In the Book of Mormon we read that woe will be unto those who are not pure in heart. If they don't repent, they will be destroyed. The Lamanites were more righteous than the Nephites at this time because their husbands and wives loved each other and the parents loved their children. Jacob 3:3-9 "But, wo, wo, unto you that are not pure in heart, that are filthy this day before God; for except ye repent the land is cursed for your sakes; and the Lamanites, which are not filthy like unto you, nevertheless they are cursed with a sore cursing, shall scourge you even unto destruction. And the time speedily cometh, that except ye repent they shall possess the land of your inheritance, and the Lord God will lead away the righteous out from among you. Behold, the Lamanites your brethren, whom ye hate because of their filthiness and the cursing which hath come upon their skins, are more righteous than you; for they have not forgotten the commandment of the Lord, which was given unto our father—that they should have save it were one wife, and concubines they should have none, and there should not be whoredoms committed among them. And now, this commandment they observe to keep; wherefore, because of this observance, in keeping this commandment, the Lord God will not destroy them, but will be merciful unto them; and one day they shall become a blessed people. Behold, their husbands love their wives, and their wives love their husbands; and their husbands and their wives love their children; and their unbelief and their hatred towards you is because of the iniquity of their fathers; wherefore, how much better are you than they, in the sight of your great Creator? O my brethren, I fear that unless ye shall repent of your sins that their skins will be whiter than yours, when ye shall be brought with them before the throne of God. Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, which is the word of God, that ye revile no more against them because of the darkness of their skins; neither shall ye revile against them because of their filthiness; but ye shall remember your own filthiness, and remember that their filthiness came because of their fathers."
In the Old Testament we read that while carrying the ark of God on a cart, the oxen stumbled and Uzza reached forth his hand to steady the ark. He was not authorized to touch the ark and the Lord struck him dead. We need to make sure that we do not overstep our bounds and try to take over things that are not under our jurisdiction, even if we're only attempting to help. 1 Chronicles 13:7, 9-10 "And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab: and Uzza and Ahio drave the cart. And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God."
A verse with a thought booklet tells us that we can glory in tribulations for tribulations make us learn patience. It's difficult to go through trials and we often wish they would go away and things would go more smoothly for us. But often when we look back at tribulations we suffered through years ago we can see the things we learned from having to go through them. And we can see that if it had not been for the hard times, we would not have grown into the people we have become. Romans 5:3 "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;"
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