Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that the contentions among the people came at a critical time because Amalickih had again stirred up the hearts of the Lamanites against the Nephites and he as preparing for war. The kingmen were so angry at losing the election they they refused to take up arms against the Lamanites. This made Moroni angry. He sent a petition, with the voice of the people, to the governor of the land, wanting to compel the dissenters to defend their country or to be put to death. This petition was granted and Moroni sent his armies against the kingmen, taking down their pride and compelling them to fight with his army or be hewn down. 4,000 were hewn down and their leaders who were not slain were put in prison. The rest were compelled to take up arms in defense of their country. Alma 51:9-20 " But behold, this was a critical time for such contentions to be among the people of Nephi; for behold, Amalickiah had again stirred up the hearts of the people of the Lamanites against the people of the Nephites, and he was gathering together soldiers from all parts of his land, and arming them, and preparing for war with all diligence; for he had sworn to drink the blood of Moroni. But behold, we shall see that his promise which he made was rash; nevertheless, he did prepare himself and his armies to come to battle against the Nephites.  Now his armies were not so great as they had hitherto been, because of the many thousands who had been slain by the hand of the Nephites; but notwithstanding their great loss, Amalickiah had gathered together a wonderfully great army, insomuch that he feared not to come down to the land of Zarahemla.  Yea, even Amalickiah did himself come down, at the head of the Lamanites. And it was in the twenty and fifth year of the reign of the judges; and it was at the same time that they had begun to settle the affairs of their contentions concerning the chief judge, Pahoran. And it came to pass that when the men who were called king-men had heard that the Lamanites were coming down to battle against them, they were glad in their hearts; and they refused to take up arms, for they were so wroth with the chief judge, and also with the people of liberty, that they would not take up arms to defend their country.  And it came to pass that when Moroni saw this, and also saw that the Lamanites were coming into the borders of the land, he was exceedingly wroth because of the stubbornness of those people whom he had labored with so much diligence to preserve; yea, he was exceedingly wroth; his soul was filled with anger against them.  And it came to pass that he sent a petition, with the voice of the people, unto the governor of the land, desiring that he should read it, and give him (Moroni) power to compel those dissenters to defend their country or to put them to death.  For it was his first care to put an end to such contentions and dissensions among the people; for behold, this had been hitherto a cause of all their destruction. And it came to pass that it was granted according to the voice of the people. And it came to pass that Moroni commanded that his army should go against those king-men, to pull down their pride and their nobility and level them with the earth, or they should take up arms and support the cause of liberty.  And it came to pass that the armies did march forth against them; and they did pull down their pride and their nobility, insomuch that as they did lift their weapons of war to fight against the men of Moroni they were hewn down and leveled to the earth.  And it came to pass that there were four thousand of those dissenters who were hewn down by the sword; and those of their leaders who were not slain in battle were taken and cast into prison, for there was no time for their trials at this period.  And the remainder of those dissenters, rather than be smitten down to the earth by the sword, yielded to the standard of liberty, and were compelled to hoist the title of liberty upon their towers, and in their cities, and to take up arms in defence of their country."

In the New Testament Paul wrote a letter to the Corinthians before he planned to visit them again.  He said he was afraid that when he arrived he would find the people different from the way he wanted them to be.  He was afraid he might find them fighting, losing their tempers, backstabbing, gossiping, or having conceit or disorderly conduct.  This would put him into mourning over all the people who had sinned and not repented and changed their hearts and lives from what they used to practice--moral corruption, sexual immorality, and lasciviousness.  2 Corinthians 12:20-21 "For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed."

Some verses with a thought booklet are a reminder to watch the words that come out of our mouths, making sure they are kind and uplifting to others, showing forgiveness and love.  We should avoid speaking out of anger and bitterness, which grieves the Spirit of the Lord. By choosing to be kind and speaking words which uplift and build others, we can be a light in a dark place.   Ephesians 4:29-32 "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."