Photo supplied, Intellectual Reserve

One of the more interesting debate topics among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that of the timing of the second coming of Jesus Christ. Some members believe that it’s still many years away — perhaps even decades — because of prophecies that, according to them, still require much time to be fulfilled. Others hold the view that the second coming of Jesus Christ could be extremely soon, even potentially within a year or two, if not sooner than that, because they think those prophecies have either already been fulfilled or they could be fulfilled very quickly.

As for what I think — for whatever it’s worth, I don’t know. I have my own opinions. But what I find fascinating is how passionate some people can be about the subject. This truly is a topic that evokes a lot of strong opinions. But so much of those opinions seem to be just speculation based on personal interpretation of scriptures and words of prophets and apostles.

Don’t get me wrong, speculation can be fun. I would be lying if I said the topic of the timing of the second coming of Jesus Christ didn’t interest me. But given that I don’t have a clue when it will be, and there’s no way for me to know for sure, I lean toward the idea that whether it’s tomorrow, five years from now, 10 years from now or more than 20 years from now, I need to prepare for it as if it’s imminent. I need to prepare for it as if it’s going to happen tomorrow, no matter how many tomorrows it actually takes.

The second coming of Jesus Christ was the primary theme of President Russell M. Nelson’s talk at general conference last weekend. The title he gave the address was “The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again,” and the subtitle for the talk on the church’s website is “Now is the time for you and for me to prepare for the Second Coming of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.”

In the talk, the president of the church discussed the second coming of Jesus Christ in the context of why the church is announcing temples at such a rapid pace and why it’s important to make our discipleship of Jesus Christ our highest priority.

Ryan Comer, Standard-Examiner

He started out by discussing temples. He announced that the renovation of the Salt Lake Temple and other areas on Temple Square is projected to be finished by the end of 2026. He noted that nine temples in five countries have been dedicated or rededicated during the last six months and that five more temples will be dedicated before the end of the year. He announced 17 new temple locations, bringing the total number of temples announced since he became the prophet nearly seven years ago to 185 — a staggering number considering there were only 159 temples that had been constructed at that time.

“My dear brothers and sisters, do you see what is happening right before our eyes? I pray that we will not miss the majesty of this moment. The Lord is indeed hastening his work,” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:73) President Nelson said.

“Why are we building temples at such an unprecedented pace? Why? Because the Lord has instructed us to do so. The blessings of the temple help to gather Israel on both sides of the veil. These blessings also help to prepare a people who will help prepare the world for the second coming of the Lord.”

Temples and the second coming of Jesus Christ are inextricably connected. The earth is being prepared for the second coming of Jesus Christ, and the blessings of the temple are crucial to that reality. So, we need more. And more. And more.

I’m ecstatic that areas where members of the church have not had a temple will now have one. Ireland is getting its first temple. Uganda is getting its first temple. Wisconsin and New Jersey are getting their first temples.

States and countries that currently have a temple but clearly need another are getting another. Consider the Dominican Republic, which has just under 150,000 Latter-day Saints, according to statistics provided on the church’s website, but only one temple. Of all the countries with a documented Latter-day Saint presence, the Dominican Republic has the highest member-to-temple ratio. El Salvador and Chile are No. 3 and No. 4, respectively. A temple for each of the three countries was announced last weekend. As far as states go, Utah, Arizona and Idaho are No. 2, No. 3 and No. 5, respectively, in member-to-temple ratio. A temple was announced for each state last weekend.

Consider cities like Huntsville, Alabama; Price, Utah; and El Paso, Texas. Huntsville is 90 miles away from the Birmingham Alabama Temple and 96 miles from the Nashville Tennessee Temple. Now, Birmingham will have its own temple. Price is nearly 100 miles away from the closest temple, which is in Manti. Now, Price will have its own temple. El Paso is 243 miles away from the Gila Valley Arizona Temple, 277 miles away from the Albuquerque New Mexico Temple and 341.5 miles away from the Lubbock Texas Temple. Now, El Paso will have its own temple.

Nowhere is the hastening of the work more evident than in Africa, where three temples were announced last weekend. Africa now has 28 temples either dedicated or announced, and 20 of those have been announced since President Nelson became prophet.

President Nelson continued:

“As the prophet Isaiah prophesied, and as memorialized in Handel’s ‘Messiah,’ when Jesus Christ returns, ‘the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.'” (Isaiah 40:5)

“In that day ‘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.’ (Isaiah 9:6)

“Jesus Christ will govern from both old Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:4-7; Doctrine and Covenants 45:48-66; Doctrine and Covenants 133:19-21; Micah 4:2) and the New Jerusalem ‘built upon the American continent.’ (Articles of Faith 1:10; Ether 13:3-10; Doctrine and Covenants 84:2-4) From these two centers, he will direct the affairs of his church.

“In that day, the Lord will be known as ‘King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.’ Those who are with him will be ‘called, and chosen, and faithful.’ (Revelation 19:16; Revelation 17:14)

“Brothers and sisters, now is the time for you and for me to prepare for the second coming of our Lord and savior, Jesus the Christ. (Alma 34:32) Now is the time for us to make our discipleship our highest priority.”

Did the urgency President Nelson spoke with cause anyone else to think of President Jeffrey R. Holland’s words at the April general conference? It did for me.

“Against that backdrop of Christ’s victory over death and his recent gift to me of a few more weeks or months in mortality, I bear solemn witness of the reality of eternal life and the need for us to be serious in our planning for it,” the acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the church said.

“I bear witness that when Christ comes, he needs to recognize us — not as nominal members listed on a faded baptismal record but as thoroughly committed, faithfully believing, covenant-keeping disciples. This is an urgent matter for all of us, lest we ever hear with devastating regret: ‘I never knew you,’ (Matthew 7:23) or, as Joseph Smith translated that phrase, ‘[You] never knew me.'” (Joseph Smith-Matthew 7:33)

The second coming of Jesus Christ is happening, and when I hear what President Holland said and I hear what President Nelson said and I consider the other general conference messages, it seems obvious to me that there is a clear overarching message: Get ready for it. Now. Everything the church leaders say should be viewed with the following question in mind: How can I apply this into my life immediately so that I am prepared for the second coming of Jesus Christ as if it happens tomorrow?

So how do the blessings of the temple “help to prepare a people who will help prepare the world for the second coming of the Lord?” How can we “make discipleship our highest priority” even despite what President Nelson called “dizzying distractions” filling the world?

“In the house of the Lord, we focus on Jesus Christ,” President Nelson said. “We learn of him. We make covenants to follow him. We come to know him. As we keep our temple covenants, we gain greater access to the Lord’s strengthening power. In the temple, we receive protection from the buffetings of the world. We experience the pure love of Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father in great abundance. We feel peace and spiritual reassurance, in contrast to the turbulence of the world.

“Here is my promise to you: Every sincere seeker of Jesus Christ will find him in the temple. You will feel his mercy. You will find answers to your most vexing questions. You will better comprehend the joy of his gospel.” (Alma 26:16)

I think if you asked every active Latter-day Saint if they think they should go the temple more, they would all say yes. But, unfortunately, many struggle. For the longest time, I was the same way. I knew the temple was a good place to go, and I knew that it would help me because I had been there before and had seen firsthand how it had helped me, and yet, there always seemed to be something that came up that I felt had to be prioritized ahead of going to the temple. Having the Layton Temple so close to where I live has taken away all excuses. I know that I truly have no reason not to go regularly and I have been much more committed. I have been blessed by that dedication, and I only wish that I had not needed a temple within 1 mile of me to figure it out.

Connecting following Jesus Christ to blessings he has received, President Nelson said:

“I have learned that the most crucial question we each must answer is this: To whom or to what will I give my life?

“My decision to follow Jesus Christ is the most important decision I have ever made. During medical school, I gained a testimony of the divinity of God the Father and his son, Jesus Christ. Since then, our savior has been the rock upon which I have built my life. (Helaman 5:12) That choice has made all the difference. That decision has made so many other decisions easier. That decision has given me purpose and direction. It has also helped me weather the storms of life.”

President Nelson then shared two examples of personal storms he has been helped through, one of which involved an extremely harrowing experience.

“First, when my wife Dantzel unexpectedly passed away, I could not reach any of our children. There I was, alone, devastated and crying out for help. Gratefully, through his spirit, the Lord taught me why my dear Dantzel had been taken home. With that understanding, I was comforted. Over time, I was better able to cope with my grief. Later, I married my beloved wife Wendy. She was a central part of my second example.

“When Wendy and I were on assignment in a distant land, armed robbers put a gun to my head and pulled the trigger. But the gun did not fire. Throughout that experience, both of our lives were threatened. Yet Wendy and I felt an undeniable peace. It was the peace ‘which passeth all understanding.'” (Philippians 4:7)

We’re reminded of an important truth from these stories. Being a disciple of Jesus Christ doesn’t make us immune to trials. But through our commitment to him, we are blessed with the comfort, peace and understanding necessary to deal with those trials. It was so for President Nelson, it has been so for me throughout my life and it can be so for everyone.

“Brothers and sisters, the Lord will comfort you too. He will strengthen you. He will bless you with peace, even amidst chaos,” President Nelson said.

“Please listen to this promise of Jesus Christ to you: ‘I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.’ (Doctrine and Covenants 84:88)

“There is no limit to the savior’s capacity to help you. His incomprehensible suffering in Gethsemane and on Calvary was for you. His infinite atonement is for you.”

“I urge you to devote time each week — for the rest of your life — to increase your understanding of the atonement of Jesus Christ. My heart aches for those who are mired in sin and don’t know how to get out. I weep for those who struggle spiritually or who carry heavy burdens alone because they do not understand what Jesus Christ did for them.

“Jesus Christ took upon himself your sins, your pains, your heartaches and your infirmities. (Alma 7:11-12; Luke 4:18) You do not have to bear them alone. He will forgive you as you repent. He will bless you with what you need. (Alma 7:12) He will heal your wounded soul. (Psalm 147:3; Jacob 2:8) As you yoke yourself to him, your burdens will feel lighter. (Mosiah 24:14) If you will make and keep covenants to follow Jesus Christ, you will find that the painful moments of your life are temporary. Your afflictions will be ‘swallowed up in the joy of Christ.’ (Alma 31:38)

“It is neither too early nor too late for you to become a devout disciple of Jesus Christ. Then you will experience fully the blessings of his atonement. You will also be more effective in helping to gather Israel.”

I cannot wrap my brain around the truth that because of Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice, he knows exactly how to help me no matter what I’m struggling with. It’s impossible for me to fathom. Yet I know it’s true. Imagine if everyone had that conviction. Imagine the peace that would be felt throughout the world.

Putting more emphasis on the second coming of Jesus Christ, President Nelson tied his counsel back to it.

“My dear brothers and sisters, in a coming day, Jesus Christ will return to the earth as the millennial Messiah,” he said. “So today I call upon you to rededicate your lives to Jesus Christ. I call upon you to help gather scattered Israel and to prepare the world for the second coming of the Lord. I call upon you to talk of Christ, testify of Christ, have faith in Christ and rejoice in Christ. (2 Nephi 25:26)

“Come unto Christ and ‘offer your whole [soul]’ to him. (Omni 1:26) This is the secret to a life of joy.

“The best is yet to come, my dear brothers and sisters, because the savior is coming again. The best is yet to come because the Lord is hastening his work. The best is yet to come as we fully turn our hearts and our lives to Jesus Christ.

“I bear my solemn witness that Jesus Christ is the son of God. I am his disciple. I am honored to be his servant. At his second coming, ‘the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.’ That day will be filled with joy for the righteous.”

There is truly so much more I could say on this topic. People who read this weekly column have often remarked in awe that it takes up a full page in the newspaper each week. If only they knew how much I feel like I leave out. There really is so much that can be said about what the prophet, apostles and other leaders of the church say. But to close, I’d like to share some words by two church leaders — one former and one current.

At a BYU devotional in March 1979, former president of the church Gordon B. Hinckley said the following regarding the second coming of Jesus Christ:

“Most of us seldom think of these millennial events, and perhaps it is well thus. Certainly, there is no point in speculating concerning the day and the hour. Let us rather live each day so that if the Lord does come while we are yet upon the earth, we shall be worthy of that change which will occur as in the twinkling of an eye and under which we shall be changed from mortal to immortal beings. And if we should die before he comes, then — if our lives have conformed to his teachings — we shall arise in that resurrection morning and be partakers of the marvelous experiences designed for those who shall live and work with the savior in that promised millennium. We need not fear the day of his coming; the very purpose of the church is to provide the incentive and the opportunity for us to conduct our lives in such a way that those who are members of the kingdom of God will become members of the kingdom of heaven when he establishes that kingdom on the earth.”

President Nelson told us exactly what we need to do to “conduct our lives in such a way that those who are members of the kingdom of God will become members of the kingdom of heaven when he establishes that kingdom on the earth.” He told us to regularly attend the temple and make discipleship of Jesus Christ our highest priority.

I feel so grateful that President Nelson gave us such clear counsel. Sometimes I feel like how Elder Gary E. Stevenson said he sometimes feels during his general conference talk in April. Speaking of the first great commandment, he said:

“For me, the application of the first great commandment can sometimes feel abstract, even daunting. Gratefully, as I consider further words of Jesus, this commandment becomes much more graspable: ‘If ye love me, keep my commandments.’ (John 14:15) This I can do. I can love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, which then leads to prayer, scripture study and temple worship. We love the father and the son through the payment of tithes, keeping the Sabbath day holy, living a virtuous and chaste life and being obedient.”

I feel like the counsel to prepare for the second coming of Jesus Christ can feel “abstract” and “even daunting.” But President Nelson gave us further counsel that makes it “more graspable.” Go to the temple as often as possible and make discipleship of Jesus Christ our highest priority. Quoting Elder Stevenson, “This I can do.” I can set aside specific time to go to the temple on a consistent basis. I can make sure nothing is prioritized over my discipleship of Jesus Christ.

We’re so fortunate to have a prophet who can tell us what’s coming and what we need to do. I hope we’re all listening.

Contact Ryan Comer at rcomer@standard.net. Follow him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rbcomer8388/