Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon I read that prophets were sent to the people to cry repentance unto them, but they hardened their hearts and refused to listen.  This caused the prophets to mourn and withdraw from them.  Ether 11:12-13 "And it came to pass that in the days of Ethem there came many prophets, and prophesied again unto the people; yea, they did prophesy that the Lord would utterly destroy them from off the face of the earth except they repented of their iniquities. And it came to pass that the people hardened their hearts, and would not hearken unto their words; and the prophets mourned and withdrew from among the people."

In the Old Testament we read that Nehemiah viewed the broken down walls of Jerusalem and how the city lied in waste. He decided to build up the walls again and knew that the Lord would be with him in that endeavor.  However, others opposed him in this work.  But he wasn't going to let that stop him.  He knew the Lord would prosper him.  Sometimes when we have a work to do which we know the Lord wants us to fulfill, others will try to discourage us.  We need to turn a deaf ear to them and go forth to do whatever we've been called to do.  Nehemiah 2:13-20 "And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire. Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass. Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned.  And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work. Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work. But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king? Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem."

In a scripture with a thought booklet we're reminded that if we lose our life for Christ's sake, we shall truly find it. But if we gain the whole world but lose our own soul, what will we have?  The Lord will richly reward us according to our works.  Sometimes we may feel overwhelmed with trying to serve and meet the needs of our family or others.  But it is in losing ourselves that we will find ourselves.  Nothing we could sacrifice could compare to what Christ sacrificed for us.  Matthew 16: 24-27 "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works."