Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon I read that Nephi was commanded to slay Laban so that he could get the plates. Nephi did not want to do this, but was reminded that it is better for one man to perish than that a whole nation should perish and dwindle in unbelief. 1 Ne. 4: 10-13 "And it came to pass that I was constrained by the Spirit that I should kill Laban; but I said in my heart: Never at any time have I shed the blood of man. And I shrunk and would that I might not slay him. And the Spirit said unto me again: Behold the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands. Yea, and I also knew that he had sought to take away mine own life; yea, and he would not hearken unto the commandments of the Lord; and he also had taken away our property. And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands; Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief."

In the New Testament I read that things that proceed out of our hearts defile us. Evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, etc. begin in our hearts. Matthew 15: 18-19 "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:"

Some verses with a thought booklet recount David's pleas with the Lord for forgiveness from his sins. We, too, can be washed clean from our sins so that we'll be whiter than snow. Because Christ atoned for our sins, we can be forgiven if we'll repent. The story is told of a little boy who went out and played in the mud. When his mother saw him she told him he didn't even look like her son, he was so covered in mud. But she took him inside and bathed him. When he was all clean she gave him a kiss and told him how much she loved him. He asked her if she still loved him even when he was dirty. She told him she still loved him even when he was filthy and even when he didn't look like her son. Doesn't Heavenly Father feel that way about each of us? He loves us even when we're so dirty from sin that we don't resemble His child. But if we'll allow Him to, He'll make us clean again so that we once more look like His child that we indeed are. Psalm 51:1-3, 7 "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."