Daily Thoughts

In the D&C we read about how the Lord will separate the wheat from the tares.  The wheat, or the righteous people, will be gathered together and secured to receive eternal life;  and the tares, or the wicked people, will be burned. D&C 101:65-66 " Therefore, I must gather together my people, according to the parable of the wheat and the tares, that the wheat may be secured in the garners to possess eternal life, and be crowned with celestial glory, when I shall come in the kingdom of my Father to reward every man according as his work shall be; While the tares shall be bound in bundles, and their bands made strong, that they may be burned with unquenchable fire."

We've been reading the story of Jonah in the Old Testament.  Continuing on, we read that Jonah, having been swallowed by the big fish, prayed to the Lord.  And the Lord caused the fish to vomit up Jonah.  He then does go to the city of Nineveh and cries repentance unto them.  They repent and are spared from being destroyed.  Jonah 2:1-2, 10; 3:1-10 "Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly,  And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land. And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying,  Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.  So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey. And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.  And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.  Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not."

In some verses from a thought booklet we read about how the disciples were so busy waiting tables, or helping the poor and widows, that they didn't have time to pray and further the ministry.  So they were told to find seven men who were full of the Spirit and wisdom to take on some of those responsibilities. We each have our own talents and abilities.  Some require education, some require time and love, some require artistic talents.  We can all work together with our respective abilities to further the work of the Lord.  Each task is important.  Even things that might seem trivial like stuffing envelopes, visiting a shut-in, or baking a batch of cookies can make a difference.  Our "little abilities" are vital to furthering God's Kingdom.  We can all contribute.  Acts 6:1-7 "And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.  But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.  And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith."