In the Old Testament I read how Moses died without being able to go into the promised land, even though he could see the land before him. This was because he tresspassed against the Lord when he brought water forth out of the rock but did not sanctify the Lord to the children of Israel when he did it. Deut. 32:48-52 "And the Lord spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying, Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession:And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people: Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-bKadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel. Yet thou shalt see the land before thee; but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel."

In the Book of Mormon I read Mormon's description of how King Benjamin, a righteous and holy man, was able to rid the land of false Christs and false prophets and speak to the people with much power and authority, teaching them the word of God, and laboring with all his might to bring them unto Christ and establish peace in the land. King Benjamin, along with other holy men who worked with him, were able to make wonderful changes in the land by helping the people to repent. We likewise need to follow their examples and help bring changes into our wicked world, to the best of our ability. W of M 1: 15-18 "And it came to pass that after there had been false Christs, and their mouths had been shut, and they punished according to their crimes; And after there had been false prophets, and false preachers and teachers among the people, and all these having been punished according to their crimes; and after there having been much contention and many dissensions away unto the Lamanites, behold, it came to pass that king Benjamin, with the assistance of the holy prophets who were among his people— For behold, king Benjamin was a holy man, and he did reign over his people in righteousness; and there were many holy men in the land, and they did speak the word of God with power and with authority; and they did use much sharpness because of the stiffneckedness of the people— Wherefore, with the help of these, king Benjamin, by laboring with all the might of his body and the faculty of his whole soul, and also the prophets, did once more establish peace in the land."

A verse with a thought booklet gives us a wonderful example of faith and obedience. When Abraham was called to go to a land to receive his inheritence, he went, even though he did not know where he was going. When we're called to do something--even something that's unfamiliar and scary to us--do we just go ahead and do it? Do we keep moving forward even though we can't see clearly where we're going? If the Lord is leading us, we need to follow His guidance and be willing to go wherever He leads. Heb. 11: 8 "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went."

In the Old Testament I read how the Lord was angry with Israel because of their wickedness and He was going to burn them in the lowest hell and heap mischiefs upon them. Deut. 32:20-26 "And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation. For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains. I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them. They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust. The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with the man of gray hairs. I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men:"


In the Book of Mormon I read a powerful verse that admonishes us to come unto Christ, offering up our whole souls as an offering unto the Lord, continuing in fasting and prayer and enduring to the end. If we do these things, we'll be able to partake of the Lord's power of redemption and we'll be saved. Omni 1: 26 "And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved."

In a verse with a thought booklet we read about how David's evil actions caused the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. In fact, because of this the Lord was going to punish David by having his child die. How good are we at being examples of true followers of Jesus Christ? Do our lives show that we are true Christians or when people see how we act, do they form a bad opinion of what we're supposed to represent? I had to laugh at a story of a man who was driving like a maniac because he was late for church, cutting off cars and swearving around them. Then just before he got to church he realized how bad it would look to turn into the church parking lot and have the people in the cars who had witnessed his terrible driving think poorly of his church when they saw him pulling in. He then drove several blocks before turning back to the church just so no one who saw his bad driving would know he belonged to that church. We need to make sure that our actions are good examples of how a true disciple of Christ should behave. Then, no matter who is watching us, we have no reason to be ashamed or give cause for other people to think, "Boy if that is how a Christian acts, I want no part of it!" 2 Sam. 12: 14 "Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die."

In the Old Testament I read how the Lord told Moses that after his death, the people would break their covenants and go whoring after other gods, which would anger the Lord greatly and bring His judgments upon them. Deut. 31:16-21, 27-29 "And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them. Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us? And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods. Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel. For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant. And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware. For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the Lord; and how much more after my death? Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them. For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands."

I read in the Book of Mormon that Mosiah was warned by the Lord to flea into the wilderness and take all those with him who would go. He heeded this warning and was willing to hearken to the voice of the Lord and be led by preachings and prophesyings. As a result the people were led through the wilderness by the power of the arm of God. Omni 1: 12-13 "Behold, I am Amaleki, the son of Abinadom. Behold, I will speak unto you somewhat concerning Mosiah, who was made king over the land of Zarahemla; for behold, he being warned of the Lord that he should flee out of the land of Nephi, and as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord should also depart out of the land with him, into the wilderness—And it came to pass that he did according as the Lord had commanded him. And they departed out of the land into the wilderness, as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord; and they were led by many preachings and prophesyings. And they were admonished continually by the word of God; and they were led by the power of his arm, through the wilderness until they came down into the land which is called the land of Zarahemla."

A verse with a thought booklet tells a similar story of someone being warned to flea--Joseph was warned by an angel in a dream that he must take Mary and Joseph and flea into Egypt for safety. He heeded this advice and the young child Jesus was protected from the wicked Herod who killed all the male children. Do we heed spiritual promptings as they come to us? Are we atuned to receive spiritual guidance in our lives? If so, we too can receive warnings that might save our lives. We need to live our lives so that we can receive guidance from the Spirit and then we need to listen to whatever those promptings tell us to do. Matt. 2: 13 "And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him."

In the Old Testament I read that Moses told Joshua not to be afraid for the Lord would be with the Israelits and go before them. We can be strong and of good courage knowing the Lord won't forsake us. Deut. 31:6-8 "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed."

In the Book of Mormon I read that the people were very hard in their hearts, blind in their minds, and stiff in their necks when it came to the things of the Lord. However, not all the people were like this--some received revelations from the Lord through their faith and had communion with the Holy Spirit. Even if we live in a wicked world where few people hearken to the voice of the Lord, we can still have faith and still receive the fruits of the Spirit. Jarom 1: 3-4 "Behold, it is expedient that much should be done among this people, because of the hardness of their hearts, and the deafness of their ears, and the blindness of their minds, and the stiffness of their necks; nevertheless, God is exceedingly merciful unto them, and has not as yet swept them off from the face of the land. And there are many among us who have many revelations, for they are not all stiffnecked. And as many as are not stiffnecked and have faith, have communion with the Holy Spirit, which maketh manifest unto the children of men, according to their faith."

Some verses with a thought booklet are David's prayer that the Lord would hear his voice, saying he was directing his prayers unto the Lord and looking up to Him. Ps. 5: 1-3 "Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.The thought that went with this, written by Elaine L. Bridge from Hamilton, Ohio says: One of my son's former high school classmates asked me recently how my son was enjoying college life. I had to tell her that he was so incredibly busy that he rarely spoke to me anymore. It's sad to think that I spend more quality time with his laundry these days than I do with him! I miss the times when we talked more frequently about things that are going on in his life. How often does God feel the same way about us? Many of us have become so busy with the affairs of life that we rarely come to God except to make a request or to wash our dirty clothes, asking forgiveness for something we've done. Gone are the days when we sat with the Lord merely to chat about our lives or to get his opinion on some situation we may be dealing with. While God is happy to provide what we need, how God must miss the open communication he once enjoyed with his child! It's wonderfrul to know that God is even more eager than I am to get our chat time back.

In the Old Testament I read about the choice placed before the people--they could obey the Lord and keep His commandments and they would be blessed beyond measure; or they could turn their hearts away from the Lord and worship other gods and they could be cursed. It's a choice between life and death. We can all choose between good and evil, loving the Lord with all our hearts or setting our hearts upon other things. What choice will we make? Deut. 30:15-20 "See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."

In the Book of Mormon I read the wonderful story of how Enos turned to Lord in mighty prayer--all day and all night long, and received forgiveness for his sins, because of his faith in Jesus Christ, whom his father had taught him about. There are a couple of things I learned from these verses. First, that if parents faithfully teach the gospel to their children, you never know when those children will finally take these teachings to heart and come unto the Lord, even if they seem to reject them for a time. And secondly, we can't just go to the Lord with a half hearted effort in prayer and expept an answer. Sometimes it takes mightly and continued prayer and much effort on our part. But if we'll have faith in Jesus Christ, we can be forgiven for our sins and the Lord will hear our prayers. Enos 1: 1-8 "Behold, it came to pass that I, Enos, knowing my father that he was a just man—for he taught me in his language, and also in the nurture and admonition of the Lord—and blessed be the name of my God for it— And I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God, before I received a remission of my sins. Behold, I went to hunt beasts in the forests; and the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart. And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens. And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed. And I, Enos, knew that God acould not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away. And I said: Lord, how is it done? And he said unto me: Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen. And many years pass away before he shall manifest himself in the flesh; wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole."


A verse with a thought booklet reminds us that everything created by God is good and nothing should be rejected, provided it is received with thanksgiving. We all have much to be grateful for and if we receive what God has given us with thankful hearts, it generates happiness in our lives. Starting each day with an attitude of graditute sets a positive tone for the day and attracts good experiences. Closing the day expressing our thanks to God brings to our memories all the things that have occurred that day that we have to be grateful for. We can more clearly see the constant flow of God's good in our lives. Tim. 4: 4 "For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:"

In the Old Testament I read again that if the people would keep the commandments of the Lord, they would be blessed. This is repeated over and over again. Deut. 30:8-10 "And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the Lord, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day. And the Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the Lord will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers: If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul."

In the Book of Mormon I read about a wicked man named Sherem who denied Christ and went about teaching people false doctrines according to the power of the devil, hoping to shake their faith. He used much flattery and had a perfect knowledge of how to use persuasive language. He was able to lead many people astray. However, he could not sway Jacob, who had unshakable faith. The Lord poured out His Spirit on Jacob who was able to confound Sherem in all his words. Sherem is very much like many people today--people who seem knowledgable and intellegent, but who seek to shake our faith. Are we persuaded by them, or are we like Jacob with unshakable faith, full of the Spirit and able to confound them in their words? Jacob 7: 1-8 "And now it came to pass after some years had passed away, there came a man among the people of Nephi, whose name was Sherem. And it came to pass that he began to preach among the people, and to declare unto them that there should be no Christ. And he preached many things which were flattering unto the people; and this he did that he might overthrow the doctrine of Christ. And he labored diligently that he might lead away the hearts of the people, insomuch that he did lead away many hearts; and he knowing that I, Jacob, had faith in Christ who should come, he sought much opportunity that he might come unto me. And he was learned, that he had a perfect knowledge of the language of the people; wherefore, he could use much flattery, and much power of speech, according to the power of the devil. And he had hope to shake me from the faith, notwithstanding the many revelations and the many things which I had seen concerning these things; for I truly had seen angels, and they had ministered unto me. And also, I had heard the voice of the Lord speaking unto me in very word, from time to time; wherefore, I could not be shaken. And it came to pass that he came unto me, and on this wise did he speak unto me, saying: Brother Jacob, I have sought much opportunity that I might speak unto you; for I have heard and also know that thou goest about much, preaching that which ye call the gospel, or the doctrine of Christ. And ye have led away much of this people that they pervert the right way of God, and keep not the law of Moses which is the right way; and convert the law of Moses into the worship of a being which ye say shall come many hundred years hence. And now behold, I, Sherem, declare unto you that this is blasphemy; for no man knoweth of such things; for he cannot tell of things to come. And after this manner did Sherem contend against me. But behold, the Lord God poured in his Spirit into my soul, insomuch that I did confound him in all his words."

A verse with a thought booklet tells us that it is the will of God that we should give thanks in all things. This doesn't just tell us to give thanks for the good and pleasant things in our lives, but we should give thanks in ALL things. Even trials and difficulties can be great blessings in our lives. It's not an easy thing to be thankful for them, but this is something that the Lord has asked us to do. 1 Thes. 5: 18 "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

In the Old Testament I read that if the land was destroyed through plagues and sicknesses and burned like Sodom and Gomorrah to beinc brimstone, people could look upon it in years to come and know that it was because the Lord was angry with the people for forsaking Him after all He had done for them. They had worshipped idols instead of the true God, so they received the wrath of God. Deut. 29:22-28 "So that the generation to come of your children that shall rise up after you, and the stranger that shall come from a far land, shall say, when they see the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses which the Lord hath laid upon it; And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the Lord overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath: 4 Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath the Lord bdone thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger? Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt: For they went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had not given unto them: And the anger of the Lord was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book: And the Lord rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day."

In the Book of Mormon I read that those who reject the words of the prophets concerning Christ and make a mock of the great plan of redemption, will quench the Holy Spirit and will stand with shame and awful built before the bar of God. They will go away into a lake of fire and brimstone and receive endless torment. Sounds awful! How very important that we repent while there is still time! Jacob 6: 8-10 "Behold, will ye reject these words? Will ye reject the words of the prophets; and will ye reject all the words which have been spoken concerning Christ, after so many have spoken concerning him; and deny the good word of Christ, and the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and quench the Holy Spirit, and make a mock of the great plan of redemption, which hath been laid for you? Know ye not that if ye will do these things, that the power of the redemption and the resurrection, which is in Christ, will bring you to stand with shame and awful guilt before the bar of God? And according to the power of justice, for justice cannot be denied, ye must go away into that lake of fire and brimstone, whose flames are unquenchable, and whose smoke ascendeth up forever and ever, which lake of fire and brimstone is endless torment."

I read a familiar verse in conjuction with a thought booklet--that God loves us so much that He gave His Only Begotten Son, providing a way for us to receive everlasting life. John 3: 16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

In the Old Testament we're told of the many wonderful things that the Lord did for the children of Israel--bringing them out of Egypt with great signs and miracles, preserving their clothing for 40 years in the wilderness, giving them food to eat, helping them in battle. With all the things the Lord had done for them, all they needed to do was keep their covenant to obey the Lord and He would prosper them. Deut. 29: 2-9 "And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles: Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day. And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot. Ye have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink: that ye might know that I am the Lord your God. And when ye came unto this place, Sihon the king of Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, came out against us unto battle, and we smote them: And we took their land, and gave it for an inheritance unto the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half tribe of Manasseh. Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do."

In the Book of Mormon I read that the Lord is merciful to all those who will not harden their hearts against Him. We need to repent with full purpose of heart and cleave unto the Lord while His arm of mercy is extended toward us. Jacob 6: 4-5 "And how merciful is our God unto us, for he remembereth the house of Israel, both roots and branches; and he stretches forth his hands unto them all the day long; and they are a stiffnecked and a gainsaying people; but as many as will not harden their hearts shall be saved in the kingdom of God. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of soberness that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you. And while his arm of mercy is extended towards you in the light of the day, harden not your hearts."

Some verses with a thought booklet tell us to be joyful and thankful unto the Lord, and serve Him with gladness. He doesn't always give us what we want, but He gives us what we need and what will be best for us in the eternal scheme of things. Sometimes we're like the child on Christmas morning--opening up a brightly wrapped present with excitement hoping for a fun toy to play with, but are disappointed to get a pair of socks instead. But we wear the socks and are feet are kept warm on many a day in the future. The socks are what we needed, but we didn't receive them with graditude because they weren't what we were hoping for. Let's not have that attitude when receiving gifts from God. Benjamin Franklin once said, "If a man had half his wishes, he would double his troubles." Let's be grateful for all the Lord gives us and trust in Him that He knows what's best for us. Ps. 100: 1-2 "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing."

Yesterday in the Old Testament we read about all the blessings the Lord would give to those who kept His commandments. Today we read about all the cursings He would send to those who don't obey His commandments. They would be smitten and destroyed; they would have diseases, plagues, and oppression. Fierce nations would enslave them, they would eat their own children, and they would be scattered among all nations. Sounds terrible! It makes you ask yourself why anyone would choose to not obey the Lord. Makes no sense when you consider that those who keep the commandments will be so abundantly blessed but those who break them will receive such terrible punishments! Deut. 28:15-68 "But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store. Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out. The Lord shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me. The Lord shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it. The Lord shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish. And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron. The Lord shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed. The Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth. And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away. The Lord will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed. The Lord shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart: And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee. Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof. Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof: thine ass shall be violently taken away from before thy face, and shall not be restored to thee: thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies, and thou shalt have none to rescue them. Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long: and there shall be no might in thine hand. The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway: So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. The Lord shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head. The Lord shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone. And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nation s whither the Lord shall lead thee. Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it. Thou shalt plant vineyards, and dress them, but shalt neither drink of the wine, nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them. Thou shalt have olive trees throughout all thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil; for thine olive shall cast his fruit. Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity. All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume. The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low. He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail. Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee: And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever. Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee. The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from afar, from the bend of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand; A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young: And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed thee. And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the Lord thy God hath given thee. And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the Lord thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee: So that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave: So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he hath nothing left him in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates. The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter, And toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates. If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD; Then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance. Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee. Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the Lord bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed. And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the Lord thy God. And it shall come to pass, that as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it. And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone. And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life: In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. And the Lord shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you."

In the Book of Mormon I read that the Lord likened the way He tried to nourish the House of Israel to a master of a vineyard who pruned a decaying olive tree, dug around it, and nourished it, in an attempt to save the tree. Jacob 5: 3-5 "For behold, thus saith the Lord, I will liken thee, O house of Israel, like unto a tame olive-tree, which a man took and nourished in his vineyard; and it grew, and waxed old, and began to decay. And it came to pass that the master of the vineyard went forth, and he saw that his olive-tree began to decay; and he said: I will prune it, and dig about it, and nourish it, that perhaps it may shoot forth young and tender branches, and it perish not. And it came to pass that he pruned it, and digged about it, and nourished it according to his word."

Some scriptures with a thought booklet tell us that Jesus' disciples asked Him to increase their faith. He told them they didn't need more faith but simply needed to act on the faith that they had. He told them that even if they had a very small amount of faith--as small as a mustard seed, if they applied that faith they could move a sycamine tree and plant it in the sea. If we think we don't have enough faith, we need to remember that even a very small amount of faith is all it takes to work miracles, as long as we apply that faith.

In the Old Testament I read that if the Israelites would hearken to the commandments of the Lord and keep them, they would be greatly blessed both temporaly and spiritually. Deut. 28:1-14 "And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in ball that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the cland which the Lord thy God giveth thee. The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways. And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee. And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers to give thee. The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them."

In the Book of Mormon I read that prophets all down throught he ages prophecied of Christ and had a hope of His glory. They knew of Christ many hundreds of years before His coming. Jacob 4: 4 "For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us."

Some verses with a thought booklet tell us that our afflictions are light and but for a moment, and they'll help us gain an eternal weight of glory. The things we can see are temporal but the things we can't see are eternal. Sometimes it's easy to get bogged down with our afflictions which are very apparent to us. But we need to remember the eternal glory which awaits us, even though it's not something we can readily see at the present time. We need to have faith and trust the Lord, that all our tribulations will strengthen us and be for our good in the eternal scheme of things. What we see is temporary but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Cor. 4: 17-18 "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."

In the Old Testament I read that the Isralites are the Lord's people and if they don't obey Him, they'll be cursed. Several things were mentioned that the people would be cursed for if they did and all the people said Amen. Deut. 27: 9-10, 15-26 "And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God. Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the Lord thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day. Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen. Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour’s landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way. And all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed be he that lieth with his father’s wife; because he uncovereth his father’s skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law. And all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen."

In the Book of Mormon I read that some of the people had become rich in the land of promise and they were lifted up in pride--thinking they were better than other people who were less wealthy than they were. In this they did greatly sin. We need to think of others like unto ourselves and be free with our substance so they can be rich like unto us. We should seek the Kingdom of God before we seek for riches, and we should only seek for riches with the intent to do good--to clothe the naked and feed the hungry. The pride in our hearts can destroy our souls if we allow it to! Jacob 2: 12-19 "And now behold, my brethren, this is the word which I declare unto you, that many of you have begun to search for gold, and for silver, and for all manner of precious ores, in the which this land, which is a land of promise unto you and to your seed, doth abound most plentifully. And the hand of providence hath smiled upon you most pleasingly, that you have obtained many riches; and because some of you have obtained more abundantly than that of your brethren ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts, and wear stiff necks and high heads because of the costliness of your apparel, and persecute your brethren because ye suppose that ye are better than they. And now, my brethren, do ye suppose that God justifieth you in this thing? Behold, I say unto you, Nay. But he condemneth you, and if ye persist in these things his judgments must speedily come unto you. O that he would show you that he can pierce you, and with one glance of his eye he can smite you to the dust! O that he would rid you from this iniquity and abomination. And, O that ye would listen unto the word of his commands, and let not this pride of your hearts destroy your souls! Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you. But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted."

A verse from a thought booklet tells of David's prayer that both the words of his mouth and the meditations of his heart would be acceptable in the sight of the Lord. This is something we all could pray for--that our words and the things we think about will be acceptable in the sight of God. And if our thoughts are right, our actions will also be right. Ps. 19: 14 "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer."

In the Old Testament I read that Israel should cross Jordan, build an altar, make offerings, and worship the Lord. They should keep the commandments. Deut. 27: 1-7 "And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day. And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with plaister: And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee. Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaister them with plaister. And there shalt thou build an altar unto the Lord thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them. Thou shalt build the altar of the Lord thy God of whole stones: and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the Lord thy God: And thou shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before the Lord thy God."

In the Book of Mormon I read that we must pray always. Before we do anything unto the Lord we need to pray first, that our performance will be consecreated unto the Lord and will be for the welfare of our souls. Satan teaches men that they should not pray, but we need to not listen to him. Instead we should listen to the Holy Spirit which teaches men that they should pray. 2 Ne. 32: 8-9 "And now, my beloved brethren, I perceive that ye ponder still in your hearts; and it grieveth me that I must speak concerning this thing. For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the devil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray. But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul."

A verse with a thought booklet tells us that the very heavens declare the glory of God and the earth declares His handiwork. How can anyone not believe in God when all you have to do is look around you at the beautiful world that He created, and it testifies of His existance. If you found a beautiful painting in the middle of a dessert would you think that it had just "happene" or created itself? Of course not! You would know that somewhere there was a painter who had created it. So how can you look at the world, which is a zillion times more complex than a painting, and not know that someone created it? Ps. 19: 1 "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork."

In the Old Testament I read about how the Israelites covenanted with the Lord to keep His commandments and the Lord in turned promised them that He would make them a holy people and a great nation. Deut. 26:16-19 "This day the Lord thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice: And the Lord hath vouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments; And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken."

In the Book of Mormon I read that after we're on the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life, all is not done. We need to continue on that path with unshaken faith in our Redeemer and endure to the end. We need to press forward with steadfastness in Christ and feast upon His word. If we do these things, we'll have eternal life. 2 Ne. 31: 19-20 "And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."


In a thought booklet I read some scriptures that tell us that as God's chosen and beloved ones, we need to exhibit mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, and we need to be forgiving and patient with other people. Just as Christ forgave us, we need to follow His example and forgive others. Col. 3: 12-13 "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye."

In the Old Testament I read about how the Israelites were sorely afflicted by the Egyptians and were in bondage to them, but they cried unto the Lord who heard their prayers and through signs, wonders and miracles, brought them out of Egypt--giving them a land flowing with milk and honey. What great blessings they had to be grateful for. Deut. 26: 6-9 "And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage: And when we cried unto the Lord God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression: And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders: And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey."

In the Book of Mormon I read Nephi's prophecy about John the Baptist baptizing Jesus Christ. If Jesus, who was holy needed to be baptized, how much do we, who are unholy have need to be baptized? Baptism is a necessary ordinance that we all need. 2 Ne. 31: 4-5 "Wherefore, I would that ye should remember that I have spoken unto you concerning that prophet which the Lord showed unto me, that should baptize the Lamb of God, which should take away the sins of the world. And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!"

Some verses with a thought booklet tell us that if we keep the commandments, we'll abide in the Lord's love and our joy will be full. And the most important commandment we can keep is to love one another, as Jesus has loved us. John 15: 10-12 "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you."

In the Old Testament I read some verses that describe how when harvesting crops, if something is left unharvested, it is to be left for the poor, the stranger or the orphen. Deut. 24:19-21 "When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the awidow: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands. When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow."

In the Book of Mormon I read that the Lord speaks to more nations than one. He spoke to the Jews who wrote the Bible and He spoke to the Nephites who wrote the Book of Mormon, and the two nations together can both bear testimony of Jesus Christ. Just because we have a Bible doesn't mean that it contains ALL the words of God--more can and was written by other peoples, and they are the words of God also. God does speak during one time period and then stop talking. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever, and we need His words today just as much as the ancient people did. 2 Ne. 29: 8-10 "Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also. And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever. Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written."

Some verses with a thought booklet tells us that the Lord is our strength and we have no need to fear. We can be confident even when the wicked rise up against us, as long as we have the Lord on our side. Ps. 27: 1-3 "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident."

In the Old Testament I read a verse that tells us that a father shall not be put to death for the sin of his child, nor a child put to death for the sin of his father; every person should be punished for their own sins. Deut. 24:16 "The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin."

In the Book of Mormon I read that we must be stirred up unto repentance of the devil will grasph us in everlasting chains. He stirs up the hearts of men to anger against that which is good. Others he pacifies, whispering to them that all is well and there's nothing to worry about so they can just continue on with their life of sin in peace. Others he flatters and tells them that there is to devil and no hell. He leads their souls carefully down to hell. Satan has all kinds of tactics--different things that work with different people. Let's make sure that none of his tactics work on us! 2 Ne. 28: 19-22 "For the kingdom of the devil must shake, and they which belong to it must needs be stirred up unto repentance, or the devil will grasp them with his everlasting chains, and they be stirred up to anger, and perish; For behold, at that day shall he rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good. And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell. And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell ; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none—and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance."

A verse with a thought booklet tells us that we can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. Sometimes we decide which way we want to go, but the Lord has a different path in mind for us. We need to be willing to accept the destination and path the Lord wants for us--it is a better way than anything we could imagine. Prov. 16: 9 "A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps."