Daily Thoughts

In the Old Testament I read about how Esther revealed to the king the wicked plot of Haman to have her people killed. The king was so angry that he had Haman hanged on the very gallows that Haman had prepared to have Mordecai hung on. Esth. 7: 1-10 "So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen. And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom. Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request: For we are sold , I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, balthough the enemy could not countervail the king's damage. Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so? And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen. And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the palace garden : and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king. Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face. And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon. So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified."

In the D&C I read that all who die without a knowledge of the gospel, who would have received it with all their heart had they been given the opportunity, will be heirs to the Celestial Kingdom. This is why baptism for the dead is so important--it allows these people to receive the necessary ordinance of baptism even though they had no opportunity to do so in this life. D&C 137: 7-10 "Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me, saying: All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God; Also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom; For I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts. And I also beheld that all children who die before they arrive at the years of accountability are saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven."

A verse with a thought booklet, from which one of our Articles of Faith is taken, tells us to keep our thoughts on things that are pure, lovely, virtuous, and worthy of praise. The thought that went with this, written by Hannah Beers from Ely, Minnesota says: I don't enjoy watching football. But I, and thousands of Americans like me, still watch the Superbowl for the commercials. It is estimated that a thirty second commercial slot during the 2008 Superbowl cost a company three million dollars. That's one hundred thousands dollars per second of covered air time. Why? Because these companies know that a memorable catch-phrase or a strategically placed image will be enough to convince thousands of people to buy their product. They understand that thought influences behavior. My thoughts in the morning affect my entire day. When I dwell on my complaints and stresses, my interactions with people suffer. I ignore the manifold blessings in my life: my health, relationships, the good weather, or opportunities I have. Every day is an undeserved gift from a merciful God. What response should I have but to start each day with thanksgiving and praise? Philip. 4: 8 "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."
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