As a little girl, I can remember sitting around, listening to the adults in my family discussing the Savior's Second Coming and all the earth would experience leading up to those final days. I remember being anxious about their conversations and being a little scared. I also remember saying a little prayer, asking Heavenly Father to at least let me get married before all the commotion was to start, thinking I can do anything with my future husband by my side. Now, many years later, with a husband and four children, my prayer is that we, my husband and I, are doing all we can to prepare ourselves and our children so as not be deceived by the many voices trying to call us down a different paths.
In Mark 13, there are several versus that give us at least three things that believers should watch for in order to be prepared for to meet the Lord. On this list, I felt like we were being asked to listen and pay attention to what our living prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, and our other church leaders are saying because they are the Lord's mouthpiece for us. I know that what they have to tell us are words of encourage and/or warning to help us in our journey back to Him. As we are committed to listening to our Church leaders, we will be know what Heavenly Father wants of us and we will receive inspiration for ourselves, our families and our needs.
Also in that same chapter, we are taught of some things to watch for, which are as followed:
1. Being deceived - This could be as little or as big as we allow it in our lives. At first, it may not feel like we're doing anything wrong. If we remember from the Book of Mormon, the devil sometimes works in degrees. He knows that if he can get us a little at a time, we might eventually come around where he can snag us completely into his trap. To keep us from being trapped in his web of deception, we need to stay close to what the Savior and His teachings. We also need to stay worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost who will be there to guide and protect us from the things that will deceive us.
2. Prophesy being fulfilled - Many prophets have given us signs to watch for as the Second Coming gets closer. I will not list them all here for many reasons but there are numerous resources if you'd like to learn more. We are asked to know what those signs are and watch for them. They will strengthen our testimony and our hope as things seem out of control.
I recently saw a movie clip about pioneers crossing the plains. As the weather turned cold, a group a pioneers became stranded from cold, illnesses, and lack of food. Many died. Even in the bleakness of their situation, I couldn't help but wonder what keep them even trying to move forward, even in the mist of their extreme lack of sufficient supplies. As I thought about how hard it was to go through what they went through, a thought came into my mind that it was the hope of being together with other people who believed and worshiped as they do. To be in an area where they would not be persecuted for what they believed anymore. It was their hope and faith in Jesus Christ that got them through that hard time. It will be our hope and faith in Christ that will get us through our hard times of today. As we watched for and recognize prophesy being fulfilled, are testimony will be strengthen.
3. Christ coming. I don't think this needs any explanation. I know that Christ will come to the Earth again. We have been told in the scriptures and by many living prophets. It is our responsibility to prepare ourselves for when He does come. We will not know when He will come so we must spend time every day preparing. We are told by our church leaders to "treasure" the word of God. As we make this a priority in our lives, we will be prepared for His coming.
As frightening as the last days were to me as a little girl, I now look to them with anticipation. I know it will be hard to see and go through what we must face but I also know that with each passing day, we are one day closer to Christ coming and peace being felt everywhere. I am committed to learning, preparing, and watching for those days. I am adding one drop of oil in my lamp everyday. With every drop I add, the greater my faith and testimony to get me through the hard times and and the greater my strength to keep one foot in front of the other when the world would tell me to stop.
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