Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that the sons of Mosiah had suffer many tribulations during their journeyings. They had given up their rights to the kingdom in order to preach the word of God. They departed into the wilderness where they fasted and prayed that the Lord would allow them to be an instrument in His hands to bring the Lamanites the truth. The Lord comforted them with His Spirit.  Alma 17:5-10  "Now these are the circumstances which attended them in their journeyings, for they had many afflictions; they did suffer much, both in body and in mind, such as hunger, thirst and fatigue, and also much labor in the spirit.  Now these were their journeyings: Having taken leave of their father, Mosiah, in the first year of the judges; having refused the kingdom which their father was desirous to confer upon them, and also this was the minds of the people;  Nevertheless they departed out of the land of Zarahemla, and took their swords, and their spears, and their bows, and their arrows, and their slings; and this they did that they might provide food for themselves while in the wilderness.  And thus they departed into the wilderness with their numbers which they had selected, to go up to the land of Nephi, to preach the word of God unto the Lamanites.  And it came to pass that they journeyed many days in the wilderness, and they fasted much and prayed much that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them, and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the hands of God to bring, if it were possible, their brethren, the Lamanites, to the knowledge of the truth, to the knowledge of the baseness of the traditions of their fathers, which were not correct. And it came to pass that the Lord did visit them with his Spirit, and said unto them: Be comforted. And they were comforted."

In the Old Testament we read that if we'll put away our whoredoms and be ashamed of our iniquities, the Lord will dwell in our midst forever.  Ezekiel 43:9-10 "Now let them put away their whoredom, and the carcases of their kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever. Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern."

Some scriptures with a thought booklet tell us that just as a fire goes out if there is no wood to fuel it, so strife goes out if there isn't a talebearer to keep it going. Quarreling will cease if there is not a contentious man fuel it. When wildfires arise, they can spread quickly if there is fuel to keep them going. If deadwood and undergrowth are removed, it can act as a firebreak.  A fire can't spread if there is nothing to burn.  When we're faced with hearing gossip o someone is trying to goad us into an argument, do we add fuel to keep the strife going, or do we act as a firebreak an make sure it spreads no further? Harsh words can cause deep wounds and much damage.  Let's make sure we do our part to prevent, not spread, words that cause hurt and pain.  Proverbs 26 :20-22 "Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.  The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly."