Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that after Nephi had spoken to the people his father Lehi also spoke to them, reminding them of the great things the Lord had done for them in bringing them out from Jerusalem. He recounted to them how rebellious them were but how the Lord had spared their lives and prevented them from being swallowed up in the ocean. Lehi told them that he had seen in vision that Jerusalem had been destroyed, but they had been lead to a land of promise.  Those who came to this land would be lead here by the Lord. 2 Nephi 1:1-6 "And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end of teaching my brethren, our father, Lehi, also spake many things unto them, and rehearsed unto them, how great things the Lord had done for them in bringing them out of the land of Jerusalem. And he spake unto them concerning their rebellions upon the waters, and the mercies of God in sparing their lives, that they were not swallowed up in the sea.  And he also spake unto them concerning the land of promise, which they had obtained—how merciful the Lord had been in warning us that we should flee out of the land of Jerusalem.  For, behold, said he, I have seen a vision, in which I know that Jerusalem is destroyed; and had we remained in Jerusalem we should also have perished.  But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord. Wherefore, I, Lehi, prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord."

In the Old Testament we read that the Lord commanded Moses to drive out the inhabitants of the land because any remaining inhabitants would vex Israel.  Numbers 33:50-56 "And the Lord spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan; Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places: And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it.  And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: and to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance: every man's inheritance shall be in the place where his lot falleth; according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit.  But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.  Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them."

Some verses with a thought booklet tell about how God hears and answers our prayers and does not turn away His mercy from us.  We can tell everyone who will listen about the wonderful things the Lord has done for us.  Let's not keep these wonderful things to ourselves but share the good news with all about how the Lord hears and answers our prayer and will not turn us away.  Psalms 66:16, 19-20 "Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.  Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me."