Prepared to Meet Him

Being Prepared to Meet Him 

I admire my little four-year old son whom is so excited to see the Savior again, that he told me last night that he was going to build a really big airplane that would take him up to heaven so he could meet Jesus. When I told him that we just need to wait patiently and we will see Jesus again, he said, " Then I am going to pray harder and harder and He will come to me."

 

I can imagine after seeing the sign of Christ's birth as they did in 3 Nephi 1:19, as " There was no darkness in all that night, but it was as light as though it was midday. And it came to pass that the sun did rise in the morning again, according to its proper order, and they knew that it was the day that the Lord should be born, because of the sign which had been given, " I can imagine there were many whom were very excited about this event, and the miracle they just witnessed, just like my son.

 

And yet, even then no man knew when that time would be that He would come to them; and even now as we know that He will be coming back again; yet, we know not the hour nor the time (JST Matthew 1:40 ) , I hope that I can be prepared and excited as my son, because I will be prepared and confident to meet my Savior, with perfect faith; like a child's faith.

 

There were those whom upon recognizing the sign had come to pass they, because they had not believed the prophets words ," fell to the earth and became as if they were dead, "   ( 3 Nephi 1:16 ) and " they began to fear because of their iniquity and unbelief." ( 3 Nephi 1:18 ) 

 

Our Savior Jesus Christ gave us an example in the New Testament that explains to us about how we can be prepared for His coming, in order that upon a sign that He is coming; we do not fall to the earth in fear; In Matthew 25 we read about the " Parable of the Ten Virgins ":

 

 1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins,which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

 2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

 6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

 9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord,open to us.

 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

We can learn from a wonderful talk by Elder Lynn G Robbins of the Seventy a deeper meaning in this parable; as he explains that a very important piece of being prepared in this parable is; being a worthy temple recommend holder, as he states:

 

In biblical times constant effort was needed to ensure that an adequate amount of oil was maintained in lamps. In our day we must exert constant effort to remain temple worthy. In the parable the virgins were not able to enter the door without oil. In our day neither can we enter the door of the temple without a recommend.

 

The Lord commanded the children of Israel anciently to use “pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually” (Leviticus 24:2). According to The Guide to the Scriptures, olive oil is a symbol of purity and of the presence and influence of the Holy Ghost.  In modern times a temple recommend is an affirmation of a person’s purity or worthiness. (See The Guide to the Scriptures (1993), 182.)

 

I am so thankful that I can hold my temple recommend in my hands as I am worthy of it; and know that I do not need to fear when the Lord comes again; and I would love to build an airplane and fly to Him, if I didn't have all of my brothers and sisters here that I wanted to bring with me to my beautiful destination to meet Him; and as long as I am here; I will be trying to help them. 

I say this in the name of Jesus Christ.Amen.