And in that day . . .

2 Nephi 14

A very short chapter filled with counsel for us in these latter days “And in that day. . .” v1  We are told that when we read that phrase, Isaiah is talking about the latter days, aka our day.  So what can we expect, and do we see it now?

“. . .seven women shall take hold of one man. . .”  Why?  It is to take away their reproach?  What is their reproach?  It is the disgrace of not having a husband.   You see desperate women make a lot of mistakes because they want a husband.  Righteous women will want nothing more than his name. 

“. . .the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful . . .” v2.  I don’t know exactly what this means.  Wouldn’t the branch of the Lord be God’s only true church on the earth, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?  That said, does the church touch anything that isn’t made better than it was before?  Certainly the fruit is excellent.

“. . .washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem. . . by the spirit of burning” v4.  This is a personal verse to me.  My blood was literally purged when I returned to living the gospel.  I became a totally different person.  This began with the “spirit of burning” which is the burning of the Holy Ghost.  I began to desire that feeling more and more until my blood was purged.  This is what the Lord has for each of his children.

The Lord will protect the righteous.  Certainly this is done in every dwelling place of mount Zion (our homes), and in our assembles (as we go to our meetings and attend the temple).  Certainly we are protected from the storm and from rain.  Our temples and our standards protect us.  This is a note I put in the margin.  How do they protect us?  As we make sacred covenants in the temple, we embrace the standards of the gospel.  We covenant to do things; we covenant not to do things.  These become our protection; our standards.  I testify this to be a truth.  So why do some attend the temple and not have this protection and grow weary that it is not there for them?  I personally believe it is a lack of belief that the covenants they make need to be adhered to with firmness and exactness.  When we do so, even the trials in our lives will become blessings that protect us and make us stronger.  We will have eyes to see. 

So how do I apply what I have read to my life?  I need to be firm and exact in keeping the covenants I have made and continue to make.  That is my only real refuge and protection from the storm.