Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon I read about how Nephi's brothers mocked him for trying to build a ship and said he was foolish to think he could accomplish so great a work as that. They refused to help him in the task. They also murmured and complained about having been lead out of the land of Jerusalem and said they would be so much better off if they'd stayed and been able to enjoy their nice things. They claimed that the people in Jerusalem were righteous and would not really have been destroyed like their father claimed. 1 Ne. 17: 17-22 "And when my brethren saw that I was about to build a ship, they began to murmur against me, saying: Our brother is a fool, for he thinketh that he can build a ship; yea, and he also thinketh that he can cross these great waters. And thus my brethren did complain against me, and were desirous that they might not labor, for they did not believe that I could build a ship; neither would they believe that I was instructed of the Lord. And now it came to pass that I, Nephi, was exceedingly sorrowful because of the hardness of their hearts; and now when they saw that I began to be sorrowful they were glad in their hearts, insomuch that they did rejoice over me, saying: We knew that ye could not construct a ship, for we knew that ye were lacking in judgment; wherefore, thou canst not accomplish so great a work. And thou art like unto our father, led away by the foolish imaginations of his heart; yea, he hath led us out of the land of Jerusalem, and we have wandered in the wilderness for these many years; and our women have toiled, being big with child; and they have borne children in the wilderness and suffered all things, save it were death; and it would have been better that they had died before they came out of Jerusalem than to have suffered these afflictions. Behold, these many years we have suffered in the wilderness, which time we might have enjoyed our possessions and the land of our inheritance; yea, and we might have been happy. And we know that the people who were in the land of Jerusalem were a righteous people; for they kept the statutes and judgments of the Lord, and all his commandments, according to the law of Moses; wherefore, we know that they are a righteous people; and our father hath judged them, and hath led us away because we would hearken unto his words; yea, and our brother is like unto him. And after this manner of language did my brethren murmur and complain against us."

In the New Testament I read that the gospel would be taken to the dead. This is what makes temple work so important. Those who had no opportunity to hear the gospel while they were alive can have that opportunity after they die. And they can also accept baptisms and other ordinances done in their behalf. John 5:25, 28 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,"

A verse with a thought booklet tells us that when we commit a sin, we become a servant of that sin. If we want to be free, we'll obey the commendments because sin enslaves us! John 8:34 "Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin."

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