Ensign College Devotional
“Preparing for the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ”
November 12, 2024
In last month’s general conference, President Russell M. Nelson declared, “Brothers and sisters, now is the time for you and for me to prepare for the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.”
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The Lord and His prophets have been striving to prepare us for the Second Coming since the beginning of this dispensation. Today I would like to talk about how the conditions within the world and Zion will differ in the lead-up to the Second Coming and how the Lord is preparing us for the difficult times that lie ahead.
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we should listen! President Nelson also added, “My dear brothers and sisters, do you see what is happening right before our eyes? I pray that we will not miss the majesty of this moment! The Lord is indeed hastening His work.”
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From my vantage point at BYU-Pathway Worldwide, I can indeed testify that the Lord is hastening His work. This hastening signifies that we will see more of the signs and conditions that will proceed the Second Coming in the near future.
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Listen for familiar themes like (1) relying upon Jesus Christ, (2) taking the Holy Ghost as our guide, (3) obeying God’s commandments, (4) making and keeping covenants, including regular worship in the House of the Lord, and (5) sharing the gospel. Here are some of those prophecies:
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In fact, you and I were put here on earth to prepare the world for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are led by a living prophet, Russell M. Nelson, who is the Lord’s mouthpiece here on earth. There will be difficult challenges ahead, and we will have to face some hardships. However, God will guide, strengthen, and protect us as we do what He has commanded. With respect to the calamities and difficulties of the last days, the Lord has promised, “Zion shall escape if she observe to do all things whatsoever I have commanded her.”
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Thus, even as all things are in commotion around us and men’s and women’s hearts are failing,
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“the righteous need not fear.”
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Conditions in the World
The scriptures contain many descriptions of the conditions that will exist in the world during the lead-up to the Second Coming. Here are a few:- “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.”
4 - “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”
5 - “They who will not hear the voice of the Lord, neither the voice of his servants, neither give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles, shall be cut off from among the people.”
6 - “And the rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow; for their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed.”
7 - “There shall be weeping and wailing among the hosts of men; And there shall be a great hailstorm sent forth to destroy the crops of the earth.”
8 - “For after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes, that shall cause groanings in the midst of [the earth], and men shall fall upon the ground and shall not be able to stand. And also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds. And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people.”
9 - “And there shall be men standing in that generation, that shall not pass until they shall see an overflowing scourge; for a desolating sickness shall cover the land. … Among the wicked, men shall lift up their voices and curse God and die.”
10 - “The Lord’s scourge shall pass over by night and by day, and the report thereof shall vex all people; yea, it shall not be stayed until the Lord come; For the indignation of the Lord is kindled against their abominations and all their wicked works.”
11 - “If [Zion] observe not to do whatsoever I have commanded her, I will visit her according to all her works, with sore affliction, with pestilence, with plague, with sword, with vengeance, with devouring fire.”
12 - “Peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion.
13 - “I, the Lord, am angry with the wicked; I am holding my Spirit from the inhabitants of the earth. I have sworn in my wrath, and decreed wars upon the face of the earth, and the wicked shall slay the wicked, and fear shall come upon every man.”
14 - Zion “shall be the only people that shall not be at war one with another.”
15 - “And it shall come to pass among the wicked, that every man that will not take his sword against his neighbor must needs flee unto Zion for safety.”
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The Ascendency of Zion
Fortunately, the Lord takes care of His people and has prepared a way for us to be blessed even in the midst of all these difficulties. In fact, there is another more expansive set of prophecies about how Zion, which consists of the pure in heart, will ascend as we get closer to the return of the Savior.- People will literally flock to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Quoting Isaiah, “And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: … the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.”
18 - Those who make and keep their temple covenants will become what Isaiah calls “trees of righteousness.”
19 These trees of righteousness “shall stand in holy places, and shall not be moved.”20 - These trees of righteousness will also become “the builders of the nation[s].”
21 Quoting Isaiah again, “And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.”22 This will make many places that the Lord calls “desolate heritages” place where the saints can be established.23 - “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.”
24 - The “Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world.”
25 - The “covenant people of the Lord” will be “armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.”
26 - How about these comforting words, again from Isaiah, speaking about our day as quoted in 1 Nephi 21: “Thus saith the Lord: In an acceptable time have I heard thee, … and I will preserve thee, and give thee my servant for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; That thou mayest say to the prisoners: Go forth; to them that sit in darkness: Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. They shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor the sun smite them; for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. … For they shall be smitten no more; for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.”
27 - Those who make and keep temple covenants “shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted. Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth to carry them. But behold, they are in the hands of the Lord of the harvest, and they are his; and he will raise them up at the last day.”
28 - God will go before us and be our rearguard.
29 - The saints will be able to take “the Holy Spirit for their guide.”
30 - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be brought “forth out of obscurity and out of darkness.”
31 - “[T]he fulness of [Christ’s] gospel [will] be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers.”
32 - “[T]he Lord shall have power over his saints, and shall reign in their midst.”
33 - “Zion shall flourish upon the hills and rejoice upon the mountains.”
34 - Speaking of the New Jerusalem, the Lord said it will be called “a land of peace, a city of refuge, a place of safety for the saints of the Most High God; And the glory of the Lord shall be there, and the terror of the Lord also shall be there, insomuch that the wicked will not come unto it.”
35 - “[T]he righteous shall be gathered out from among all nations.”
36 - “And the nations of the earth shall honor [Zion], and shall say: Surely Zion is the city of our God, and surely Zion cannot fall, neither be moved out of her place, for God is there, and the hand of the Lord is there.”
37 - “Therefore, let your hearts be comforted; for all things shall work together for good to them that walk uprightly, and to the sanctification of the church. For I will raise up unto myself a pure people, that will serve me in righteousness; And all that call upon the name of the Lord, and keep his commandments, shall be saved.”
38 - “Verily I say unto you all: Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations; And that the gathering together upon the land of Zion, and upon her stakes, may be for a defense, and for a refuge from the storm, and from wrath when it shall be poured out without mixture upon the whole earth.”
39 - “The heavens shall be darkened, and a veil of darkness shall cover the earth; and the heavens shall shake, and also the earth; and great tribulations shall be among the children of men, but my people will I preserve.”
40 - And finally, returning to the words of Isaiah and his prophesy about the trees of righteousness (those who make and keep temple covenants), the Lord said, “And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed.”
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Preparing for the Second Coming
So how do we obtain these blessings and compensatory help? As we just read, we can turn to the scriptures for direction.- President Dallin H. Oaks talked about being peacemakers in an environment of sharp disagreements. He then taught, “It is significant that among the first principles Jesus taught when He appeared to the Nephites was to avoid contention. While He taught this in the context of disputes over religious doctrine, the reasons He gave clearly apply to communications and relationships in politics, public policy, and family relationships.”
44 - President Henry B. Eyring focused on teaching the simple doctrine of Jesus Christ to family members “who are being tempted and tried by the seemingly constant forces of Satan.” He said, “It is tempting to try something new or sensational. But the Holy Ghost will reveal the spirit of truth only as we are cautious and careful not to go beyond teaching true doctrine. One of the surest ways to avoid even getting near false doctrine is to choose to be simple in our teaching.”
45 - President Jeffrey R. Holland bore a powerful testimony of the mission and divine identity of Jesus Christ. He closed with this testimony of the Second Coming of the Savior: “Brothers and sisters, I testify that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the vehicle God has provided for our exaltation. … I testify that Russell M. Nelson is a prophet of our God, as His predecessors were and as His successors will be. And one day that prophetic guidance will lead a generation to see our Messenger of Salvation descend like ‘lightning … out of the east,’ (Matthew 24:27) and we will exclaim, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ With arms forever outstretched and love unfeigned, He will reply, ‘I am he.’ (John 18:5).”
46 - Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf said “Knowing what is eternal and what is not is key to growing a testimony of Jesus Christ and His Church. …The restored gospel of Jesus Christ … ‘embrace[s] all, and every item of truth’ (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith (2007), 264). But that doesn’t mean that all truth is of equal value. Some truths are core, essential, at the root of our faith. Others are appendages or branches. … Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice are the root of our testimony. All other things are branches. … If you want to nourish a tree, you don’t splash water on the branches. You water the roots. Similarly, if you want the branches of your testimony to grow and bear fruit, nourish the roots.”
47 - Elder David A. Bednar taught that the Book of Mormon was written for our day. He said, it “contains important principles, warnings, and lessons intended for me and you in the circumstances and challenges of our present day.”
48 Elder Bednar specifically took lessons about pride and setting our hearts on riches from the Book of Helaman, which was the prelude to the Savior’s first coming and contains lessons that will be important to prepare for His Second Coming. - Elder Quentin L. Cook spoke about the need for scriptural guidance in our day and said, “Combined with the teachings of living prophets, these sacred scriptures provide doctrinal direction for us in today’s world. … We cannot underestimate the significance of sacred scriptures both in conversions and in remaining faithful in the gospel.”
49 - After sharing the story of the Lamanites in the Book of Mormon who buried their weapon of war or “the weapons of their rebellion”
50 as a testament that they would keep God’s commandments, Elder D. Todd Christofferson taught, “In the end, burying our weapons of rebellion against God simply means yielding to the enticing of the Holy Spirit, putting off the natural man, and becoming ‘a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord (Mosiah 3:19).’ It means putting the first commandment first in our lives. It means letting God prevail. If our love of God and our determination to serve Him with all our might, mind, and strength become the touchstone by which we judge all things and make all our decisions, we will have buried our weapons of rebellion.”51 - Elder Neil L. Andersen used experiences from two different families to teach that we will need the hope that the gospel brings into our lives as we face the challenges ahead. He noted, “As we strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ, we see beyond our struggles to the blessings and promises of eternity. Like a light whose brilliance grows, hope brightens the darkened world, and we see our glorious future.”
52 - Elder Ronald A. Rasband said, “Brothers and sisters, we need to do more lifting and less murmuring, more upholding the word of the Lord, His ways, and His prophet, who has said: ‘One of our greatest challenges today is distinguishing between the truths of God and the counterfeits of Satan’ (Russell M. Nelson, ‘The Power of Spiritual Momentum,’ Liahona, May 2022, 99).”
53 - Elder Gary E. Stevenson noted, “My beloved brothers and sisters, my dear young friends, there will likely be difficulties for each of us in the days ahead. However, as we enter this coming decade of unprecedented moments, may we share glad tidings through the simple activities of living, caring, inviting, and uniting. As we do so, the Lord will bless us with experiences never to be forgotten. I testify that those who approach the Lord with a sincere heart and real intent, those who have the name of the Savior upon their lips and the Holy Spirit in their souls, those who embark upon this grand and glorious pilgrimage will discover and experience bounteous celestial blessings and receive a witness that God hears you, knows you, and loves you.”
54 - Elder Dale G. Renlund said, “I invite you to commit yourself more fully to the Savior, His gospel, and His Church. As you do so, you will find that the combination of the Savior’s gospel and His Church brings power into your life. This power is far greater than dynamite. It’ll shatter the rocks in your way, transform you into an inheritor in God’s kingdom. And you will be ‘filled with that joy which is unspeakable and full of glory’ (Helaman 5:44).”
55 - Elder Gerrit W. Gong taught, “Growing evidence highlights this striking fact: religious believers are on average happier, healthier, and more fulfilled than those without spiritual commitment or connection. Happiness and life satisfaction, mental and physical health, meaning and purpose, character and virtue, close social relationships, even financial and material stability — on each measure, religious practitioners flourish.”
56 - Elder Ulisses Soares shared, “During our sojourn in mortality, we often wrestle with what we think we know, what we think is best, and what we assume works for us, as opposed to comprehending what Heavenly Father actually knows, what is eternally best, and what absolutely works for children within His plan. This great wrestle can become very complex, especially considering the prophecies contained in the scriptures for our day: ‘This know also, that in the last days … men shall be lovers of their own selves, … lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God’ (2 Timothy 3:1-2, 4). … We need to be careful and constantly vigilant to not be tempted to adopt this type of worldly philosophy in our life.”
57 - And finally, Elder Patrick Kearon taught, “Because of the loving plan of our Heavenly Father for each of His children, and because of the redeeming life and mission of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, we can — and should — be the most joyful people on earth! Even as the storms of life in an often-troubled world pound upon us, we can cultivate a growing and abiding sense of joy and inner peace because of our hope in Christ and our understanding of our own place in the beautiful plan of happiness.”
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