Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 39:21
"For the time is at hand; the day or the hour no man knoweth; but it surely shall come."
I often hear people quoting this verse and the one in Matthew 24. That no man will know the day or hour of the Lord's coming. However, as I have pondered on these verses I note that He did not include the month or the year with that. We are promised to know the season.
"Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled."
(Matthew 24:32-33)
The Lord will do nothing but he revealeth it to his prophets. The following quote from Joseph Smith, Jr. confirms this.
"Of the Savior’s words that no man knows the day or the hour of the coming of the Son of Man (see Matt. 24:36), the Prophet asked: “Did Christ speak this as a general principle throughout all generations? Oh, no, He spoke in the present tense. No man that was then living upon the footstool of God knew the day or the hour. But He did not say that there was no man throughout all generations that should not know the day or the hour. No, for this would be in flat contradiction with other scripture. For the prophet says that God will do nothing but what He will reveal unto His servants the prophets. Consequently, if it is not made known to the prophets, it will not come to pass.”
(Grant Underwood, "The Prophet Joseph Smith's Use of the Old Testament", Ensign, Aug 2002)
"Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."
(Amos 3:7)
Starting in my youth we were called the promised generation. We have witnessed many things in our day as we prepare for the second coming. After us every generation of youth have been told the same thing. I hear people say "Oh, I've heard that for ages and it hasn't happened yet." As if that means because it keeps being repeated its somehow void. My thought is "You're not dead yet!" I know this is still the generation, and every generation of youth after us are part of it. Here are some interesting quotes. The first one is particularly interesting given the current First Presidency, President Russell M. Nelson, Dallin H. Oaks and Henry B. Eyring were all alive when it was written. Another point of interest is satellite communication hadn't been invented yet. It isn't until around 1966 when we start to see references to a particular generation.
"Some now living may see Second Coming. The day of the coming of the Lord is near. I do not know when. I am not looking, however, upon the coming of the Son of Man as I looked once upon the day when men would speak from city to city and throughout the land without the aid of wires, and would be heard -- as something that may come in some far distant time — because I sincerely believe it will come in the very day when some of us who are here today [April 5, 1936] will be living upon the face of the earth. That day is close at hand.
(Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie [1955], 3:2)
"You, our youth today, are among the most illustrious spirits to be born into mortality in any age of the world. Yours is a noble heritage and a wonderful opportunity. Dedicate your lives to a new resolve. Gird yourselves with the armor of righteousness, having as your weapons the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Be guided to fulfill your highest destiny. Be prepared to become leaders in that glorious millennial day when Christ himself will reign as King of kings and Lord of lords."
(President Harold B. Lee, card given to all the youth of the church, 1973)
(O. Leslie Stone, "Essentials for Success", BYU Speeches, June 26, 1973)
"Our duty is to raise up a generation of men and women worthy to receive the coming of the Lord. For he will come—to Jackson County, Missouri, to be sustained as King of Kings—and he will come also to Israel to be hailed as Lord of Lords. Then his millennial reign will be ushered in. You young, strong, and faithful men and women will bear the burden of the kingdom of God upon the earth as these days of destiny come."
(Russell M. Nelson, “Four Lessons from One Life”, Brigham Young University devotional, May 14, 1974, speeches.byu.edu.)
"For the Strength of Youth was published almost two years ago, under the direction and approval of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. I announced this revision in the opening session of general conference in October 2022. President Russell M. Nelson, our dear prophet, whom we all love and admire, concluded his message with these words: "One crucial element of this gathering is preparing a people who are able, ready, and worthy to receive the Lord when He comes again, a people who have already chosen Jesus Christ over this fallen world, a people who rejoice in their agency to live the higher, holier laws of Jesus Christ." And then he added, "I call upon you, my dear brothers and sisters, to become this righteous people." My dear young friends [pause], I believe that For the Strength of Youth is an ideal resource to help us become that kind of people. This guide for making choices is a call to set aside negative worldly influences and let God prevail in your lives.
(Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Devotional with Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf", 2024 Utah YSA Conference Aug. 4, 2024, broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. ISH)
The most recent quote was Feb 13, 2025 with Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and Elder Clark G. Gilbert, of the Seventy, Commissioner of the Church Educational System.
Elder Gilbert: I’d just say, you know, to all of us who love and admire and work with young adults and youth, trust them.
President [Russell M.] Nelson has told the young adults first, and then he told the whole Church, “Take charge of your testimony.” In fact, use the word “plead.” And we always pay attention when the Prophet says, “I plead with you.” And he said to the young adults in his worldwide message to them, “I plead with you to take charge of your testimony. Work for it. Own it. Feed it, and feed it. Nurture it so that it will grow.” And I have so much confidence in this generation. It is hard. What they're facing is hard. But the Lord is pouring out blessings, resources and His Spirit, in unprecedented ways. And we see that happening. And it's inspiring. The Lord's doing something powerful. He’s hastening the work, and one of the ways He's doing it is through the future of this Church, which are youth and are young adults.
Elder Christofferson: Our time as general authorities, we are doing everything we can to invest in them, and to help them succeed. They have a crucial role to play in all that is happening in the Lord's plan in this dispensation. And as we are hastening toward the end, toward the conclusion of that, they are crucial. Their role is crucial. Individually, each one matters. We do all our ordinances one by one because everybody matters. And we don’t do a group baptism; we do one by one, name by name. Every person is infinitely valuable in the Lord's eyes. I know I speak for the First Presidency and the Twelve in saying this, that we pray for them, and in the name of Christ, we bless them.
("Trust the Youth," Church News, February 13, 2025, YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZBC1Y9hVlI)
Day 3628
