Today's Favorite Verse: Alma 46:3-4

Today's Favorite Verse: Alma 46:3-4, 10 "Now the leader of those who were wroth against their brethren was a large and a strong man; and his name was Amalickiah. And Amalickiah was desirous to be a king; and those people who were wroth were also desirous that he should be their king; and they were the greater part of them the lower judges of the land, and they were seeking for power. Yea, we see that Amalickiah, because he was a man of cunning device and a man of many flattering words, that he led away the hearts of many people to do wickedly; yea, and to seek to destroy the church of God, and to destroy the foundation of liberty which God had granted unto them, or which blessing God had sent upon the face of the land for the righteous’ sake."

I've reached the part of the Book of Mormon that seems to be a play by play for our day. As I've study this I feel a compilation of those in the Book of Mormon, like Noah, Amlici and Amalickiah to name a few, point to who we need to identify in our day and be mindful and careful of. They are deceptive and draw good people to their side that ultimate destroys them. One very basic thing that draws them is anger. In their anger they desire to support these traitors and give them full reign and power. They think they are just, but they don't realize who they are defending, in time it will break people down into tribes and lose their form of government. We also see an interesting flip where the Lamanites will become more righteous than the Nephites.

"And the Amlicites were distinguished from the Nephites, for they had marked themselves with red in their foreheads after the manner of the Lamanites; nevertheless they had not shorn their heads like unto the Lamanites.
Now we will return again to the Amlicites, for they also had a mark set upon them; yea, they set the mark upon themselves, yea, even a mark of red upon their foreheads.
Now the Amlicites knew not that they were fulfilling the words of God when they began to mark themselves in their foreheads; nevertheless they had come out in open rebellion against God; therefore it was expedient that the curse should fall upon them."
(Alma 3:4, 13, 18)

Day 3490

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Nephi 29:8, 12-13

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Nephi 29:8, 12-13
"Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written.
For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall write it.
And it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the Jews; and the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the lost tribes of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall have the words of the Nephites and the Jews."

Part of this is fulfilled today. We have the records of the Jews and the Nephites, the Bible and Book of Mormon. Now we wait for more records to come forth, including the lost tribes of Israel.

About 30 years ago I thought I had heard about them being found. I was serving at a family history center and the director came in looking out of sorts. He had just come back from a meeting in Salt Lake. He told me he had learned of a large collections of records that the Russian government had asked the church to microfilm. They were found in caves along the Caspian Sea. They were so fragile that when the Russians attempted to open these records they would disintegrate. They contacted The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because of their expertise in preserving and microfilming records. The arrangement was for the church to retain a copy of these records. There were so many records they were taken out by the truck loads. The church was in the process at that time of filming these records, and what they were finding was a history and genealogy of the lost tribes. This man was really in shock as he related to me what he had learned. I felt it to my core these were the records. I have waited nearly 30 years to learn any further news of these records but haven't.
 
Regardless if the records I heard about 30 years ago are truly them or not, I know somewhere the records of the lost tribes exist. Someday they will be restored to us, before the Lord's second coming. Someday I will read them and hold them and love them as I do all the scriptures I have today. I will continue to treasure and ponder and pray over the ones I have today. So when that day comes, that more records are given, I will thrill in the harmony and consistency of the Lord, as he speaks to his people. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Day 3400

Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 31:10-11

Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 31:10-11

"Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast lifted up thyself in height, and he hath shot up his top among the thick boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height;

I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the heathen; he shall surely deal with him: I have driven him out for his wickedness."

The chapter speaks of Pharaoh's glory and fall. With a heart lifted up to his height, I see a very prideful man. We see people that distance themselves from being under his shadow. To me those are smart people with eyes now open, that leave while they can. The others that supported him and stay are delivered unto death and go down to the pit with him. Nations will shake at the sound of his fall. I cannot help but see parallels to events taking place today.

"Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall."

(Proverbs 16:18)

Reflecting on pride I had to go back and listen to Ezra Taft Benson's wonderful talk "Beware of Pride". This part gave me pause as I realized something I had not seen before.

"The Doctrine and Covenants tells us that the Book of Mormon is the “record of a fallen people.” (D&C 20:9.) Why did they fall? This is one of the major messages of the Book of Mormon. Mormon gives the answer in the closing chapters of the book in these words: “Behold, the pride of this nation, or the people of the Nephites, hath proven their destruction.” (Moro. 8:27.) And then, lest we miss that momentous Book of Mormon message from that fallen people, the Lord warns us in the Doctrine and Covenants, “Beware of pride, lest ye become as the Nephites of old.” (D&C 38:39.)"

(Ezra Taft Benson, "Beware of Pride", Apr 1989 General Conference)

Throughout the Book of Mormon the more righteous people had been the Nephites. It wasn't until pride overcame them that they fell and that was the downfall of that nation. This makes me take the warning in June 1, 2023 letter from the First Presidency all the more deeply.

"Merely voting a straight ticket or voting based on “tradition” without careful study of candidates and their positions on important issues is a threat to democracy and inconsistent with revealed standards."

We were encouraged to "vote for those who have demonstrated integrity, compassion, and service to others, regardless of party affiliation."

Times have absolutely changed, and we cannot become deceived by pride and tradition like the Nephites of old.

Day 2992

Today's Favorite Verse: Judges 3:1, 4, 9, 12

Today's Favorite Verse: Judges 3:1, 4, 9, 12

"Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.

 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD."

As I'm reading this I am seeing a parallel between the Book of Mormon. First impressions are why Nephi's brothers Laman and Lemuel had to remain with them. The Lord allowed them to stay so the others could be tested and proved. That is why the Lord allowed the other nations around Israel to remain. That is more than likely how we are proved and tested today.

Then as I was reading the rest of the chapter I thought of the Jaredites and how it is recorded in the book of Ether. It records when kings and the people were righteous or wicked, and how they prospered or fell because of it. I am going to continue to look for these parallels as I read the book of Judges. It really will be a story about us.

Day 2373