Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 16:9-10

Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 16:9-10
"And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them."

Paul is first forbidden by the Holy Ghost to preach the gospel in Asia. Then when they came to Mysia they were told not to go into Bithyania. When they got to Troas Paul is told by the Holy Ghost that he needed to go to Macedonia. Paul was obedient to all of this and they had success there. They were also thrown into prison. All of this prepared the way for greater things. We do not always know the course we should take but the Lord is ever guiding us.

"While serving a mission in England in 1840, President Wilford Woodruff (1807–98), then one of the Twelve Apostles, was prompted by the Spirit to go to the south of England. Through his efforts and the efforts of others serving with him, about 2,000 people were converted in the area of Herefordshire, Worcester, and Gloucester. Reflecting on this extraordinary period of his life, President Woodruff wrote: “The whole history of this Herefordshire mission shows the importance of listening to the still small voice of God and the revelations of the Holy Ghost. The Lord had a people there prepared for the Gospel. They were praying for light and truth, and the Lord sent me to them” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff [2004], 91).

Day 4158

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 86:5

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 86:5
"Behold, verily I say unto you, the angels are crying unto the Lord day and night, who are ready and waiting to be sent forth to reap down the fields;"

This reminded me of a quote by Joseph Fielding Smith regarding the words he heard President Woodruff speak at the Salt Lake Temple dedication in 1893.

"I heard President Wilford Woodruff, in this stand, this same place where I stand, bear witness as he had done in other places, in 1893, and up to the time of his death, that the angels who had been waiting to go forth to reap down the earth had now been sent upon that mission and they were in the earth. Therefore, he said we may look for calamities, for destruction, for plague and bloodshed."
(Joseph Fielding Smith, in Conference Report, Apr. 1946, 154-159)

Day 3675

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 31:4

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 31:4
"You shall declare the things which have been revealed to my servant, Joseph Smith, Jun. You shall begin to preach from this time forth, yea, to reap in the field which is white already to be burned."

What stood out to me was the part about the field "is white already to be burned". I usually hear that it's white already to harvest. I was curious and searched but could not find those words anywhere else in the scriptures.

"Behold, the field is white already to harvest; therefore, whoso desireth to reap let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God."
(Doctrine & Covenants 12:3)

"Yea, verily, verily, I say unto you, that the field is white already to harvest; wherefore, thrust in your sickles, and reap with all your might, mind, and strength."
(Doctrine & Covenants 33:7)

Then I looked for when it mentioned the field being burned. These are two verses that mention this.

"Which causeth silence to reign, and all eternity is pained, and the angels are waiting the great command to reap down the earth, to gather the tares that they may be burned; and, behold, the enemy is combined."
(Doctrine & Covenants 38:12)

"Behold, verily I say unto you, the angels are crying unto the Lord day and night, who are ready and waiting to be sent forth to reap down the fields;"
(Doctrine & Covenants 86:5)

It is interesting to note that during the Salt Lake Temple dedication (6-24 April 1893) President Wilford Woodruff spoke of those angels being released.

"God has held the angels of destruction for many years, lest they should reap down the wheat with the tares. But I want to tell you now, that those angels have left the portals of heaven, and they stand over this people and this nation now, and are hovering over the earth waiting to pour out the judgments. And from this very day they shall be poured out. Calamities and troubles are increasing in the earth, and there is a meaning to these things. Remember this, and reflect upon these matters. If you do your duty, and I do my duty, we’ll have protection, and shall pass through the afflictions in peace and in safety.
(“The Temple Workers’ Excursion,” Young Woman’s Journal, Aug. 1894, 512–513.)

Day 3620

Today's Favorite Verse: Matthew 13:30

Today's Favorite Verse: Matthew 13:30

"Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."

The parable of the wheat and the tares applies to the apostasy, restoration and the end of the world. It is later then many think. The harvest is now taking place, the wheat are gathering to the stakes of Zion, and the tares are binding themselves in bundles to make ready to be burned.

“God has held the angels of destruction for many years, lest they should reap down the wheat with the tares. But I want to tell you now, that those angels have left the portals of heaven... and they stand over this people and this nation now, and are hovering over the earth waiting to pour out the judgments. And from this very day they shall be poured out. Calamities and troubles are increasing in the earth, and there is a meaning to these things. Remember this, and reflect upon these matters. If you do your duty, and I do my duty, we’ll have protection, and shall pass through the afflictions in peace and in safety.”

(Wilford Woodruff, “The Temple Workers’ Excursion,” Young Woman’s Journal, Aug. 1894, 512–513.)

“Now I want to make some comments in regard to the statement by President Woodruff and this parable [the parable of the wheat and tares in D&C 86].

“The Lord said that the sending forth of these angels was to be at the end of the harvest, and the harvest is the end of the world. Now, that ought to cause us some very serious reflections. And the angels have been pleading, as I have read it to you, before the Lord to be sent on their mission. Until 1893 the Lord said to them no, and then He set them loose. According to the revelation of President Woodruff, the Lord sent them out on that mission.

“What do we gather out of that? That we are at the time of the end. This is the time of the harvest. This is the time spoken of which is called the end of the world.”

(Joseph Fielding Smith, Signs of the Times (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1974), 11-21.)

Day 3101