Tortoise greets you this beautiful fall evening near the junction of the Basalt Trail and Chub Trace on the south side of the Virgin River looking west in Confluence Park. Amazing what you can see in Washington County on a simple after work walk, especially when you add just an extra mile or two. Today's walk totalled 5.59 miles with 446 feet climbed in 1:40:18 hours. The tortoise rating was 4.3 and 872 calories were burned. (Thanks to Tortoise's friends at www.mapmyfitness.com and their fine smartphone app that these numbers are easily available. It's a free site, with a premium feature if you want it, and no, Tortoise is not an affiliate so this is truly just a shout out of thanks simply because it is used every day by this blog.
Please click below for a map, more pictures, a quick panoramic video, and today's walking thought that includes Gordon B. Hinckley's beautiful answer to a heartfelt letter from Virginia, along with a tribute to women!
Cheerio!
Basalt Trail is very nice. It is a short connector of less than a half mile between the steep Tortoise Track and Chub Trace that follows the south side of the Virgin River for a time while the Confluence View follow the north side. The pictures show that it is well groomed, easy to walk, and a more moderate decline to the river than other trails. Tortoise will come again!
Here's a 78 second video that shows the panoramic view in all directions from the top of the Basalt Trail where it meets Tortoise Track:
2014 Stats:
832.04 miles walked, which is 83.12% of my 2014 goal.
262:38:17 hours walked, which is 83.91% of my 2014 goal
40,369 total feet climbed
132,851 calories burned
79.87% of the year has passed
79.87% of the year has passed
I've walked 24 consecutive non-Sundays since my last missed day on September 20, and overall have walked on 237 of the 250 non-Sundays thus far in 2014, a 94.80% consistency rating.
The purpose of the percentages is to have a higher percentage of distance and time walked than of the year. This tells Tortoise that he is on track. Yes, this is more numbers than you are likely interested in, all Tortoise can say is he's really good at setting high goals and having them slip away because he doesn't do them every, every day.
And now for more of today's walking thought, from an address originally given in the General Women's Meeting of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in October 1991:
"A few days ago, a letter came to the office addressed to President Benson. I wish to read a portion of it, and then perhaps comment on it. I will not use the writer’s name. She may be listening somewhere, and I would not wish to embarrass her in any way. I will call her Virginia. With that change, I read a part of her letter:
“Dear President Benson,
“My name is Virginia. I am fourteen years old, and a matter has been on my mind a lot lately. In the scriptures I could not seem to find anywhere whether women may enter into the celestial kingdom if they are worthy. Also, when someone such as Joseph Smith had a vision of the celestial kingdom, he only seemed to see men there. I have prayed about it, but felt that I needed your words. … In the scriptures, they talk about a woman being blessed if she is righteous, but not about celestial glory. This truly bothers me. If we are all Heavenly Father’s children, then why do the scriptures say that men are to rule over women? And why in the scriptures was Eve created from Adam? I may be foolish, but I honestly do not understand. I love the gospel, and I am learning of its truth. I have a testimony, and I know that I have a divine purpose in life. But I suppose what I am asking is—are men more important than women? And can women go to the celestial kingdom also? …
“I am still young and learning, and I need help in this matter. Thank you so much.
“Lovingly, Virginia.”
President Hinckley's answer to this letter is a classic, one that is worthy of repeated discussion in every home, whether it be a home of one or a home of multiple generations. You can watch it, listen to it, or read it by visiting https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1991/10/daughters-of-god?lang=eng Tortoise recommends many of the messages he posts here, but this one gets an extra endorsement. Please prayerfully consider what is here.
Here is one portion of President Hinckley's answer that is a tremendous tribute to women. Tortoise believes that we who are men must work diligently our whole lives just to be worthy to be a partner with our choice from among God's crowning creation, his masterpiece. Women.
"The next question you ask is why Eve was created from Adam.
"I can only respond that an all-wise Creator did it that way. However, as I have noted before, there is something very interesting about this situation.
"In the sequence of events as set forth in the scripture, God first created the earth, and the earth was without form, and void.” (Gen. 1:2.) He then separated the light from the darkness, and the waters from the land. Then came the creation of vegetation of all kinds, giving the beauty of trees and grass, flowers and shrubs. Then followed the creation of animal life in the sea and upon the land.
"Having looked over all of this, He declared it to be good. He then created man in His own likeness and image. Then as His final creation, the crowning of His glorious work, He created woman. I like to regard Eve as His masterpiece after all that had gone before, the final work before He rested from His labors.
"I do not regard her as being in second place to Adam. She was placed at his side as an helpmeet. They were together in the Garden, they were expelled together, and they labored together in the world into which they were driven.
After answering Virginia's letter President Hinckley continues with a discussion of our Mother in Heaven and a kind explanation of why it is inappropriate to pray to her. The discussion includes the song "O My Father" by Eliza R. Snow, the Sermon on the Mount and more.
Tortoise will say it one more time. This talk is a true classic. Please study it, pray about it, discuss it. https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1991/10/daughters-of-god?lang=eng
The tortoise is smiling!
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