Good morning sisters. Yes, I am late. I got a new computer and had to wait until my program was installed.
THOUGHT: “We treasure the word of God not only by reading the word of the scriptures, but by studying them. We may be nourished more by pondering a few words, allowing the Holy Ghost to make them treasures to us, than by passing quickly and superficially over whole chapters of scripture.”
Henry B, Eyring
ANNOUCEMENTS:
- It's our ward's time to clean the kitchen. We will be there on Tuesday at 10:30 am. If you have some time and can help us, you are welcomed. Thanks.
- The missionaries are offering 15 minutes to ward members from 6-8 pm. Choose a date and contact them. It would be a great opportunity for your children to visit with them. Contact Brother Sandor.
- Don't forget the Ward Christmas Party. It will be a magical evening. Start getting your pajamas ready.
DEAR STAKE MEMBERS,
WEARING SUNDAY BEST DRESS WHEN ATTENDING A TEMPLE WILL ENRICH YOUR TEMPLE WORSHIP. WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO FOLLOW THE COUNSEL AS PROVIDED IN THE HANDBOOK OF INSTRUCTIONS:
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CLOTHING TO WEAR TO A TEMPLE
MEMBERS WHO GO TO A TEMPLE SHOULD WEAR CLOTHING THAT IS SUITABLE FOR THE HOUSE OF THE LORD. THEY SHOULD AVOID WEARING CASUAL CLOTHES, SPORTS ATTIRE, TUXEDOES, AND OSTENTATIOUS JEWELY.
APPROPRIATE DRESS FOR YOUR TEMLPLE RECOMMEND ADDS TO THE SACREDNESS OF THE INTERVIEW EXPERIENCE. WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO DRESS APPROPRIATELY FOR BOTH YOUR TEMLPLE RECOMMEND INTERVIEW AND TEMPLE WORSHIP.
SINCERELY,
MANILA STAKE PRESIDENCY
There aren't any birthdays this week.
Our lesson was presented by Tiffany Weight; lesson # 44 “The Second Coming of Jesus Christ”
We usually become apprehensive, uncomfortable, fearful when we think about this subject.
Looking forward to the Savior' Second Coming
Theme
The second coming of Christ will be an event of such transcendent power that it will be both a great ad a dreadful day.
Theme Analysis
A. The Second Coming will occur when the world does not expect or want it.
B. Great and glorious changes of heaven and earth accompany the culmination of the Second Coming.
a. The earth will undergo great changes
b. All wickedness will be destroyed.
- Heaven and earth will be renewed and returned to a paradisiacal status.
Bruce R McConkie said: “No event has transpired on earth, since the very creation itself, which is destined to have such a transcendent and recognizable affect on man, the earth, and all created things as the imminent return of the Son of Man will have.”
As we look forward to the Second Coming five things will occur when He comes again.
As we go through the scriptures, we will consider three things: What are the Revealed Truths, What does it teach us and what will be the Affect on man, earth, created things?
D&C 45:44 “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.”
Question: What do we learn here? How will Christ appear when he comes?
He will come in power and great glory.
D&C 29:9-11 “For the hour is nigh an the day soon at hand when the earth is ripe; and all the proud and they that do wickedly shall be as stubble; and I will burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that wickedness shall not be upon the earth;
For the hour is nigh, and that which was spoken by mine apostles must be fulfilled; for as they spoke so shall it come to pass;
For I will reveal myself from heaven with power and great glory, with all the hosts thereof, and dwell in righteousness with men on earth a thousand years, and the wicked shall not stand.”
Question: What do we learn here?
Pat H: That the wicked will be destroyed.
D&C 101:24-25 And every corruptible thing, both of man, or of the beasts of the field, or of the fowls of the heavens, or of the fish of the seas, that dwells upon all the face of the earth, shall be consumed;
And also that of element shall melt with fervent heat; an all things shall become new, that my knowledge and glory may dwell upon all the earth.:
After learning that He will come in power and destroy the wicked, what will happen to the earth?
Shanel: The wicked will be destroyed and the earth will be burned and destroyed.
Matt 25:31-46 “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
And before him shall be gathered all nations; and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats;
And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink;; I was a stranger, and ye took me in;
Naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me,
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? Or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? Or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto the, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink;
I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; ;naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life eternal.”
Question: So from these verses, what will the Lord do when He comes in power and glory?
Pat H: Destroy the wicked. He tells us why and why not some people will be saved.
D&C 88:96-98 “And the saints that are upon the earth, who are alive, shall be quickened and be caught up to meet him.
And they who have slept in their graves shall come forth, for their graver shall shall be opened; and they also shall be caught up to meet him in the midst of the pillar of heaven--
They are Christ's, the first fruits they who shall descend with him first, and they who are on the earth and in their graves, who are first caught up to meet hi; and all this, by the voice of the sounding of the trump of the angel of God.”
Question: What do we learn here? What happens next?
Cheryl: Christ will usher in the Millennium.
Question: What do you imagine will happen to have Christ reign during the Millennium?
Things will be more fair.
Just can't imagine.
Amy S: I remember the 2000 election waking up and still not know who had won. We will have a government that will be led by a perfect, exalted person.
Holly: And we will be very busy.
Question: What advantage will we have in raising children during the Millennium? How will it be to be a child at that time?
Michelle C: Satan will be bound and outside forces will not be an issue.
Karen M: There will be challenges, but children will comprehend our explanations. We can teach, and they will understand and listen. That's my thought on it.
Pat H: In mortality we have the devil to blame. In the Millennium we'll have to take full culpability. Not all will accept the gospel. Agency will still be exercise. The devil won't be there.
Yes, agency is an eternal principle.
Brigham Young: “In the Millennium, when the Kingdom of God is established n the earth in power, glory and perfection, and the reign of wickedness that has so long prevailed is subdued, the Saints of God will have the privilege of building their temples, and of entering into them,becoming, as it were, pillars in the temples of God, and they will officiate for their dead. Then we will see our friends come up, and perhaps some that we have been acquainted with here....And we will have revelations to know our forefathers clear back to Father Adam and Mother Eve. And we will enter into the temples of God and officiate for them. Then [children] will be sealed to [parents] until the chain is made perfect back to Adam, so that there will be a perfect chain of Priesthood from Adam to the winding-up scene.”
Pat H: The ten tribes will be here, temple work will be done. We don't know how many will be destroyed. What will be the population of the earth during that time. Now only a small portion of the earth is populated. During the Millennium, population wise will be many.
Shanel: I've never understood. Will everyone see the Savior?
Amy W: I have had the same question. We know Christ will come in power and glory, that every tongue confess and every knee shall bow.
Pat H: That will not happen at the beginning of the Millennium. President Hinckly says that it will happen in a twinkling of an eye, that the Savior will visit from time to time. At the end of the Millennium, Satan will be loose and not every knee will bend.
Janet: Some people never learn.
Karen: When the Savior comes there will be good people on the earth. It will take time to teach and convert those people.
We will teach and do temple work.
Michelle C: People can confess but yet turn away. They may acknowledge, but not accept.
Pat H: Satan and his angels know who he is, but they aren't allow to bear witness of Him.
Amy S: Part of missionary work is performing ordinances in the Temple.
The Savior will compete the First Resurrection....After the resurrection of those who will inherit celestial glory, another group will be resurrected: those who will receive a terrestrial glory. When all these people have been resurrected, the First Resurrection will be completed
D&C88:104 “And this shall be the sound of his trump, saying to all people, both I heaven an in earth, and that are under the earth—for every ear shall hear it, and every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess, while they hear the sound of the trump, saying: Fear God, and give glory to him who sitteth upon the throne, forever and ever; for the hour of his judgment is come.”
Revelation 17:14 “These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them; for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful,”
Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
What do we learn? What will occur? Contrast his birth with his coming again upon the earth. How will the world view Him?
Janet: Not like his birth. There will be no doubt that He is the Savior of the world. He will be the government, and he will reign.
A lot of people do not feel the need for religion, or God or the Lord. They don't feel the experience of religion; don't have an understanding. They only see the perspective of the world. Things will change, the priorities will change,
Holly: The religious leaders in Jerusalem knew the scriptures, yet they didn't want Him. Power is a corrupting thing, they rather have power.
Lynette: Christianity is a small component in the world.
Janet: I can't wait. I want to see the faces of those who deny him.
Lynette: There will be Celestial and Terrestrial people together.
Sharon H: Obama says he will stop the second coming.
Michelle: The question is, how are we living? What are we reflecting on? Are we focusing on the really important things? What choices do we make daily?
We are not ready for it. It is a good reminder to have these lessons. We should not constantly worry, but we do need to keep in mind.
Dallin Oaks: “What is the state of our personal preparation for eternal life? The people of God have always bee people of covenant, what is the measure of our compliance with covenants, including the sacred promises we made in the water of baptism, in receiving the holy priesthood, and in the temples of God? Are we promisers who do not fulfill and believers who do not perform?
Does my life reflect with what I want? Keep that in your mind and heart.
Melissa B: The Savior said to Joseph Smith, 'your sins are forgiven thee. That is a common theme in the scriptures. People did not normally ask for that. If we are seeking after him, then when we meet him he will tell us that our sins are forgiven We don't have to be perfect, we need to do our best. I'll be so embarrassed.
Janet: We all miss the mark.
He is our advocate with the Father. As long as we are on the path and strife to be like him.
- He will cleanse the earth
- He will judge His people
- He will usher in the Millennium
- He will complete the First Resurrection
- He will take His rightful place a King of heaven and earth
What is the application for us? How will I take this information and let it be a blessing in our lives?
Cheryl: Focus on faith and not fear. The Lord promised us many wonderful things. He will lead us through the mine fields.
Referring to the dreadful conditions we face today. Nephi made these reassuring statements: “He will not suffer that the wicked shall destroy the righteous”; He will preserve the righteous by his power”; The Lord will surely prepare a way for his people”; He gathereth his children from the four quarters of the earth;; and he numbereth his sheep, and they know him.” Twice he repeats, “The righteous need not fear.
D&C 45:35 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 all be fulfilled.”
John14:2-3 “ In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
Lynette: I fear not my own situation, but my grandchildren who are making poor choices They are not living the teachings; not involved in church. I don't know what their stance will be.
That is a valid concern. What can we do to help those around us?
Michelle C: Pray for them. Cory was wild as a teenager, but he knew that his mother was praying for him and that she loved him. If we keep them in our heart and remember them in our prayers, that is one way to help them.
Sally J: I think we need to share the gospel with them and kind and loving. I remember one of my religion professors saying that the closer we get to CHRIST the more we can share his love.
As I prepared for this lesson; I teach at BYU part-time, lots of students feel apprehension about the second coming. They didn't want to ask questions at first, but as they asked, they shared their fear. It can be easy to feel weighed down. One of the things I admire is their testimony, optimism, their desire to continue to move forward with faith in the Savior and in his coming. He will watch over us and protect us at his coming.
I know these things to be true. Knowledge can and will be a blessing in our lives. Pray for those not of our faith and not currently involved.
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