As Edited & Directed

This morning, while praying, pondering, and reading the Scriptures; I was directed to share these (abridged) thoughts.
Yesterday, a friend from my distant past telephoned me, anxiously seeking my counsel, about an issue which was causing somewhat of a personal quandary.
The issue was a specious and irrelevant allegation about the behavior of an historical Christian leader, and that issue's impact on the faith of my inquirer.
I suggested that these concerns were entirely missing the mark about Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, and then shared an experience I had many many years ago, when I was in college and converted to Christ's restored Gospel, but not yet a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
A young and beautiful lady, who was introduced to me by my sister, was out with me on a date to a drive-in movie.
Making conversation with her on the drive to the movie, I asked her if she belonged to any particular Church, and she replied that she was a "Witch" and worshipped Satan.
I laughed, thinking she was joking, but she insisted that she was sincere.
She explained that God was good and He would only give us good things, but Satan was bad and would hurt us.
Therefore, she went on to posit, it behooved her and others in her "coven" to worship Satan, thereby appeasing him from harming them.
This incredibly goofy chain of
logic completely perplexed me, and a passage about Korihor, an "Antichrist" in the Book of Mormon, immediately came into my mind:
"And thus we see the end of him who perverted the ways of the Lord: and thus we see that the devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell." (Book of Mormon: Alma, Chapter 30, verse 30).
The application of this passage from the Book of Mormon is relevant to all our of our behavior and speculations.
It also applies and has a direct bearing upon us regarding those whose counsel we choose to follow, as well as those with whom we choose to associate.
Put another way: Beware the power and influence of others with whom you associate. Choose your friends wisely, for you will tend to become like them. (Proverbs 13:10)