Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read Israel will be gathered and will enjoy millennial rest.   2 Nephi 24:1-3 "For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land; and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. And the people shall take them and bring them to their place; yea, from far unto the ends of the earth; and they shall return to their lands of promise. And the house of Israel shall possess them, and the land of the Lord shall be for servants and handmaids; and they shall take them captives unto whom they were captives; and they shall rule over their oppressors. And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall give thee rest, from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve."

In the Old Testament we read about how David was on the roof of his house when he saw a beautiful woman bathing.  Instead of looking away, he allowed lust to enter his heart and he send messengers for her to fetch her so he could lie with her, even though she was married to someone else.  She conceived a child by David.  Sometimes, innocently, we come upon things that tempt us.  If we immediately turn away, we can avoid sin.  But if we allow ourselves to harbor unclean thoughts and dwell upon them they can lead to unclean actions which can lead to dire consequences.  2 Samuel 11:2-5 "And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.  And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house. And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child."

A verse from a thought booklet tells us that blessed are the peacemakers. What do we do to bring peace to stressful situations? Or do we add fuel to the fire? I remember years ago while teaching primary, a 7 year old boy in my class taught me a wonderful lesson about being a peacemaker.  The children were filing into the classroom.  First a little girl came into the room and sat down.  Then a boy came into the room and loudly announced, "Eww!  I'm not sitting by HER!" and sat himself down on the opposite side of the room.  Then a girl came in and loudly exclaimed, "Eww!  I'm not sitting by her either" and sat by the boy. That's when Tyler walked in.  He loudly announced, "Well, I'M not afraid to sit by her!" as he plopped down in the seat next to her. He then looked over to the children on the other side of the room as if to say, "What in the world is wrong with you guys?" They looked down, ashamed, and scooted over to where Tyler and the girl sat. He defused a bad situation that could have been traumatic for a little girl's ego.  What an example!  Matthew 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."