Thinking about the joys of General Conference while riding my bike to nowhere and gave myself a cheer for today being 9 weeks of me doing this feat! 5 days a week. 40 minutes a day is my time. Have not missed a day. I dare not stop and miss any! I know me...I'll slide backwards so fast and those 9 weeks will be undone in 90 seconds. I will just keep pedaling.
Still have no intention of judging success by numbers on scale. My success meter has one label...consistency. I guess I could also put little milestone markers like...determination...steadfastness...faith. Yep. could put a lot of guideposts by the wayside.
Results...greater stamina...more endurance...increased strength...easier to walk...better able to carry things...overall just feeling greater comfort whether sitting or bending or whatever. Size wise?--noticeable only to me. decrease in girth. Super heavies sort of wear the same clothes and they sort of expand out or shrink back but never visible to anyone...Just felt by the wearer of the duds. I would say, my estimation...I've gone from ReallySuperDuperBig to SuperDuperBig. Not being mean or putting myself down. Just my size at the present. I'm happy with it because eventually I'll just be MySize.
Wasn't it interesting at Conference when President Monson challenged, at the Priesthood Session...the Word of Wisdom needs to be lived! Principles and Promises- here
In 1833 the Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith a plan for healthy living. That plan is found in the 89th section of the Doctrine and Covenants and is known as the Word of Wisdom. It gives specific direction regarding the food we eat, and it prohibits the use of substances which are harmful to our bodies.
Those who are obedient to the Lord’s commandments and who faithfully observe the Word of Wisdom are promised particular blessings, among which are good health and added physical stamina.
ALSO
....may we care for our bodies and our minds by observing the principles set forth in the Word of Wisdom, a divinely provided plan. With all my heart and soul, I testify of the glorious blessings which await us as we do. That this may be so, I pray in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.
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His remarks were given at the Priesthood session but it's for all of us. Just like the Proclamation to the World was given at a General Woman's Conference but not solely for women but for the Church at large. I know I have to figure out how to live the WOW and make it work for me.
With all of the yak-yak about grain being bad for a person and meat shouldn't be eaten...I felt he reiterated that the 1833 revelation is still intact and in place. I mean...this is the Prophet. The living current Prophet and he is saying the WOW stands as is. Amazing. Yes- there are people with allergies and there are bad things going on in the food industry and meat handling and all sorts of stuff BUT that still doesn't erase the WOW.
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The talk that grabbed my heart and has stayed lodged was Elder Cook's talk and even he mentioned the WOW. I'm just going to stick that in here and then I'll go on and tell why I was just amazed at what he said. Valiant in the Testimony of Jesus by Elder Cook
While there are many examples of looking beyond the mark,25 a significant one in our day is extremism. Gospel extremism is when one elevates any gospel principle above other equally important principles and takes a position that is beyond or contrary to the teachings of Church leaders. One example is when one advocates for additions, changes, or primary emphasis to one part of the Word of Wisdom.
I did not remember reading an article he wrote in the Ensign in 2003. He listed it in the footnotes. (I love footnotes!) Elder Cook mentioned the WOW. Looking beyond the Mark here
Certain members have wanted to add substantially to various doctrines. An example might be when one advocates additions to the Word of Wisdom that are not authorized by the Brethren and proselytes others to adopt these interpretations. If we turn a health law or any other principle into a form of religious fanaticism, we are looking beyond the mark.
Some who are not authorized want to speak for the Brethren and imply that their message contains the “meat” the Brethren would teach if they were not constrained to teach only the “milk.” Others want to counsel the Brethren and are critical of all teachings that do not comply with their version of what should be taught.
Surely you have all sorts of WOW quotes, just like I do but to me this was so telling, to have it mentioned in the latest General Conference and pulling the focus back to the original doctrine. Most likely, because I'm thinking I need to add something beyond pedaling to my health regime, I took this as a confirmation that my desire is on course. So that was of great interest to me.
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Of even greater interest to me was the fact that Elder Cook answered a question that I've thought about. I will try to explain this and not make it like some intricate knot. First of all I was startled, and excited, to hear a new to me quote ...
Heber C. Kimball was one of the original Twelve Apostles of this dispensation and First Counselor to President Brigham Young. He warned: “The time is coming when … it will be difficult to tell the face of a Saint from the face of an enemy to the people of God. Then … look out for the great sieve, for there will be a great sifting time, and many will fall.” He concluded that there is “a TEST coming.”14
AND Elder Cook also said....
In line with Heber C. Kimball’s prophecy, Elder Neal A. Maxwell said in 1982: “Much sifting will occur because of lapses in righteous behavior which go unrepented of. A few will give up instead of holding out to the end. A few will be deceived by defectors. Likewise, others will be offended, for sufficient unto each dispensation are the stumbling blocks thereof!”1
Somewhere along the line I'd been taught that in the last days, things would be so bad, that even the Saints may be deceived but most likely not and very few. They missed Elder Maxwell's talk from 1982 as I did?? And then Elder Cook teaches the same thing this year (and it rings true to me). His 2016 talk is about the stumbling blocks that will lay us low if we don't watch out. and you can just list the things going on right now, most especially with people wanting the Church to change it's stance or policy or doctrine...like even the WOW.
I wondered what the Preppers and extreme food storage advocates felt when they heard him say...
While there are many examples of looking beyond the mark,25 a significant one in our day is extremism. Gospel extremism is when one elevates any gospel principle above other equally important principles and takes a position that is beyond or contrary to the teachings of Church leaders. One example is when one advocates for additions, changes, or primary emphasis to one part of the Word of Wisdom. Another is expensive preparation for end-of-days scenarios. In both examples, others are encouraged to accept private interpretations. “If we turn a health law or any other principle into a form of religious fanaticism, we are looking beyond the mark.”26
I just loved the warnings in his talk!!!! The ways that you and I can be deceived, and yes, we can be deceived, are many. I think what I took from it was if you desire to add something or take something from the established Doctrine, then that is the wrong path! The adversary is marshalling his ranks and some saints are right on board. He gave us safeguards and roadsigns of what to beware of and what to avoid.
I've just always wondered what the methods of deceiving would be in the last days and he names some, lists them as stumbling blocks, and has really opened my eyes to all of the protests and petitions and etc. on things like...women and Priesthood...gay marriage...eliminating grain/meat from the WOW and on and on.
The power of how this talk hit me is not coming through most likely but believe me it's inside and in my heart.
When I get done having a party about this talk...most likely I'll say that the next talk is my absolute favorite!
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(Have you read this? ---
last days being deceived here)
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Pictured below...what you face if you don't have your food storage and a hurricane is on it's way or has come and gone! The water one is from before the storm and the other one is after the storm. Jeanee said the stores are still without and she will check tomorrow. I'm just curious as to how long it will take for the shelves to be reloaded.
A blessing to have Church guidelines to be prepared and to not spend a fortune on the food that you store. I've already seen ads popping up all over the place for signing up for elaborate food storage plans and I think of the simplicity of the Church saying...don't go into debt...just do it sensibly and systematically.
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| Today-- Walmart |
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| Water aisle -2 or 3 days before Hurricane-- Walmart |
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