The Gathering of Israel... People are coming out of the wood works, writing and publishing books about their spiritual experiences and visions of what is about to come in regards to the final Gathering of Israel. I have heard about some writing in detail about drastic future happenings, to come in the early spring of 2016. Disasters have been prophesied in the past, to occur on dates that came and went without anything happening. Remember January 1st, 2000? That was supposed to be The End.
I have not personally read those books, so I can’t recommend them yet, but many members of my family on both sides have. I don’t think there is anything wrong with reading personal accounts and testimonies of people who are not leaders of the church, but I believe, like my family does, that we need to be prayerful about the things that we choose to believe.
I have read accounts in the scriptures and attended Institute and Missionary Zone and Area Conference meetings that taught me the same things that my family is talking about; refuge, protection, the gathering of Israel, establishing Zion, etc. We can believe the prophets. If nothing else, these accounts remind us of what we have been warned to do, be prepared! Vaughn J. Featherstone spoke about this 40 years ago. Click here if you want to read or listen to his talk.
I believe that Christ guides his church in every decision, through his chosen leaders. If we are prayerful about the things that we believe, and if we recognize God’s Spirit and turn to Him in faith for guidance and trust our leaders, we will be prepared. I also believe in false prophets and the power and wise designs of the Adversary. He is working hard right now and succeeding in his efforts to deceive even the elect. If the leaders of the church do not act according to our plans (which may be instilled in us by false prophets), we will likely fall. God will confirm the truth to us when we ask Him to, He will lead us in the way of truth and light to learn the things that matter.
The Leaders of the church will probably not tell us when to be prepared, that would cause disasters itself. They are not going to warn us anymore, they are going to say; "The time is here!" If we are not prepared, it will be too late. I want to be ready! The time is not near anymore, not soon or coming, it is now!
“If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear” are words that keep running through my mind.
Well, I have fear. So apparently I need to do some more preparing. I don’t want to focus on Doom and Gloom of the last days, but the truth is our country is going to suffer because of the decisions that our Government is making to turn our country away from God. Rain will fall on the wicked and the righteous, we will all suffer to some degree. We don’t need to worry about ISIS as much as we need to worry about God’s wrath; natural disasters, fires, plagues and pestilences.
The Sunday before this calling was extended to me, I had a sleepless Friday night. I went to the Temple on Saturday morning, where I knew I would find comfort and instruction. I did! I read 3 Nephi 13, Consider the lilies of the field and the fowls of the air. God takes care of them; He will take care of us. I was also touched by several points in the session, as if they were directed at me to address every one of my concerns. And in 1 Nephi 22, quoting Isaiah, verse 17 reads; "For the time soon cometh that the fullness of the wrath of God shall be poured out upon all the children of men; for he will not suffer that the wicked shall destroy the righteous. Wherefore, he will preserve the righteous by his power even if it so be that the fullness of his wrath must come, and the righteous be preserved even unto destruction and their enemies by fire. Wherefore, the righteous need not fear, for thus saith the prophet, they shall be saved even if it so be as by fire". See also the Book of Isaiah, (especially chapters 48 - 66).
I recommitted my life to my Savior on Saturday morning. Since that day my prayers have been more heartfelt, my random and casual scripture reading has turned to pondering. I promised to serve my Father in Heaven wholeheartedly, no more sins of omission, no more laziness or excuses for why I can't do what I know I should be doing. My priorities have changed; the way I spend my time, the things I spend my money on. My Temple attending and Family History work is no longer random to fit my convenience. I want to be filled with the hope and the love of Christ and the Spirit of Elijah. I want to be full of faith for the future and excitement for the miracles that I know we will witness as believers and followers of Christ.
So what else can we do? How will we stay safe and make it through the hardest of all times in the history of this world? First of all, death is not the worst thing that can happen to someone. And for everyone else, we have the Power of the Priesthood to protect, comfort and guide us. The Priesthood is God's power. The power that he used to create you and me and the world that we live in; it's the power that Christ used to heal the sick, to raise the dead and caused the lame man to walk and the blind man to receive his sight.
It's the power that frees us from our sins, when we turn our hearts to Christ and repent, all of the blessings of God's Spirit; peace, hope, love, faith and light. The blessings of the Atonement, every blessing that we experience in this life comes from God's power. And in the Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, worthy men are given the Priesthood, the power and authority to act in God's name, like the apostles did when Christ was on the earth!
We have nothing to fear. We have the blessings of the Spirit and personal revelation. My husband holds the Priesthood; the power that the Priesthood holds is within my husband! Priesthood is God’s power, the power of miracles, the power of creation! We can do this, we are doing it together, and now is the time!
