Daily Thoughts

In looking at my sent emails I don't think Friday's daily thoughts got delivered. So I'll send two today to make up for it.  Sorry.  If you ever don't get one on a particular day, please let me know. Thanks.

In the Book of Mormon we read that after Nephi had killed Laban, he took his clothes and dressed up as Laban and in a voice that sounded like Laban he commanded one of Laban's servants to get the plates out of the treasury. Laban's servant, thinking Nephi was Laban, got the plates and accompanied Nephi outside the city walls with them where Nephi's brothers were waiting for him.  1 Nephi 4:19-27 "And after I had smitten off his head with his own sword, I took the garments of Laban and put them upon mine own body; yea, even every whit; and I did gird on his armor about my loins. And after I had done this, I went forth unto the treasury of Laban. And as I went forth towards the treasury of Laban, behold, I saw the servant of Laban who had the keys of the treasury. And I commanded him in the voice of Laban, that he should go with me into the treasury. And he supposed me to be his master, Laban, for he beheld the garments and also the sword girded about my loins.  And he spake unto me concerning the elders of the Jews, he knowing that his master, Laban, had been out by night among them.  And I spake unto him as if it had been Laban.  And I also spake unto him that I should carry the engravings, which were upon the plates of brass, to my elder brethren, who were without the walls.  And I also bade him that he should follow me.  And he, supposing that I spake of the brethren of the church, and that I was truly that Laban whom I had slain, wherefore he did follow me.  And he spake unto me many times concerning the elders of the Jews, as I went forth unto my brethren, who were without the walls."

In the Old Testament we read about how the Lord told Jacob to return to the land of his fathers, and that He would be with him.  Jacob had served Laban and had his wages changed ten times, but the Lord blessed him in spite of this.  If Laban told Jacob that his wages were the speckled or ringstraked cattle, then the cattle would bear speckled or ringstraked young.  So the Lord blessed Jacob in his circumstances.  But now He told him it was time for him to leave Laban and return home.  Genesis 31:3-13 "And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.  And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock, And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.  And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.  And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.  If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked. Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.  And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.  And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.  And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.  I am the God of Beth-el, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred."

A verse with a thought booklet tells us that we should be devoted to one another in love, honoring one another above our own selves.  Love in an action word and is demonstrated by how we care for each other.  Romans 12: 10 "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;"