Be Prepared

     The first weekend in August in Glasgow, our Church had an Emergency Preparedness Day Open House for the community to come and see. Some members of our church set up booths to show of ways that we can prepare for tough times and emergencies that may come upon us. Some of those ways include, 72 hour kits, emergency kits, financial, dry pack canning and recipe's to use from their commodities. 

     Most of us know that unexpected disasters or freak emergencies can happen at any time. Therefore, it is important that we armor ourselves with some, if not all of these necessities that will help us get through hard times that happen to us. Everyone is prone to emergencies and tough times in their lives, for that is a part of our mortal life. However, when we are prepared with these necessities, we are able to get by until times get better. 

     Looking at the world today, we obviously see many natural disasters that are causing emergency evacuations and heart aches to many people around the globe. Earthquakes, tsunami's, hurricanes, forest fires, and many other disasters are so prevalent in our world today. We never know when we are going to be hit with an emergency, that is why we always need to be prepared with these emergency kits so we won't be all chaotic and put at risk ours and our families lives. All of these recent disasters are most definitely signs of Jesus Christ's Second Coming. The scriptures say so themselves. "And also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the seas heaving themselves beyond their bounds. And all things shall be in commotion;...And angels shall fly through the midst of heaven, crying with a loud voice...saying: Prepare ye, prepare ye, O inhabitants of the earth; for the judgment of our God is come..." (D&C 88:90-92). 

When speaking of the Second Coming and being prepared, I am reminded of the Parable of the Ten Virgins in the book of Matthew, chapter 25, verses 1-13 in the Bible. To say it short in writing, Jesus relates the kingdom of Heaven to ten virgins who were awaiting the time of the Bridegroom (Jesus Christ). Five of the virgins were prepared and wise with extra oil for their lamps in case they needed more. The other five virgins were foolish and did not have any oil with them. Of course when the cry that the Bridegroom was coming, the foolish virgins asked for some oil from the wise virgins but the wise virgins didn't have enough oil for both, so the foolish virgins went out to go buy some more oil and during that time the Bridegroom came and the wise virgins were ready to go to the wedding and when the foolish virgins came, they were too late and not allowed in. The Savior gives us some wise counsel and the end of the parable. He says, "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh" (Matthew 25:13).

We can learn a lot from this parable and all throughout the scriptures on how we need to always be ready for the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. No man knows when He is going to come again, only our Father in Heaven knows. Therefore, we need to prepare ourselves so we can be ready to greet Him. I know that if we are doing what we are supposed to, observing to keep the commandments, saying our prayers and studying our scriptures daily, and doing all the little things that draw us closer to God, then we will be prepared and will be happy and ready to meet our Savior Jesus Christ.