The Last Days

2 Nephi 6

Jacob quotes Isaiah concerning the last days – today! It really grabs my attention toward the last few verses as he talks about the destruction both by fire, tempests, earthquakes, bloodsheds, pestilence and famine. Have we not already seen a great deal of what he has spoken? Can we not see the hand of the Lord in all the calamities that the world is currently suffering? Certainly the Lord knows how to get our attention. This chapter brings concern and comfort. It all depends where you are standing in the Lord's work. Are you a covenant keeper?

What does Isaiah mean when he says kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers? It will be Gentiles who take the saving ordinances of the gospel into the world where kings and queens will be taught and embrace the gospel. We see some of that, but I don't think it's to the degree that it will eventually come. In verse 6 the Lord says, “I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people. . .” The Lord will covenant with the Gentiles (us), and create a standard, i.e. the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's happening in our time. We're seeing this prophecy unfold in the nations of the world. What an exciting time in the history of the world. We see the destruction, but we also see the spreading of the gospel into lands never before dreamed. What a blessing!

My role in this, should I choose to accept it, is to be one of the Lord's servants in taking the gospel into the world in whatever capacity he chooses. For now, it is serving at BYU and influencing for good those young people who are so ready for the tasks that are ahead of them. It is a thrill to see how good they really are. They already know their Savior. They have strong testimonies. And when this call is completed, there will be another. My task is to stay healthy and strong so that I might be able to accomplish the tasks I'm given. The older I get, the more I realize this is the challenge.