If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear (President Hinckley)

[lds2]

Just thought I would share some thoughts this morning...I was pondering what President Hinckley meant by the emphasis on this scripture...(just like I wondered what the reason for President Monson choosing "Stand in Holy Places" for his title this past conference)...

D&C 38

28 And again, I say unto you that the enemy in the secret chambers seeketh your lives.

29 Ye hear of wars in far countries, and you say that there will soon be great wars in far countries, but ye know not the hearts of men in your own land.

30 I tell you these things because of your prayers; wherefore, treasure up wisdom in your bosoms, lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto you by their wickedness, in a manner which shall speak in your ears with a voice louder than that which shall shake the earth; but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.

***

So with that I went back to President Hinckley's talk and read the paragraphs before and after this quote to see what he may have been talking about...

"Someone has said it was not raining when Noah built the ark. But he built it, and the rains came. The Lord has said, "If ye are prepared ye shall not fear" (D&C 38:30). The primary preparation is also set forth in the Doctrine and Covenants, wherein it says, "Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come" (D&C 87:8).

We sing the song:

When the earth begins to tremble,

Bid our fearful thoughts be still;

When thy judgments spread destruction,

Keep us safe on Zion's hill.

(“Guide Us, O Thou Great Jehovah,” Hymns, no. 83)

We can so live that we can call upon the Lord for His protection and guidance. This is a first priority. We cannot expect His help if we are unwilling to keep His commandments. We in this Church have evidence enough of the penalties of disobedience in the examples of both the Jaredite and the Nephite nations. Each went from glory to utter destruction because of wickedness."

***There were some connections I hadn't made before that I thought others might find interesting as well... :)

He goes on to say, "Our people for three-quarters of a century have been counseled and encouraged to make such preparation as will assure survival should a calamity come. We can set aside some water, basic food, medicine, and clothing to keep us warm. We ought to have a little money laid aside in case of a rainy day...I have faith, my dear brethren, that the Lord will bless us, and watch over us, and assist us if we walk in obedience to His light, His gospel, and His commandments. He is our Father and our God, and we are His children, and we must be in every way deserving of His love and concern. That we may do so is my humble prayer."

If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear

Edited November 8, 2011 by lds2

[RescueMom]

I don't have fear because of bad things not happening to me, I expect them too. I don't have fear because:

The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?

and because

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

the worst the enemy can do is kill me. My eternal salvation is up to me, not them. If they take all I have and destroy it, if I have faith and have done the works required, I will be saved. And if I am tortured and beaten and my body is torn to bits, I will be saved.

The storm does not frighten me. The wolves may howl and chase me but I am not afraid. For in the end, after I have endured this pains and temptations of this life, my Shepard will be there. I try to make it easier on him by staying close by him.

Call it simplistic and idealistic, but he's already saved me. If I end up a slave to some cruel men, beaten every day, those actions will not keep me out of the celestial kingdom. It's my actions that determine that and I can't even do that without Christ.

[lds2]

I love rock solid testimonies...thanks for sharing yours. I'm hoping we are gathered to the New Jerusalem before things could ever get that bad.

While I haven't gathered anything like "Every Needful Thing" for such a journey...I have made sure that I have the basics found in the pamphlet from the First Presidency for the Saints in these last-days...[also good winter boots and clothing and a family sized tent (of course we use these things on a regular basis anyway.)]

https://lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/english/pdf/language-materials/04008_eng.pdf?lang=eng

Edited November 14, 2011 by lds2

[lds2]

Just thought I would share some thoughts this morning...I was pondering what President Hinckley meant by the emphasis on this scripture...(just like I wondered what the reason for President Monson choosing "Stand in Holy Places" for his title this past conference)...

D&C 38

28 And again, I say unto you that the enemy in the secret chambers seeketh your lives.

29 Ye hear of wars in far countries, and you say that there will soon be great wars in far countries, but ye know not the hearts of men in your own land.

30 I tell you these things because of your prayers; wherefore, treasure up wisdom in your bosoms, lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto you by their wickedness, in a manner which shall speak in your ears with a voice louder than that which shall shake the earth; but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.

***

So with that I went back to President Hinckley's talk and read the paragraphs before and after this quote to see what he may have been talking about...

"Someone has said it was not raining when Noah built the ark. But he built it, and the rains came. The Lord has said, "If ye are prepared ye shall not fear" (D&C 38:30). The primary preparation is also set forth in the Doctrine and Covenants, wherein it says, "Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come" (D&C 87:8).

We sing the song:

When the earth begins to tremble,

Bid our fearful thoughts be still;

When thy judgments spread destruction,

Keep us safe on Zion's hill.

(“Guide Us, O Thou Great Jehovah,” Hymns, no. 83)

We can so live that we can call upon the Lord for His protection and guidance. This is a first priority. We cannot expect His help if we are unwilling to keep His commandments. We in this Church have evidence enough of the penalties of disobedience in the examples of both the Jaredite and the Nephite nations. Each went from glory to utter destruction because of wickedness."

***There were some connections I hadn't made before that I thought others might find interesting as well... :)

He goes on to say, "Our people for three-quarters of a century have been counseled and encouraged to make such preparation as will assure survival should a calamity come. We can set aside some water, basic food, medicine, and clothing to keep us warm. We ought to have a little money laid aside in case of a rainy day...I have faith, my dear brethren, that the Lord will bless us, and watch over us, and assist us if we walk in obedience to His light, His gospel, and His commandments. He is our Father and our God, and we are His children, and we must be in every way deserving of His love and concern. That we may do so is my humble prayer."

If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear

It was interesting that President Monson talked of "fear and doubt" in his message to the Church in the June 2011 Ensign...

"Living welfare principles is about putting our faith in Jesus Christ into action—by...establishing family home storage...Our faith leads us to educate our minds and our hands and to work every day of our lives to be self-reliant. Having taken care of our own needs, we are better able to provide for ourselves and serve others. May we follow the counsel not only to do good but strive to be good, not just to do better but to be better. Obedience to the Lord’s counsel brings temporal and spiritual blessings. It allows us to face the challenges of life armed with courage and confidence rather than fear and doubt."