Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that Nephi devised a plan to get the plates in that they would return to their home and gather up the riches they had left there and offer them to Laban in exchange for the plates. When Laban saw their gold and silver and precious things, he wanted them, but still was unwilling to give them the plates.  So he took their things and then tried to kill them.  They ran out from his presence, escaping with their lives.   1 Nephi 3:22-26 "And it came to pass that we went down to the land of our inheritance, and we did gather together our gold, and our silver, and our precious things.  And after we had gathered these things together, we went up again unto the house of Laban. And it came to pass that we went in unto Laban, and desired him that he would give unto us the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, for which we would give unto him our gold, and our silver, and all our precious things.  And it came to pass that when Laban saw our property, and that it was exceedingly great, he did lust after it, insomuch that he thrust us out, and sent his servants to slay us, that he might obtain our property.  And it came to pass that we did flee before the servants of Laban, and we were obliged to leave behind our property, and it fell into the hands of Laban."

In the Old Testament we read the story of how the Lord commanded Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac.  Not only was Abraham willing to sacrifice his son that he loved so much, but he rose up early in the morning to do it--he didn't procrastinate.  Of course the Lord did not require this sacrifice from him, at the last minute He told him that he did not need to do it and then He provided Abraham with a ram caught in a thicket as a sacrifice instead.  But because Abraham was willing to obey, he was promises great blessings.   Genesis 22:1-13, 15-18 "And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.  And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.  Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?  And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.  And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.  And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.  And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,  And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:  That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;  And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice."

A verse with a thought booklet gives us guidance as to how to correct someone who is overtaken in a fault.  We need to do so in a spirit of meekness, or we also might fall into temptations.  When you're doing something wrong, who are you more likely to respond to--someone who loudly and harshly criticizes you in a way to belittle you and make you feel like they are so much better than you are, or someone who is meek and gentle and loving and who you can tell sincerely wants to help you do better?  Galatians 6:1 " Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted."