EVERY DAY

On page 19 of the January 2012 Ensign there is a picture of  someone's concept of what the Israelites gathering Manna might look like.

This picture really got me thinking.

appreciation to this unknown artist - no credits given

Exodus 16:13,14, says that manna came with or like the dew and "when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground."

We have many very frosty days here. Most winters we have at least one day with lots of hoar frost. How long would it take to 'collect' a sandwich baggie (about the equivalent of 2 slices of bread)?

Maybe this would make an interesting (and easy) family home evening lesson on a frosty day. True they were not too cold when they had to gather it but it was a desert and they had to get it before 'the sun waxed hot, [and] it melted' - so they might not have been very comfortable out there picking it up, one crumb at a time, either ...

Elder D Todd Christoffersen (in the Ensign) says they had to collect it every day to help them remember God every day and keep him in their hearts and minds. I thought - FOR 40 YEARS! How long would that take each day to gather enough 'bread' to feed a family? ("Recognizing God's Hand in Our Daily Blessings" page 17)