"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:
And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."
Today, I finish the Old Testament. A project that has taken me over two and a half years to complete. The last time I read it from cover to cover I was a teenager. I have read parts of the Old Testament many times. In fact these last two verses I have them memorized. They are my heart, and why I love family history and the temple so much. These verses on the importance of the coming of Elijah are found in every set of scriptures my faith has. It was quoted to Joseph Smith by the angel Moroni, before he was told where the gold plates where hidden and were to be translated. They are found in the Book of Mormon as Christ himself gave the words of Malachi to them. These verses have a lot of meaning.
What I pondered on is how miraculous it is to know that Elijah has already come, and the world at large does not even know it. April 3, 1836 while the saints were gathered that Easter Sunday in the Kirtland Temple the Jews were in their homes celebrating the Passover, having set an empty plate at their table to welcome Elijah's return. Elijah came not to the house of a Jew, but to the House of the Lord. Doctrine and Covenants 110 tells of the amazing events. The heavens are opened and the saints are being gathered on both sides of the veil. I am involved in this work. There is still so much work to be done. As this world is growing darker I see the need for hearts to be turned to the fathers and the children taking on even greater significance. It has the ability to heal and not curse this earth.
My reading of the Old Testament each day maybe done, but I cannot wait to return. I know having read the Old Testament I will find greater understanding and meaning in the other scriptures as I ponder them.
Day 1504
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