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Friday, October 23, 2015

Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that Moroni was commanded to seal up the writings of the brother of Jared until men have faith even as the brother of Jared did.   Ether 4:1-7 "And the Lord commanded the brother of Jared to go down out of the mount from the presence of the Lord, and write the things which he had seen; and they were forbidden to come unto the children of men until after that he should be lifted up upon the cross; and for this cause did king Mosiah keep them, that they should not come unto the world until after Christ should show himself unto his people. And after Christ truly had showed himself unto his people he commanded that they should be made manifest.  And now, after that, they have all dwindled in unbelief; and there is none save it be the Lamanites, and they have rejected the gospel of Christ; therefore I am commanded that I should hide them up again in the earth.  Behold, I have written upon these plates the very things which the brother of Jared saw; and there never were greater things made manifest than those which were made manifest unto the brother of Jared.  Wherefore the Lord hath commanded me to write them; and I have written them. And he commanded me that I should seal them up; and he also hath commanded that I should seal up the interpretation thereof; wherefore I have sealed up the interpreters, according to the commandment of the Lord.  For the Lord said unto me: They shall not go forth unto the Gentiles until the day that they shall repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord.  And in that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which the brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are."

In the New Testament we read that David insisted that the plunder be shared not only with the raiding party, but with those who were too exhausted to follow him and who had stayed behind with the supplies as well.  He made that a law and regulation in Israel.  1 Samuel 30:21-25 "And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor: and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted them.  Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart.  Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the Lord hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand.  For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.  And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day."

In some verses with a thought booklet we read about how Joseph forgave his brothers who had sold him into Egypt, saying that even though they'd intended him harm, God had brought about good as a result.  He had been able to store food in Egypt against the famine and had been able to save all their lives as a result. If anyone had a reason to be angry, it was Joseph. He certainly had been wronged.  But he chose to forgive.  One of the worst things we can do is nurse a grudge and seek revenge.  But by fogiving and moving forward, we do ourselves a great favor, for this frees of from the pain of continued angry feelings.   Genesis 50:18-21 "And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.  And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?  But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.  Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them."

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