My New Home Page--

I did some searching on the web and found a great suggestion. Make my homepage go directly to the scriptures online and I get to read them before I do anything else.
There are so many scriptures that are my favorite that I am posting this one from Alma 48:9-19. It had a familiar ring to what is happening in the world today. I think it is evident and close to what I see going on in the political scene. No other explanation necessary.

Father Lehi with his children and Sariah in the background standing by the tent door. Arnold Friberg painting. (I saw a replica of this 6 ft painting last night at University Mall estimated at $3000 unframed. I estimate maybe $5000 with the frame. Just a guess.)

7 Now it came to pass that while Amalickiah had thus been obtaining power by fraud and deceit, Moroni, on the other hand, had been preparing the mint resort; throwing up banks of earth round about to enclose his armies, and also building walls of stone to encircle them about, round about their cities and the borders of their lands; yea, all round about the land.
9 And in their weakest fortifications he did place the greater number of men; and thus he did fortify and strengthen the land which was possessed by the Nephites.
10 And thus he was preparing to support their liberty, their lands, their wives, and their children, and their peace, and that they might live unto the Lord their God, and that they might maintain that which was called by their enemies the cause of Christians.
11 And Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; he was a man of a perfect understanding; yea, a man that did not delight in bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the freedom of his country, and his brethren from bondage and slavery;
12 Yea, a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his God, for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon his people; a man who did labor exceedingly for the welfare and safety of his people.
13 Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ, and he had sworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood.
14 Now the Nephites were taught to defend themselves against their enemies, even to the shedding of blood if it were necessary; yea, and they were also taught never to give an offense, yea, and never to raise the sword except it were against an enemy, except it were to preserve their lives.
15 And this was their faith, that by so doing God would prosper them in the land, or in other words, if they were faithful in keeping the commandments of God that he would prosper them in the land; yea, warn them to flee, or to prepare for war, according to their danger;
16 And also, that God would make it known unto them whither they should go to defend themselves against their enemies, and by so doing, the Lord would deliver them; and this was the faith of Moroni, and his heart did glory in it; not in the shedding of blood but in doing good, in preserving his people, yea, in keeping the commandments of God, yea, and resisting iniquity.
17 Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.
18 Behold, he was a man like unto Ammon, the son of Mosiah, yea, and even the other sons of Mosiah, yea, and also Alma and his sons, for they were all men of God.



I am so thankful for the scriptures which give me an added measure of the spirit of discernment that is possible from these precious pages. It is a record abridged by Mormon of old and the translation made by Joseph Smith by the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ on the Earth. I know and bear testimony that the Book of Mormon is true and was written for us in our day, by the prophets, Lehi, Nephi, et al, down through Mormon, Moroni and Joseph Smith.