Peter and John are sent to do that deed. Simon sees the evidence of the power and wants to buy it.  He is rebuked/called to repentance and told that it is not for sale. 

#4--March forth!--  4th Article of Faith...we believe in the laying on of hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

#5--Sacrament prayer!  Doctrine and Covenants 20:77  Footnote!!!  goes full circle back to what Jesus told his disciples when He said He'd send the Holy Ghost. 

I am wild over this coming full circle to my day.  my time.  my life.  The thought just makes the Gospel so real and it brings Christ, and His promise of the Holy Ghost,  right into that weekly opportunity as we partake of the Sacrament!!!

Scriptures for...

#1--
John 14 (do yourself a favor and read this chapter.  it's wonderful!)
vs.16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another ^aComforter, that he may ^babide with you for ever;
vs. 26 But the ^aComforter, which is the ^bHoly Ghost, whom the Father will send in my ^cname, he shall ^dteach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

#2--
Acts 2 (read and enjoy all of it!)
1 And when the day of ^aPentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty ^awind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

 3 And there appeared unto them ^acloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

 4 And they were all filled with the ^aHoly Ghost, and began to speak with other ^btongues, as the ^cSpirit gave them utterance.

 5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

 6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came  together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own ^alanguage.

 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilæans?

 8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

 9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judæa, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,

 10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and ^aproselytes,

11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our ^atongues the wonderful works of God.

 12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

 13 Others ^amocking said, These men are full of new wine.

AND

 33 Therefore being ^aby the ^bright hand of God ^cexalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath ^dshed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

#3
Acts 8
1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great ^apersecution against the ^bchurch which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judæa and Samaria, except the apostles.

 2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great ^alamentation over him.

 3 As for Saul, he made ^ahavoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to ^bprison.

 4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

 5 Then Philip went down to the city of ^aSamaria, and preached Christ unto them.

6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip ^aspake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

 7 For ^aunclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many ^btaken with palsies, and that were lame, were ^chealed.

 8 And there was great joy in that city.

 9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used ^asorcery, and ^bbewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some ^cgreat one:

 10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

 11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

 12 But when they believed Philip ^apreaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the ^bname of Jesus Christ, they were ^cbaptized, both men and women.

 13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and ^awondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

 14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the ^aword of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

 15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

 16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

 17 Then ^alaid they their hands on them, and they received the ^bHoly Ghost.

18 And when Simon saw that through ^alaying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

 19 Saying, Give me also this ^apower, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

 20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the ^agift of God may be ^bpurchased with money.

 21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not ^aright in the sight of God.

 22 Repent therefore of this thy ^awickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the ^bthought of thine ^cheart may be forgiven thee.

 23 For I perceive that thou art in the ^agall of bitterness, and in the ^bbond of iniquity.

 24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

#4  Articles of Faith

 4 We believe that the first principles and ^aordinances of the Gospel are: first, ^bFaith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, ^cRepentance; third, ^dBaptism by ^eimmersion for the ^fremission of sins; fourth, Laying on of ^ghands for the ^hgift of the Holy Ghost.

#5 Sacrament prayer... Doctrine and Covenants 20:77
77 O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this ^abread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and ^bwitness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his ^ccommandments which he has given them; that they may always have his ^dSpirit to be with them. Amen.

77 d Spirit

John 14:16.

and the circle is complete when you check out the footnote on 77d!!  Refers right back to John and what Christ said to them as mentioned in #1.