Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 48:18-19

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 48:18-19
"And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.
And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations."

I pondered on how Jacob knew which of Joseph's son should receive the greater blessing. It was the younger son Ephraim, just like Jacob himself being the younger son. It seemed like Rebekah had tricked Isaac in giving the birthright blessing of Esau to Jacob, but in truth Isaac gave the blessing the Lord would have him give. Just like now, Jacob is giving Ephraim the second son the greater blessing. No one can take someone else's blessing.

Day 3761

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 31:3

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 31:3
"And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee."

I pondered on how Jacob stayed with Laban, his wives' father, until the Lord told him to leave. Sometimes situations will change making where we are at uncomfortable. The Lord wanted to bless Jacob further but he could not stay with Laban, or Laban's sons. Where Jacob is told to go back to the land of his father, it is not comfortable for him either. He did not know if Esau would kill him or his wives and children. It took faith to return to the land of his fathers. The reunion with his brother Esau is very touching. The Lord will prepare the way when we are obedient.

"And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept."
(Genesis 33:4)

Day 3756

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 30:8

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 30:8
"And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali."

Jacob loved Rachel, but was first given Leah in marriage. Leah felt she was hated and the Lord opened her womb but not Rachel's. Then it seems to be a competition where sister also give their handmaidens to Jacob to bare children for them. As I was reading this story the thought came how the competition in effect fulfilled the Lord's promise. This is where the twelve tribes of Israel come from. It's fitting that they come from four different women. The Lord has purposes and we never know how the blessings or prophecies will be fulfilled.

Day 3755

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 27:46

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 27:46
"And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?"

I was drawn to understanding why Rebekah felt this way. I pondered on the covenant line. Abraham did not want Isaac to take a wife among the Canaanites, where they dwelt. He sent his servant to find a wife among Abraham's kindred.

"And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:"
(Genesis 24:3)

Isaac and Rebekah experienced much sorrow and grief when Esau married outside of the covenant.

"And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:
Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah."
(Genesis 26:34-35)

I could just see their concern after Abraham being promised to be the father of many nations and then Isaac and Rebekah struggled to have children. If these children, especially the promised birthright son, marries outside of the covenant, what would be the purpose of her life. Not only have they been commanded to not marry outside of their faith, there was danger in their hearts being turned from God. It wasn't simply an issue with blood line, it was an issue of faith and belief in the one true God and protecting and honoring that.

"When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;
And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:
Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly."
(Deuteronomy 7:1-4)

"But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.
And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.
For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.
For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father."
(1 Kings 11: 1-6)

Day 3754

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 129:1, 4-5

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 129:1, 4-5
"There are two kinds of beings in heaven, namely: Angels, who are resurrected personages, having bodies of flesh and bones—
When a messenger comes saying he has a message from God, offer him your hand and request him to shake hands with you.
If he be an angel he will do so, and you will feel his hand."

The verses continue to explain - The spirit of a just man made perfect will not move to shake your hand, because it is contrary to the order of heaven to deceive. The devil as an angel will move to shake your hand and you will feel nothing.

Seriously, I have a question and I pondered on it after reading this verse. The question? If Jesus Christ was the first resurrected being how did angels appear to man and touch them before His death and resurrection?

Who were the three holy men that Abraham entertained? (Genesis 18) He fed them, they ate. We know the resurrected Lord could eat. These holy men also delivered a message from God, that Sarah shall have a son. Who did Jacob wrestle with until the breaking of day? (Genesis 32) He was given a message from God, and his name was called Israel. What angel touched Elijah and said to him, Arise and eat? (1 Kings 19) All these events happened before Jesus Christ was resurrected. They all had to have a physical body, yet were messengers from God.

I thought about this verse.

"I answer, Yes. But there are no angels who minister to this earth but those who do belong or have belonged to it.
The angels do not reside on a planet like this earth;
But they reside in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all things for their glory are manifest, past, present, and future, and are continually before the Lord."
(Doctrine and Covenants 130:5-7)

If these messengers from God were not resurrected beings, or spirits what are they? They could only be those that belonged to this earth and now resided in his presence. Then I thought of translated beings like Elijah that was taken up in a whirlwind. (2 Kings 2:11-12) But, Elijah came after Abraham and Jacob, and someone else touched him. Then I remembered Enoch and the entire city of Enoch being translated. They are part of this earth, and people that never died. God received them into his bosom.

"Enoch was twenty-five years old when he was ordained under the hand of Adam; and he was sixty-five and Adam blessed him.
And he saw the Lord, and he walked with him, and was before his face continually; and he walked with God three hundred and sixty-five years, making him four hundred and thirty years old when he was translated."
(Doctrine and Covenants 107:48-49)

"By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God." (Hebrew 11:5)

"And Enoch and all his people walked with God, and he dwelt in the midst of Zion; and it came to pass that Zion was not, for God received it up into his own bosom; and from thence went forth the saying, ZION IS FLED."
(Moses 7:69)

Feeling like I was finally understanding, I looked for some confirmation that angels include translated beings of flesh and bones.

"There are two kinds of beings in heaven who are called angels: those who are spirits and those who have bodies of flesh and bone. Angels who are spirits have not yet obtained a body of flesh and bone, or they are spirits who have once had a mortal body and are awaiting resurrection. Angels who have bodies of flesh and bone have either been resurrected from the dead or translated."
(Bible Dictionary, Angels)

"He explained the difference between an angel and a ministering spirit; the one a resurrected or translated body, with its spirit ministering to embodied spirits—the other a disembodied spirit, visiting and ministering to disembodied spirits. Jesus Christ became a ministering spirit (while His body was lying in the sepulchre) to the spirits in prison, to fulfill an important part of His mission, without which He could not have perfected His work, or entered into His rest. After His resurrection He appeared as an angel to His disciples. Translated bodies cannot enter into rest until they have undergone a change equivalent to death. Translated bodies are designed for future missions. The angel that appeared to John on the Isle of Patmos was a translated or resurrected body [i.e., personage]. Jesus Christ went in body after His resurrection, to minister to resurrected bodies. There has been a chain of authority and power from Adam down to the present time."
(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 191)

Translated bodies are designed for future missions. That makes so much sense now on who God sent to prophets before Jesus Christ's death and resurrection.

Day 3718

Today's Favorite Verse: Jacob 7:8, 23

Today's Favorite Verse: Jacob 7:8, 23
"But behold, the Lord God poured in his Spirit into my soul, insomuch that I did confound him in all his words.
And it came to pass that peace and the love of God was restored again among the people; and they searched the scriptures, and hearkened no more to the words of this wicked man."

Jacob is confronted by Sherem, an anti-Christ. Sherem sought to overthrow the doctrine of Christ, and lead away the hearts of the people. In these two verses I see how Jacob was able to overcome him. First, it was by having the Spirit to be with him. He was given the Spirit in order to confound Sherem in his words. He knew what questions to ask and to detect deception. Once Sherem had been overcome peace and the love of God was restored because the people searched the scriptures. They had been deceived once because they did not understand them like Jacob had said to Sherem.

"And I said unto him: Believest thou the scriptures? And he said, Yea.
And I said unto him: Then ye do not understand them; for they truly testify of Christ. Behold, I say unto you that none of the prophets have written, nor prophesied, save they have spoken concerning this Christ.
(Jacob 7:10-11)

Before Sherem dies he testifies that he had lied that he had believed the scriptures, for they truly do testified of Christ.

"And he said: I fear lest I have committed the unpardonable sin, for I have lied unto God; for I denied the Christ, and said that I believed the scriptures; and they truly testify of him. And because I have thus lied unto God I greatly fear lest my case shall be awful; but I confess unto God."
(Jacob 7:19)

It is no wonder that the people saw the importance of searching the scriptures and understanding them after this event. It's just as important for us today to do the same.

Day 3411

Today's Favorite Verse: Jacob 6:5

Today's Favorite Verse: Jacob 6:5
"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of soberness that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you. And while his arm of mercy is extended towards you in the light of the day, harden not your hearts."

Before I was reading this I was reading in Exodus 9 and 10 and noticed the footnotes. Every time it said "And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh" in the footnote it is corrected and says "And Pharaoh hardened his heart". At one point Moses is told "for he hath hardened his heart, and the hearts of his servants, therefore I will show these my signs before him;" (JST Ex. 10:1) The Lord God does not harden his heart against his children. His arms of mercy are always extended towards us if we will repent. It is man that will harden his heart against God. Pharaoh was given every opportunity to repent and soften his heart. Sometimes we pass through hard things before we are humble enough to do it.

Day 3410

Today's Favorite Verse: Jacob 5:71

Today's Favorite Verse: Jacob 5:71
"And the Lord of the vineyard said unto them: Go to, and labor in the vineyard, with your might. For behold, this is the last time that I shall nourish my vineyard; for the end is nigh at hand, and the season speedily cometh; and if ye labor with your might with me ye shall have joy in the fruit which I shall lay up unto myself against the time which will soon come."

In the past I disliked coming to this chapter in the Book of Mormon. It is 77 verses long and talks about tree husbandry. Over the years I have come to love it for I see the dispensations in it, and how long the Lord has worked to preserve his vineyard. I can see we are at the very end, that last time the Lord will nourish his vineyard. This is the last time laborers are called to work with Him.

As I was reading through this I thought of the apocrypha and how some have grasped onto a part they call Ezra's eagle. I have had no desire to follow their wresting of these non-canonized verses, especially with the political emphases they put on it.

"Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you concerning the Apocrypha—There are many things contained therein that are true, and it is mostly translated correctly;
There are many things contained therein that are not true, which are interpolations by the hands of men."
(Doctrine and Covenants 91:1-2)

The impression I received while ready the allegory of the tame and wild olive trees is we would have a much better understanding of the Lord's work reading it, than with twisting the interpolation of man to make it stand for something it is not.

"This great and last dispensation is building steadily to its climax—Zion on earth being joined with Zion from above at the Savior’s glorious return. The Church of Jesus Christ is commissioned to prepare—and is preparing—the world for that day. And so, this Easter, let us truly celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and all that it portends: His return to reign for a thousand years of peace, a righteous judgment and perfect justice for all, the immortality of all who ever lived upon this earth, and the promise of eternal life. Christ’s Resurrection is the ultimate assurance that all will be put right. Let us be about building up Zion to hasten that day. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."
(D. Todd Christofferson, "Preparing for the Lord's Return", Apr 2019 General Conference)

Day 3409

Today's Favorite Verse: Jacob 4:6

Today's Favorite Verse: Jacob 4:6
"Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea."

This made me think of the various times prophets were commanded to control the elements. What they were not controlling was people, taking away their agency to choose. Even with Moses and Pharaoh, God didn't take away Pharaoh's agency to choose if he would release the children of Israel. It was Pharaoh that hardened his heart and would not let them go. It wasn't until that final plague where the first born died that Pharaoh said enough. Up until that very end everyone had the choice to do their will or God's will. We cannot control other people no matter how much at times we would want to.

"And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you."
(Matthew 17:20)

"For the brother of Jared said unto the mountain Zerin, Remove—and it was removed. And if he had not had faith it would not have moved; wherefore thou workest after men have faith."
(Ether 12:30)

"And so great was the faith of Enoch that he led the people of God, and their enemies came to battle against them; and he spake the word of the Lord, and the earth trembled, and the mountains fled, even according to his command; and the rivers of water were turned out of their course; and the roar of the lions was heard out of the wilderness; and all nations feared greatly, so powerful was the word of Enoch, and so great was the power of the language which God had given him."
(Moses 7:13)

"Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments.
And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.
And if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou cast down and become smooth, it shall be done."
(Helaman 10:4-5, 9)

"And now, whoso readeth, let him understand; he that hath the scriptures, let him search them, and see and behold if all these deaths and destructions by fire, and by smoke, and by tempests, and by whirlwinds, and by the opening of the earth to receive them, and all these things are not unto the fulfilling of the prophecies of many of the holy prophets."
(3 Nephi 10:14)

Day 3408

Today's Favorite Verse: Jacob 3:11

Today's Favorite Verse: Jacob 3:11
"O my brethren, hearken unto my words; arouse the faculties of your souls; shake yourselves that ye may awake from the slumber of death; and loose yourselves from the pains of hell that ye may not become angels to the devil, to be cast into that lake of fire and brimstone which is the second death."

I pondered on how easily we can be asleep or blinded to the path of destruction we are on. It is a slumber of death if we are on the wrong path. It often takes something to jar us awake to our awful situation. Though we may need to pass through trials and pain it is worth it, if we correct the course we are on. Forgiveness is always possible, until our mortal probation on this earth is over. I guess the question always is how far deep into Satan's grasp do you have to go before you no longer care about leaving it?

Day 3407

Today's Favorite Verse: Jacob 2:2

Today's Favorite Verse: Jacob 2:2
"Now, my beloved brethren, I, Jacob, according to the responsibility which I am under to God, to magnify mine office with soberness, and that I might rid my garments of your sins, I come up into the temple this day that I might declare unto you the word of God."

This made me reflect on some hard subjects we had to hear during general conference. Some people didn't like several apostles because they would touch on subjects that called them to repentance, like pornography, sexual immorality, and other plagues of our day. I'm sure there were other subjects they would have loved to address with the saints, but their call and responsibility was not to coddle and speak of only smooth things. Their call was to guide us back to God, or our sins will fall on their heads. That is such a heavy responsibility.

"That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:
Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:"
(Isaiah 30:9-10)

"President Spencer W. Kimball spoke of the duty of prophets. He said:“I am sure that Peter and James and Paul found it unpleasant business to constantly be calling people to repentance and warning them of dangers, but they continued unflinchingly. So we, your leaders, must be everlastingly at it; if young people do not understand, then the fault may be partly ours. But, if we make the true way clear to you, then we are blameless” (“Love Versus Lust,” Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year, Provo, Utah, 5 Jan. 1965, p. 6). I wish to speak today of unwanted messages. My purpose in doing so is to attempt to give strength against mistakes, suffering, heartache, and anguish."
(James E. Faust, "Unwanted Messages", Oct 1986 General Conference)

Day 3406

Today's Favorite Verse: Jacob 1:2, 9

Today's Favorite Verse: Jacob 1:2, 9
"And he gave me, Jacob, a commandment that I should write upon these plates a few of the things which I considered to be most precious; that I should not touch, save it were lightly, concerning the history of this people which are called the people of Nephi.
Now Nephi began to be old, and he saw that he must soon die; wherefore, he anointed a man to be a king and a ruler over his people now, according to the reigns of the kings."

Before Nephi dies he gives his brother Jacob charge of the plates. He is to write what is most precious and sacred, revelation that was great, or prophesying, but touch lightly on the history. It always stands out to me when Nephi anoints a "man" to be king and ruler after him. Why did he call him a man? If he was a relative, son of one of his brothers, Sam, Jacob, Joseph, or even Zoram's descendant wouldn't he say that? I makes me wonder what other people they may have come across at this point and mixed with. We are only told of the Mulekites later when their story combines with confirmation on the destruction of Jerusalem, lack of what a record will do to a people, and the story of the Jaredites. There is so much we don't know, and I can't wait for the day when we do.

Day 3405

Today's Favorite Verse: Jeremiah 26:2

Today's Favorite Verse: Jeremiah 26:2

"Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD’s house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD’s house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:"

I pondered on how a prophet can only speak the words of the Lord. He cannot diminish what he was told to say or the sins of the people would fall on his head. I reminded me of Jacob when he had to preach hard things to the people.

"Now, my beloved brethren, I, Jacob, according to the responsibility which I am under to God, to magnify mine office with soberness, and that I might rid my garments of your sins, I come up into the temple this day that I might declare unto you the word of God.

Yea, it grieveth my soul and causeth me to shrink with shame before the presence of my Maker, that I must testify unto you concerning the wickedness of your hearts.

And also it grieveth me that I must use so much boldness of speech concerning you, before your wives and your children, many of whose feelings are exceedingly tender and chaste and delicate before God, which thing is pleasing unto God;

But, notwithstanding the greatness of the task, I must do according to the strict commands of God, and tell you concerning your wickedness and abominations, in the presence of the pure in heart, and the broken heart, and under the glance of the piercing eye of the Almighty God.

Wherefore, I must tell you the truth according to the plainness of the word of God. For behold, as I inquired of the Lord, thus came the word unto me, saying: Jacob, get thou up into the temple on the morrow, and declare the word which I shall give thee unto this people."

(Jacob 2:2, 6-7, 10-11)

Day 2930

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 50:19-21

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 50:19-21

"And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?

But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them."

Jacob has died and is carried back to Canaan and buried in the cave Abraham purchased to bury his dead. On the way back to Egypt Joseph's brothers are concerned that he will hate them for the evil they did against him. They then say to Joseph that their father wanted him to forgive them. This causes Joseph to wept as he says these things to them. He truly already had a heart that forgave them. This is an example of guilty party being unable to forgive themselves. I love Joseph's example of forgiveness. Not only does he forgive, he understands that God had a purpose for what happened. He promises to nourish and care for them.

Day 2209

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 49:33

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 49:33

"And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people."

Jacob blesses his sons and prophesies what will befall them in the last days. These are the twelve tribes of Israel. At the end Jacob dies and is "gathered unto his people". I thought then that this chapter speaks of the gathering on both sides of the veil. That gathering is taking place right now.

Day 2208

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 48:20

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 48:20

"And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh."

I am of the tribe of Ephraim. I reflected on the blessings this gospel has given me. I thought upon my efforts to share it.

Day 2207

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 46:29

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 46:29-30

"And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.

And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive."

I just love this part of the story when Jacob and Joseph are reunited. I suppose if I can mourn with those that mourn, I can also rejoice with those that rejoice.

Day 2205

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 35:2-3, 19

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 35:2-3, 19

"Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:

And let us arise, and go up to Beth-el; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.

And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem."

Rachel stole the images that were her father's when Jacob fled with his family. Her father Laban came after them and searched for his idols, but Rachel stayed seated on the camel where she had hid them. Jacob must have found out for now he is calling his household to put away the strange gods and cleanse themselves. After this event this chapter tells of Rachel's death in childbirth. I pondered on how timely it was that she followed a prophet and became clean. We never know when death will take us. The cleansing process needs to be continual.

I pondered on how you really cannot become clean until we first put away the strange gods, idol worship, and walking after the philosophies of the world. All of these tools of the adversary will prevent us from having the Holy Spirit as our guide. I will be forever grateful that when I began to read the scriptures that the spirit told me not to read books about the scriptures, but to read the scriptures. I can see now that if I had done differently, I could have been so tempted to go down very strange roads, on paths I would not want to be following. There are many false prophets out there, that will turn you into a copy of them for a price. There will come a day of reckoning and sifting among the saints. We must be made clean in preparation for the Lord's second coming.

"They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol, which waxeth old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon the great, which shall fall."

(Doctrine and Covenants 1:16)

Day 2194

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 32:6-7, 9, 11

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 32:6-7, 9, 11

"And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.

Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;

And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee.

Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.

Jacob was returning home and about to meet his brother Esau whom he feared. What I saw was a pattern. He still went as God asked him to. He made preparations to protect himself and his family. He asked God in faith for help. This is all any of us can do when we have to face something we fear. To walk in faith and trust the Lord. Only He can bring the peace that we need.

Day 2191 (6th anniversary of writing my favorite verse)

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 31:13, 16

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 31:13, 16

"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.

For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children's: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do."

This reminded me of a two conversation I had yesterday. One was with the missionaries that visited our home. The other conversation I had with a friend last night. We were discussing moves and sales of homes. One thing my friend observed is that people seemed to be moving "home". As we went on that theme we wondered why we were in Utah when both our homes growing up were back East? Then I thought of my children and one son being born here. This is their home, and over the years it has become mine. We are home. I know there are some upset with the amount of people moving into Utah, afraid of the prices of homes going up, and politics probably changing. The way of life they have known is changing. All I can think of is let them come. They need to come. They are either gathering or fleeing. They must do either as the spirit directions them. One thing is for sure the fleeing and gathering are opening doors for many to hear the gospel. The Lord will send us where we need to be. His purposes are not always ours, but he will guide us.

"Yea, and then shall the work commence, with the Father among all nations in preparing the way whereby his people may be gathered home to the land of their inheritance.

And they shall go out from all nations; and they shall not go out in haste, nor go by flight, for I will go before them, saith the Father, and I will be their rearward."

(3 Nephi 21:28-29)

Day 2190