Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon I read that when Ammon went to the land of the Lamanites to try to preach the gospel to them, he was taken before the king.  Ammon expressed a desire to dwell with the Lamanites and turned down an offer to marry the king's daughter, but instead wanted to be the king's servant.  Sometimes humbly offering to serve is a way to win people's hearts.   Alma 17:22-25 "And the king inquired of Ammon if it were his desire to dwell in the land among the Lamanites, or among his people. And Ammon said unto him: Yea, I desire to dwell among this people for a time; yea, and perhaps until the day I die. And it came to pass that king Lamoni was much pleased with Ammon, and caused that his bands should be loosed; and he would that Ammon should take one of his daughters to wife. But Ammon said unto him: Nay, but I will be thy servant. Therefore Ammon became a servant to king Lamoni. And it came to pass that he was set among other servants to watch the flocks of Lamoni, according to the custom of the Lamanites."


In the Old Testament we read that one of the commandments the Lord gave Moses on Mount Sinai for the children of Israel was the law of tithing.  Leviticus 27:30, 34 "And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's: it is holy unto the Lord.These are the commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai."

Some scriptures with a thought booklet recount the story of Jonah.  The Lord told him to to preach to the wicked people of Nineveh.  Instead of obeying, Jonah tried to run away by boarding a ship and setting sail.  But the Lord wasn't about to let Jonah off the hook.  He sent a huge storm which raged so much everybody aboard the ship feared for their lives, and it did not cease until the sailors threw Jonah into the ocean.  We might think Jonah was crazy for trying to run away from the Lord.  But don't we do similar things when we ignore the promptings of the Spirit to talk to a certain coworker about the gospel?  Or when we're asked to work on a church welfare assignment and we make up excuses?  Or when we don't fulfill our church callings the way we should?  Or when we're lax about doing or home or visiting teaching? Are we so foolish that we think we can run away from the responsibilities that the Lord has given to us?  We probably won't be swallowed by a giant fish in the ocean the way Jonah was, but sooner or later there will be consequences for our lack of faithfulness.  Jonah 1:1-16 "Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep. So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.  And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah. Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou? And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land. Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them. Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous. And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you. Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them. Wherefore they cried unto the Lord, and said, We beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee. So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging. Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows."
------------------------------