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04/19/2005: "preparation"

music: take me to the river--Talking Heads
mood: excited

Last night before I went to bed I decided to get out the VHS we have our ultrasounds recorded on and get it cued up for today. This technology has improved between each of our children, and I can only imagine what it's like for routine sonograms now. I know they have those 3D color ones available at locations for $$$ but I think seeing the regular kind is just as breathtaking. We've had at least one name inspiring moment come at an ultrasound, who knows what today will bring?

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I was reading Isaiah 64 last night, and I have the usual verses marked, about being the work of His hands, the joy the righteous will have... I hadn't pondered much on applying it to my desire for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ so that I too may receive the blessings of that time. I know many who are frightened by the events surrounding His return, and who would rather die than be alive through those times. I don't know if I will be alive on the earth or not--I would love to be a participant in whatever way Heavenly Father wants me to be...

Elder Dallin H. Oaks spoke about the preparation we need for the Second Coming in a wonderful talk at the April 2004 General Conference.
"Four matters are indisputable to Latter-day Saints: (1) The Savior will return to the earth in power and great glory to reign 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. I wish to speak about the fourth of these great realities: the signs of the Second Coming and what we should do to prepare for it....

What if the day of His coming were tomorrow? If we knew that we would meet the Lord tomorrow—through our premature death or through His unexpected coming—what would we do today? What confessions would we make? What practices would we discontinue? What accounts would we settle? What forgivenesses would we extend? What testimonies would we bear?

If we would do those things then, why not now? Why not seek peace while peace can be obtained? If our lamps of preparation are drawn down, let us start immediately to replenish them.

We need to make both temporal and spiritual preparation for the events prophesied at the time of the Second Coming. And the preparation most likely to be neglected is the one less visible and more difficult—the spiritual. A 72-hour kit of temporal supplies may prove valuable for earthly challenges, but, as the foolish virgins learned to their sorrow, a 24-hour kit of spiritual preparation is of greater and more enduring value."

http://www.lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-439-3,00.html

I think my motto of "stay current" fits well with "be prepared", eh?