Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read there were many dissensions in the church and much contention. The rebellious ones were slain and driven out of the land, where they joined the Lamanites. They eventually succeeded in stirring up the Lamanites to anger against the Nephites to the point that they went to battle against them. They were able to obtain possession of the land southward. However, later Moronihah was able to regain many cities which had fallen ino the hands of the Lamanites. All this loss would not have occurred in the first place if it had not been for the wickedness of the Nephites, among those who professed to belong to the church of God. It was their pride and their breaking the commandments of God, and boasting of their own strength that allowed the Lamanites to gain the advantage over them.   Helaman 4:1- 13 "And it came to pass in the fifty and fourth year there were many dissensions in the church, and there was also a contention among the people, insomuch that there was much bloodshed.  And the rebellious part were slain and driven out of the land, and they did go unto the king of the Lamanites.  And it came to pass that they did endeavor to stir up the Lamanites to war against the Nephites; but behold, the Lamanites were exceedingly afraid, insomuch that they would not hearken to the words of those dissenters.  But it came to pass in the fifty and sixth year of the reign of the judges, there were dissenters who went up from the Nephites unto the Lamanites; and they succeeded with those others in stirring them up to anger against the Nephites; and they were all that year preparing for war.  And in the fifty and seventh year they did come down against the Nephites to battle, and they did commence the work of death; yea, insomuch that in the fifty and eighth year of the reign of the judges they succeeded in obtaining possession of the land of Zarahemla; yea, and also all the lands, even unto the land which was near the land Bountiful.  And the Nephites and the armies of Moronihah were driven even into the land of Bountiful;  And there they did fortify against the Lamanites, from the west sea, even unto the east; it being a day's journey for a Nephite, on the line which they had fortified and stationed their armies to defend their north country.  And thus those dissenters of the Nephites, with the help of a numerous army of the Lamanites, had obtained all the possession of the Nephites which was in the land southward. And all this was done in the fifty and eighth and ninth years of the reign of the judges.  And it came to pass in the sixtieth year of the reign of the judges, Moronihah did succeed with his armies in obtaining many parts of the land; yea, they regained many cities which had fallen into the hands of the Lamanites.  And it came to pass in the sixty and first year of the reign of the judges they succeeded in regaining even the half of all their possessions.  Now this great loss of the Nephites, and the great slaughter which was among them, would not have happened had it not been for their wickedness and their abomination which was among them; yea, and it was among those also who professed to belong to the church of God.  And it was because of the pride of their hearts, because of their exceeding riches, yea, it was because of their oppression to the poor, withholding their food from the hungry, withholding their clothing from the naked, and smiting their humble brethren upon the cheek, making a mock of that which was sacred, denying the spirit of prophecy and of revelation, murdering, plundering, lying, stealing, committing adultery, rising up in great contentions, and deserting away into the land of Nephi, among the Lamanites—  And because of this their great wickedness, and their boastings in their own strength, they were left in their own strength; therefore they did not prosper, but were afflicted and smitten, and driven before the Lamanites, until they had lost possession of almost all their lands."
 
In the Old Testament we read that the Lord came to Abraham in a vision and told him that He would be his protector and that his reward would be very great.  But Abraham complained that he had no children.  The Lord told him not to fear, that his heir would be his own biological child and that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky.  Abraham trusted in the Lord. How willing are we to trust in the Lord when promised blessings take a long time coming and seem like they may never come at all?  Genesis 15:1-6 "After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.  And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?  And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.  And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.  And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.  And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness."

Going along with this, a verse with a thought booklet reminds us that with God, nothing is impossible.  Luke 1:37 "For with God nothing shall be impossible."