“When I was president of the Southern States Mission, one of our missionaries preached on that dream of Nebuchadnezzar in one of our meetings where we had some investigators, and I stood at the door to greet them as they went out. A man came up and introduced himself as a minister and he said, 'You don't mean to tell me that you think the Mormon Church is that kingdom, do you?' And I said, 'Yes sir, why not?'. He said, 'It couldn't be.' I said, 'Why couldn't it?' And he said, 'You can't have a kingdom without a king, and you don't have a king, so you don't have a kingdom'. 'Oh', I said, 'my friend, you didn't read far enough. You just read the seventh chapter of Daniel, where Daniel saw one like the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven, "and there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him" (Daniel 7:14). 'Now', I said, 'my friend, tell me how can the kingdom be given to him when he comes in the clouds of heaven if there is no kingdom prepared for him? That is what we Latter-day Saints are doing." (In CR Oct 1975, pp 76-77 or Ensign Nov 1975, p 51)”
Many of us are wondering how much more wicked the world has to become before the King of Heaven makes His appearance but only a few of us are wondering how much more righteous WE have to become before He can come. It’s more the state of US, His covenant people that will determine the time than the state of the world. Why? Because a King cannot come if there is no kingdom. Since the Lord works through us and He honours our free agency, our wickedness and righteousness can impede or accelerate His work (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual, p 258).
I am always amazed when I hear a teacher at Church ask this pointless question: “If you knew that the Saviour was coming tomorrow, what would you do to prepare?” I am equally amazed by some answers such as, missionary work. How much missionary work could you do in one day to make up for years of not doing it? My answer is, you could do nothing in one day to prepare for His coming, the time to prepare is NOW! The Kingdom awaits….
We Israel, Thy chosen seed
Bow before Thee on bended knee.
Strengthen us in the hour of our need
That we might never stray again
And cause Thee sorrow;
And help us wait for Thee
in the dawning of tomorrow.
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