Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that Lehi searched the plates of brass from the beginning.  They contained a history of God's dealings with man starting with Adam and Eve, and also contained a genealogy of Lehi's ancestors. They contained the prophesies of the prophets from ancient days. After Lehi read these things, he was filled with the spirit of prophesy himself and knew that the commandments of the Lord would be preserved for his children.  When we read, study, and ponder the scriptures, we gain wisdom, just as Lehi did after reading the brass plates.  1 Nephi 5:10-22 "And after they had given thanks unto the God of Israel, my father, Lehi, took the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, and he did search them from the beginning.  And he beheld that they did contain the five books of Moses, which gave an account of the creation of the world, and also of Adam and Eve, who were our first parents; And also a record of the Jews from the beginning, even down to the commencement of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah;  And also the prophecies of the holy prophets, from the beginning, even down to the commencement of the reign of Zedekiah; and also many prophecies which have been spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah.  And it came to pass that my father, Lehi, also found upon the plates of brass a genealogy of his fathers; wherefore he knew that he was a descendant of Joseph; yea, even that Joseph who was the son of Jacob, who was sold into Egypt, and who was preserved by the hand of the Lord, that he might preserve his father, Jacob, and all his household from perishing with famine. And they were also led out of captivity and out of the land of Egypt, by that same God who had preserved them.  And thus my father, Lehi, did discover the genealogy of his fathers. And Laban also was a descendant of Joseph, wherefore he and his fathers had kept the records. And now when my father saw all these things, he was filled with the Spirit, and began to prophesy concerning his seed— That these plates of brass should go forth unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people who were of his seed.  Wherefore, he said that these plates of brass should never perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by time. And he prophesied many things concerning his seed.  And it came to pass that thus far I and my father had kept the commandments wherewith the Lord had commanded us.  And we had obtained the records which the Lord had commanded us, and searched them and found that they were desirable; yea, even of great worth unto us, insomuch that we could preserve the commandments of the Lord unto our children.  Wherefore, it was wisdom in the Lord that we should carry them with us, as we journeyed in the wilderness towards the land of promise."

In the Old Testament we read that God appeared to Jacob, changed his name to Israel and promised him great blessings, saying that He would make him fruitful and that great nations and kings would come out of his loins. He would be given the land that had been given to Abraham and Isaac. Genesis 35:9-13 "And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padan-aram, and blessed him. And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.  And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;  And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.  And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him."

In some verses with a thought booklet we're told that if we're strong, we should bear the infirmities of the weak instead of just selfishly trying to please ourselves.  We should try to please and edify our neighbors, just as Christ did.  We should follow His example.  Romans 15:1-3 "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.  For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me."