1. Lesson 48: The Great and Dreadful Day of the Lord 2. To encourage us to: (1) Prepare for the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ (2) Pay an honest tithe and generous offerings (3) Experience the blessings that come because of the sealing power of the priesthood. 3. What feelings do you have when you hear words like these? The scriptures refer to the Second Coming as a great and dreadful day (Malachi 4:5). How can it be both? This lesson includes discussions about (1) the prophecies that Zechariah and Malachi made about the last days and (2) our preparation for the Second Coming. 4. [The Saviors] coming will be both glorious and terrible, depending on the spiritual condition of those who remain (Prepare Yourself for the Great Day of the Lord, New Era, May 1982, 49). 5. #1: Every person on earth will have heard the message of the restored gospel before the Lord returns in glory. The work of gatheringwhich is really missionary work, the process by which the people of the earth are gathered to Christ, his gospel, his doctrine, his Church, and to the congregations of the faithful (see 1 Nephi 15:13-15; 2 Nephi 6:10-11; 9:1-2; 10:7- 8) will go forward in the great Millennium, after his coming in glory. This gathering will be of such a magnitude as to cause all previous gatherings to almost fade into insignificance (see Jeremiah 16:14-17; 1 Nephi 22:24-25; 2 Nephi 9:2; 30:6-18; 3 Nephi 21:25-26). All will hear, to be sure, but not necessarily before the Master returns. 6. #2: Before Christ returns in glory, the faithful members of the Church will be asked to move to Missouri, to the Center Stake of Zion. The Center Stake of Zion is located in Independence, Missouri, and that will not change. D&C 101:17, 20-21; 3 Nephi 22:2 7. T or F #3: The faithful Saints will be spared the trials, calamities, and changes that will come upon the world before the Savior comes. All who stay on the gospel path will know the protection that comes only through faithfulness. The Prophet Joseph explained, however, that it is a false idea that the Saints will escape all the judgments, whilst the wicked suffer; for all flesh is subject to suffer. . . . [Y]et many of the righteous shall fall a prey to disease, to pestilence, etc. .(History of the Church 4:11). 8. #4: If we will live the gospel and purify our lives, we can hasten the Lords coming and help to usher in the glorious Millennium. We can seek to establish and move forward the cause of Zion (D&C 6:6; 11:6; 14:6; 21:7). We can assist Zion to acquire its destined beauty and holiness (D&C 82:14). We can help to redeem Zion (D&C 100:13; 103:15) through living the law of the celestial kingdom (D&C 105:5, 32). In summary, we can hasten the establishment of the earthly City of Holiness (Moses 7:19, 62), the place of the pure in heart (D&C 97:21), no matter where we live. But the day of the Second Coming of the Lord in glory is fixed, set, established, just as was the day of his first coming. Isaiah or Nephi or Abinadi did not call upon the people to repent so that the Holy One of Israel could come into mortality sooner. The Second Coming may not be postponed by unbridled wickedness nor hurried by consummate righteousness. 9. #5: No one, not even the most faithful Saints of God, will know the time of the Saviors return. He will come as a thief in the night. Those who are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived (D&C 45:57) 10. At least seven latter-day appearances of the Savior have been foretold in the scriptures. How many of them can you identify? 11. 1. To the Prophet Joseph Smith in the First Vision (Acts 3:1921; Joseph SmithHistory 1:1517) 12. 2. In his latter-day temples (Malachi 3:1; D&C 133:12). 13. 3. In the city of New Jerusalem, at Independence, Missouri (3 Nephi 21:2426). 14. 4. To the righteous at the time of his Second Coming (Zechariah 14:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:1617; D&C 88:96 98) 15. 5. To the wicked (D&C 133:42 51) 16. 6. In Jerusalem during a worldwide conflict known as the battle of Armageddon (Ezekiel 3839; Zechariah 1214; Revelation 11; D&C 45:4753) 17. 7. In the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman (D&C 116; Daniel 7:1314, 22; see also D&C 107:5356, which describes a past meeting at Adam-ondi-Ahman that is similar to the meeting that will take place there) 18. a. Zechariah 10:68. The people of Judah and Joseph will be gathered, and the people of Ephraim will become mighty. The Lord will hiss, or call, for his people and gather them. What can we do? We can assist in this gathering by sharing the gospel with others. 19. b. Zechariah 12:23, 89. A great war will be fought in and around Jerusalem, but the Lord will intervene and save the inhabitants of Jerusalem from destruction. What can we do? We should trust God to defend his people during the difficulties of the last days. 20. c. Zechariah 14:8. Living waters will flow from the temple in Jerusalem and will heal the Dead Sea and the Judean wilderness (see also Ezekiel 47:1, 89). 21. Many of the prophecies of the last days include tragedies such as war, natural disasters, and widespread wickedness. How can we maintain hope when we hear of these prophecies and witness their fulfillment? (See D&C 38:2830.) Prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled before the Savior comes but if ye are prepared, ye shall not fear. 22. a. Zechariah 14:34. The Savior will stand on the Mount of Olives, and the mount will be divided in half (see also D&C 45:48) 23. b. Zechariah 12:10; 13:6. The Jewish people living at the time of Jerusalems deliverance will see Jesus Christ and will mourn because they as a people have rejected him as the Messiah (see also D&C 45:5153) 24. c. Zechariah 13:2. False idols, unclean spirits, and false prophets will be destroyed 25. d. Zechariah 14:5. The righteous who are alive on the earth will be caught up to meet the Savior. The righteous who have died will be resurrected and will also be caught up to meet him (see also D&C 88:9698) 26. e. Zechariah 14:9. The Lord will be king over all the earth and will rule during the Millennium 27. f. Zechariah 14:1213; Malachi 3:1318; 4:13. The wicked will be destroyed, and the righteous will be spared (see also 1 Nephi 22:1517, 19) 28. Why do you think the Lord has revealed these prophecies about the latter days, the Second Coming, and the Millennium? (See D&C 45:3444.) How can we prepare for the Second Coming of the Savior? (See D&C 45:5657.) 29. President Ezra Taft Benson said: As we live the commandments of God, we can look forward with joyful anticipation to the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and know that through our efforts we are worthy, with our loved ones, to dwell in His presence for all eternity. Surely nothing is too hard to gain this great goal. We cannot let down for a moment. We must prove, every day of our lives, that we are willing to do the will of the Lord to spread the restored gospel, to bear testimony to the world, to share the gospel with others (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson [1988], 341). How does it help you to know that righteousness will eventually triumph over wickedness? 30. When will the Second Coming occur? The Lord has made clear that while he will surely come again, no person knows the exact time (D&C 39:2021; 49:7). 31. Some of the brethren approached [President Wilford Woodruff] and inquired of him as to when he felt the end would bewhen would be the coming of the Master? These, I think, are not his exact words, but they convey the spirit of his reported reply: I would live as if it were to be tomorrowbut I am still planting cherry trees! I think we may well take this as a page for our own book and live as if the end might be tomorrowand still plant cherry trees! In worrying about things that are beyond our reach, we should not overlook our opportunities with our own families and friends; in worrying about possible eventualities we should not neglect the things that need to be done here and now, and that are within our reach (in Conference Report, Apr. 1950, 1056). 32. Malachi 3:812. How do people rob God by not paying tithes and offerings? What does it mean to pay a full tithe? The First Presidency has stated: The simplest statement we know of is the statement of the Lord himself, namely, that the members of the Church should pay one-tenth of all their interest annually, which is understood to mean income. No one is justified in making any other statement than this (First Presidency letter, 19 Mar. 1970; see also D&C 119:14). TITHING 33. What should be our motivation for paying tithes and offerings? After referring to the blessings the Lord gives to tithe payers, President Gordon B. Hinckley said: Now, do not get me wrong. I am not here to say that if you pay an honest tithing you will realize your dream of a fine house, a Rolls Royce, and a condominium in Hawaii. The Lord will open the windows of heaven according to our need, and not according to our greed. If we are paying tithing to get rich, we are doing it for the wrong reason. The basic purpose for tithing is to provide the Church with the means needed to carry on His work (in Conference Report, Apr. 1982, 60; or Ensign, May 1982, 40). Why is it sometimes a challenge to obey the law of tithing? What can be done to overcome that challenge? 34. How was this prophecy fulfilled? (See D&C 110:1316). What does it mean to turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers? It means to be sealed to all our ancestorsour fathersand to all our posterityour childrenforever. Because of the sealing power of the priesthood and the temple ordinances for the living and the dead, families can be bound together for eternity. How have you felt your heart turn to your ancestors as you have done family history and temple work for them? How do the promises of temple covenants turn your heart to your parents, spouse, and children? Did you know The message in Malachi 4:56 is taught in each of the standard works? (Luke 1:17; 3 Nephi 25:56; D&C 2:13; Joseph SmithHistory 1:3739). Why do you think this message is repeated so often? 35. OLE JENSEN & MARIANE DANIELSEN 3GRANDPARENTS 36. In Maglebrand, Denmark they were to meet the missionaries at pond to be baptized in 1857 Mob came to kill the missionaries so they hid until the mob left(thought it was wrong day) for whiskey When mob left Ole and Mariane were baptized Mob found out and were more furious. The mob was led by Marianes brother who disowned her as his sister and they found the missionaries and beat them unconscious. The Elders recovered, but the leader GGGuncle and his band all died horrible deaths. 37. Ole Jensen and Mariane Danielsen had 6 boys and 2 girls. 4 boys died as infants, the other two were local missionaries The boys came to America and worked on first railroad to SLC to pay for their parents and sisters to emigrate in 1869 Provo-Santaquin-Scipio lived in a dug-out for 2 years Oak City-Richfield where she died in 1875 and he in 1880 Sons returned to Denmark for missions 38. they withstood persecution and abuse to do the will of God as they understood it. They would have given their lives had it been necessary rather than to give up the true gospel after they once had embraced it. In her later years Mariane, after her house work was done would enjoy sitting and singing hymns. Some of her favorites were: Whos on the Lords Side, Who?, God Moves in a Mysterious Way, His Wonders to Perform, Count Your Many Blessings. She never tasted tea or coffee after she joined the church. 39. JOHN PETER OLSEN 2GRANDFATHER findagrave.com 40. EMERALD ISLE SCANDINAVIAN EMIGRATION 41. Born 1848 Baptized 1858 Ordained priest 1864 1866 ordained Elder and served mission Honorably released and got permission from mission Pres. to go to Zion (Utah) The Bornholm saints were anxious to emigrate with him so he aided them. On the ship a number of men gathered around him making vile accusations and threatening to throw him overboard for having caused these people to leave their homes and embrace this religion (he appealed to the captain who helped him) JOHN PETER OLSEN 42. Arrived in Copenhagen in 1870, found the steamer Hansia to take them to England with the rest of the saints (630). Difficult journey with lots of sickness which he helped in caring for the people. Arrived in Hull, England and took train to Liverpool where emigrants found hotels and were treated very shabbily. 43. previous aquaintance with Maren Petersen and four days later they were married on board the ship in the mid-Atlantic 627 saints boarded the ship, THE EMERALD ISLE on June 19, 1868 Distilling machine failed, took 3 days in Queenstown to get fresh water for the trip Saints mistreated badly by the ships officers and crew. No other company is know to have been so abused Water taken aboard at Queenstown became stagnant and unfit to drink being cause of much sickness Measles epidemic broke out at same time 37 (mostly children) died from bad water and 44. Voyage continued for 2 months before they finally saw the New York harbor on Aug 11,1868 38 sick people were quarantined on Staten Island for 3 days Took the Railroad to Niagara-Detroit- Chicago-Council Bluffs, Iowa and arrived 21st Union Pacific to Benton 700 miles west of Omaha 45. Met by church ox teams that took them to their camps on the platte river six miles from Benton After 10 days (Aug. 31st) The Scandinavian saints took up their journey across the mountains by oxen teams led by Captain John G. Holman Those able walked most of the way to SLC 30 died between New York and SLC 46. Latter part of trip John Peter Olsen took very ill Every morning many saints came to the tent asking if Bro. Olsen was still alive His conviction was that if he could live to Salt Lake City he would get well On the morning of the last encampment in Parleys Canyon he arose, cut off two slices of bread, picked up his walking stick and walked the last eight miles to SLC, steadily gaining in health from that time on. They arrived September 25th, 1868 47. They headed to Provo the next day for a glorious reunion with his brother In 1869 He and Maren hired a man and his team to take them to SLC to have their marriage renewed in the Old Endowment House, July 18, 1869 by Daniel H. Wells 48. In His life He made the best of every situation in spite of his many accidents Struck by lightning Gored by a bull Broke leg in fall down a well Fall of 1869 moved to Scipio and built a 12x14 underground house (dug out) with willows and mud for a roof and lived there for four years 49. Later on built one of the finest houses in Scipio many years before waters systems, the house was equipped with a large bathroom and tin tub which accomodated the water when it was piped in First wife Maren (my 2Grandmother) died at 31 leaving 4 children (they had 6, 2 died as infants) and then married Hannah (Johanna) 1 year later in 1880. They had 8 children and were married 55 years. 50. 1889 Wilford Woodruff called him to return to Denmark for missionary work and she was left with 7 children In his hand was a great power to heal the sick, and possibly few men have ever been called on more times to administer to them. (One of my Great Aunts fondest memories) Taking her (his granddaughter) to cemetery he loaded barrels of water, shovels and paint and stenciling equip. in an old black buggy drawn by a horse. After carefully pruning and watering the plants about the graves he restored data written on the wooden headstones. Before his death he made provisions for his own coffin. In his patriarchal blessing it said he would never taste death. He slipped away peacefully in his sleep without suffering in Nov, 1935