Assignment Number Five

This class is coming to end! It is unbelievable how fast everything is coming and going. It kind of reminds me of how fast this life comes and goes. We get so caught up in life and in the joys of day-to-day things that in the blink of an eye everything is over. Everything is done. It makes me realize how short of a time I have left to do everything that I want to do. Not only that but also to do everything that I need to do. The Lord has always said that time here is short. We never know when life will be taken away from us. Just the other night my best friend lost her dad. He was young. He had his whole life in front of him. A whole life that he thought he could use for changing or for fixing his mistakes. But now he is up in heaven realizing he has no time left. His life is flashing before his eyes and he is probably thinking and wishing he had done things differently. I don’t want to be like that. I want to end my life with no regrets. With nothing unfinished. With nothing undone. And the Lord has shown us so many ways that we can become who we want to be and do what we needs to do while we are on the earth and everything is written in the books that I have right in front of me.

         For this assignment I decided to do choice 1 for Unit two because it talks a lot of the parables and the meanings and lessons behind the parables that the Lord taught to the people.

Choice 1: Joseph Smith—Matthew. The Savior Taught About Future Events

 

1. Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:4 contains questions that the Savior’s disciples asked Him. Verses 5–20 contain the answer the Savior gave to their first question regarding the destruction of the temple, and verses 21–55 contain His answer to their other questions concerning His Second Coming and the destruction of the wicked. Read Joseph Smith—Matthew. Then fill in the following chart. After each item you list, write the verse number where you found that item.

	Destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem (JS-M 1:5-20)	The Second Coming of Jesus Christ (JS-M 1:21-55)
Events to Occur	There will be many deception and false sayings (verse 6) betrayal and hatred and confusion (verse 7-10) destruction will take place (verse 12)	many will try to teach falsehoods and many will fall away (verse 22) wars and rumors of war (verse 23) Famines, pestilences and earthquakes in diverse places (verse 29) hatred and anger (verse 30) The gospel shall be preached to all nations (verse 31) The powers of heaven shall cover the sun and the skies (verse 33) The Lord will come down in all his glory (verse 36)
Promises to the Righteous	those who remain steadfast will make it through(verse 11) Those who flee without turning back will be safe as long as they pray for help (verse 17) Those who are the elect shall have shorter days of tribulation (verse 20)	those who over come this hatred shall be saved (verse 30) those who treasure the gospel shall be taken up by angels as His elect (verse 37) when they see the signs they will know and be ready (verse 39) If we watch we will be ready for the Lord and will be blessed for it(verse 46-48)

2. Study 1 Nephi 22:16–22; Doctrine and Covenants 97:22, 25. Then write a statement that would give hope to a person who worries about the Second Coming.

         The last days should not be a time for worrying or panicking if we are doing what is right. Those who are wicked will suffer in the end because they are not doing what the Lord has asked them to do. But if we make a valiant effort to be one of the many that are doing the Lord’s will, then the last days should not be looked at with fear, but with excitement. Because the faster the end comes, the faster we can leave this world of evil and hatred and pain, and enter with the elect into the kingdom of heaven. The Lord has to end this test somehow. We are all going to have to end up in the place where we deserve to be. The lord has told us what we need to do, he has given us the signs that we should watch for and he has given us the tools to achieve the blessings of the elect if we only listen and do what he asks. Its just like if our parents go away for the weekend and they say they will be back sometimes on Monday. If you are doing everything right, then whenever they come home, it will be nice to see them and the greeting will be pleasant and you can talk about how much you missed them and how much you wanted to see them and it will be a great reunion. However, if you have messed up the house or if you are doing something you shouldn’t be doing when they come home, the reunion isn’t going to be very pleasant and you are going to look back on the weekend and wish you had done things differently.

Life is just like that. we have to do what our father in heaven asks and then when the savior comes, it will be a joyous and wonderful occasion where we finally get to see our brother again.

I cant wait for that time. I know that there is so much that I need to work on and I have realized that now is the time to do what I need to do to be ready for the second coming. Our world is all about living now and asking for forgiveness later. So much is about living it up in our youth and becoming better in our adulthood. But this lesson has made me think about the fact that I might not have the chance to fix things in the future. I need to start now. right now. before its too late.