The Truth!

All of us are stunned by the recent disaster in Southeast Asia. The death count now is in the hundreds of thousands and will continue to increase as disease and starvation set in over the weeks ahead. Aid just cannot get there fast enough to help the victims of the biggest natural disaster in recent history. There are also members of the Church who will over the next few months, point to this disaster and say,” The end is coming soon.” and other things along those lines.

In fast and testimony meetings, a large number of people will stand up and say these things. On the other hand, people like me will give aid through financial contributions and prayer for those effected, but will not consider this a sign of his coming until further word comes from Church leaders.

I used to get uneasy whenever there were renewed hostilities in the middle east or when natural disasters would strike but now I am more reserved and optimistic about the future and when the actual coming of the Lord will take place. Wilford Woodruff described how we should live our lives with regards to the Lord’s second coming. He said that he would live as though it would happen tomorrow, but that he would still plant cherry trees. For those of you that do not know, cherry trees, or any tree for that matter, take a long time to grow.

The saints in the dispensation after the Christ’s first coming believed that he would come within their lifetimes. The Apostles had to write letters to the Saints basically saying that it would be a while before he came. They said that there would be an apostasy first followed by a restoration that would usher in the Lord’s return.

As far as I am concerned, the second coming could happen today, which is very unlikely, or it could happen when I am an old man. Either way, if I am not prepared to meet the lord now, and were to get hit by a car and die, I would be just as bad off as those who were not prepared for the great and terrible day to come.

When will Jesus return? The answer is none of us know. There is only one person who knows, The Father, and he has not yet seen fit to reveal when it will happen, nor do I think that he will ever fully reveal the exact timing. We have the scriptures that help us gain a general idea, but cryptic codes predicting the exact day and time supported by the Bigfoot crowd, are the last the things that I am going to give my attention to.

Disasters happen. In fact this disaster is not the worst in world history. There were catastrophes in Asia hundreds of years ago that make this one pale in comparison. This one will stand out because it is recent, and we have not seen anything like this for decades.

So repent of you sins and plant some trees, and remember that He will return someday and pay no heed to those who Second Coming nuts who will be flying off the handle. Make plans as though you would live to be eighty and live as though you would die tomorrow.