and sometimes didn't know what to feel. They were filled with joy at being
delivered from bondage and thinking about the goodness of God and His
power. But they were filled with sorrow and shed many tears over their
brethren
who had been slain by the Lamanites. And they were filled with pain and
anguish thinking of the welfare of the souls of the Lamanites who were in a
sinful and polluted state. I think it's true of all of us that we have
areas in
our lives to be full of gratitude for, and other areas that bring us sorrow
and pain. Mosiah 25:7-11 "And now, when Mosiah had made an end of reading
the records, his people who tarried in the land were struck with wonder and
amazement. For they knew not what to think; for when they beheld those that
had been delivered out of bondage they were filled with exceedingly great
joy. And again, when they thought of their brethren who had been slain by
the
Lamanites they were filled with sorrow, and even shed many tears of sorrow.
And again, when they thought of the immediate goodness of God, and his
power
in delivering Alma and his brethren out of the hands of the Lamanites and
of bondage, they did raise their voices and give thanks to God. And again,
when they thought upon the Lamanites, who were their brethren, of their
sinful
and polluted state, they were filled with pain and anguish for the welfare
of their souls."
In the Old Testament we read that after Israel finished blessing all his
twelve sons and told them he wanted to be buried in the cave in the field
of
Ephron the Hittite where Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah were buried, he
gave up the ghost and died. Genesis 49:28-33 "All these are the twelve
tribes
of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed
them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them. And he charged
them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with
my
fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, In the cave
that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of
Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a
possession of a buryingplace. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife;
there
they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah. The
purchase
of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth.
And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his
feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his
people."
Some verses with a thought booklet remind us that if we suffer or are
unjustly accused for being followers of Christ, we need to remember how
much
Christ suffered for our sins even though He was innocent. If evildoers
speak
evil of us, that is nothing compared to what Christ went through for us. We
need to forgive as He forgave, and be constantly prepared to give every man
who asks us a reason for our hope. 1 Peter 3:13-18 "And who is he that
will
harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer
for
righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror,
neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready
always
to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is
in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they
speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse
your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be
so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. For Christ also
hath
once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to
God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:"
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