I was thinking about signs this week. Our world is surrounded with them. Signs can give us warning, or direction. Signs can also signal us that things are going to happen or change.
Here I stand feeling much like an overstuffed turkey two weeks away from my due date wondering when I will go into labor and when this baby will come. Right now I am looking for signs from my body that will let me know that I am in labor. But really I can’t know for sure the day or time that it will happen. So in the mean time I have been preparing because it could happen any day.
Some of my preparations have been going to the temple one last time. Washing and organizing all the baby clothes, buying the diapers and wipes. Cleaning and re-cleaning my house, getting all the Christmas shopping done…the list goes on. The more prepared I get the more at ease I feel about her coming, because I feel that I will be ready.
In a sense this is similar to preparing for the second coming. No one knows when it will happen, but it has been prophesied that the Savior will come.
*The Lord gives us signs to warn us, but why do you think it is important that he doesn’t just tell us the exact time the Savior will come again? Procrastination. We can’t become the people we need to be if we wait until the last moment to prepare. Or it won’t happen in my lifetime so why prepare?
Because he gives us these signs and warnings we can put our lives in order and prepare ourselves and our families for those things yet to come.
Many of the signs are terrifying and dreadful. But as we pass through these things, if we are prepared we do not need to fear.
*What are some of the more frightening signs of the Second Coming?
· False Christs and false prophets, deceiving many.
· Wars and rumors of wars, with nation rising against nation.
· Earthquakes in divers places.
· Famine and pestilence.
· An overflowing scourge, a desolating sickness covering the land.
· Iniquity abounding.
· The whole earth in commotion.
· Men’s hearts failing them.
Quote #1: Dallin H Oaks, April 2004 Conference: “These signs of the Second Coming are all around us and seem to be increasing in frequency and intensity. For example, the list of major earthquakes in The World Almanac and Book of Facts, 2004 shows twice as many earthquakes in the decades of the 1980s and 1990s as in the two preceding decades. It also shows further sharp increases in the first several years of this century. The list of notable floods and tidal waves and the list of hurricanes, typhoons, and blizzards worldwide show similar increases in recent years. Increases by comparison with 50 years ago can be dismissed as changes in reporting criteria, but the accelerating pattern of natural disasters in the last few decades is ominous.”
However, not all the events preceding the Second Coming are dreadful. Many of them bring joy to the world.
The Restoration of the Gospel
The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon
The Gospel Preached to All the World
The Coming of Elijah
Lehi’s Descendants Will Become a Great People
Building of the New Jerusalem
We are promised that if we are prepared we shall not fear so…
Let’s talk about how we can prepare for the second coming?
Most of us are familiar with the story of the 10 virgins:
As we read, see if you can figure out what the oil in this parable represents.
Matthew 25:1-13 “The Savior … compared the kingdom of God unto ten virgins, which took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom. “And five of them were wise and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them; But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. At midnight there was a cry made, Behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you; but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
*What does the Oil represent? Our faith and testimony, our purity and dedication, our good works, and our keeping of covenants.
Quote #2: Dallin H. Oaks said: “What if the day of His coming were tomorrow? If we knew that we would meet the Lord tomorrow—through our premature death or through His unexpected coming—what would we do today? What confessions would we make? What practices would we discontinue? What accounts would we settle? What forgivenesses would we extend? What testimonies would we bear?
*If we would do those things then, why not now? Why not seek peace while peace can be obtained? If our lamps of preparation are drawn down, let us start immediately to replenish them.”
We have been warned of calamities and told to prepare for them, but we can also look forward to the coming of the Savior and be glad. The Lord said, “Be not troubled, for, when all these things [the signs] shall come to pass, ye may know that the promises which have been made unto you shall be fulfilled” (D&C 45:35). He said those who are righteous when He comes will not be destroyed “but shall abide the day. And the earth shall be given unto them for an inheritance; … and their children shall grow up without sin. … For the Lord shall be in their midst, and his glory shall be upon them, and he will be their king and their lawgiver” (D&C 45:57–59).



