Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that King Laman died and his son began to stir up his people to prepare for war. Zeniff sent spies to discover their preparations and so that he could guard against them. Zeniff sent the women and children into the wilderness for safety and he armed the men of all ages to do battle against the Lamanites. They went to battle with the strength of the Lord. The Lamanites were strong as to the strength of men, but they were no match for the Lord, who they did not understand. They were wild and blood thirsty and believed in the tradition of their fathers, who had taught them that they had been wronged by their brethren. In actuality, Nephi had been more faithful and righteous so the Lord had blessed and prospered him and answered his prayers.  But Nephi's brothers were angry with him and sought to kill him. And they taught their children to hate the Nephites. It is a very sad thing when hatred is passed on from generation to generation.  Truth becomes distorted and false information gets told and retold until he becomes even worse.  Mosiah 10:6-17 "And it came to pass that king Laman died, and his son began to reign in his stead. And he began to stir his people up in rebellion against my people; therefore they began to prepare for war, and to come up to battle against my people.  But I had sent my spies out round about the land of Shemlon, that I might discover their preparations, that I might guard against them, that they might not come upon my people and destroy them. And it came to pass that they came up upon the north of the land of Shilom, with their numerous hosts, men armed with bows, and with arrows, and with swords, and with cimeters, and with stones, and with slings; and they had their heads shaved that they were naked; and they were girded with a leathern girdle about their loins. And it came to pass that I caused that the women and children of my people should be hid in the wilderness; and I also caused that all my old men that could bear arms, and also all my young men that were able to bear arms, should gather themselves together to go to battle against the Lamanites; and I did place them in their ranks, every man according to his age. And it came to pass that we did go up to battle against the Lamanites; and I, even I, in my old age, did go up to battle against the Lamanites. And it came to pass that we did go up in the strength of the Lord to battle.  Now, the Lamanites knew nothing concerning the Lord, nor the strength of the Lord, therefore they depended upon their own strength. Yet they were a strong people, as to the strength of men.  They were a wild, and ferocious, and a blood-thirsty people, believing in the tradition of their fathers, which is this—Believing that they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem because of the iniquities of their fathers, and that they were wronged in the wilderness by their brethren, and they were also wronged while crossing the sea; And again, that they were wronged while in the land of their first inheritance, after they had crossed the sea, and all this because that Nephi was more faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord—therefore he was favored of the Lord, for the Lord heard his prayers and answered them, and he took the lead of their journey in the wilderness. And his brethren were wroth with him because they understood not the dealings of the Lord; they were also wroth with him upon the waters because they hardened their hearts against the Lord. And again, they were wroth with him when they had arrived in the promised land, because they said that he had taken the ruling of the people out of their hands; and they sought to kill him.  And again, they were wroth with him because he departed into the wilderness as the Lord had commanded him, and took the records which were engraven on the plates of brass, for they said that he robbed them.  And thus they have taught their children that they should hate them, and that they should murder them, and that they should rob and plunder them, and do all they could to destroy them; therefore they have an eternal hatred towards the children of Nephi."

In the Old Testament we read that the righteous who trust in the Lord have every reason to be glad and rejoice in the Lord, for His mercy will encompass them about.  However, the wicked will have many sorrows.   Psalms 32:10-11 " Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.  Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart."

Some scriptures with a thought booklet remind us that if we stand up for what is right, the world will hate us, because we are not of the world.  I they persecute us, we nee to know that that also persecuted Jesus.  Those who on't know God will hate and persecute those who do.  We need to be in the world, but not of the world, and we need to have the courage to stand up for our beliefs, even if it means the world will hate us for it.  John 15:18-21 "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.  Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.  But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me."