Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that the people of Zarahemla and the people of Mosiah united together and Mosiah was appointed to be their king. Mosiah was able to interpret the engravings on a stone by the gift and power of God.  Omni 1:19-22 "And it came to pass that the people of Zarahemla, and of Mosiah, did unite together; and Mosiah was appointed to be their king. And it came to pass in the days of Mosiah, there was a large stone brought unto him with engravings on it; and he did interpret the engravings by the gift and power of God.  And they gave an account of one Coriantumr, and the slain of his people. And Coriantumr was discovered by the people of Zarahemla; and he dwelt with them for the space of nine moons.  It also spake a few words concerning his fathers. And his first parents came out from the tower, at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people; and the severity of the Lord fell upon them according to his judgments, which are just; and their bones lay scattered in the land northward."

In the Old Testament we read that the enemies of the Jews tried to hinder the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, but Nehemiah armed the laborers to keep the work progressing.  Half of the people worked on building the walls while half stood guard with weapons to prevent their enemies from stopping the work.  No matter who is against us or tries to put obstacles in our way, if the Lord is on our side, we'll be able to find a way to continue on course.  Nehemiah 4:7-18  "But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it. Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.  And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.  And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease. And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you. Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.  And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.  And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.  And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah. They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me."

Some scriptures with a thought booklet tells us that our weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning and the Lord can turn our mourning into dancing and gird us with gladness. I've lived long enough to realize that no matter what happens to sadden or distress me, it does get better in time.  Even when things seem dark and hopeless, it doesn't stay that way forever.  Knowing this can help us hang in there and realize that better days are ahead. We can trust in the Lord to get us through.  Psalms 30:5, 11 "For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;"