Ponderings

 I've been reading through some of Denver's latest posts. I've heard him say this before, and it makes me wonder, ponder, think. Out of the nearly 2 millennia of people who preached Jesus coming soon, this is the only one I know of who God told me was a true messenger, thus I feel obligated to at least consider that Jesus may very well come within the next few decades.

There are clearly many signs underway in the heavens above and in the earth beneath. NC Luke 12:17 Christ told our generation to “look up” and realize He will soon come. Of course the meaning of “soon” is the Lord’s, and He alone will set the event. But the generation now lives who will see Him vindicate His prophecies.

There are great reasons to be optimistic and hopeful. Far more reasons for that than for despair and gloom. Keeping the commandments is the first step in having the mysteries of God’s last-days “strange act” revealed. (T&C 101:20)
February 21, 2021

That doesn't mean I'll live to see it. If I live to be 99, that will be just over 35 years. On the other hand, if a 20 year old lives to be 99, that will be 79 years. "But the generation now lives" - that obviously could include those born before Feb 21st, so now we've added 98+ years to the hypothetical 99 year life span.

So, perhaps, it is safe to suppose there's a century-long window. At the same time, we've had a lot of signs. The moon turning to blood (eclipses) on Jewish holy days which, if I recall correctly, included an LDS general conference day. Eclipse of the sun that created the first X across the United States (which was also on the birthday of the leader of the LDS Church at the time). Bare Record has posts about these eclipses which are very much worth reading (I have the individual links at the bottom of this post if you would prefer to see them that way).

And the end (fulfilling?) of the times of the gentiles is upon us. In my opinion, this is not only white gentiles, but black ones, too. I expect the violence we have seen in the last year will increase until-perhaps-all that are left are those Americans whose ancestors lived here 2,000 years ago and beyond - and those who refused to pick up a weapon and kill others.

When I think of keeping the commandments, I think of God's commandments to me, personally, yet not ignoring the general commandments (like don't kill, don't steal, etc.). I've been reading in 1 Nephi. He told his brothers that he could do anything God commanded him to do - because of God, not because of himself.

I've thought, recently, how both Denver and Nephi seem superstitious to me. A man shows up, asks Laman and Lemuel why they're beating their brothers, is inspired to prophesy that, this time, they'll be successful, and Nephi considers the man an angel (and, by Denver's definition in one of the early lectures, he was). Denver seems to see signs everywhere, including things that I would think nothing about (like bleeding for 40 days after an operation; I would not have even kept track of the days, let alone made a spiritual connection to it).

As I've thought, it seems to me that maybe I could take a lesson from these men who see signs in the most logical of situations (women becoming strong and no longer complaining = natural consequences of a hard life, eating mostly meat, and adapting. Nephi says it's a miracle from God). Like, if I looked at things as miracles or signs from God (like the 3 wild, white, horses peacefully grazing across the river when Daryl baptized me in the river in Sept 2013 between the first and second lectures, fully accepting them as a sign of the Father/Mother/Son. Right; I did not include the Holy Ghost - or the beggar I met in a Walmart parking lot whose skin reflected so much light that I wondered if he was an angel. Though he (lackadaisically) held a sign, he seemed more interested in conversation than in asking for help), and fully accepted that God is not only mindful of me, but is giving me signs galore, would I then have more and more realistic (to me) experiences with heaven until real and true miracles abounded in my life even more than they do now? Or, at the least, I would be fully aware of great miracles I am presently blind to? And would the heavens open more fully to me so that visions outside of dreams would be the norm for me? Would all fear be gone? Would the scripture be fulfilled in my life that because of righteousness, Satan has no power over me? Would I actually have the power to help the poor and needy, to lift up those around me, to perhaps even help in the physical and mental healing of those who suffer?

Here is a list of the posts in the above link for Bare Record (dates are the dates the posts were written):

Solar Eclipse, May 20 2012

Four Blood Moons and the Man in the Moon, Nov 11, 2013

Partial Eclipse, Oct 23, 2014

Rare Astrological Events: Signs in the Heavens, April 11, 2014

Fourth and Final Moon in the Tetrad, Sept 27, 2015

The Great Conjunction: Signs in the Heavens on the Winter Solstice 2020, Dec 21, 2020