Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon I read how blessed and enlightened the Nephites had been and how the Lord had healed them and protected them and given them many spiritual gifts.  But that if they turned from the Lord and rejected Him after being so highly favored by Him, they would be worse off than the Lamanites because they were transgressing against greater light and knowledge. Alma 9:20-23 "Yea, after having been such a highly favored people of the Lord; yea, after having been favored above every other nation, kindred, tongue, or people; after having had all things made known unto them, according to their desires, and their faith, and prayers, of that which has been, and which is, and which is to come; Having been visited by the Spirit of God; having conversed with angels, and having been spoken unto by the voice of the Lord; and having the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and also many gifts, the gift of speaking with tongues, and the gift of preaching, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the gift of translation; Yea, and after having been delivered of God out of the land of Jerusalem, by the hand of the Lord; having been saved from famine, and from sickness, and all manner of diseases of every kind; and they having waxed strong in battle, that they might not be destroyed; having been brought out of bondage time after time, and having been kept and preserved until now; and they have been prospered until they are rich in all manner of things— And now behold I say unto you, that if this people, who have received so many blessings from the hand of the Lord, should transgress contrary to the light and knowledge which they do have, I say unto you that if this be the case, that if they should fall into transgression, it would be far more tolerable for the Lamanites than for them."

In the Old Testament I read that the Lord chose wise hearted men to work on the tabernacle--men He had given wisdom and understanding to so they would know how to do the work.  When the Lord commands us to do something, He'll give us the understanding we need to be able to accomplish it.  Exodus 36:1 "Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the Lord put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the Lord had commanded."

A verse with a thought booklet tells us that when we have a problem with another person, we need to go to that person and tell him his fault privately, just between the two of you.  This is a much better solution than talking about them behind their back, fuming silently and building up resentment against them, or simply avoiding them thereafter.  We might be able to save our relationship with them by simply discussing our problems with them in a kind and loving way.  And we might be able to encourage them to become better people in the process.  Matthew 18:15 "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother."
-------------------------------------------