I read in Ezekiel 11:19 that the Lord "will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh."  That set me to thinking about hearts, specifically about Kerns hearts.

I haven't found any evidence that my Kerns fathers were particularly religious.  My own father was a good man who believed in God, who lived a simple life, and who was honest, moral, and upright.  He completely read the New Testament once, did his best to live by its precepts, but was never a church-going person.  That, I believe, would also describe his father, grandfather, and great grandfather in the Kerns line.  They didn't have "stony," or hard hearts, but neither did they have hearts full of zeal toward God.  They were simply good men.

I have a heart full of zeal toward God, for which I am very grateful.  It is a gift from God which I was given to enable me to help change my fathers' hearts.  It has been my privilege to do the temple work for each of the four generations of Kerns fathers who preceded me.  I am satisfied that they have each accepted that work and are grateful for it.

Some years ago I noticed something about male Kerns hearts that is very striking.  It is that without intervention, a male Kerns heart is designed only to last 63-64 years.

My grandfather, James Wesley Kerns (Jim), was three and a half months past his 63rd birthday when he died of heart trouble.  His son, John, was ten months past his 63rd birthday when he also died of heart trouble.  Jim's son, Bert, was 6-1/2 months past his 63rd birthday when his heart gave out.  Jim's son, Jack (James Fredrick Kerns), died early, at 52, of a heart attack.  Jim's son, Tom (my father), was the exception.  He lived to be 86-1/2 years old, but at age 63 he got tired and basically gave up most physical activity.

My two brothers, Mac and Tim, both had operations at age 63 to prevent their Kerns hearts from giving out.  They received an angioplasty or stents to open up constricted vessels, otherwise they, too, would have had heart attacks.

I am the anomaly.  I am 73 years old, and am still going strong and working hard.  I attribute that to God.  I was given a strong heart to enable me to serve.  My heart has been kept strong by clean living and through scrupulously living the Word of Wisdom, which I have never violated as far as alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs are concerned.  I do confess to being a great lover of sugar, which isn't mentioned in the Word of Wisdom; but which if I used in more moderation would, I am sure, be of benefit.  I eat lots of oatmeal.  I always have.  I am convinced that my healthy heart is at least partly attributable to the oatmeal and fruit that I look forward to every morning.

I see lots of stony hearts in this nation.  I am everlastingly grateful that mine isn't one of them.  I pray that it may keep on beating strongly for as long as I can be useful in mortality to my family and to God.

Here is my male Kerns heart history:

2nd g. grandfather,  James Kerns, 24 May 1796-31 Dec 1844,           killed by falling limb    48-7/12

1. grandfather, Adam Kerns, 14 Jul 1831-17 Mar 1891, heart trouble    59-8/12

Grandfather,            James Wesley Kerns, 5 Dec 1869-20 Mar 1933,              heart trouble     63-3/12

Jim's son,      John Wesley Kerns, 18 Apr 1897-20 Feb 1961,                heart trouble   63-10/12

Jim's son,      Albert Cooley Kerns, 1 Sep 1902-21 Mar 1966,               heart trouble     63-6/12

Jim's son,      James Fredrick Kerns, 22 Oct 1906-12 Feb 1959,            heart trouble     52-3/12

Father,                     Tom Lorance Kerns, 20 Sept 1910-22 Apr 1997,                broken hip     86-7/12

Tom's son,     Tom Mac Kerns, born 31 Oct 1934, had angioplasty at age 63

Tom's son,     Tim Lorance Kerns, born 5 Dec 1943, got stents at age 63