D&C 38:28-30

38:28-30 - The Lord comes back to the issue facing the Saints currently, “that the enemy in the secret chambers seeketh your lives.” The IM teaches, “the Saints should not be surprised when the world opposes the kingdom and tries to thwart the work of God, for He Himself promised that such would be the case. Elder Joseph F. Smith said that ‘the hatred of the wicked always has and always will follow the Priesthood and the Saints. The devil will not lose sight of the power of God vested in man- the Holy Priesthood. He fears it, he hates it, and will never cease to stir up the hearts of the debased and corrupt in anger and malic towards those who hold this power, and to persecute the Saints, until he is bound.’ Elder Bruce R. McConkie made this observation in general conference: ‘Now are the days of our greatest sorrow and our deepest sufferings all behind us. They too lie ahead. We shall yet face greater perils, we shall yet be tested with more severe trials, and we shall yet weep more tears of sorrow than we have ever known before… The way ahead is dark and dreary and dreadful. There will yet be martyrs; the doors in Carthage shall again enclose the innocent. We have not been promised that the trials and evils of the world will entirely pass us by. If we, as a people, keep the commandments of God; if we take the side of the Church on all issues, both religious and political; if we take the Holy Spirit for our guide; if we give heed to the words of the apostles and prophets who minister among us- then, from an eternal standpoint, all things will work together for our good. Our view of the future shall be undimmed, and, whether in life or in death, we shall see our blessed Lord return to reign on earth. We shall see the New Jerusalem coming down from God in heaven to join with the Holy City we have built. We shall mingle with those of Enoch’s city while together we worship and serve the Lord forever.” This is actually kind of a difficult lesson for me because I’m really tired right now and having kind of a hard time and so to hear that the worst is yet to come is difficult for me right now. The Lord is telling them “these things because of your prayers.” With all this doom and gloom the Lord is sure to remind us that “if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.” The IM quotes President Ezra Taft Benson as teaching, “What are some of the calamites for which we are to prepare? In section 29 the Lord warns us of ‘a great hailstorm sent forth to destroy the crops of the earth.’ In section 45 we read of ‘an overflowing scourge; for a desolating sickness shall cover the land.’ In section 63 the Lord declared he has ‘decreed wars upon the face of the earth…’ In Matthew, chapter 24, we learn of ‘famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes…’ The Lord declared that these and other calamites shall occur. These particular prophecies seem not to be conditional. The Lord, with his foreknowledge, knows that they will happen. Some will come about through man’s manipulations; others through the forces of nature and natures’ God, but that they will come seems certain. Prophecy is but history in reverse- a divine disclosure of future event. Yet, through all of this, the Lord Jesus Christ has said: ‘…if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.’ What, then, is the Lord’s way to help us prepare for these calamites? The answer is also found in section 1 of the Doctrine and Covenants, wherein he says (D&C 1:17-18,37). Here then it the key- look to the prophets for the words of God, that will show us how to prepare for the calamities which are to come.” Sometimes when I hear something like this I wonder, “What is the sickness talked about here? Has it come already?” I think that it’s easy to become overwhelmed with all of this crazy talk of horrible things that are coming, but in the end, we’ve seen in the scriptures that the Lord not only warns the righteous repeatedly about what’s to come, but also warns the wicked to repent repeatedly so that they can be saved. I know that this is short tonight, but I’m really tired and have had a rough day, so I’m spent for the night.