In the Old Testament I read about how the Lord said the Spirit of the Lord would not always strive with men. Genesis 6: 3 "And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years."

In the Book of Mormon I read that the Nephites were able to gain advantage over the Lamanites in battle because the Lord was with them. Moroni tried to talk to Zerehemnah, telling him they did not desire to shed his blood and simply wanted to be free from bondage and be able to practice their religion. He told him that he could not destroy their faith, and that he should be able to see that the Lord was with them and would not suffer them to be destroyed except they fall into transgression. Moroni then commanded Zerehemhan to deliver up his weapons of war and stop fighting them. He told if he they would do this, they would spare their lives and allow them to go their way. Alma 44: 1-6 "And it came to pass that they did stop and withdrew a pace from them. And Moroni said unto Zerahemnah: Behold, Zerahemnah, that we do not desire to be men of blood. Ye know that ye are in our hands, yet we do not desire to slay you. Behold, we have not come out to battle against you that we might shed your blood for power; neither do we desire to bring any one to the yoke of bondage. But this is the very cause for which ye have come against us; yea, and ye are angry with us because of our religion. But now, ye behold that the Lord is with us; and ye behold that he has delivered you into our hands. And now I would that ye should understand that this is done unto us because of our religion and our faith in Christ. And now ye see that ye cannot destroy this our faith. Now ye see that this is the true faith of God; yea, ye see that God will support, and keep, and preserve us, so long as we are afaithful unto him, and unto our faith, and our religion; and never will the Lord suffer that we shall be destroyed except we should fall into transgression and deny our faith. And now, Zerahemnah, I command you, in the name of that all-powerful God, who has strengthened our arms that we have gained power over you, by our faith, by our religion, and by our rites of worship, and by our church, and by the sacred support which we owe to our wives and our children, by that liberty which binds us to our lands and our country; yea, and also by the maintenance of the sacred word of God, to which we owe all our happiness; and by all that is most dear unto us— Yea, and this is not all; I command you by all the desires which ye have for life, that ye deliver up your weapons of war unto us, and we will seek not your blood, but we will spare your lives, if ye will go your way and come not again to war against us."

A verse with a thought booklet tells us that Jesus is the resurrection and the life and because of Him we can be resurrected. Those who die will be made alive again. What a wonderful promise! John 11: 25 "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:"

In the Old Testament I read about how the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve married and started having children of their own, and people multipled on the earth Genesis 6: 1-2 "And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose."

In the Book of Mormon I read about the motivation the Nephites had for going to war. It was not for power or monarchy, but for a better cause--their homes, families, liberties, and rights to worship. Alma 43: 45 "Nevertheless, the Nephites were inspired by a better cause, for they were not fighting for monarchy nor power but they were fighting for their homes and their liberties, their wives and their children, and their all, yea, for their rites of worship and their church."

A verse from a thought booklet tells us that we need to watch and pray always so as not to enter into temptation. The Spirit may be willing, but the flesh is weak. So we need help from the Lord in order to resist it. Matt. 26: 41 "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

In the Old Testament I read some verses that tell us that God created Adam and Eve in His likeness, and He blessed them. Gen. 5: 1-2 "This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created."

In the Book of Mormon I read about how Alma and his sons preached the gospel--according to the spirit of prophecy and revelation. Indeed, we cannot preach the truth with conviction in a way to change the hearts of others if we try to teach without the spirit. Alma 43: 1-2 "And now it came to pass that the sons of Alma did go forth among the people, to declare the word unto them. And Alma, also, himself, could not rest, and he also went forth. Now we shall say no more concerning their preaching, except that they preached the word, and the truth, according to the spirit of prophecy and revelation; and they preached after the holy order of God by which they were called."

Some verses from a thought booklet tell us to make our lives a pattern of good works and live our lives above reproach, setting an example for others and not doing anything that could be condemned or which would make us ashamed. Our speech needs to be uncorrupt, sound, and sincere. Titus 2: 7-8 "In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you."

In the Old Testament I read about how Adam and Eve had another son, Seth, after Cain had killed Abel. Genesis 4: 25 "And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew."

In the Book of Mormon I read that mercy cannot rob justice--not at all. If mercy could job justice, God would cease to be God, which of course is not possible. This is why the atonement of Christ is so necessary--so that justice can be served in that a price is paid for our sins, but mercy can be extended if we repent of our sins and ask for foregiveness. Alma 42: 25 "What, do ye suppose that mercy can rob justice? I say unto you, Nay; not one whit. If so, God would cease to be God."

A verse with a thought booklet tells us that if we are friends of the Lord, we will do whatever He command us to do. John 15: 14 "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you."

In the Old Testament I read that because of Cain's anger and jealousy he killed his brother Abel. When the Lord confronted him about it, he asked, "Am I my brother's keeper?" But the Lord knew that Abel's blood cried out to him from the ground and He cursed Cain. Genesis 4: 8-12 "And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth."

In the Book of Mormon we read what restoration means--it does not mean that we'll be restored from sin to happiness without repentance. Wickedness never was happiness. And iniquity puts us into a state that is contrary to the nature of happiness. We need to do good continually and we will be rewarded according to our works. Alma 41: 10-15 "Do not suppose, because it has been spoken concerning restoration, that ye shall be restored from sin to happiness. Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness. And now, my son, all men that are in a state of nature, or I would say, in a carnal state, are in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity; they are without God in the world, and they have gone contrary to the nature of God; therefore, they are in a state contrary to the nature of happiness. And now behold, is the meaning of the word restoration to take a thing of a natural state and place it in an unnatural state, or to place it in a state opposite to its nature? O, my son, this is not the case; but the meaning of the word restoration is to bring back again evil for evil, or carnal for carnal, or devilish for devilish—good for that which is good; righteous for that which is righteous; just for that which is just; merciful for that which is merciful. Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again. For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored; therefore, the word restoration more fully condemneth the sinner, and justifieth him not at all."

A verse from a thought booklet tells us that if we want to have friends, we need to be friendly, and to be the kind of friend who sticks closer than a brother. To have a friend, we need to be a friend. Prov. 18: 24 "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother."

In the Old Testament I read about how Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain and Abel. They both gave offerings to the Lord, but Cain's offering was not accepted, which made him very angry. The Lord told Cain that if he did well, he would be accepted, but if he did not do well, sin would lie at his door. We might wonder why Abel's offering was acceptable but Cain's was not. It helps to realize that animal sacrifices in Old Testament times were a type of the Sacrifice that Jesus would make when He atoned for the sins of the world by giving His life. Blood would need to be shed for this sacifice to be made. Likewise, blood of animals needed to be shed in similitude of this and by doing so the people were showing faith in the sacrifice that would be made by Jesus Christ. The fact that Cain made a sacrifice of fruits of the ground instead of a sacrifice that involved the shedding of blood as was required, showed a lack of faith on his part in the coming atonement of Jesus Christ. It's no wonder that his sacrifice was rejected by the Lord. Genesis 4: 1-7 "And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him."

In the Book of Mormon I read a wonderful explanation of what happens to us between the time of our death and our resurrection. Those who are righteous go to a state of happiness and those who are wicked go to a state of misery. But this is not the resurrection. The resurrection comes later, when our spirits are reunited with our bodies. And everything will be restored to its perfect frame. Alma 40: 9-18, 23 "Therefore, there is a time appointed unto men that they shall rise from the dead; and there is a space between the time of death and the resurrection. And now, concerning this space of time, what becometh of the souls of men is the thing which I have inquired diligently of the Lord to know; and this is the thing of which I do know. And when the time cometh when all shall rise, then shall they know that God knoweth all the times which are appointed unto man. Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection—Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life. And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow. And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of the wicked, yea, who are evil—for behold, they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the devil did enter into them, and take possession of their house—and these shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil. Now this is the state of the souls of the wicked, yea, in darkness, and a state of awful, fearful looking for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they remain in this state, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time of their resurrection. Now, there are some that have understood that this state of happiness and this state of misery of the soul, before the resurrection, was a first resurrection. Yea, I admit it may be termed a resurrection, the raising of the spirit or the soul and their consignation to happiness or misery, according to the words which have been spoken. And behold, again it hath been spoken, that there is a first resurrection, a resurrection of all those who have been, or who are, or who shall be, down to the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Now, we do not suppose that this first resurrection, which is spoken of in this manner, can be the resurrection of the souls and their consignation to happiness or misery. Ye cannot suppose that this is what it meaneth. Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but it meaneth the reuniting of the soul with the body, of those from the days of Adam down to the resurrection of Christ. The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame."

A verse from a thought booklet reminds us that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and no one can come unto the Father but by Him. John 14: 6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

In the Old Testament I read about how, after partaking of the fruit, Adam became as one of the gods, knowing good from evil. The lord placed Cherubims and a flaming sword in front of the tree of life so that Adam would not partake of it and live forever in his sins. The Lord cast Adam out of the garden of Eden where he would need to work and till the ground in order to eat. Genesis 3: 22-24 "And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life."

In the Book of Mormon I read that we cannot hide our sins from God. If we don't repent of them, they'll stand as a testimony against us at the last day. We need to repent and forsake our sins and do them no more, so that we can inherit the Kingdom of God. Alma 39: 7-9 "And now, my son, I would to God that ye had not been guilty of so great a crime. I would not dwell upon your crimes, to harrow up your soul, if it were not for your good. But behold, ye cannot hide your crimes from God; and except ye repent they will stand as a testimony against you at the last day. Now my son, I would that ye should repent and forsake your sins, and go no more after the lusts of your eyes, but cross yourself in all these things; for except ye do this ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. Oh, remember, and take it upon you, and cross yourself in these things."

Some verses with a thought booklet go along with this, telling us that we need to adknowledge and confess our transpressions to the Lord, who will forgive our iniquities and cover our sins. Ps. 32: 1, 5 "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah."

In the Old Testament I read about how the ground would be cursed for Adam's sake, and bring forth thorns and thistles. He would need to work to produce food to eat. It's interesting that this was done FOR HIS SAKE. It's actually to our benefit to work for what we get instead of just having it handed to us, and we grow and become stronger having to do so. Genesis 3: 17-19 "And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."

In the Book of Mormon I read that if we put our trust in God, He will deliver us out of our trials and troubles and afflictions and we'll be lifted up at the last day. What a wonderful promise! Alma 38: 5 "And now my son, Shiblon, I would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day."

A verse with a thought booklet tells us to let our speech always be gracious and seasoned with salt, so we'll know what to say to everyone. Col. 4: 6 "Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." The thought that went with this, written by Jane M. Ault from Potsdam, New York says: A high school friend of mine, just learning to cook, made a batch of peanut butter cookies. Sniffing the aroma as they baked, she cound hardly wait to taste them. She let them cool a bit, then eagerly bit into a warm cookie. "Yuck!" she screamed, "This tastes terrible!" What was wrong? instead of adding a teaspoonful of salt to the cookie batter, she had poured in a cupful! Salt is for seasoning. It is not the main ingredient in any recipe. Too much of it made my friend's cookies very unappealing. Someitmes, as Christians, we pour too much salt into our conversations. Someone asks us a question about our fatih, and we spend the next hour sharing our entire life story, along with every scripture we can remember. This can make our testimony about as appealing as my friend's cookies. As my grandmother would say, "Just a pinch will do it." Lord, in our witnessing, show us the appropriate amoung of "salt" for each conversation.
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In the Old Testament I read a verse that tells about how God told Eve that she would bring forth children in sorrow, her desire would be to her husband, and he would rule over her. However, this would need to be done in righteousness. Genesis 3: 16 "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee."

In the Book of Mormon I read that it is easy to give heed to the word of Christ. Just like the Nephites followed a compass to find their way to the promised land, we can follow the Word of God to point the way to Eternal Life. However, we should not be slothful just because this is so simple--we need to take heed and look that we might live forever. Alma 37: 44-47 "For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land. And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise. O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever. And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred things, yea, see that ye look to God and live. Go unto this people and declare the word, and be sober. My son, farewell."
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A verse from a thought booklet reminds us to put God first in our lives and seek His kingdom above all else. If we do this, other things will be added unto us. I've found this to be very true in my own life. If I pay my tithing FIRST, I seem to have the money I need for other things. If I MAKE time to read my scriptures every day, I seem to have time for other things I need to do. But if I put other things first, I never seem to have time for the Lord. Luke 12: 31 "But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you."

In the Old Testament I read about how the serpent was cursed. He would go upon his belly and eat dust, and there would be emnity between him and the seed of Eve, which is all of us. Genesis 3: 14-15 "And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

In the Book of Mormon I read an admonition that we should keep the commandment of God and pray unto the Lord in all our doings, so that all our thoughts will be directed toward Him and He'll give us upport and direct us for good. We need to counsel with Him in all that we do and let our hearts be full of thanks to God in all things. Alma 37: 35-37 "O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God. Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever. Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day."

A verse from a thought booklet tell us that when we accomplish the desires of our hearts, it will be sweet to our souls. It's good to have goals and work toward them--and how sweet it is when we are able to reach those goals. Prov. 13: 19 "The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil."

In the Old Testament I read about how after Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit, their eyes were opened and they realized that they were naked. So they sewed fig leaves together to make themselves aprons. Then the voice of God came down and asked them if they'd eaten of the fruit. What happened next is a great example of passing the buck. Adam admitted that he'd done it, but said that Eve gave it to him. Eve said she did it became the serpent bebuiled her. Genesis 3: 7-13 "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat."

In the Book of Mormon I read that it is often by small and simple things that great things are brought to pass and that the Lord can bring forth great and eternal things by very small means, which can confound the wise and bring the salvation of many souls. Let's never underestimate the power of small and simple things, nor make the mistake of calling them foolish. Alma 37: 6-7 "Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise. And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls."

A verse with a thought booklet gives a wonderful example of service--how Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. What a humble act of service, and something we should emulate in our own lives when it comes to providing service to others. John 13: 5 "After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded."

In the Old Testament I read about how Satan, as a serpent, told Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit. She told him that she'd been commanded not to eat of it, lest she die. Satan told her she would not surely die, but that it would give her knowledge so she would be as the gods. She looked at the fruit and it looked good to her, plus she wanted to have knowledge, so she partook of it and gave some to Adam also. Genesis 3: 1-6 "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat."


In the Book of Mormon I read about the contrast between the torment that Alma felt when he was harrowed up with the memory of his many sins, with the joy and peace he felt once he'd repented and allowed the atonement of Jesus Christ to take away the pains of his sins. We need to realize that we can truly be forgiven for our sins, through the atonement of Jesus Christ. And no matter how guilty and bad we feel, all that can be swept away and we can feel true job. In fact, our joy can be just as great as our misery was horrible. Alma 36: 17-21 "And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world. Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death. And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more. And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain! Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy."

Some verses with a thought booklet tell us that the Lord will be our shelter and our refuge in whom we can trust. Ps. 91: 1-2 "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust." The thought that went with this, written by Susan Malcolm from Colorado Springs, Colorado says: On December 26, 2004, Pauli was preparing to fish, as he did every day, when he looked to the horizon and saw not his friend or his livelihood (for such was the sea to him) but a deadly enemy fiercely crashing toward him, mercilessly destroying everything in its path. A tsunami had hit Pauli's village, uprooting trees and crushing homes. Pauli ran with all the villagers to higher ground and watched as his village was leveled. In the receding waters, Pauli found his fishing boat capsized and covered with mud. When he dug it out, he discovered that half the boat was intact. He drew a deep breath, picked up his tools, and started to rebuild. The tsunamis of life crash upon us when we least expect them. Illness, poverty, loss of loved ones are devastating realities. As the waters of grief recede, we have two choices: we can sit in the mud of despair or breath deeply, dig out our lives, and, with the help of the Master Carpenter, rebuild.

In the Old Testament I read that is it not good for man to be alone so God created a helpmate for him. Gen. 2: 18 "And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him."

In the Book of Mormon I read some verses that exhort us to have patience to bear whatever manner of afflictions we have in our lives, with a firm hope that one day we'll be able to rest from all our afflictions. This should give us hope during times of trial and patience to endure whatever tribulations come to us. Alma 34: 40-41 "And now my beloved brethren, I would exhort you to have patience, and that ye bear with all manner of afflictions; that ye do not revile against those who do cast you out because of your exceeding poverty, lest ye become sinners like unto them; But that ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions."

Scriptures with a thought booklet tell us that for the peace of God to be with us, we need to dwell on things that are honest, pure, true, and full of virtue. Philip. 4: 8-9 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you." The thought that went with this, written by Sherrie Ward Murphree from Odessa, Texas is as follows: Mother is eighty-eight and no longer always remembers which of her four daughters I am. She can't bathe alone or dress without help either. I felt sad after a recent stay upon realizing all the things she can't do anymore. I gulped a "remedy pill" for my sadness by writing a biography of Mother's "cans." Taking Paul's advice in Philippians 4:8 to think on some "whatsoevers," I composed a running list of things mother still can do that I need to focus on: True: She appreciates the care given her. Noble: She compliments meals prepared for her and feeds herself. Pure: She sees and loves the simple beauty of colors. Lovely: She can quote gorgeous poetry learned seventy years ago. Admirable: She laughs easily and can tease. Excellent: She can pray. Praiseowrthy: She bursts out with songs of praise, especially when discussing Scripture. There "whatsoevers" surely helped lessen my sadness and brought the promised "peace of God, which surpasses all understanding."

In the Old Testament I read about how God created the world in six days and then on the seventh day He rested from all His labors. He blessed and sancified the seventh day as a day of rest. If God needed a Sabbath Day to rest, how much more so do we need to honor the Sabbath Day and rest from all our labors? Gen. 2: 1-3 "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made."

In the Book of Mormon I read some verses that remind us that we should not procrastinate the day of repentance until it is everlastingly too late. Otherwise we will be come subject to the devil and the Spirit of the Lord will be withdrawn from us that it will have no place in us. TODAY is the day when we need to repent. Alma 34:32-35 "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors. And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed. Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world. For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked."

A verse from a thought booklet tells us that the greatest leader is one who humbly serves. If we truly love and want to serve those we lead, they will be more likely to have a desire to follow us. Luke 22: 26 "But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve."

In the Old Testament I read about how the Lord created people, men and women, in His own image. And what He created was very good. Sometimes we might have negative thoughts about ourselves, be disappointed in ourselves, and feel like we're no good. But this is false. We are children of God, created by Him, and He has pronounced all of His creations, including us, "very good." Gen. 1: 27, 31 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day."

Some verses in the Book of Mormon tell us that we need to exercise our faith unto repentance, and one of the things we need to do is to pray always. It gives examples of some of the times we need to pray and then concludes that even when we're not praying out loud our hearts need to be drawn out in prayer to God continually. But then it adds that all our prayers will be in vain if we don't act compassionately toward our fellow men. If we turn away the sick and needy, we'll be hypocrites who deny the faith. We need to stop hardening our hearts and bring forth fruit unto repentance. Alma 34: 17-31 "Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you; Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save. Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him. Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks. Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening. Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies. Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness. Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them. Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase. But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness. Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you. And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith. Therefore, if ye do not remember to be charitable, ye are as dross, which the refiners do cast out, (it being of no worth) and is trodden under foot of men. And now, my brethren, I would that, after ye have received so many witnesses, seeing that the holy scriptures testify of these things, ye come forth and bring fruit unto repentance. Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of your csalvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you."

A verse from a thought booklet tells us that our foundation should be built upon Jesus Christ. Part of the thought that went with this, written by Loretta Miller Mehi from Eugene, Oregon says, "The cement worker's truck that pulled in ahead of me carried a large lettering across its tailgate: Foundations Keep You Grounded. I loved the slogan, and thought it to be a perfect motto for Christians. As a child, I used to listen to my father sing the hymn, 'How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in His excellent word.' The sacrifrice Jesus made on the cross provides the basis for entering the Kingdom of God. All other methods will crumble and fail the test of time, but the foundation of Jesus Christ remains firm for eternity." 1 Cor. 3: 11 "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."

In the Old Testament I read about the sixth day of creation when God created the cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth, and then created man after His own image. He gave man dominion over all the animals that He had created. Genesis 1: 24-26 "And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."

In the Book of Mormon I read some verses that ask the question--Have you read the scriptures? And if so, how can you possibly disbelieve in the Son of God. They testify of Him over and over again. Then they proceed to give examples of specific prophets who testified of the coming of Christ. One example is Moses who lifted up the brass serpent in the wilderness and whoever looked at it would live. But some people didn't even bother looking. I always thought those people must be really dumb for not bothering to even look. But these scriptures tell us why they didn't--because they did not have faith. If you really don't believe something will help, you don't bother doing it. Even if it's something simple. Instead of hardening our hearts in unbelief, we should nourish our faith and allow it to grow in our hearts. If we do this, our burdens will be light and we'll be able to experience great joy. Alma 33: 14-23 "Now behold, my brethren, I would ask if ye have read the scriptures? If ye have, how can ye disbelieve on the Son of God? For it is not written that Zenos alone spake of these things, but Zenock also spake of these things— For behold, he said: Thou art angry, O Lord, with this people, because they will not understand thy mercies which thou hast bestowed upon them because of thy Son. And now, my brethren, ye see that a second prophet of old has testified of the Son of God, and because the people would not understand his words they stoned him to death. But behold, this is not all; these are not the only ones who have spoken concerning the Son of God. Behold, he was spoken of by Moses; yea, and behold a type was raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it might live. And many did look and live. But few understood the meaning of those things, and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would not look is because they did not believe that it would heal them. O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might perish? If so, wo shall come upon you; but if not so, then cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works. And now, my brethren, I desire that ye shall plant this word in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it by your faith. And behold, it will become a tree, springing up in you unto everlasting life. And then may God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son. And even all this can ye do if ye will. Amen."

A verse in a thought booklet reminds us to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and might. We need to give Him our all. Deut. 6: 5 "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

In the Old Testament I read about the fifth day of creation when God created fish in the waters and fowls in the air, declared them to be good and commanded them to multiply. Genesis 1: 20-23 "And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day."

In the Book of Mormon I read a description about how we can plant a seed of faith into our hearts and how it will grow if nurtured. If we can even exercise a particle of faith to experiment with allowing a desire for faith to grow in our hearts, that's a start. Alma 32: 27-43 "But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words. Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me. Now behold, would not this increase your faith? I say unto you, Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to a perfect knowledge. But behold, as the seed swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, then you must needs say that the seed is good; for behold it swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow. And now, behold, will not this strengthen your faith? Yea, it will strengthen your faith: for ye will say I know that this is a good seed; for behold it sprouteth and beginneth to grow. And now, behold, are ye sure that this is a good seed? I say unto you, Yea; for every seed bringeth forth unto its own likeness. Therefore, if a seed groweth it is good, but if it groweth not, behold it is not good, therefore it is cast away. And now, behold, because ye have tried the experiment, and planted the seed, and it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, ye must needs know that the seed is good. And now, behold, is your knowledge perfect? Yea, your knowledge is perfect in that thing, and your faith is dormant; and this because you know, for ye know that the word hath swelled your souls, and ye also know that it hath sprouted up, that your understanding doth begin to be enlightened, and your mind doth begin to expand. O then, is not this real? I say unto you, Yea, because it is light; and whatsoever is light, is good, because it is discernible, therefore ye must know that it is good; and now behold, after ye have tasted this light is your knowledge perfect? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither must ye lay aside your faith, for ye have only exercised your faith to plant the seed that ye might try the experiment to know if the seed was good. And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit. But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out. Now, this is not because the seed was not good, neither is it because the fruit thereof would not be desirable; but it is because your ground is barren, and ye will not nourish the tree, therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof. And thus, if ye will not nourish the word, looking forward with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof, ye can never pluck of the fruit of the tree of life. But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life. And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst. Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you."

A verse with a thought booklet tell us that we should do everything in the name of the Lord and give thanks to God in all things. This isn't always easy to do, especially if we're going through a difficult time. Can we thank the Lord for giving us illness, or for losing a loved one, or for unemployment or divorce? Maybe not. But we CAN thank Him for being there and helping us through all these things, and for giving us the strength to carry on and cope with all these trials. And it's also important for us to pray at ALL times, even when things are going well. Sometimes we treat the Lord like a fire extinguisher. We only turn to Him in times of trouble but ignore and forget about Him when things are going well. We need to pray at all times and thank the Lord no matter what our circumstances are. Col. 3: 17 "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."

In the Old Testament I read about the fourth day of creation when God made the sun, moon and stars to give light upon the earth. Genesis 1: 14-19 "And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day."

In the Book of Mormon I read that some people refuse to believe unless they're show a sign, but this is not faith. The more we know, the more accountable we'll be to live up to what we know. Alma 32:17-19 "Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a sign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall believe. Now I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for if a man knoweth a thing he hath no cause to believe, for he knoweth it. And now, how much more cursed is he that knoweth the will of God and doeth it not, than he that only believeth, or only hath cause to believe, and falleth into transgression?"

Some verses from a thought booklet recount the foolishness of people who commit sin and do wicked deeds but think the Lord doesn't see or comprehend what they're doing. The Lord created out ears--how could He not hear? He made our eyes--how could He not see? Ps. 94: 6-9 "They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. Yet they say, The Lord shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise? He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?"

In the Old Testament I read about the Third day of creation when God gathered the waters into one place and allowed the dry land to appear, then created all kinds of plants, herbs and fruits. Genesis 1:9-13 "And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day."

In the book of Mormon I read about how some of the people were compelled to be humble because of their poverty and how they were treated by the wealthy people, being cast out of their synagogues. It actually benefitted them to be humbled because then they were in a frame of mind to accept the gospel. But it's even better to humble ourselves rather than to be compelled to be humble by our circumstances in life. Alma 32: 5-6, 12-15 "And they came unto Alma; and the one who was the foremost among them said unto him: Behold, what shall these my brethren do, for they are despised of all men because of their poverty, yea, and more especially by our priests; for they have cast us out of our synagogues which we have labored abundantly to build with our own hands; and they have cast us out because of our exceeding poverty; and we have no place to worship our God; and behold, what shall we do? And now when Alma heard this, he turned him about, his face immediately towards him, and he beheld with great joy; for he beheld that their afflictions had truly humbled them, and that they were in a preparation to hear the word. I say unto you, it is well that ye are cast out of your synagogues, that ye may be humble, and that ye may learn wisdom; for it is necessary that ye should learn wisdom; for it is because that ye are cast out, that ye are despised of your brethren because of your exceeding poverty, that ye are brought to a lowliness of heart; for ye are necessarily brought to be humble. And now, because ye are compelled to be humble blessed are ye; for a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble, seeketh repentance; and now surely, whosoever repenteth shall find mercy; and he that findeth mercy and endureth to the end the same shall be saved. And now, as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled to be humble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are more blessed who truly humble themselves because of the word? Yea, he that truly humbleth himself, and repenteth of his sins, and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed—yea, much more blessed than they who are compelled to be humble because of their exceeding poverty."

Some verses with a thought booklet tell us that nothing can separate us from the love of God--something very important to remember when we're going through difficult times. Rom. 8: 38-39 "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

In the Old Testament I read about the second day of creation when God created the firmament and divided the waters. Genesis 1:6-8 "And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day."

In the Book of Mormon I read about how we can turn to the Lord when we are sorrowful and He will comfort us and give us strength to suffer our afflictions with patience. He doesn't always take away our trials and tribulations, but He will help us bear them if we'll turn to Him for comfort and help. Alma 31: 31"O Lord, my heart is exceedingly sorrowful; wilt thou comfort my soul in Christ. O Lord, wilt thou grant unto me that I may have strength, that I may suffer with patience these afflictions which shall come upon me, because of the iniquity of this people."

Going along with the Book of Mormon verse, some verses with a thought booklet seemed to be along the same lines and seemed to be something I need to remind myself of. I've been very discouraged with trials and tribulations in my life. But I do know that these tribulations are causing me to learn patience and giving me experiences that I need in order to grow. And I need to be grateful for that. It's not so easy to do, but I know that we are given experiences in our lives which are for our best good, even if we can't see it at the time. These experiences help refine us and make us into the people we have the potential to be. And God gives us these expereinces because He loves us. Rom. 5: 3-5 "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."
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Today I started a study of the Old Testament and began reading about the creation. On the first day the Lord created the Heaven and the Earth and divided the light from the darkness. Genesis 1:1-5 "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. nd God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day."

In the Book of Mormon I read about what happened to Korihor after he continued to demand a sign. The Lord did give him a sign--Korihor was struck dumb so that he could no longer speak and spread his evil doctrines. He then had to go from house to house begging for food and was eventually trampled down and died. These verses end with the observation that the devil does not support his children at the last day, but does speedily drag them down to hell. Alma 30: 48-60 "Now Korihor said unto him: I do not deny the existence of a God, but I do not believe that there is a God; and I say also, that ye do not know that there is a God; and except ye show me a sign, I will not believe. Now Alma said unto him: This will I give unto thee for a sign, that thou shalt be struck dumb, according to my words; and I say, that in the name of God, ye shall be struck dumb, that ye shall no more have utterance. Now when Alma had said these words, Korihor was struck dumb, that he could not have utterance, according to the words of Alma. And now when the chief judge saw this, he put forth his hand and wrote unto Korihor, saying: Art thou convinced of the power of God? In whom did ye desire that Alma should show forth his sign? Would ye that he should afflict others, to show unto thee a sign? Behold, he has showed unto you a sign; and now will ye dispute more? And Korihor put forth his hand and wrote, saying: I know that I am dumb, for I cannot speak; and I know that nothing save it were the power of God could bring this upon me; yea, and I always knew that there was a God. But behold, the devil hath deceived me; for he appeared unto me in the form of an angel, and said unto me: Go and reclaim this people, for they have all gone astray after an unknown God. And he said unto me: There is no God; yea, and he taught me that which I should say. And I have taught his words; and I taught them because they were pleasing unto the carnal mind; and I taught them, even until I had much success, insomuch that I verily believed that they were true; and for this cause I withstood the truth, even until I have brought this great curse upon me. Now when he had said this, he besought that Alma should pray unto God, that the curse might be taken from him. But Alma said unto him: If this curse should be taken from thee thou wouldst again lead away the hearts of this people; therefore, it shall be unto thee even as the Lord will. And it came to pass that the curse was not taken off of Korihor; but he was cast out, and went about from house to house begging for his food. Now the knowledge of what had happened unto Korihor was immediately published throughout all the land; yea, the proclamation was sent forth by the chief judge to all the people in the land, declaring unto those who had believed in the words of Korihor that they must speedily repent, lest the same judgments would come unto them. And it came to pass that they were all convinced of the wickedness of Korihor; therefore they were all converted again unto the Lord; and this put an end to the iniquity after the manner of Korihor. And Korihor did go about from house to house, begging food for his support. And it came to pass that as he went forth among the people, yea, among a people who had separated themselves from the Nephites and called themselves Zoramites, being led by a man whose name was Zoram—and as he went forth amongst them, behold, he was run upon and trodden down, even until he was dead. And thus we see the end of him who perverteth the ways of the Lord; and thus we see that the devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell."

Some verses from a thought booklet tell the story I've heard many times before--about the man with palsy being told by Jesus to take up his bed and walk. But I saw something here in this reading that I had not really noticed before. If you had palsy and somebody came along and told you to get up and walk, wouldn't your first reaction be to tell them, "Sorry, I can't walk." But this man didn't do that. When Jesus told him to take up his bed and walk, he IMMEDIATELY did so! Now that is faith! It took faith to get up and immediately do what the Lord asked him to do. When the Lord asks us to do something that seems difficult or even impossible, do we say, "Sorry, I can't do that"? Or do we act in faith and simply get up and do it! Luke 5: 24-25 "But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God."

In the New Tesamant I read that if we keep the commandments, we'll be blessed and enter into the gates of the city. But if we're evil we'll remain without. Rev. 22: 14-15 "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie."

In the book of Mormon I read further into a conversation between the Anti Christ Korihor and Alma. Korihor claimed he did not believe in God or Christ, but Alma pointed out that all things testify that there is a God. An atheist has nothing to base their beliefs on except their own word. But just look at the world around you. Everything you see is evidence of a creator. If you found a beautiful painting out in the middle of a desert you would not think that it just came there by accident or "evolved" from rocks. You would know that if there was a painting, there would also have to be a painter who had painted or created it. Likewise when we see this beautiful world we live in and all the many minute details, how can we possibly think that it could have just happened without a creator making it? If someone doesn't believe that there is a God it is because they have hardened their hearts and put off the Spirit of God so that it has no place in them. What a sad situation to be in! Alma 30: 40-44 "And now what evidence have ye that there is no God, or that Christ cometh not? I say unto you that ye have none, save it be your word only. But, behold, I have all things as a testimony that these things are true; and ye also have all things as a testimony unto you that they are true; and will ye deny them? Believest thou that these things are true? Behold, I know that thou believest, but thou art possessed with a lying spirit, and ye have put off the Spirit of God that it may have no place in you; but the devil has power over you, and he doth carry you about, working devices that he may destroy the children of God. And now Korihor said unto Alma: If thou wilt show me a sign, that I may be convinced that there is a God, yea, show unto me that he hath power, and then will I be convinced of the truth of thy words. But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and call things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator."

A verse from a thought booklet tells us that God will judge us with righteousness and equity. Sometimes people will misjudge us or misunderstand our motives or why we do the things we do. But we can rest assured that the Lord will judge us fairly and with a full understanding of everything involved. Ps. 98: 9 "Before the Lord; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity."

In the New Testament I read that when we pass from this life we'll still be the same people we were before. If we were unjust and filthly, we'll be that way still. And if we're holy and righteous, we'll still be that way. Christ comes quickly and will reward us according to our works. Rev. 22: 11-12 "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be."

In the Book of Mormon I read about a name named Korihor, an Anti-Christ who began preaching to the people that the prophets who had prophesied about the coming of Christ and His atonement for our sins, didn't know what they were talking about. Afterall, how could anyone know what would happen in the future? And of course people who believed in such things, passed on down through their fathers, must be foolish and crazy! Belief in God is silly. Men do well because of their own efforts and intelligence, not because of any help or guidance from the Lord. He told them that anything they did was okay and that after men died, that was the end thereof. As you read these teachings of Korihor, think about how many of them you might have heard people say in our own day. All down through the ages, wicked people have fought against the work of the Lord. And some of their tactics have not changed much. Alma 30: 6, 12-18 "But it came to pass in the latter end of the seventeenth year, there came a man into the land of Zarahemla, and he was Anti-Christ, for he began to preach unto the people against the prophecies which had been spoken by the prophets, concerning the coming of Christ. And this Anti-Christ, whose name was Korihor, (and the law could have no hold upon him) began to preach unto the people that there should be no Christ. And after this manner did he preach, saying: O ye that are bound down under a foolish and a vain hope, why do ye yoke yourselves with such foolish things? Why do ye look for a Christ? For no man can know of anything which is to come. Behold, these things which ye call prophecies, which ye say are handed down by holy prophets, behold, they are foolish traditions of your fathers. How do ye know of their surety? Behold, ye cannot know of things which ye do not see; therefore ye cannot know that there shall be a Christ. Ye look forward and say that ye see a remission of your sins. But behold, it is the effect of a frenzied mind; and this derangement of your minds comes because of the traditions of your fathers, which lead you away into a belief of things which are not so. And many more such things did he say unto them, telling them that there could be no atonement made for the sins of men, but every man fared in this life according to the management of the creature; therefore every man prospered according to his genius, and that every man conquered according to his strength; and whatsoever a man did was no crime. 8 And thus he did preach unto them, leading away the hearts of many causing them to lift up their heads in their wickedness, yea, leading away many women, and also men, to commit whoredoms—telling them that when a man was dead, that was the end thereof."

Some verses with a thought booklet tell us we need to put off the old and corrupt man who is full of deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of our minds, putting on a new man of righteoueness and holiness. This is a call for all of us to repent and turn our lives over to the Lord, who will change our hearts and make us new creatures unto Him. Eph. 4: 22-24 "That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."

In the New Testament I read about the second death and how it come come upon the unbelieving, liars, idolaters, murderers, and other wicked people. They would have their part in the lake of fire and brimstone. Rev. 21:8 "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

In the Book of Mormon we read that if someone doesn't know right from wrong, they are blameless, but to a person who knows good from evil, they can choose good which will lead to life and joy, or they can choose evil which will lead to death and remorse of conscience. The choice is ours to make, but we'll suffer the consequences of our choices. Alma 29: 5 "Yea, and I know that good and evil have come before all men; he that knoweth not good from evil is blameless; but he that knoweth good and evil, to him it is given according to his desires, whether he desireth good or evil, life or death, joy or remorse of conscience."

A verse from a thought booklet tells us Jesus' response to Satan's temptations--he told him to get behind him, or to get lost! Good example to follow on how we should react when Satan tempts us. Luke 4: 8 "And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."

A verse in the New Testament tells us that if we overcome, we will inherit all things and the Lord will be our God and we will be His children. What a fantastic promised blessing that is. Rev. 21: 7 "He that overcometh shall inherit call things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."

In the Book of Mormon I read a verse that tell us that none can receive true joy except he be repentant and humble. This is the true way to happiness. Alma 27: 18 "Now was not this exceeding joy? Behold, this is joy which none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of happiness."

Some verses with a thought booklet tell us how the prodigal son's father reacted when he returned to him--with joy and celebration. Likewise when a sinner returns to the Lord, He reacts with joy and welcomes him back with open arms. This is a good picture to remember in our minds when we have sinned or gone astray and are hesitant to come back. We need to know that the Lord will welcome us back and celebrate our return. He loves us even more than any earthly father can love his son. Luke 15: 20-24 "And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry."

In the New Testament I read about the wonderful state of the world after Christ comes again--there will be no more sorrow or death or crying or pain. God will wipe away all our tears and former things will be passed away. What a wonderful world that will be! Rev. 21: 4 "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

In the Book of Mormon I read some verses that tell us that if we want to know the mysteries of God, we need to have faith, pray continually, repent of our sins, and bring forth good works. We can't expect to understand the things of God if we're not willing to keep the commandments and do our part. Alma 26: 20-22 "Oh, my soul, almost as it were, fleeth at the thought. Behold, he did not exercise his justice upon us, but in his great mercy hath brought us over that everlasting gulf of death and misery, even to the salvation of our souls. And now behold, my brethren, what natural man is there that knoweth these things? I say unto you, there is none that knoweth these things, save it be the penitent. Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing—unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed; yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls to repentance, even as it has been given unto us to bring these our brethren to repentance."

A verse from a thought booklet talks about not allowing bitterness to grow in our hearts. Heb. 12: 15 "Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;" The thought that went with this, written by Della Wilson from Grand Haven, Michigan is as follows: "Coming out of abuse, I often looked back with anger. I forgave temporarily, but inevitably the enemy came with thoughts reminding me of past events. When I looked back, bitterness consumed me and I couldn't move forward. I sinfully stumbled on small tests. The Lord reminded me about Lot's wife who looked back and turned into a pillar of salt. Too much salt in a good recipe will ruin it, so that no one will eat it. If I kept looking back, I was like Lot's wife. I was bitter as salt and was leaving a bad taste to those I encountered. Through the mercy of the Lord Jesus, I have been able to forgive my enemies and look forward to his blessed promises. Prayer: God of Mercy and Grace, thank you for causing me to love others as you love them. help me to show kindness to everyone, including those who have wronged me. Please remove bitterness from my heart and fill it with your enduring love. Amen."

In the New Testament I read that the dead will stand before God and be judged according to their works. How very important that we prepare for this day by making sure our works are righteous. Rev. 20: 12-15 "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

In the Book of Mormon I read the words of Ammon as he rejoiced in the mighty miracles the Lord had performed in the converting of so many thousands of souls. Ammon had been an instrument in the hands of the Lord to help this come about, but he knew that of himself he could do nothing and had no reason to boast of himself. However, he also knew that with God strengthening him, he could do all things. This is something important for us all to remember when we're faced with a daunting task. If it's something the Lord wants us to do and we're willing to trust in Him and allow Him to strenghten us, He'll help us accomplish whatever we need to do. Alma 26: 11-12 "But Ammon said unto him: I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God. Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever."

Some scriptures with a thought booklet talk about being examples. What kind of examples are we to those around us? Here's a question to think about: If everyone followed our example and did exactly what we did, what kind of world would we have? What kind of church would we have? What kind of community? Would it be better or worse? I thought about this and concluded that if everyone followed my example it might improve things in some ways (crime would stop and people would be safe without locking their doors) but what would happen in the church if everyone followed my shy example of keeping to myself instead of vigourously trying to be missionaries and spreading the gospel? What kind of meetings would be have if everyone was as afraid to speak in public as I am? I can see a lot of people out there who could serve as good examples for me to follow in many areas. 1 Thes. 1: 7-8 "So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing."

In the New Testament I read that the devil and his armies will be cast out eternally. Rev. 20: 10 "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."

In the Book of Mormon I read about how the people buried their weapons so they would not be tempted to use them to murder anymore. When attacked, they did not offer any resistence. They prostrated themselves upon the ground and offered prayers up to the Lord. They were in this attitude of prayer as they allowed themselves to be killed without a fight. When the people who were killing them saw how they would praise God in the very act of perishing, their hearts became swollen within them and they were filled with a desire to repent also. In fact, more people ended up repenting and coming unto the Lord than the number who were slain, which shows that the Lord works in many ways for the salvation of His people. One interesting note about these verses is something that I remember hearing years ago in a class I attended. These things were originally engraved on gold plates, from which Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon. When you're making an engraving on metal, you can't erase. So if you make a mistake, you just have to add onto what you've already written so it makes sense. A good example of this is in one of these verses where it says, "they buried their weapons of peace." What in the world is a weapon of peace? No such thing. Obviously, the original writer made an error while writing. But he couldn't erase what he'd written because it was engraved on metal plates. So to make it make sense, he added "Or they buried the weapons of war, for peace." This is just one more evidence of the authenticity of the Book of Mormon, a small detail that shows that they did originate with metal plates which Joseph Smith translated, rather than that they were originally written on paper where changes would have been easier to make. Alma 24: 19, 21-27 "And thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to believe and to know the truth, they were firm, and would suffer even unto death rather than commit sin; and thus we see that they buried their weapons of peace, or they buried the weapons of war, for peace. Now when the people saw that they were coming against them they went out to meet them, and prostrated themselves before them to the earth, and began to call on the name of the Lord; and thus they were in this attitude when the Lamanites began to fall upon them, and began to slay them with the sword. And thus without meeting any resistance, they did slay a thousand and five of them; and we know that they are blessed, for they have gone to dwell with their God. Now when the Lamanites saw that their brethren would not flee from the sword, neither would they turn aside to the right hand or to the left, but that they would lie down and perish, and praised God even in the very act of perishing under the sword— Now when the Lamanites saw this they did forbear from slaying them; and there were many whose hearts had swollen in them for those of their brethren who had fallen under the sword, for they repented of the things which they had done. And it came to pass that they threw down their weapons of war, and they would not take them again, for they were stung for the murders which they had committed; and they came down even as their brethren, relying upon the mercies of those whose arms were lifted to slay them. And it came to pass that the people of God were joined that day by more than the number who had been slain; and those who had been slain were righteous people, therefore we have no reason to doubt but what they were saved. And there was not a wicked man slain among them; but there were more than a thousand brought to the knowledge of the truth; thus we see that the Lord worketh in many ways to the salvation of his people."

A verse from a thought booklet tells us to be still so that we can know that the Lord is God. When our lives are filled with noise and confusion and clambor, we have a hard time feeling the Spirit. Sometimes we just need to be still and listen to that still, small voice. Ps. 46: 10 "Be still, and bknow that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."

In the New Testament I read that the saints will live and reign with Christ during the Millennium. What a wonderful time this will be for the righteous! The second death will have no power over them. Rev. 20:4-6 "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."

In the Book of Mormon I read about how the Anti Nephi Lehies made a covenant with the Lord that they would never again shed the blood of man and as a token of this covenant they buried their swords in the earth, to witness that they would not use them to kill anyone else. They said they'd rather die themselves than again stain their swords with the blood of other people. They were very grateful that they'd been able to repent of the murders they'd committed and be forgiven, through the atonement of Jesus Christ, and they didn't want to bring back that guilt upon themselves ever again by committing more murders. Alma 24: 10, 15-18 "And I also thank my God, yea, my great God, that he hath granted unto us that we might repent of these things, and also that he hath forgiven us of those our many sins and murders which we have committed, and taken away the guilt from our hearts, through the merits of his Son. Oh, how merciful is our God! And now behold, since it has been as much as we could do to get our stains taken away from us, and our swords are made bright, let us hide them away that they may be kept bright, as a testimony to our God at the last day, or at the day that we shall be brought to stand before him to be judged, that we have not stained our swords in the blood of our brethren since he imparted his word unto us and has made us clean thereby. And now, my brethren, if our brethren seek to destroy us, behold, we will hide away our swords, yea, even we will bury them deep in the earth, that they may be kept bright, as a testimony that we have never used them, at the last day; and if our brethren destroy us, behold, we shall ago to our God and shall be saved. And now it came to pass that when the king had made an end of these sayings, and all the people were assembled together, they took their swords, and all the weapons which were used for the shedding of man’s blood, and they did abury them up deep in the earth. And this they did, it being in their view a testimony to God, and also to men, that they never would use weapons again for the shedding of man’s blood; and this they did, vouching and covenanting with God, that rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up their own lives; and rather than take away from a brother they would give unto him; and rather than spend their days in idleness they would labor abundantly with their hands."

Some verses with a thought booklet tell us that no one is without sin. No one is always righteous and seeks God all the time. Because we're all imperfect, we all have need of a Savior and we all have need to repent. Rom. 3: 10-12 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the away, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one."

In the New Testament I read that the saints will live and reign with Christ during the Millennium. What a wonderful time this will be for the righteous! The second death will have no power over them. Rev. 20:4-6 "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."

In the Book of Mormon I read about how the Anti Nephi Lehies made a covenant with the Lord that they would never again shed the blood of man and as a token of this covenant they buried their swords in the earth, to witness that they would not use them to kill anyone else. They said they'd rather die themselves than again stain their swords with the blood of other people. They were very grateful that they'd been able to repent of the murders they'd committed and be forgiven, through the atonement of Jesus Christ, and they didn't want to bring back that guilt upon themselves ever again by committing more murders. Alma 24: 10, 15-18 "And I also thank my God, yea, my great God, that he hath granted unto us that we might repent of these things, and also that he hath forgiven us of those our many sins and murders which we have committed, and taken away the guilt from our hearts, through the merits of his Son. Oh, how merciful is our God! And now behold, since it has been as much as we could do to get our stains taken away from us, and our swords are made bright, let us hide them away that they may be kept bright, as a testimony to our God at the last day, or at the day that we shall be brought to stand before him to be judged, that we have not stained our swords in the blood of our brethren since he imparted his word unto us and has made us clean thereby. And now, my brethren, if our brethren seek to destroy us, behold, we will hide away our swords, yea, even we will bury them deep in the earth, that they may be kept bright, as a testimony that we have never used them, at the last day; and if our brethren destroy us, behold, we shall ago to our God and shall be saved. And now it came to pass that when the king had made an end of these sayings, and all the people were assembled together, they took their swords, and all the weapons which were used for the shedding of man’s blood, and they did abury them up deep in the earth. And this they did, it being in their view a testimony to God, and also to men, that they never would use weapons again for the shedding of man’s blood; and this they did, vouching and covenanting with God, that rather than shed the blood of their brethren they would give up their own lives; and rather than take away from a brother they would give unto him; and rather than spend their days in idleness they would labor abundantly with their hands."

Some verses with a thought booklet tell us that no one is without sin. No one is always righteous and seeks God all the time. Because we're all imperfect, we all have need of a Savior and we all have need to repent. Rom. 3: 10-12 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the away, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one."

In the New Testament I read that Satan will be bound during the Millennium. Rev. 20: 1-3 "And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season."

In the Book of Mormon I read about how the people became converted to the Lord, laid down their weapons of war so that they would no longer fight against God or their brethren, and became a righteous people. How wonderful that people can change and become converted to the Lord, becoming totally new people. Alma 23: 7-8 "For they became a righteous people; they did lay down the weapons of their rebellion, that they did not fight against God any more, neither against any of their brethren. Now, these are they who were converted unto the Lord:"

A verse with a thought booklet tells us to be totally honest with one another, putting away lying and speaking the truth to every man. Eph. 4: 25 "Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another."