In the Book of Mormon we read that the Zoramites and other dissenters became Lamanites and they were making preparations for war against the Nephites. Their leader was Zerahemnah who wanted to stir up the Lamanites to anger against the Nephites. He wanted to usurp power over them and bring them into bondage. The desire of the Nephites was to preserve their rights and freedoms and liberty, and to be able to worship God according to their desires. Alma 43: 3- 10 "And now I return to an account of the wars between the Nephites and the Lamanites, in the eighteenth year of the reign of the judges. For behold, it came to pass that the Zoramites became Lamanites; therefore, in the commencement of the eighteenth year the people of the Nephites saw that the Lamanites were coming upon them; therefore they made preparations for war; yea, they gathered together their armies in the land of Jershon. And it came to pass that the Lamanites came with their thousands; and they came into the land of Antionum, which is the land of the Zoramites; and a man by the name of Zerahemnah was their leader. And now, as the Amalekites were of a more wicked and murderous disposition than the Lamanites were, in and of themselves, therefore, Zerahemnah appointed chief captains over the Lamanites, and they were all Amalekites and Zoramites. Now this he did that he might preserve their hatred towards the Nephites, that he might bring them into subjection to the accomplishment of his designs. For behold, his designs were to stir up the Lamanites to anger against the Nephites; this he did that he might usurp great power over them, and also that he might gain power over the Nephites by bringing them into bondage. And now the design of the Nephites was to support their lands, and their houses, and their wives, and their children, that they might preserve them from the hands of their enemies; and also that they might preserve their rights and their privileges, yea, and also their liberty, that they might worship God according to their desires. For they knew that if they should fall into the hands of the Lamanites, that whosoever should worship God in spirit and in truth, the true and the living God, the Lamanites would destroy."
In the New Testament we read that Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him, and Peter answered all three times that he did. Jesus then instructed him to feed His sheep. Remember that Peter had denied Jesus three times, before His crucifixion. Perhaps allowing Peter to affirm three times his love for the Savior was a way of allowing him to repent of his denials. There's also something we can all learn from this--that if we truly love the Lord, we will feed His sheep. John 21:15-17 "So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep."
Some verses with a thought booklet warn us nothing we do will be covered up and all our secrets will be revealed. We can't commit secret sins without everyone eventually knowing, even if it doesn't happen until the next life, unless we repent. The story is told of a power failure knocking out a woman' answering machine. She had to record a new greeting and try to reset the time but struggled to figure out how to do it. It kept giving the wrong time. She angrily yelled at the machine "I can't figure this stupid thing out" and added a few cuss words to express her frustration. A few weeks later she was away from home and tried to call her daughter there, who wasn't home either. She was shocked when she heard her answering machine greeting, "I can't figure this stupid thing out" with some expletives added! She was embarrassed to think how many friends might have heard this--friends who might have thought she was a nice calm person until this message exposed her in an angry outburst. So likewise, if we don't repent, our secret acts that we think no one will ever know about will be revealed to the world. Luke 12:1-3 "In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops."
In the New Testament we read that Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him, and Peter answered all three times that he did. Jesus then instructed him to feed His sheep. Remember that Peter had denied Jesus three times, before His crucifixion. Perhaps allowing Peter to affirm three times his love for the Savior was a way of allowing him to repent of his denials. There's also something we can all learn from this--that if we truly love the Lord, we will feed His sheep. John 21:15-17 "So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep."
Some verses with a thought booklet warn us nothing we do will be covered up and all our secrets will be revealed. We can't commit secret sins without everyone eventually knowing, even if it doesn't happen until the next life, unless we repent. The story is told of a power failure knocking out a woman' answering machine. She had to record a new greeting and try to reset the time but struggled to figure out how to do it. It kept giving the wrong time. She angrily yelled at the machine "I can't figure this stupid thing out" and added a few cuss words to express her frustration. A few weeks later she was away from home and tried to call her daughter there, who wasn't home either. She was shocked when she heard her answering machine greeting, "I can't figure this stupid thing out" with some expletives added! She was embarrassed to think how many friends might have heard this--friends who might have thought she was a nice calm person until this message exposed her in an angry outburst. So likewise, if we don't repent, our secret acts that we think no one will ever know about will be revealed to the world. Luke 12:1-3 "In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops."
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