I can hardly bear to watch the news these days. So much pain, suffering, and sorrow. So many selfish, senseless acts. So much wickedness.
We knew it would be like this. We know it will get worse.
And yet, if you watch a little longer, there follows each tragedy a great outpouring of love and goodness. Individuals, families, and communities coming together. Friends, neighbors, and strangers lifting, helping, supporting, and comforting each other. Ordinary people acting with great bravery to protect and rescue. So many heros we didn't know existed. Such kindness, selflessness, and love.
Christ is there.
"...see that ye be not b troubled: for all these things must come to pass, so likewise mine elect, when they shall see all these things, they shall know that he is near, even at the doors."
Matthew 24:6, 33 with JST
We know the time for Christ to come is drawing ever closer. The signs are there. The scriptures outline in great detail the conditions that will be present in the last days. They speak of great wickedness and turmoil. They also speak of great righteousness and those who are valiant in their testimony of Christ, "mine elect."
Elder Neil L. Andersen said:
Elder Neil L. Andersen said:
The Lord has long spoken of the necessary preparations for His Second Coming. To Enoch, He declared, “Righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, … and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth.”11 The prophet Daniel prophesied that in the latter days the gospel would roll forth unto the ends of the earth as a “stone [that is] cut out of [a] mountain without hands.”12 Nephi spoke of the latter-day Church as being few in number but spread upon all the face of the earth.13 The Lord declared in this dispensation, “Ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect.” (Preparing the World for the Second Coming, April 2011)
"And this a gospel of the b kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations" Matthew 24:14
It is happening!
At General Conference in October 2012, it was announced by our prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, that the age would be lowered for when young men and women are eligible to serve full-time missions. The response has been astounding.
Have you noticed that almost every time you drive across town there are a pair of missionaries either riding bikes or walking down the street? They are everywhere!
Why now with this generation?
President George Q. Cannon (1827–1901), First Counselor in the First Presidency Said: “God has reserved spirits for this dispensation who have the courage and determination to face the world, and all the powers of the evil one, visible and invisible, to proclaim the gospel and maintain the truth and establish and build up the Zion of our God fearless of all consequences. He has sent these spirits in this generation to lay the foundation of Zion never more to be overthrown, and to raise up a seed that will be righteous, and that will honor God, and honor Him supremely, and be obedient to Him under all circumstances.”7
Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, “The youth of this generation have a greater capacity for obedience than any previous generation.” (October 1997)
My husband and I had the privilege of spending 4 days and 3 nights in the company of many of these valiant youth as Ma and Pa on a Pioneer Trek two years ago.
That was one of the most powerful spiritual experiences of my life.
Here is a piece of the letter we wrote to our trek family after we had returned home which we titled, "Pioneer Trek according to Ma and Pa:"
After arriving at
Pioneer Trek and meeting their 5 daughters and 4 sons, Ma and Pa looked at each
other and said, “Some of these kids are going to be a handful!” They couldn’t
have been more wrong.
Ma
and Pa watched as their children cared and watched out for each other. They
jumped in and helped without being asked. They pulled heavy handcarts up steep,
rocky, narrow mountain trails without complaining. Everyone did their share and
encouraged each other.
These were only some of so many lessons taught through both
words and deeds by these remarkable youth. One afternoon we were to hold a Family
Home Evening presented by the children. Our family set off to a secluded spot
in a beautiful grassy meadow. There we learned about the power of prayer,
faith, strengthening your testimony, and the courage and faith of Esther. We
were taught that it doesn’t really matter that you can recite the psalm if you
don’t know the shepherd, there were a whole lot of push-ups, and Ma and Pa will
never think of raisins the same again.
As we prepared
for the trek home on the last morning, our family was excited to find
themselves at the head of all 14 families. On the first day of the trek we kept
falling behind as we stopped to doctor blisters, and the boys found this
especially discouraging. We did great on our way out, still having to stop for
blisters, but not losing our place like the first day. We had less than two
miles to go of our 25ish mile trek, (they never really told us how many miles
it was!) when poor Jadie said her feet hurt worse than ever. Ma and Pa sent the
rest of the family ahead and told them we would catch up. Jadie already had the
worst blisters of the family and had so much tape and moleskin on her feet that
Ma and Pa told her they looked like Frankenstein feet. Jadie wanted to try and
make it the rest of the way, they were so close! Her feet were retaped and
padded the best that could be done. Pa ran to catch up with the others. Ma and
Jadie started out, but did not get far when Jadie felt one of her blisters pop.
She could not go any farther. They moved to the side of the road to wait for
the medical van, and watched as all 13 other carts passed them by.
It took a while
for the van to come, and when it finally arrived it was packed full. Ma helped
Jadie in and said she would walk the rest of the way. She didn’t think there
was any hope of catching up to the others, but because Ma and Pa had not been allowed
to help the children push or pull the handcarts at all during the trek, she at
least wanted to walk every step that the children had gone. If they could do
it, so could she.
As Ma caught up
and walked for a while with a few stragglers, they came around a bend and Ma
saw her entire family pulled over to the side of the road waiting for her. Two daughters had hurt ankles, one had a
pulled leg muscle, and at least 3 other children had blisters. With the end in sight, they had turned their
sore, tired bodies around and walked back down the hot, dusty trail to gather
the rest of the family. They met their Ma with a tin cup full of water and
said, “We need our Ma. We need to finish this together with our family.” As we
neared the cart Ma saw that Jadie was with them as well. The family had flagged
down the medical van and insisted that they give Jadie back to them. The driver
said they were so close to the end that he would just go ahead and drive her,
but the family insisted, “Give us our sister.” Pa and the brothers took turns
carrying Jadie in their arms, and when they couldn’t carry her anymore, they
placed her in the cart. Together they then pulled their handcart to the end, in
very last place. They knew it didn’t matter how long it took to get there as
long as they did it together, with their family.
I had gone on the trek thinking we would be the ones teaching and strengthening the faith and testimonies of these remarkable youth. I hope we did. I did not expect it would have such a powerful effect on my own. I cherish the memories I brought home with me.
Since this time, one daughter has married in the temple, another daughter is moving forward with plans for her mission, and a son has received his mission call and will be leaving this summer.
They are valiant in their testimony of Christ. They are standing as witnesses of Him in the face of tremendous temptations and worldly pressures. They are among those referred to in the scriptures as, "mine elect."
There is great righteousness and light in the world despite all of the darkness. "But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience, possess ye your souls." (Luke21:19)
There are miracles happening, exactly as the prophets have taught. We are watching them unfold.
"Therefore be ye also ready
Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing
Watch therefore...."
(Matthew 24:42, 44, 46 )
There is need to watch. There is need to be ready. There is need to be serving diligently.
There is however, no need to be troubled. Christ is near.
Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us a cheerfully b do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the c salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed. (D&C 123:17)
Posted by Sister Montgomery
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