April 26–May 2

Doctrine and Covenants 45

“The Promises … Shall Be Fulfilled”

President Russell M. Nelson taught: “Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take” (“Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2018, 95).

We live in perilous times, and that can be troubling. Even Jesus’s disciples, when they heard Him prophesy of the calamities that would occur in our day, “were troubled” (Doctrine and Covenants 45:34). The early Saints in Kirtland, Ohio, were also troubled by the perilous times in which they lived. Among other things, there were “many false reports … and foolish stories” that were undermining the gospel message (Doctrine and Covenants 45, section heading). But the Lord’s response, then and now, is “be not troubled” (verse 35). Yes, there is wickedness, but there is also evidence that God is hastening His work. Yes, there are perils predicted to precede the Second Coming, and we should be aware of them. But these aren’t just warnings of danger; they are also signs that God’s promises are about to be fulfilled. Perhaps this is why Doctrine and Covenants 45—a revelation that describes many of these signs in detail—was received “to the joy of the Saints” (section heading).