Daily Thoughts

In the D&C we read that every man needs to learn his duty and act with all diligence in the office he's been called to.  If someone is slothful and does not put forth the effort to learn what their duty is, they won't be counted worthy to stand.  So if we receive a calling and don't know what we're supposed to be doing or don't understand our calling, it's our duty to learn what we're supposed to do and then be diligent in doing it.  Ignorance is no excuse!  D&C 107:99-100 "Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence. He that is slothful shall not be counted worthy to stand, and he that learns not his duty and shows himself not approved shall not be counted worthy to stand. Even so. Amen."

In the Old Testament we read how the Lord spoke through His prophets, telling the people to show mercy and compassion to their brethren and execute true judgment.  They should not oppress the widows or fatherless and have no evil in their hearts against anyone. However, this is not what the people wanted to hear and they refused to listen.  They would stop up their ears to avoid hearing, and made their hearts like stone.  Just as they refused to hearken to the prophets, so would God refuse to hearken to their prayers or listen to them when they cried.  Instead, he scattered them and made their land desolate.  Zechariah 7:8-13 "And the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother:  And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.  But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.  Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts.  Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the Lord of hosts:"

Some verses with a thought booklet illustrate how important it is for us to forgive others if we expect God to forgive us.  The parable is told of the servant who owed a tremendous debt--10,000 talents.  This would have amounted to 200,000 of a day laborer's wages and was a sum so large it could never be repaid. But the merciful king forgives this debt, and the servant is free! Similarly, the Lord's forgiveness of our sins frees us of guilt.  It is an enormous debt paid in full. But the parable continues by telling about how then this same servant who had been forgiven such a tremendous debt refused to forgive a fellow servant of a small debt owed to him.  This is similar to how we behave when we refuse to forgive others their trespasses against us.  When Peter asked Jesus if we should forgive those who sin against us seven times, Jesus replied that we are to forgive them 70 times seven times.  We are to forgive over and over again.  It's the least we can do if we expect the Lord to forgive us when we sin over and over again ourselves.  And if we from our hearts refuse to forgive others, we cannot expect compassion from God to forgive us. Matthew 18:21-35 "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.  And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.  And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.  And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses."