Preach My Gospel Workout

Our stake has asked that each ward give a copy of Preach My Gospel to each 8 year old when they are baptized. Last night, a member of the bishopric asked if I would buy a case for our ward since we are out. I often buy things at Distribution for various auxiliaries in our ward since it's in the same building that I work in. Well, today I went down there to get some camp manuals for Rheanna for girl's camp and decided I would ask if they had a case of Preach My Gospel in stock. They had 1 left, so I bought it. I didn't think about what was a head of me. I had to get that case from there to my car. I picked it up off the floor and then carried it off. I decided since it was just one floor up to ground level, I could take the stairs and not bother with the elevator. By the time I got outside I was completely winded. Then I walked by the Temple and paused a few times to not get in any wedding pictures. I took a moment to set the box down on a bench before crossing the street. 22 copies of a book weigh quite a bit when you carry them that far. When it was time to cross the street, there were lots of elderly people crossing at the same time, so I had to walk slowly. By this time my back was tightening up and begging for relief. I made it inside the Conference Center and found a resting spot for the box on top of the trash can, while we waited for the elevator. When I got off on my parking level, I almost ran to the car in anticipation of finally setting this box down. Phew, I made it and could feel the relief. I just looked up the weight and it is 72 pounds. No wonder it almost killed me to carry that a block and a half.


 
Upon my return, my efforts were validated. I know sooner walked into the Joseph Smith Memorial Building than I ran into Elder Ballard. He greeted me and said that I looked a bit out of breath (I was still red in the face and recovering). I told him what I had just done and that our stake gives Preach My Gospel to each 8 year old. He thought that was fantastic and thanked our stake for our efforts to prepare missionaries. Needless to say, it was a great little conversation as he sipped on his root beer from the Nauvoo Café.