Today's Favorite Verse: Mosiah 10:12-13

Today's Favorite Verse: Mosiah 10:12-13

"They were a wild, and ferocious, and a blood-thirsty people, believing in the tradition of their fathers, which is this - Believing that they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem because of the iniquities of their fathers, and that they were wronged in the wilderness by their brethren, and they were also wronged while crossing the sea;

And again, that they were wronged while in the land of their first inheritance, after they had crossed the sea, and all this because that Nephi was more faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord --therefore he was favored of the Lord, for the Lord heard his prayers and answered them, and he took the lead of their journey in the wilderness."

I have always found it interesting to learn of how the false traditions of the Lamanites lead to such a misunderstanding of what took place hundred of years prior. That Laman and Lemuel had a different story than Nephi on how things happened. 

Laman and Lemuel felt rob of their birthright since they were the elder brothers. They felt Nephi robbed them of the ruling of the people when his group separated from them. Nephi also took the plates of brass with him so that made them feel robbed again. Though it makes me wonder why it bothered them so when they were slow to remember the Lord. It could have been the monetary value. With this anger they taught their children to murder, rob and plunder and destroy the Nephites.

I pondered on how this is a very good lesson for understanding there are always two sides of a story. I also never know what false traditions have clouded another person's point of view. Something may see so obvious to me, but from other's point of view they see something else. It's so important not to build a prejudice or hatred for others. It clouds our vision of what truth is. Hatred and anger can be passed on for generations. We are accountable for our own sins, but the sins of the father's and their false traditions also lays a greater commendation on their heads.

I wondered if I ever heard the Nephites say they had a hatred towards the Lamanites. The only time I can recall is at the end of their civilization. The Nephites forgot the Lord, turned to anger and were totally wiped out. I see no good in having judgment, anger and hatred towards others. It is a cancer that not only over takes us but our children also.  

Day 255 Tami Fitzgerald Harris