Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that Ammon returned to the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi with the great news that they would be given the land of Jershon where they would be protected, in exchange for giving the Nephites a portion of their substance to maintain their armies.  This made the people very happy.  They were honest and upright and firm in their faith in Christ. They would rather suffer death than take the life of another person. Alma 27:24-30 "And now behold, this will we do unto our brethren, that they may inherit the land Jershon; and we will guard them from their enemies with our armies, on condition that they will give us a portion of their substance to assist us that we may maintain our armies.  Now, it came to pass that when Ammon had heard this, he returned to the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi, and also Alma with him, into the wilderness, where they had pitched their tents, and made known unto them all these things. And Alma also related unto them his conversion, with Ammon and Aaron, and his brethren.  And it came to pass that it did cause great joy among them. And they went down into the land of Jershon, and took possession of the land of Jershon; and they were called by the Nephites the people of Ammon; therefore they were distinguished by that name ever after.  And they were among the people of Nephi, and also numbered among the people who were of the church of God. And they were also distinguished for their zeal towards God, and also towards men; for they were perfectly honest and upright in all things; and they were firm in the faith of Christ, even unto the end.  And they did look upon shedding the blood of their brethren with the greatest abhorrence; and they never could be prevailed upon to take up arms against their brethren; and they never did look upon death with any degree of terror, for their hope and views of Christ and the resurrection; therefore, death was swallowed up to them by the victory of Christ over it.  Therefore, they would suffer death in the most aggravating and distressing manner which could be inflicted by their brethren, before they would take the sword or cimeter to smite them.  And thus they were a zealous and beloved people, a highly favored people of the Lord."

In the New Testament we read that men are known by their fruits, or what they produce.  Good deeds come from good people and bad deeds come from evil people. On judgment day we'll have to answer for every useless word we speak.  We'll be judged innocent or condemned guilty by the words we say.  Matthew 12:33-37 "Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.  O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.  But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."

A verse with a thought booklet reminds us that just as the Lord keep His covenant with the children of Israel and delivered them out of Egypt, so will His Spirit remain among us and we don't need to fear.  Haggai 2:5 "According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not."