I came across something interesting the other day while I was reading the scriptures:
“the Lord was with us; and we did prosper exceedingly” (2 Ne 5:11)
You might be thinking, “Well, what’s so interesting about that? The Nephites were always prospering.”
The interesting part came later in the verse:
for we did sow seed . . . and we began to raise flocks, and herds, and animals of every kind.
It seems Nephi suggests their prosperity came as a result of their hard work. Verse 10 mentions that the Nephites kept the commandments, but the above verse seems to indicate that righteousness is not all that is required for us to be blessed.
God expects us to work. I also find it interesting that God tells us that we should spend 6 days working (Ex. 20:9). Saturday shouldn’t be a day of rest equal to Sunday. We should be working.
On that note, does that mean working more results in more blessings? For example, do I get blessed more working 20 hours per day than my neighbour who works 10 hours per day?
I’ve recently been reading President Hinckley’s biography. A number of times I’ve had the thought that most of us don’t know what it is really like to be tired and keep going. That is a man that worked way past when I stop for being tired.
“…do I get blessed more working 20 hours per day than my neighbour who works 10 hours per day?”
Try it out. Do the 20 hours a day thing for a month and then do the ten hours thing.(Sorry Mary, I guess you’ll have to pick up the slack on the second month, but make sure you work him really hard in the first.)
Figure out which netted you the most blessing.
This should work, no?
I was kind of hoping someone else has already done it. ;-)