My mom did this study of signs of the second coming:
WHO WILL BE PROTECTED FROM GOD'S JUDGMENTS IN THE LAST DAYS?
Elder Robert D. Hales (April 2003 Conference, May Ensign p. 15)
We are living through turbulent times. A great storm of evil has come upon the earth. The winds of wickedness howl about us; the waves of war beat against our ship. As Paul wrote to Timothy: "In the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,.. Having a form of godliness; but denying the power thereof (2Tim 3:1-2,5)
It is true that ominous clouds gather around us, but just as the Savior's words brought peace to the Apostles in the boat, they bring peace to us today: 'And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet." (Mark 13:7). "If ye are prepared ye shall not fear." (D&C 38:30)
Pres. Boyd K.Packer said "We need not live in fear of the future. We have every reason to rejoice and little reason to fear. If we follow the promptings of the Spirit, we will be safe, whatever the future holds. We will be shown what to do. (Ensign, May 2000 p.8)
Elder Neal A. Maxwell in April 2003 conference said "Therefore, though ours is a time of conflict, quietly caring for "the life of the soul" is still what matters most."
Elder Richard G. Scott said in the April 2003 conference "Why worry about future calamities or uncertainties over which you have no control? Your righteous character magnifies the probability that you will never have to suffer them. When challenges and testing do come, your faith will lead you to solutions. Your peace of mind, your assurance of answers to vexing problems, your ultimate joy depend upon your trust in Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Right will ultimately prevail.
President Hinckley said "Our safety lies in the virtue of our lives. Our strength lies in our righteousness. God has made it clear that if we will not forsake Him, He will not forsake us. (Nov 2001 Ensign, p. 90)
"Even in an evil world we can so live our lives as to merit the protecting care of our Father in Heaven. We can be as the righteous living among the evils of Sodom and Gommorrah." Pres. Hinckley, May 2003 Ensign p. 81
"Give thanks for commandments. They are directions away from pitfalls, and they are invitations to blessings. Commandments mark the path and show us they way to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come." Dallin H. Oaks, May 2003 Ensign, p 95
The Apostle Paul prophesied of "perilous times" in the last days (2 Tim 3:1) and he warned, "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12)
Isaiah promised, "In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression, for thou shalt not fear; and from terror; for it shall not come near thee" (Isaiah 554:14)
The Lord Himself encouraged, "Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come" (D&C68:6)
"We have the means of escape through obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Will we escape? When I see, even among the Latter-day Saints the violations of the laws of the Lord, I fear and I tremble. I have been crying repentance among the stakes of Zion for 30 years, calling upon the people to turn to the Lord, keep his commandments, observe the Sabbath day, pay their honest tithing, do everything the Lord has commanded them to do, to live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God. By doing this we shall escape the calamities. Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, vol 3, p 34-35.
(H-11) Summary (D&C Syllabus)
Throughout history the Lord has counseled his people to prepare for the time of his coming and to warn the world to do the same. The same preparations that are needed to endure the tribulations of the last days will be needed to endure the presence of the Lord when he comes. At the time of the Lord's coming the parable of the ten virgins will be fulfilled and those who "have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide ... shall abide the day" (D&C 45:57).
President Hugh B. Brown, speaking in a general priesthood meeting in 1967, referred to this age as a time when youth must be prepared for an era fraught with trouble, yet an era in which the forces of God would eventually prevail and bring destined glory to the Lord's kingdom. His counsel to the young men of the priesthood is a fitting conclusion for this study:
"It seems to me that of all the signs of the times (and they are ominous and on every side) this is one of the significant signs of the times-that the Church of Jesus Christ, the kingdom of God, is massing its forces, getting ready for that which is to follow....
"I say this is in a sense one of the signs of the times. I see thousands listening; and I would like to say to you young men that those of us who are growing older will pass on. We must pass the torch to you. You must have the faith to hold it high....
"I hope that every young man under the sound of my voice will resolve tonight, 'I am going to keep myself clean. I am going to serve the Lord. I am going to prepare every way I can for future service, because I want to be prepared when the final battle shall come.'
"And some of you young men are going to engage in that battle. Some of you are going to engage in the final testing time, which is coming and which is closer to us than we know....
"I want to say to you, brethren, that in the midst of all the troubles, the uncertainties, the tumult and chaos through which the world is passing, almost unnoticed by the majority of the people of the world, there has been set up a kingdom, a kingdom over which God the Father presides, and Jesus the Christ is the King. That kingdom is rolling for-ward, as I say, partly unnoticed, but it is rolling forward with a power and a force that will stop the enemy in its tracks while some of you live....
" . . . I urge all of us to set our houses in order, to set our lives in order, to be prepared for that which lies ahead; and God will bless and sustain us in our efforts." (In Conference Report, Oct. 1967, pp. 115-16.)
May 2004 Ensign
Do Not Fear by President Boyd K. Packer excerpts from his conference address in May 2004 Ensign
A few weeks ago our youngest son and his wife and family stopped to see us. The first one out of the car was our two-year-old grandson. ...He hugged my legs, and I looked down at that smiling face and those big, innocent eyes and thought, "What kind of a world awaits him?" For a moment I had that feeling of anxiety, that fear of the future that so many parents express to us. Everywhere we go fathers and mothers worry about the future of their children in this very troubled world. But then a feeling of assurance came over me. My fear of the future faded. That guiding, comforting Spirit, with which we in the Church are so familiar, brought to my remembrance what I already knew. The fear of future was gone. That bright-eyed, little two-year old can have a good life–a very good life–and so can his children and his grandchildren, even though they will live in a world where there is much of wickedness.
There will see many events transpire in the course of their life time. Some of these shall tax their courage and extend their faith. But if they seek prayerfully for help and guidance, they shall be given power over adverse things. Such trials shall not be permitted to stand in the way of their progress, but instead shall act as stepping stones to greater knowledge.
We do not fear the future for ourselves or for our children. We live in dangerously troubled times. The values that steadied mankind in earlier times are being tossed away....
The moral values upon which civilization itself must depend spiral downward at an ever-increasing pace. Nevertheless, I do not fear the future. ..Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ.... Feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you [and your children as well] all things what ye should do" (2 Nephi 32:3) If you will accept it in your mind and cradle it in your feelings, a knowledge of the restored gospel and a testimony of Jesus Christ can spiritually immunize your children.
One thing is very clear: the safest place and the best protection against the moral and spiritual diseases is a stable home and family. This has always been true; it will be true forever. We must keep that foremost in our minds.
The scriptures speak of "shield of faith wherewith," the Lord said, "ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked" (D&C 27:17)
This shield of faith is best fabricated in a cottage industry.
The Lord said, "Take upon you my whole arrmor, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, having done all, that ye may be able to stand (D&C 27:15)
Our young people in many ways are much stronger and better than we were. They and we should not be afraid of what is ahead.
Encourage our young people. They need not live in fear (see D&C 6>36) Fear is the opposite of faith.
While we cannot erase wickedness, we can produce young Latter-day Saints who, spiritually nourished, are immunized against evil influences.
As a grandfather who has lived a long time, I counsel you to have faith. Things have a way of working out. Stay close to the Church. Keep your children close to the Church.
Keep your sense of humor.
Do not be afraid to bring children into the world. We are under covenant to provide physical bodies so that spirits may enter mortality (see Genesis 1:28; Moses 2:28) Children are the future of the Restored Church.
Put your homes in order. If Mother is working outside of the home, see if there are ways to change that, even a little. It may be difficult to change at the present time. But analyze carefully and be prayerful (see D&C 9:8-9) Then expect to have inspiration, which is revelation (see D&C 8:2- 3). Expect intervention from power from beyond the veil to help you move, in due time, to what is best for your family.
:We will not be free from challenges, some of them bitter and hard to bear. We may wish to be spared all the trials of life, but that would be contrary to the great plan of happiness "for it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things" (2 Nephi 2:11). This testing is the source of our strength.
Remember the Atonement of Christ.
Follow the leaders who are called to preside over you, for the promise is given: "If my people will harken unto my voice, and unto the voice of my servants whom I have appointed to lead my people, behold, verily I say unto you, they shall not be moved out of their place. (DD&C 124:45)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will go forward "until it has filled the whole earth" *(D&C 65:2) and the great Jehovah announced that His work is done.(see History of the Church, 4:540). The Church is a safe harbor. We will be protected by justice and comforted by mercy (see Alma 34:15-16) No unhallowed hand can stay the progress of this work. (See D&C 76:3)
We are not blind to the conditions in the world.
Preparation for the Second Coming by Elder Dallin H. Oaks
If we are prepared we need not fear (see D&C 38:30)
Four matters indisputable
1.. The Savior will return to the earth in power and great glory to reitgn personally during a millennium of righteousness and peace
2. At the time of His coming there will be a destruction of the wicked and a resurrection of the righteous
3. No one knows the time of His coming, but
4. The faithful are taught to study the signs of it and to be prepared for it.
He will speak about the fourth the signs of the Second Coming and what we should do to prepare for it.
Some signs
1. The fulness of the gospel restored and preached in all world for a witness to all nations
2. False Christs and false prophets, deceiving many
3. Wars and rumors of wars, with nation rising against nation
4. Earthquakes in divers places
5. Famine and pestilence
6. An overflowing scourge, a desolating sickness covering the land
7. Iniquity abounding
8. The whole earth in commotion
9. Men’s hearts failing them (See Matthew 24:5-15; J.S.-Matthew 1:22, 28-32; D&C 45:26-33)
Some of these signs are His voice calling His people to repentance–mouth of his servants and, ministering of angels, his own voice, voice of thunder, lightnings, tempests, earthquakes, hailstorm, famines, pestilence see D&C 43:23,25
10. gather of the faithful (see D&C 133:4)– gathering to temples
with creation of stakes and constructions of temples, thecurrent commandment is not to gather to one place but to gather in stakes in our own homelands and enlrge the borders of His people. Stake of Zion are "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 (see D&C 115:6)
Oct 2008 General Conference
Elder L. Tom Perry: There are cycles of good and bad times, ups and downs, periods of joy and sadness, and times of plenty as well as scarcity. .... Remember the best is yet to be.
Elder Neil L. Andersen "Faith is not only a feeling: it is a decision. He [we} need to choose faith. Fear and faith cannot coexist in our hearts at the same time. In our days of difficulty, we choose the road of faith. Jesus said, "Be not afraid, only believe.
Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf: No matter how bleak the chapter of our lives look today, because of the life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we may hope and be assured that the end of the bok of our lives will exceed our grandest expectation. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him" (1 Cor 2:9) In times of distress, we can hold tightly to the hope that things will "work together for [our good] as we follow the counsel of God’s prophets.... Hope sustains us through despair. Hope teaches that there is reason to rejoice even when all seems dark around us.
Elder Joseph P. Wirthlin: Come What May and Love It. Yet in spite of discouragement and adversity, those who are happiest seem to have a way of learning from difficult times, becoming stronger, wiser and happier as a result. .. The Lord in His wisdom does not shield anyone from grief or sadness. I do believe that the way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life.
Things that helped him: (1) Learn to Laugh,(2) Seek for the Eternal-- Learning to endure times of disappointment, suffering, and sorrow is part of our on-the-job-training..(3) Understand the principle of compensation – The Lord compensates the faithful for every loss. That which is taken away from those who love the Lord will be added unto them in His own way. (4) Trust in the Father and the Son. The simple secret is this: Put your trust in the Lord, do you best, then leave the rest to Him.
Elder James J. Hamula in Priesthood meeting excepts from talk:: We now find ourselves in the last days of this earth’s temporal history. In a coming day, our Father’s Son will return to the earth from which He was rejected and reclaim it as His own... The prophetic promise is that this time God’s kingdom will not be lost but will overcome the world....
Now my young friends of the Aaronic Priesthood, you are these valiant and noble sons of our Father! You are the strength of the Lord’s house, His warriors! You are those who chose good over evil and who exhibited exceedingly great faith and good works. And because of your personal history, you were entrusted to come to the earth in these last days to do again what you did before–to once again choose good over evil,... Now, my young friends, you need to appreciate that our days now and the days that lie ahead are "perilous." In this regard, President Boyd K. Packer has observed:
"I know of nothing in the history of the Church or in the history of the world to compare with our present circumstances. Nothing happened to Sodom and Gomorrah which exceeds in wickedness and depravity that which surrounds us now. . So as we enter the final climatic stages of the war against Satan, be sober, my young friends. Understand that you cannot partake of drugs, alcohol, or tobacco. You cannot participate in pornography or other immoral activity. You cannot use false, demeaning, or dirty language. You cannot deface your body with tattoos, and other piercings. You cannot do these things and be victorious in the battle for your own soul, let alone be a valiant warrior in the great struggle for the souls of all the rest of our Father’s children. \Understand, my young friends, that there is only one way to win the war against Satan, and that is to win it in the same way it was won in the beginning. When victory was finally achieved in the War in Heaven, a loud voice was heard to declare" Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ...."For they [referring to Michael and his angels] have overcome him [referring to the devil] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; for they loved not their own lives, but they kept the testimony even unto death" JS. Translation Rev 12:9.11 ... Do no miss the significance of this declaration. Satan was overcome in the beginning by (1) faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice, (2) testimony of Him that was steadfastly kept to the very end, and (3)consecration of oneself to the Lord and His work. If this was the means for defeating him in the beginning, you can be sure that this is the one sure way to defeat him now.
Three suggestions:
1. Pray regularly and earnestly. The more regular and earnest the prayer, the more frequent the revelation. When received revelation provides the evidences or assurance of things unseen, which is the foundation of faith.
2. Learn to hear the voice of the Lord.
3. Obey the word of the Lord. Do as He bids no matter how hard
These are you days. Do no squander them! Be sober! Take the shield of faith, the fight the good fight of faith. And when you done al , stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.
Pres. Thomas S. Monson: We urge all Latter-day Saints to be prudent in their planning, to be conservative in their living, and to avoid excessive or unnecessary debt.
Elder Russell M. Ballard: This is God’s work, and God’s work will not be frustrated. But there is still much to be done before the Great Jehovah can announce that the work is done. While we praise and honor those faithful Saints who have brought us to this point of public prominence, we cannot afford, my brothers and sisters, to be comfortable or content. We are all needed to finish the work that was begun by those pioneering Saints over 175 years ago and carried out through the subsequent decades by faithful Saints of every generation. We need to believe as they believed. We need to work as they worked. We need to serve as they served. And we need to overcome as they overcame. Of course, our challenges are different today, but they are no less demanding. Instead of angry mobs, we face those who constantly try to defame. Instead of extreme exposure and hardships, we face alcohol and drug abuse, pornography, all kinds of filth, sleaze, greed, disho0neesty and spiritual apathy. Instead of families being uprooted and torn from the homes, we see the institution of the family, including the divine institution of marriage, under attack as groups and individuals seek to define away the prominent and divine role of the family in society. This is not suggest that our challenges today are more severe than the challenges faced by those who have gone before us. They are just different. The Lord isn’t asking us to load up a handcart; He’s asking us to fortify our faith. He isn’t asking us to walk across a continent; He’s asking us to walk across the street to visit our neighbor. He isn’t asking us to give all of our worldly possessions to build a temple; He’s asking us to give of our means and our time despite the pressures of modern living to continue to build temples and then to attend regularly the temples already built. He isn’t asking us to die a martyr’s death. He’s asking us to live a disciples’s life.
This is a great time to live, and it up to us to carry on the rich tradition of devoted commitment that has been the hallmark of previous generations Latter-day Saints This is not a time for the spiritually faint of heart. We cannot afford to be superficially righteous. Our testimonies must run deep, with spiritual roots firmly embedded in the rock of revelation. And we must continue to move the work forward as a covenanted, consecrated people , with faith in every footstep till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.
Pres. Boyd K. Packer: The Test: It is my purpose to show that in troubled times the Lord has always prepared a safe way ahead. We live in those perilous times which the Apostle Paul prophesied would come in the last days. If we are to be safe individually as families, and secure as a church it will be through obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.. Pres. Packer reviewed some of the hardships the pioneers faced Neither mobbings nor the army [that came to Salt Lake] could turn the Saints aside from what they knew to be true. We are guided by the same revelations and led by a prophet.
That same Lucifer who was cast out of our Father’s presence is still at work. He, with the angels who followed him, will trouble the work of the Lord and destroy it if he can.
But we will stay on course. We will anchor ourselves as families and as a church to these principles and ordinances. Whatever tests lie ahead, and they will be many, we must remain faithful and true.
"The standard of truth has been erected, no unhallowed hand can stop the work for progressing" History of the Church 4:540.
Elder Quentin Cook: Recounted his trial at Donner Pass when a sudden snow storm him and left them unprepared and stranded. His son in talking to his wife told her "Hope ya know, we had a hard time" Many trials and hardships we encounter in life are severe and appear to have lasting consequences. Each of us will experience some. Recalling the evacuation of Nauvoo, Sister Bathsheba Smith who had seen the mobs arrayed against the Saints in Missouri and was present at the death of the Apostle David W. Patten wrote "My last act in that precious spot was to tidy the rooms, sweep up the floor and set the broom in its accustomed place behind the door. Then with emotions in my heart I gently closed the door and faced an unknown future, faced it with faith in God and with no less assurance of the ultimate establishment of the Gospel in the West and of its true enduring principles, than I had felt in those trying scenes in Missouri. She recorded the poverty, sickness and privation that the Saints suffered as they made their way west .but remained true.
The challenges we face today are in their own way comparable to challenges of the past. The recent economic crisis has caused significant concern throughout the world. We know from the scriptures that some trials are for our good and are suited for our own personal development. We also know that the rain falls on the just and the unjust.
The scriptures and modern prophets have made it clear that there will be leans years and plentiful years. The Lord expects us to be prepared for many of the challenges that come. If ye are prepared ye shall not fear.
Regardless of our trials, with the abundance we have today, we would be ungrateful if we did not appreciate our blessings.
Adversity comes from different sources. The prophet Alma taught, "Whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day" ( Alma 36:3)
Can you tell me where the people are who will be shielded and protected from these great calamities and judgments which are even now at our doors? I'll tell you. The priesthood of God who honor their priesthood and who are worthy of their blessings are the only ones who shall have this safety and protection. They are the only mortal beings. No other people have a right to be shielded from these judgments. They are at our doors; not even this people will escape them entirely. (President Wilford Woodruff, Young Women's Journal, August 1894, p. 512.)
