As I was laying in bed last night I picked up my i-pod touch to read my scriptures for a while. As soon as the app was running I had a very distinct impression to read D&C 45. I quickly navigated there because I know this is a section with a great amount of prophecy regarding the second coming.
Initially my thoughts were that there is as much prophecy concerning the Jews and Palestine as there is regarding America. Additionally and without surprise to me, there was another warning that Christ will come as a thief in the night, and that those who have the spirit with them will learn the signs of his coming and will be looking for the signs, and see them.
There were several major signs noted in this section that are for those in the American continent. First, there is the prophecy of the restoration. Second there is the prophecy that the gentiles will not accept the gospel because of the precepts of men. Third, there would be a great and "overflowing" scourge, a desolating sickness. Following the sickness there will be earthquakes in diverse places and many desolation's. Fourth, men will not soften their hearts because of all these things, in fact the Lord says that "yet men will harden their hearts against me, and they will take up the sword, one against another, and they will kill one another."
Christ steps out of the prophecy in vs 34 and says that when his disciples heard these things they were troubled. I would be too! This is some heavy information. So Christ does something that he has done many times before, he follows an intense, sad, or scary prophecy with some good and happy news.
He gives them a parable of the fig tree. In summary it speaks of a fig tree and when you see a fig tree begin to shoot forth and have those fresh little leaves then you know that summer is here. Then he says that it is the same when you see all these prophecies happening, that you will know the hour is nigh. He continues and I will just quote in his words for they are far more powerful than mine could ever be,
"And it shall come to pass that he that feareth me shall be looking forth for the great day of the Lord to come, even for the signs of the coming of the Son of Man.
And they shall see signs and wonders, for they shall be shown forth in the heavens above and the earth beneath.
And they shall behold blood, and fire, and vapors of smoke.
And before the day of the Lord shall come, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall be turned into blood, and the stars fall from heaven.
And then they shall look for me, and behold, I will come; and they shall see me in the clouds of heaven clothed with power and great glory; with all the holy angels; and he that watches not for me shall be cut off."
D&C 45: 39-44
Few things are left to have happen. Even more so, these prophecies actually end up tying into when the Lord touches his foot on the mount of olives and saves the Jews (read on in D&C 45 to see). At that point they will ask why he has the marks in his hands and his feet and he will say he received them in the house of his friends. The Jews will realize they crucified their Savior.
So what will be happening to those in America? If Christ comes and saves the Jews, why aren't we helping save them too? Why does he go to them and not us? We in America have a different route to take in the second coming. Because a great deal of members of the Church are Ephriamites this endows us with the calling to gather in the ten tribes, so what do you think will be happening? If you guessed that we will be on the American continent building the New Jerusalem and preparing to receive the lost tribes then you were exactly right! The Lord will be leading his church from his temple. The great meeting will of already happened where all who have held and do hold keys of administration will give those keys back to the Savior and we will begin the great calling of building the New Jerusalem, again with Christ as our King and leader. It is no wonder to me that it is said the righteous saints will cry to heaven day and night for this event.
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