Gratitude

Mosiah 24:21:

"Yea, and in the valley of Alma they poured out their thanks to God because he had been merciful unto them, and eased their burdens, and had delivered them out of bondage; for they were in bondage, and none could deliver them except it were the Lord their God."

Brigham Young said, "I do not know of any, excepting the unpardonable sin, that is greater than the sin of ingratitude." 

President Thomas S. Monson has said, "If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues." 

Day 135 - Mosiah 29:33-47

Mosiah 29

Day 134 - Mosiah 29:16-32

Mosiah 29

But behold, he did deliver them because they did humble themselves before him; and because they cried mightily unto him he did deliver them out of bondage; and thus doth the Lord work with his power in all cases among the children of men, extending the arm of mercy towards them that put their trust in him.

Hope through the Atonement of Jesus Christ

Elder Neal A. Maxwell
October 1998 General Conference

Real hope is much more than wishful musing. It stiffens, not slackens, the spiritual spine.

Day 133 - Mosiah 29:1-15

Mosiah 29:

From a discourse by Apostle Erastus Snow, delivered at the General Conference, Salt Lake City, Friday Afternoon, April 7, 1882:

Every principle in our holy religion tends to freedom, or in the language of the New Testament, the Gospel is the perfect law of liberty.

 James 1:25

 The reason that it is so is, because it lifts the spirits of man above the law, or, in other words, it teaches him to work righteousness and thereby escape the penalties of the law, and enables him to enjoy that perfect freedom which God has ordained for all flesh—the freedom to do right, but there is no liberty to do wrong without incurring the penalty of that wrongdoing, therefore, every one who does wrong must accept of the consequences of that wrong, and may expect to suffer the penalty either in time or in eternity. The Gospel then extends to us the freedom to do right, and the laws of our common country used to extend this right and privilege to its citizens. This was declared by the fathers in the famous Declaration of Independence, and which was consolidated by the fathers of the Constitution of our country, which was one of the fruits of their great struggle.

This famous declaration enunciated the doctrine that “all just powers of government are derived from the consent of the governed;” and upon this principle are the institutions of our country founded; and it is only through the guarantees of this fundamental doctrine underlying our institutions that there can be any freedom. This declaration of the fathers embodied in that celebrated instrument, signed on the 4th of July, 1876, is the embodiment of the principles of civil and religious liberty, such freedom as God has ever taught and sought to establish among his children from the beginning of the world. And whenever there has been a people who have listened to the voice of God, they have been made free, and oppression has been a stranger to them. The careful student of the Bible will at once perceive that everything which God sought to establish among his people, tended to freedom and the enjoyment of the common rights of humanity. Never did ancient Israel enjoy as free and happy a government as under the reign of the judges, from the time Moses led them out of Egyptian bondage until they clamored for a king.

 1 Sam. 8:1-22

 For 430 years they triumphed over their foes, and they dwelt in peace and unity, and love and freedom existed, and every tribe was a commonwealth managing its own local affairs, while they all sustained a central power which counseled and directed them; and their rulers were judges inspired of God, were prophets, seers and revelators, who judged in righteousness, and exercised no control over the liberties and consciences of men. The same principle is observed in reading the history of the American continent. The Book of Mormon is replete with testimony in this direction.

 Ether 10:4-7

 Alma 60:17

 Mosiah 23:8-9

 Jacob 1:15

 3 Ne. 7:9-10

 Ether 9:4

 Alma 47:4

 Mosiah 11:19

 And during the palmy days of the Nephites there was no king among them; and that long and happy period that preceded the coming of the Savior, and for hundreds of years that followed during the reign of the judges among the Nephites, liberty and freedom and happiness prevailed. And although they had at one time in accordance with their pronounced and persistent desire, a king—King Benjamin and King Mosiah—yet, these were kings more in name than in fact; they were only patriarchs or fathers among their people, and the term they apply to them might quietly have a tendency to cause them to augment power to themselves and to exercise oppressive jurisdiction over the people, and foreseeing this King Mosiah beseeched the people to abolish the office, and establish and maintain free government, and elect their chief judge or governor by the voice of the people. He reasoned

 Mosiah 29:1-47

 and explained to them the dangers which would result to them by having a ruler who was not elected by the people. When Israel began to fall into darkness and transgression, in the days of Samuel, and they clamored for a king to lead them to war and thus be like the Gentile nations around them, it grieved Samuel the Seer to his heart; and he besought the people to desist from their determination, and he warned them of the dangers that would follow, telling them that it would lead to oppression and tyranny, and that taxes would be levied and heavy burdens would be laid upon the people grievous to be borne, and that it would finally lead to war, bloodshed and bondage. But they would not listen. And when

 1 Sam. 8:1-22

 the prophet inquired of the Lord what he should do, he answered and said to Samuel: “Hearken unto the voice of the people in all they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.”

Day 132 - Mosiah 28:1-20

Mosiah 28:

Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble. 

Day 131 - Mosiah 27:18-37

"Ye Must Be Born Again"

Elder David A. Bednar

April 2007 General Conference

Through faith in Christ, we can be spiritually prepared and cleansed from sin, immersed in and saturated with His gospel, and purified and sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise.

Day 130 - Mosiah 27:1-17

"The Kingdom of God" - L. Tom Perry, April 1979 General Conference:

Day 129 - Mosiah 26:14-39

"God’s Love for Us Transcends Our Transgressions"
April 1982 General Conference
Elder Ronald E. Poelman

The Lord, speaking to Alma, the Nephite prophet, says: “Whosoever transgresseth against me, him shall ye judge according to the sins which he has committed; and if he confess his sins before thee and me, and repenteth in the sincerity of his heart, him shall ye forgive, and I will forgive him also. 

“Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me.” (Mosiah 26:29–30.) 

Too often we make repentance more difficult for each other by our failure to forgive one another. However, we are admonished in modern revelation that “ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin. 

“I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.” (D&C 64:9–10.) 

Also from modern revelation comes one of the most comforting, hopeful pronouncements ever spoken: 

“He who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.” (D&C 58:42.) 

God is our father; he loves us; his love is infinite and unconditional. His sorrow is great when we disobey his commandments and break his laws. He cannot condone our transgressions, but he loves us and wants us to return to him.

Day 128 - Mosiah 25:15 - 26:13

"Our Rising Generation"
Elder Ronald A. Rasband
April 2006 General Conference

Our rising generation is worthy of our best efforts to support and strengthen them in their journey to adulthood.

Day 127 - Mosiah 24:16 - 25:14

Mosiah 25: Alma baptizes Limhi and all his people—Mosiah authorizes Alma to organize the Church of God

What is a church?

The Church of Jesus Christ

"Come unto me." Those three simple words spoken by Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:28) sum up the central purpose of His Church—to help all people come unto Christ, that they might receive salvation. 

In return for following Jesus Christ's way, He promises us many things, two of which are answers to our prayers and rest to our souls. We can all use a little rest. We all struggle with something. To all of us He says: Lay down your burdens. Let me carry your load. Turn away from the darkness and into the light. He also promises peace. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. . . . Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27). 

The roadmap to our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ is outlined in the restored gospel and taught by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It starts with being baptized into Christ’s fold and participating in His sacred ordinances and the fellowship of His Church. The journey continues with a loving congregation whose purpose is to lift and be lifted—and ultimately be saved in the Kingdom of God.

Read more about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Mormon.org or find a meetinghouse.

Day 126 - Mosiah 24:1-15

Why is it helpful to know that the Lord doesn't always immediately remove our burdens or take away our challenges?

And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions. And...the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.' (Mosiah 24:14-15)

Day 125 - Mosiah 23:16-39

Day 124 - Mosiah 22:10 - 23:15

Day 123 - Mosiah 21:28-36 - 22:1-9

Day 122 - Mosiah 21:9-27

Mosiah 21 | Step By Step Through the Book of Mormon

Day 121 - Mosiah 20:12 - 21:8

Mosiah 21: "Yea, all this was done that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled."

Day 120 - Mosiah 19:25 - 20:11

Commentary on Mosiah 20

Day 119 - Mosiah 19:1-24

Mosiah 19

Day 118 - Mosiah 18:17-35

Day 117 - Mosiah 18:1-16