The Second Coming

I have always loved studying the second coming. I get so excited about the Savior coming again. I know I am not perfect, but I still get so excited about His coming. We have been reading 3 Nephi lately as a family and it is so hard for me to get through it without crying. I just can't wait for Him to come again. I want to be alive and I want to see it with my children. I just stand in awe of what it would be like to stand outside and hear our Father in Heaven introduce Him to us. Not that we know exactly how it will all happen. I just know that I want to be there and I want to see Him and I want to be with my family. I often hoped as a mom that it would happen before my children turned 8. I see now that my children were prepared to be here at this time. They all have such conviction in what is right. I see that in them, and know that they can and will "stand fast and immovable, always abounding in good works."

I remember a talk about what is not enough, I searched and found this quote in a talk by President Faust, "The greatest challenge in the world-good parenting" Given in conference in 1990.

"A few years ago, Bishop Stanley Smoot was interviewed by President Spencer W. Kimball. President Kimball asked, "How often do you have family prayer?" Bishop Smoot answered, "We try to have family prayer twice a day, but we average about once." President Kimball answered, "In the past, having family prayer once a day may have been all right. But in the future it will not be enough if we are going to save our families."

President Faust goes on to say, "I wonder if having casual and infrequent family home evening will be enough in the future to fortify our children with sufficient moral strength. In the future, infrequent family scripture study may be inadequate to arm our children with the virtue necessary to withstand the moral decay of the environment in which they will live. Where in the world will the children learn chastity, integrity, honesty, and basic human decency if not at home? These values will, of course, be reinforced at church, but parental teaching is more constant. "

I have thought about this and how important it is that we teach our children at home. Many times, when I am worried about a child's behavior, the answer that comes to my heart is to teach that child to love the scriptures and to understand the teachings of the Lord, and then the other problems will be resolved. And it always helps. Teaching our children the truth truly does make the difference.

So thoughts on the second coming that came from Joseph Smith History 1:37-41 took me on a bit of a different route. I will try to go back to the second coming again. Verse 37 says, "And whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived, for the Son of Man shall come, and he shall send his angels before him with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together the remainder of his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." Verse 39 says, "So likewise, mine elect, when they shall see all these things, they shall know that he is near, even at the doors;"

I look around and see that He is near and that the prophesies are coming forth in these days. I know that it will be harder before it gets better and I guess that is what prompted my thoughts on preparing for the second coming. I love that as we treasure His word, we will not be deceived. I love the gospel and hope that I can grow to love the scriptures more and more, and like President Hinckley said, have a "love affair with the scriptures."