Be Prepared

With December 30th being the 5th Sunday of that month, Priesthood and Relief Society met together for the third hour.  I was asked to teach the lesson for this meeting with the topic being spiritual and temporal preparation.  Here is the general outline of the lesson I prepared:

I.  Introduction

     A.  January is named after the Roman god Janus

     B.  Images of Janus show him with two faces, one looking forward and the other backwards

     C.  With the New Year approaching, it's a good time to look back on how this past year has gone, and forward to how we would like the new year to go

II.  Looking back at 2007

     A.  How well did you do at accomplishing what you set out to do?

     B.  Do you feel pleased with how things went, or do you have regrets?

     C.  Are you discouraged or motivated to move forward?

     D.  Even our discouragements should motivate us to improve and continue moving forward

          1.  2 Cor. 7: 9-10—Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

          2.  Ether 12: 27—And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

          3.  D&C 64: 33—Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.

III.  Looking forward to 2008 and beyond (D&C 1: 12—Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh;)

     A.  Is the Lord really nigh?

          1.  Nigh means near, close, or almost

          2.  How near is the Lord?

          3.  Similar words have been used for thousands of years

               a.  Luke 10: 9—And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

               b.  Alma 5: 50—Yea, thus saith the Spirit: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand; yea, the Son of God cometh in his glory, in his might, majesty, power, and dominion. Yea, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, that the Spirit saith: Behold the glory of the King of all the earth; and also the King of heaven shall very soon shine forth among all the children of men. [emphasis added]

          4.  Do we sometimes become complacent with these warnings?

          5.  We must always remember that while the Savior's return may still be a long way off (as well as right around the corner), we may still be "called back home" at any time and we must always be prepared for that eventuality

     B.  "Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come"

          1.  Why do we need to prepare ourselves?

               a.  It gives us a sense of security (D&C 38: 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. [emphasis added])

               b.  It's a commandment (D&C 38: 40—And again, I say unto you, I give unto you a commandment, that every man, both elder, priest, teacher, and also member, go to with his might, with the labor of his hands, to prepare and accomplish the things which I have commanded. [emphasis added])

          2.  What do we need to prepare?

               a.  Spiritual Preparation—Put on the Armor of God (D&C 27: 15-18—Wherefore, lift up your hearts and rejoice, and gird up your loins, and take upon you my whole armor, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, having done all, that ye may be able to stand. Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, which I have sent mine angels to commit unto you; Taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of my Spirit, which I will pour out upon you, and my word which I reveal unto you, and be agreed as touching all things whatsoever ye ask of me, and be faithful until I come, and ye shall be caught up, that where I am ye shall be also. Amen. [emphasis added])

               b.  Mental and Intellectual Preparation (D&C 88: 74-80—And I give unto you, who are the first laborers in this last kingdom, a commandment that you assemble yourselves together, and organize yourselves, and prepare yourselves, and sanctify yourselves; yea, purify your hearts, and cleanse your hands and your feet before me, that I may make you clean; That I may testify unto your Father, and your God, and my God, that you are clean from the blood of this wicked generation; that I may fulfil this promise, this great and last promise, which I have made unto you, when I will. Also, I give unto you a commandment that ye shall continue in prayer and fasting from this time forth. And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom. Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand; Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you. [emphasis added])

               c.  Temporal Preparation (Food supply, get out of debt, emergency preparedness, healthy food and exercise, etc.)

          3.  With so much to prepare, and only so much time available to us, how do we set our priorities?

               a.  3 Ne. 13: 33—But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

               b.  D&C 82: 19—Every man seeking the interest of his neighbor, and doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God.

IV.  Conclusion

     A.  We must always remember that what we are asked of by Christ, is minor compared to everything he has already done for us (Rom. 5: 6-11, 6: 3-13—For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement....Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.)

     B.  [Bear testimony]

     C.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen