Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that the people mourned because of the loss of their loved ones and also their flocks and herds.  They became humble and were awakened to a remembrance of their duty. Alma baptized  many of them and established the church more fully among them. 3,500 souls united themselves with the church and were baptized.  There was continual peace at that time.  Alma 4:1-5 "Now it came to pass in the sixth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, there were no contentions nor wars in the land of Zarahemla; But the people were afflicted, yea, greatly afflicted for the loss of their brethren, and also for the loss of their flocks and herds, and also for the loss of their fields of grain, which were trodden under foot and destroyed by the Lamanites.  And so great were their afflictions that every soul had cause to mourn; and they believed that it was the judgments of God sent upon them because of their wickedness and their abominations; therefore they were awakened to a remembrance of their duty.  And they began to establish the church more fully; yea, and many were baptized in the waters of Sidon and were joined to the church of God; yea, they were baptized by the hand of Alma, who had been consecrated the high priest over the people of the church, by the hand of his father Alma.  And it came to pass in the seventh year of the reign of the judges there were about three thousand five hundred souls that united themselves to the church of God and were baptized. And thus ended the seventh year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi; and there was continual peace in all that time."

In the Old Testament we read that any nation or kingdom that will not serve the Lord will perish and be utterly wasted.  This is something we need to take heed of in our nation today.  Isaiah 60:12 "For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted."

Some verses with a thought booklet tell us that the Lord was well aware of the sufferings of the children of Israel.  He knew their sorrows and He had heard their cries and wanted to deliver them. Likewise when we are going through difficult times, we can know that the Lord knows what we're going through. He sees our afflictions.  He understands and He cares.  And He will hear our prayers. He will always be with us and never leave or forsake us.  Exodus 3:7-9 "And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;  And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.  Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them."