In the New Testament I read that Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Rev. 19: 16 "And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."

In the Book of Mormon I read about how Aaron taught the king about the plan of salvation. He began with the fall of Adam and taught him about the atonement of Christ and how he could have faith, repent of his sins, be forgiven, and receive eternal life and have great joy. The king was humble and teachable and willing to do whatever was necessary to receive a remission of his sins and gain eternal life. Alma 22: 12-16 "And it came to pass that when Aaron saw that the king would believe his words, he began from the creation of Adam, reading the scriptures unto the king—how God created man after his own image, and that God gave him commandments, and that because of transgression, man had fallen. And Aaron did expound unto him the scriptures from the creation of Adam, laying the fall of man before him, and their carnal state and also the plan of redemption, which was prepared dfrom the foundation of the world, through Christ, for all whosoever would believe on his name. And since man had fallen he could not merit anything of himself; but the sufferings and death of Christ atone for their sins, through faith and repentance, and so forth; and that he breaketh the bands of death, that the grave shall have no victory, and that the sting of death should be swallowed up in the hopes of glory; and Aaron did expound all these things unto the king. And it came to pass that after Aaron had expounded these things unto him, the king said: What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy. But Aaron said unto him: If thou desirest this thing, if thou wilt bow down before God, yea, if thou wilt repent of all thy sins, and will bow down before God, and call on his name in faith, believing that ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive the hope which thou desirest."

Some verses with a thought booklet reassure us that if we pray unto the Lord daily, He will give us mercy and forgive us of our sins. We can call upon Him in our troubles and He will answer us. What reassurance and comfort this promise can bring to us! Ps. 86: 3-7 "Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me."

In the New Testament I read more about the fall of Babylon and how merchants stood by while she was destroyed and lamented the fact that all her riches came to nought in just an hour. This helps to put worldly things into perspective. A great city decked with gold and precious stones and pearls and making lots of money in trade can be destroyed quickly and it's all gone! More important to put our trust in the Lord and His eternal riches. Rev. 18: 15-18 "The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand far off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!"

In the Book of Mormon I read a verse that tells about how the Lamanite already had hard hearts, but the Amalekites had even more hard hearts and they encouraged the Lamanites to wax even stronger in their wickedness. It's a sad truth that if we're starting to head down the wrong path, people who are even more evil than we are might come our way and be an even worse stumbling block to us. So important to choose our friends wisely and pick people who will encourage us in righteousness. Alma 21: 3 "Now the Lamanites of themselves were sufficiently hardened, but the Amalekites and the Amulonites were still harder; therefore they did cause the Lamanites that they should harden their hearts, that they should wax strong in wickedness and their abominations."

A verse from a thought booklet reminds us to love one another and treat one another with kindness and honor. Rom. 12: 10 "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;"

In the New Testament I read some verses that say the saints are called out of Babylon lest they partake of her sins. Babylon is fallen. Rev. 18: 1-5 "And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities."

In the Book of Mormon I read about how after the people experienced a mighty change of heart, they had no more desire to do evil. Only the Lord can bring such a change into our hearts, that all desire to do evil is taken away. Alma 19: 33 "And it came to pass that when Ammon arose he also administered unto them, and also did all the servants of Lamoni; and they did all declare unto the people the selfsame thing—that their hearts had been changed; that they had no more desire to do evil."

Some verses with a thought booklet warn us not to lay up for ourselves treatures upon earth that can be destroyed or taken away, but rather to place our hearts on the treasures of heaven which are eternal. Matt. 6: 19-21 "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." A thought that went with this, written by Sean M. Cogan from Bay City, Michigan tells of an experience he had while in college. I'll quote part of it here: "A fire started in the residence hall, gutting the entire building. I wasn't allowed to go near my room. As far as I knew, all of my personal treasures had been destroyed, including my yearbook from my senior year of high school and all of the mementos with it. Most of my items were later retrieved unscathed, but I had learned an important lesson: earthly treasures can be enjoyed, but they are temporary and unreliable. In a single moment, they can be lost forever. Treasures in heaven are forever and impossible to lose. Lord, help us to pursue treasures in heaven with more fervor than we pursue treasures on earth."

In the New Testament I read about how Christ would come and there would be thunders, lightenings, earthquakes, islands fleeing, and great hail storms. Sounds like some scary events will precede the coming of Christ! Revelation 16: 17-21 "And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great."

In the Book of Mormon I read about how Ammon taught the people about the plan of redemption, including the coming of Christ. Isn't it amazing that all these things were known from the foundation of the world and that prophets long before Christ's coming knew of these things and could prophesy about them! Alma 18: 39 "But this is not all; for he expounded unto them the plan of redemption, which was prepared from the foundation of the world; and he also made known unto them concerning the coming of Christ, and all the works of the Lord did he make known unto them."

A verse from a thought booklet tells us not to be conformed to this world and its worldly ways, but to allow the Lord to transform us and renew our minds, so that we can do the perfect will of God. We cannot do this without the Lord! Rom. 12: 2 "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

In the New Testament I read about how there would be unclean spirits and false prophets and devils working miracles. The nations would gather for Armageddon. Revelation 16: 13-16 "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon."

In the Book of Mormon I read Ammon's reply to the king who thought he was the Great Spirit because he could read his thoughts and was able to use such power in dealing with the men who had scattered the flocks. Ammon explained that he was just a man, not the Great Spirit, but that he had been called to teach by the Holy Spirit, which gave him powers according to his faith and the will of God. If the Lord calls us to do something, He'll give us the ability to carry it out, even power far beyond our own abilities. We just need to have faith and trust in Him, relying on Him to help us. Alma 18: 34-35 "Ammon said unto him: I am a man; and man in the beginning was created after the image of God, and I am called by his Holy Spirit to teach these things unto this people, that they may be brought to a knowledge of that which is just and true; And a portion of that Spirit dwelleth in me, which giveth me knowledge, and also power according to my faith and desires which are in God."

A verse from a thought booklet tells us that Noah did everything the Lord commanded him to do. What a great example this is! Think about what the Lord commanded Noah to do--build an ark when there was no rain in sight, gather up two of every animal. These things took faith and diligence. Likewise can we be as faithful in doing ALL that the Lord commands us to do? Gen. 6: 22 "Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he."

In the New Testament I read about how God would pour out plagues upon the wicked. But in spite of all this, they would not repent. Revelation 16: 1-12 "And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image. nd the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea. And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments. And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory. And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared."

In the Book of Mormon I read about how Ammon's fellow servants were so fearful of being slain that they were weeping. Ammon actually rejoiced when he saw this because he knew that their afflictions had made them teachable and that they were prepared to receive what he wanted to teach them. Sometimes afflictions can be necessary to soften our hearts and prepare us for greater things to come that the Lord has in store for us. Alma 17: 29-30 "Now they wept because of the fear of being slain. Now when Ammon saw this his heart was swollen within him with joy; for, said he, I will show forth my power unto these my fellow-servants, or the power which is in me, in restoring these flocks unto the king, that I may win the hearts of these my fellow-servants, that I may lead them to believe in my words. And now, these were the thoughts of Ammon, when he saw the afflictions of those whom he termed to be his brethren."

While reading some thought booklets today I got the impression that the Lord was trying to emphasize the point from the Book of Mormon verses above to me--that afflictions can be for our good, and also that we need to be happy and grateful no matter what our circumstances. In one thought booklet I read some verses telling us to rejoice everymore and then it gave some instructions about how this might be possible. We need to pray without ceasing and give thanks in everything. If we're constantly praying in our hearts and giving thanks for all things, we'll develop an attitude of graditude and that will bring us joy. Indeed, I've often found that if I dwell on things I have to be grateful for instead of things I lack, I am much happier. 1 Thes. 5: 16-18 "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." The thought that went with this, written by Beth Ann Fanning from Indiana, Pennsylvania, was as follows: "While saying our bedtime prayers, my three year old thanked God for her bed and the windows and then said, "Thank you, God, for doorknobs." At that my seven year old son lifted his head and said, "She's just looking around and saying whatever she sees. She can't do that!" "Not only can she do it, but she should," I responded. A well-functioning doorknob was nothing to take for granted, I reminded him, as once a faulty one had trapped him in the bathroom! Looking around this room, I see pictures of loved one. (Thank you, God, for the wonderful people in my life.) I notice a gift given during a rough time in my life. (Thank you, Lord, for what I've learned during the bad times and the friends who helped me through.) Oftentimes, I see a big mess. (Thank you, Lord, for the two active children who light up my life even as they undo my house.) In need of some inspiration in the arae of thankfulness and praise? Let's try my daughter's method and take a look around right where you are. We may be surprised at the many blessings there. Lord, whatever our circumstances, give us new eyes to see your many blessings. We praise you for all of them. Amen." After reading this in the one thought booklet I turned to another thought booklet and found the same idea presented in a different verse and thought, telling us to let the word of Christ dwell in us and with graditude in our hearts, sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Col. 3: 16 "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." The thought that went with this verse said: "I choose to make this day special, and I will as I act on opportunities to express my appreciation for my blessings. As I begin my day, I look at my surroundings. My home and my office or work space are filled with pictures and other objects that have special meaning for me. My surroundings reflect the grateful attitude with which I approach life every day. Family, friends, and pets are unique blessings in my life. Each one touches my life and enriches it in a unique and valued way. I live this day with a cheerful heart and thanksgiving to God. Tomorrow I will have even more opportunities to show that an appreciative approach to life is one that richly blesses me." Wow! That had some of the same ideas from the other thought booklet. Both on the same day. Sometimes we don't really understand or "get" something when it's presented to us once, so the Lord has to re-emphasize it by giving it to us again and again. I guess this must be something I needed today.


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In the New Testament I read about how exalted saints will praise God forever. Revelation 15: 1-4 "And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest."

In the Book of Mormon I read some verses that tell of the joyous meeting between Alma the Younger and the Sons of Mosiah. They had not seen each other for many years, but they soon discovered that they were still brothers in the Lord and had continued to grow in strength in the Lord. They had diligently studied the scriptures and had devoted themselves to much prayer and fasting, so that they possessed the spirit of revelation and were able to teach with power and authority from God and had been able to have much sucess in bringing others to the knowledge of the truth. Alma 17:1-4 "And now it came to pass that as Alma was journeying from the land of Gideon southward, away to the land of Manti, behold, to his astonishment, he met with the sons of Mosiah journeying towards the land of Zarahemla. Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God. But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God. And they had been teaching the word of God for the space of fourteen years among the Lamanites, having had much success in bringing many to the knowledge of the truth; yea, by the power of their words many were brought before the altar of God, to call on his name and confess their sins before him."

In the New Testament I read about how the Son of Man harvests the earth. Revelation 14: 14-20 "And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs."

In the Book of Mormon I read about how the Spirit prepared the people to receive the word of God, that they would not harden their hearts against it but receive it with joy. How very important that we allow the Spirit into our lives so that we can avoid being hard of heart or unbelieving, prepare our hearts to receive the word of God, and can enter into the rest of the Lord. Alma 16: 16-17 "And there was no inequality among them; the Lord did pour out his Spirit on all the face of the land to prepare the minds of the children of men, or to prepare their hearts to receive the word which should be taught among them at the time of his coming— That they might not be hardened against the word, that they might not be unbelieving, and go on to destruction, but that they might receive the word with joy, and as a branch be grafted into the true vine, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord their God."

Some verses with a thought booklet talk about the importance of everyone, men, women and children, hearing the word of the Lord and observing to do all the words of the law. We can't keep commandments if we don't hear them and don't know what they are. So it's important that we read the word of the Lord, through the scriptures. Deut. 31: 11-12 "When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law:"