This week I have had the blessing of organizing appointments and helping missionaries get to and from these appointments in order to get their Visa extensions. I was included in these activities as I needed my Visa extension as well. Having chest X-rays, blood work, and physical exam were part of the requirements.
I am happy to report that we all passed our “exams” and now await immigration granting the extensions.
I have also been to the dentist and other doctor appointments so I have spent quite a bit of time on the road. Not complaining in any way. The skies and greenery always provide a lovely view as I drive along and being able to visit with the missionaries as we drive or wait for the appointment lifts my spirits.
The beach has been remarkable this week too. I get up at 5:25 so that I can meet Sister Lucas at 5:45 and be on our way before the sun fully rises. Our walk usually takes about an hour and a half round trip.
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| Sister Lucas had a conference out of town so I walked 3 days with my shadow for company. |
My Shadow
Robert Louis Stevenson - 1850-1894I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow—
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;
For he sometimes shoots up taller like an India-rubber ball,
And he sometimes gets so little that there’s none of him at all.He hasn’t got a notion of how children ought to play,
And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.
He stays so close beside me, he’s a coward you can see;
I’d think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!One morning, very early, before the sun was up,
I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;
But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,
Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.
The pohutukawa trees are beginning to bloom. These trees are EVERYWHERE! I talked about them last year, but here is a refresher:
“The pohutukawa tree (Metrosideros excelsa) with its crimson flower has become an established part of the New Zealand Christmas tradition. This iconic Kiwi Christmas tree, which often features on greeting cards and in poems and songs, has become an important symbol for New Zealanders at home and abroad.
Today many school children sing about how ‘the native Christmas tree of Aotearoa’ fills their hearts ‘with aroha’.
Pohutukawa and its cousin rata also hold a prominent place in Maori tradition. Legends tell of Tawhaki, a young Maori warrior, who attempted to find heaven to seek help in avenging the death of his father. He fell to earth and the crimson flowers are said to represent his blood.
A gnarled, twisted pohutukawa on the windswept cliff top at Cape Reinga, the northern tip of New Zealand, has become of great significance to many New Zealanders. For Maori this small, venerated pohutukawa is known as ‘the place of leaping’. It is from here that the spirits of the dead begin their journey to their traditional homeland of Hawaiki. From this point the spirits leap off the headland and climb down the roots of the 800-year-old tree, descending into the underworld on their return journey.”
Last week I showed a lot of flower pictures. This week the rose takes center stage.
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| Other beauties. |
Saturday morning, I was invited to go with the Pacific Area Office missionaries on an outing. We went first to the Michael Joseph Savage Memorial Park which sits at the top of Bastion Point, overlooking Waitemata Harbour. It is a monument to the legacy of New Zealand’s well-loved 23rd prime minister. The memorial is surrounded by a peaceful park with gardens and panoramic views of Auckland and the Hauraki Gulf.
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| Sister Julie Tanner |
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| Mosaics found in the park are made of what looked like pebbles but I’m not positive. |
After our tour of the park, we went to the observatory and then to lunch at the orbiting restaurant atop the Auckland Sky Tower.
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| Sisters Jackie Poll and LuAnn Peterson |
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| Orbit 360 Dining menu. |
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| It takes just under an hour for the restaurant to make the full circle. |
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| I had Rangitikei chicken, carrot & orange Veloute, grilled cauliflower, kale, salsa verde, and parsnips crisps |
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| For
dessert I had Seasonal Berries Cheese Cake, pistachio crumble, strawberry jam, and golden feuilletine |
Sorry my voice sounds scratchy. Just got out of bed. LOL
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| Sunday evening I was invited to a birthday party for Elder Dean Walker from the Pacific Area Office. |
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| The chocolate cake was to “die” for good!! |
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| The pahutukawa trees are blooming so Takapuna is getting ready for Christmas |
I have been feeling blessed in so many ways. Back to the beginning of this blog, I always like to help the missionaries eat well and I try to teach them to live healthy lifestyles. The doctor looking at my lab test results commented that everything looked great and it showed that I must eat a good diet and exercise. I replied that I tried. That made me happy. I do feel well. I know that I am blessed to have my good health.
In looking for teaching material to share with the missionaries, I recently read a BYU Devotional talk given by Larry Tucker who was a BYU professor of exercise sciences when this devotional address was given 28 May 2013. In his speech titled “The Human Body: A Gift and a Responsibility”, Brother Tucker reminded us that our bodies are sacred temples, worthy of special care and respect.
He says:
“In the premortal world we learned that our earthly experience would be challenging. Our bodies would be subject to disease, pain, and temptation. Some of us would have significant disabilities while others would have to live in hostile environments. Despite these hardships, each one of us accepted the invitation to leave our heavenly home, receive a physical body, and do our best to overcome the natural man.
Joseph Smith said:
We came to this earth that we might have a body and present it pure before God in the Celestial Kingdom. The great principle of happiness consists in having a body. The Devil has no body, and herein is his punishment.
So Satan and his followers were punished and we were blessed—blessed with tabernacles of flesh. We are each privileged to have a body. It is a special gift from God. Of all the creations of the Almighty, there is nothing more holy and magnificent than the human body. Worlds without number He has created, yet man and woman are His finest masterpieces.
Scientists have been studying the intricacies of the human body for centuries. The more we learn, the more we feel awe and admiration. The body is truly miraculous.”
Here are a few additional quotes from the speech:
“As a professor I spend much of my time studying how we can best care for our bodies—what we need to do to keep them healthy and fit. Because our bodies are special gifts, they deserve special care.
I love to get up in the morning and go to work to study the laws that govern human health and disease. These laws are intriguing to me. As Church members we are greatly blessed to have some of the most important and basic laws of health in the Word of Wisdom. I fear that many Church members underestimate the value of the Word of Wisdom. These truths are not all-inclusive, but there are many wonderful laws of health contained within the twenty-one verses of Doctrine and Covenants 89. Given that these truths were revealed in the early 1800s, they are remarkable in their coverage and accuracy. However, there is a catch. We must obey the laws to receive the blessings.
As we know, the Word of Wisdom contains much more than counsel to not smoke or drink. It also encourages us to eat healthy foods, especially plants. Doctrine and Covenants 89:10–11 states:
All wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—
Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving.
Herbs are plants. Research shows that fruits and vegetables are especially good for us. Most adults eat only a small fraction of the recommended servings. Remember, we have to live the law to receive the blessing. Similarly, in verse 12 we are encouraged to eat meat sparingly. I testify that the Lord wants to bless us. That is why He gave us the Word of Wisdom. If we will follow His counsel, we will have better health, less suffering, and longer lives.
Natural laws dictate the consequences of our choices—all of them. If we understood all the laws of the universe, we could explain all the consequences. However, we currently know only a small percentage of the laws. Some are simple: When we fall off a ladder, there are obvious, immediate consequences. When we eat unhealthy food, there are also immediate consequences, but they are not as obvious. At the cellular level, damage occurs. Specialized equipment is needed to observe these acute changes, so they go unnoticed—at least for a time. When we engage in exercise, like brisk walking, there are dozens of benefits. We know this because research has identified the laws that govern the effects of exercise on the body. In short, our day-to-day choices have significant consequences on the body. Even if we do not know the science behind the effects, the consequences still occur day by day, month by month, and year by year.
Hundreds of scientific studies illustrate the concept that our day-to-day behaviors have important effects on our health. A classic investigation is the Nurses’ Health Study. It included more than 84,000 women who were tracked for fourteen years by Harvard researchers. Results showed that 82 percent of all the heart attacks and strokes that occurred in the sample could be attributed to just five lifestyle factors—five choices: smoking, obesity, physical activity, alcohol use, and diet. More than eight of every ten heart attacks and strokes that occurred during the fourteen years could be accounted for by those five choices—not genetics, not environment, not education: just lifestyle. Without question the day-to-day care we give our bodies makes a tremendous difference in our health.
As wonderful and miraculous as our bodies are, they have limitations. They wear out. Because of the Fall they are subject to disease and eventual death. It is part of the plan. But keep in mind, bodies that are neglected wear out long before those that receive good care. We all have work to do here on the earth—important missions to accomplish. If we cut corners regarding the maintenance of our temples, we may not finish our earthly assignments before our bodies fail.
Are all health problems the consequence of our behaviors and our day-to-day choices? Definitely not. Although research clearly shows that a large percentage of the major killers can be attributed to our lifestyles, some health problems have nothing to do with the choices we make. Our day-to-day decisions are paramount, but the choices of others can greatly affect our lives.”
Brother Tucker tells a story of an accident where the car in which he and his family were riding was struck by a drunk driver. He goes on to say:
“Our lives were almost taken in just a few seconds. We had done nothing wrong. Clearly, health problems and premature death are not always a result of our choices. Sometimes they are the result of the choices of others. Our environment, genetics, and other factors can also play important roles.
In John 9:1–3 we read:
And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
In this story the blind man had done nothing to cause his disability, and his parents were innocent as well. We all know people like this man—perhaps not blind but disabled or diseased in some way. No doubt such circumstances can be difficult. Frequently individuals with such challenges are spiritually mature and holy. They have endured much. Often their rough edges have been worn away and their spirits have been polished by the grind of hardship. Sometimes the elect are required to endure the most, such as Joseph Smith, Job, and Jesus Christ. Our challenge is to endure, no matter what our circumstances are.
Brothers and sisters, the human body is a magnificent gift and a significant responsibility. It is our Master’s finest creation. We are more like our heavenly parents—not less—because we have bodies. Our bodies are sacred temples, worthy of special care and respect. Sacrifice is required to keep our temples in good condition. Do not give up. A fit body is a righteous desire.”
If you would like to listen to or read this speech, you may do so here.
I love and appreciate all of the ways the Lord blesses me. I have a wonderful, supportive family and friends. Please be safe and healthy.
I love my Savior. I love you my family and friends.
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| A friend sent this to me. I echo the words of Elder Uchtdorf |
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