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Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon I read that the people gave of their substance to the poor and needy. They were blessed with an abundance of wealth but instead of setting their hearts on their riches, they used what they had to help those who stood in need--to feed the hungry and nourish the sick. What do we do with the excess money that we have? Do we use it to buy luxuries for ourselves or do we seek to do good to others and bless the lives of those who stand in need? Alma 1:27-30 "And they did impart of their substance, every man according to that which he had, to the poor, and the needy, and the sick, and the afflicted; and they did not wear costly apparel, yet they were neat and comely. And thus they did establish the affairs of the church; and thus they began to have continual peace again, notwithstanding all their persecutions. And now, because of the steadiness of the church they began to be exceedingly rich, having abundance of all things whatsoever they stood in need—an abundance of flocks and herds, and fatlings of every kind, and also abundance of grain, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious things, and abundance of silk and fine-twined linen, and all manner of good homely cloth. And thus, in their prosperous circumstances, they did not send away any who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were athirst, or that were sick, or that had not been nourished; and they did not set their hearts upon riches; therefore they were liberal to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, whether out of the church or in the church, having no respect to persons as to those who stood in need."

In the Old Testament we read about how the Lord sent Manna to feed to people. He told them to go out every morning and gather up what they needed for that day. If they tried to store extra it would breed worms and stink. However, on the day before the Sabbath Day, they were to gather twice as much as normal, and the extra left over for the second day was still good. Those who were disobedient and tried to go out to gather on the Sabbath Day, found none. When we keep the Lord's commandment to keep the Sabbath Day holy, we are blessed. I discovered this truth when I was a young student. I did best studying for tests the night before, when the information was fresh in my mind for the next day. If I tried to study a couple of days ahead of time, I couldn't remember the information as well and didn't do as well on the test. However, if I had a test on a Monday I found I could study on Saturday night and remember what I'd studied just as well as if I'd studied it the night before. I feel I was blessed in my studies by refraining from doing homework on Sundays. Exodus 16:14-30 "And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat. This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents. And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating. And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning. Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them. And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted. And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. And Moses said, Eat that today; for today is a sabbath unto the LORD: today ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days: abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. So the people rested on the seventh day."

A verse with a thought booklet reminds us that a cheerful heart does us good, like a medicine. If we can keep a positive outlook and see the humor in things, even when our challenges are great, we can get through our trials without becoming discouraged and defeated by them. Proverbs 17:22 "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine:but a broken spirit drieth the bones."

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