Daily Thoughts

In the D&C we read that our prayers are heard and the Lord knows the desires of our hearts.  The heavens and the earth are in the Lord's hands and the riches of eternity are His to give.  But if we have fear in our hearts, that may prevent us from receiving the blessings that are offered to us.  D&C 67:1-3 "Behold and hearken, O ye elders of my church, who have assembled yourselves together, whose prayers I have heard, and whose hearts I know, and whose desires have come up before me. Behold and lo, mine eyes are upon you, and the heavens and the earth are in mine hands, and the riches of eternity are mine to give. Ye endeavored to believe that ye should receive the blessing which was offered unto you; but behold, verily I say unto you there were fears in your hearts, and verily this is the reason that ye did not receive."

In the Old Testament we read that even though the Lord showed signs and wonders to the people, bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt and giving them a land of milk and honey, they refused to obey His voice or keep His commandments.  So they brought evil upon themselves.  The Lord has given great blessings to each of us.  Do we respond the same way as the children of Israel--by refusing to keep His commandments?  If so, we will eventually reap the punishments we deserve.  Jeremiah 32:20-23 "Which hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even unto this day, and in Israel, and among other men; and hast made thee a name, as at this day;  And hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror;  And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey; And they came in, and possessed it; but they obeyed not thy voice, neither walked in thy law; they have done nothing of all that thou commandedst them to do: therefore thou hast caused all this evil to come upon them:"

A verse with a thought booklet emphasizes the importance of each person to the Lord.  A parable is told of a woman who lost a coin and searched until she found it, then called her friends together to rejoice with her because we had recovered the lost coin.  So likewise do the angels rejoice when one sinner repents.  Each of us is precious in the sight of God and He seeks after everyone who is lost, rejoicing when they are found.  Luke 15:8-10 "Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."