Signs of the Second Coming

Last night I attempted to read from the words of Samuel the Lamanite to my children, but they weren’t paying much attention as they each went in and out of the room. Then my daughter asked, “Why don’t we know when the Second Coming will be?” So, I stopped reading and explained to her that while we don’t know, we have been given signs that will help us see when His coming is close. She asked what those signs were and so I explained that there would be wars and rumors of wars and that men’s hearts would fail them. Trying to keep their interest since someone was finally listening I opened up to the Doctrine and Covenants and read this verse: “And there shall be a great hailstorm sent forth to destroy the crops of the earth.” She quickly said that had already happened (since, I guess, she had seen hail before). I followed up with this one: “Wherefore, I the Lord God will send forth flies upon the face of the earth, which shall take hold of the inhabitants thereof, and shall eat their flesh, and shall cause maggots to come in upon them” (Doctrine and Covenants 29:16, 19). I could tell that she didn’t like the image that brought to her mind, but since my kids were starting to get interested, I moved to another section with these prophecies about the last days: “And in that day shall be heard of wars and rumors of wars, and the whole earth shall be in commotion, and men’s hearts shall fail them, and they shall say that Christ delayeth his coming until the end of the earth. And the love of men shall wax cold, and iniquity shall abound.” I continued with these verses, “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…. And there shall be earthquakes also in divers places, and many desolations” (Doctrine and Covenants 45:26-27, 31, 33). I finally had the attention of my children as they tried to imagine what these verses meant, and my son suggested that these weren’t going to be happening any time soon. But my daughter replied that we don’t know—and of course she’s right.    

Seeing that I was starting to scare my younger children with these prophecies of flies and sickness and wars and earthquakes, I continued with these verses: “And now, when I the Lord had spoken these words unto my disciples, they were troubled. And I said unto them: Be not troubled, for, when all these things shall come to pass, ye may know that the promises which have been made unto you shall be fulfilled” (Doctrine and Covenants 45:34-35). I tried to emphasize to them that we did not need to be afraid because the Lord would bless and protect His saints. I explained that one day the saints would gather to Jackson County, Missouri, and when my son said he didn’t believe me on that, I opened to this verse: “Hearken, O ye elders of my church, saith the Lord your God, who have assembled yourselves together, according to my commandments, in this land, which is the land of Missouri, which is the land which I have appointed and consecrated for the gathering of the saints. Wherefore, this is the land of promise, and the place for the city of Zion. And thus saith the Lord your God, if you will receive wisdom here is wisdom. Behold, the place which is now called Independence is the center place” (Doctrine and Covenants 57:1-3). I explained that we would one day go there and gather with the saints. Then I read this comforting description of that place: “And it shall be called the New Jerusalem, 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, and it shall be called Zion…. And there shall be gathered unto it out of every nation under heaven; and it shall be the only people that shall not be at war one with another” (Doctrine and Covenants 45:66-69). I love that promise that despite the terrible things that will be happening in the world, we will find protection and safety and peace in Zion with the saints of God.

My six-year-old understood more than I expected and asked me if we were really going there to Jackson County. He asked how long it would take to get there, and I looked it up and found that it would be about a 16-hour drive. He was not very happy about that and complained that it would be too long. He insisted that we fly there instead. I didn’t tell him that I believe that we will actually be walking when that day comes, but for now we don’t need to worry about that. We aren’t going there as far as we know any time soon, but we can take comfort in knowing that the Lord has all things prepared for his saints in the last days. We need not be worried about the difficulties ahead but should look with anticipation for what He will do for us. As President Nelson declared, “My dear brothers and sisters, so many wonderful things are ahead. In coming days, we will see the greatest manifestations of the Savior’s power that the world has ever seen. Between now and the time He returns ‘with power and great glory,’ He will bestow countless privileges, blessings, and miracles upon the faithful.”