Labor is work performed for service, support, or assigned duties. A speaker said, “I, myself, have labored with mine own hands” to serve the people and prevent them from being “laden with taxes” or burdened by what was “grievous to be borne” (Mosiah 2:14). Priests were commanded to “labor with their own hands for their support” and not depend upon the people for support (Mosiah 18:24-26).
When priests left labor to impart the word of God, the people also left their labors to hear it, and afterward “they all returned again diligently unto their labors”. The people were all equal, and “they did all labor, every man according to his strength” (Alma 1:26). Under the law of Mosiah, judges received wages according to the time they labored in judging cases, including “a senine of gold for a day” (Alma 11:1-3).