Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that Lehi beckoned to his family to join him in partaking of the fruit of the tree of life.  Nephi, Sam and their mother did come and join Lehi in partaking of the fruit, but Laman and Lemuel refused.  1 Nephi 8:13-18 "And as I cast my eyes round about, that perhaps I might discover my family also, I beheld a river of water; and it ran along, and it was near the tree of which I was partaking the fruit.  And I looked to behold from whence it came; and I saw the head thereof a little way off; and at the head thereof I beheld your mother Sariah, and Sam, and Nephi; and they stood as if they knew not whither they should go. And it came to pass that I beckoned unto them; and I also did say unto them with a loud voice that they should come unto me, and partake of the fruit, which was desirable above all other fruit.  And it came to pass that they did come unto me and partake of the fruit also.  And it came to pass that I was desirous that Laman and Lemuel should come and partake of the fruit also; wherefore, I cast mine eyes towards the head of the river, that perhaps I might see them. And it came to pass that I saw them, but they would not come unto me and partake of the fruit." 

In the Old Testament we read about how hesitant Jacob was to send Benjamin back with his other sons to buy more food in Egypt.  His sons had to be very persuasive to convince him to let Benjamin go.  Genesis 43:1-14 "And the famine was sore in the land. And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.  And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.  If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food: But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.  And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?  And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?  And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.  I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever: For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.  And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:  And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight:  Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man:  And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved. "

A verse with a thought booklet tells us that it's not enough to merely listen to the word of God, we need to do what it says.  Otherwise, we're just deceiving ourselves.  It's great to read the scriptures and listen to talks in church, but that is not enough.  We need to practice what is preached and put our faith into action!  James 1:22 "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."