Daily Thoughts

In the D&C we read that if parents have children in Zion and neglect to teach them the doctrines of repentance, faith in Christ, baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost, by the time they are 8 years old, the sin will be upon the heads of the parents.  What a weighty responsibility parents have to teach their children the gospel, and to teach them to pray and walk uprightly before the Lord. D&C 68:25-28 "And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents. For this shall be a law unto the inhabitants of Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized. And their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when eight years old, and receive the laying on of the hands.  And they shall also teach their children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord."

In the Old Testament we read that the Lord sent His servants the prophets to the people to call them to repentance and to admonish them to amend their ways and stop going after other gods and serving them. But they refused to hearken to the words of the prophets.  Because the Lord called them but they would not hear, the Lord pronounced evil against them.  If we don't obey, we suffer the consequences.  Jeremiah 35:15, 17 "I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them: because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered."

Some verses with a thought booklet teach us something about the Sabbath Day.  When Jesus healed a woman on the Sabbath Day, He was severely criticized, saying he had six ays to heal people and should not be doing it on the Sabbath Day.  However, He pointed out to these people that if they had an ox that needed watering, they would lead it away from its stall.  How much more important was it to heal this woman who had been afflicted for 18 years?  The Sabbath is a day to do good, not a day to do nothing.  In fact, many of us with church callings have much to do on the Sabbath Day, including teaching, counseling, and administering.  Luke 13:10-17 "And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.  The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?  And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him."