Daily Thoughts

In the Old Testament I read the words of Nehemiah who fasted and prayed for the Jews at Jerusalem, mourning for them and realizing that they had sinned and needed to repent. Neh. 1: 4-11 "And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven, And said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments: Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned. We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses. Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there. Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand. O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer."

In the D&C it says that those who were slain in Missouri who were pure in heart will be saved. Indeed, all the righteous throughout the ages who were persecuted and killed will receive salvation in the life to come. D&C 124: 54 "For I am the Lord your God, and will save all those of your brethren who have been pure in heart, and have been slain in the land of Missouri, saith the Lord."

A verse with a thought booklet tells us that when our faith is tried, it helps us develop patience. When we go through trials that put our faith to the test, these can actually strengthen us and help us to grow and become better people. James 1: 3 "Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience."



-------------------------------------------------