Bishop Keith B. McMullin: Great incentives to prepare and live right
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The doctrine of the Second Coming of the Messiah provides one of the great incentives to prepare and live right, Bishop Keith B. McMullin, second counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, declared at the priesthood session Saturday evening.
Revelations "speak of signs and wonders on earth and in the heavens," Bishop McMullin said. "They point to troublesome times and pending events vast in scope and duration." He added that there are promises, including, "if ye are prepared ye shall not fear" (Doctrine and Covenants 38:30).
"Priesthood bearers are led by these promises to prepare themselves and their families for the Lord's appearing," he said. "There is no need to be anxious about events leading up to the Second Coming. Let us instead be filled with gratitude for our understanding of what lies ahead. Let us appreciate that we are in charge of our own world, being the Lord's agents over that which He has entrusted to us."
In this regard, he gave a three-step formula: "Be faithful. Unencumber your life. Lay up in store."
"Inspired preparation," Bishop McMullin said, "rests on the foundation of faith in Jesus Christ, obedience and a provident lifestyle. Members should not go to extremes, but they should begin."
He admonished priesthood leaders to enlist the Relief Society in promoting family preparedness and homemaking. "The women of the Church need your backing and will respond to your leadership," he noted.
"Encourage our members to regularly put into their home storage a few wholesome, basic food items and some water that is safe to drink," Bishop McMullin counseled. "They should save some money, if only a few coins each week. This modest approach will soon enable them to have several months' reserve. Over time, they can expand these modest efforts into a longer-term supply by adding such essentials as grains, legumes, and other staples that will keep them alive in case they do not have anything else to eat."
