A Feast of Fat Things Man from Poland, explaining to his attorney why he wants a divorce Q: Do you have you any grounds? A: Yes, an acre and nice house. Q: No, I mean what is the foundation of this case? A: It made of concrete. Q: I don't think you understand. Does you have a real grudge? A: No, we have carport, and not need one. Q: Is there any infidelity in your marriage? A: We have hi-fidelity stereo and good DVD player. Q: Well, then, does your wife beat you up? A: No, I always up before her. Q: Ok, then, can you tell me why you want this divorce? A: She going to kill me. I got proof! Q: You do? A: Yes! She try poison me. She buy bottle at drugstore and put on shelf in bathroom. I can read. It say: "Polish Remover." Elder Holland Sometime not long after 9-11, I had a missionary ask me in all honesty and full of faith, Elder Holland, are these the last days? I saw the earnestness in his face and some of the fear in his eyes, and I wanted to be reassuring. I thought perhaps an arm around him and some humor could relieve his anxiety a little. Giving him a hug, I said, Elder, I may not be the brightest person alive, but even I know the name of the Church. Question As the 2 nd Coming draws ever near, are we faithful or fearful? Can we be both? Elder Holland Continues When shall Christ appear publicly, triumphantly, and the Millennium begin? I have already told you that I dont know. What I do know is that the initial moments of that event began 184 years ago. I do know that as a result of that First Vision and what has followed it, we live in a time of unprecedented blessings blessings given to us for the purpose of living faithfully and purely so when the Bridegroom finally and triumphantly arrives, He can personally, justifiably bid us to the wedding feast. Is there a happy future for you and your posterity in these latter days? Absolutely! Most assuredly you have a beautiful future. All wedding feasts are happy occasions What do we know about the coming Wedding Feast? Adam-Ondi-Ahman D&C 58 (Isaiah 25) And also that a feast of fat things might be prepared for the poor; yea, a feast of fat things, of wine on the lees well refined, that the earth may know that the mouths of the prophets shall not fail; Yea, a supper of the house of the Lord, well prepared, unto which all nations shall be invited. First, the rich and the learned, the wise and the noble; And after that cometh the day of my power; then shall the poor, the lame, and the blind, and the deaf, come in unto the marriage of the Lamb, and partake of the supper of the Lord, prepared for the great day to come. Isaiah 25 Continues And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth; for the Lord hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us; this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation D&C 38:8 But the day soon cometh that ye shall see me, and know that I am; for the veil of darkness shall soon be rent, and he that is not purified shall not abide the day. Hymn of Salvation Isaiah 25 Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee. For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. Elder Neal A. Maxwell Some among us, desperately ill, know the loneliness of a hospital room by night when loved ones have departed or are sleeping for sorrow (or unable to watch another hour The night magnifies the stillness of the hospital corridors, as these individuals brush against the veil of death. Even so, whether or not appointed unto death these faithful are in His hands. They can and do know of God, Yet thou art there! Widows and widowers whose deprivation stretches into years, when the caress of dimmed memories is insufficient, sometimes sob to see purpose in it all. However, they will later know moments when the Lord shall wipe away tears from off all faces. Meanwhile, they can truly testify, Yet thou art there! Wives and husbands whose lives are shattered by the betrayal of a deserting spouse may feel forsaken or drenched by injustice. Yet they, too, can know, Thou art there, by responding to Jesus invitation, Come unto me, all ye that are heavy laden. Parents, striving to reach and to rescue the truculent teenager, experiencing disappointment after disappointment and wondering when it all will end, can be assured, Yet thou art there! To those of you who so suffer and who, nevertheless, so endure and so testify by the eloquence of your examples, we salute you in Christ! Please forgive those of us who clumsily try to comfort you. We know from whence your true comfort comes Merrill J. Bateman [A] Japanese man was not a Christian prior to meeting the missionaries. His interest in the message was modest, but he continued to study because he enjoyed the association with the missionaries. The major stumbling block for him was a feeling of self-sufficiency; he did not understand or feel the need for a Savior. After receiving the lessons, the seed did not swell within him because he had not paid the price to receive a personal witness. The missionaries were perplexed and wondered what they should do. One day they showed him a film called The Bridge. The film illustrates the power of Christ's atonement as a father is forced to choose between saving his son's life or the lives of passengers on a train. The film clearly underscored the dependence of the passengers on the father's decision. The young man's thoughts were provoked, and he could not sleep that night--but still there was no witness. Elder Bateman Continued The next morning he went to the optician shop where he served customers needing eyeglasses. During the day an elderly woman entered. Her glasses were broken. He remembered her coming in before, but she had not had sufficient money to purchase new glasses. On this day she again showed him her broken spectacles and asked if the money she now had was sufficient. It was apparent that she was still short of funds. Then a thought came to him: "I have some money. I can make up the difference." He told her that her money was enough, took the broken spectacles, and made an appointment for her return. The next morning he went to the optician shop where he served customers needing eyeglasses. During the day an elderly woman entered. Her glasses were broken. He remembered her coming in before, but she had not had sufficient money to purchase new glasses. On this day she again showed him her broken spectacles and asked if the money she now had was sufficient. It was apparent that she was still short of funds. Then a thought came to him: "I have some money. I can make up the difference." He told her that her money was enough, took the broken spectacles, and made an appointment for her return. When she returned a few days later, the glasses were ready. He handed them to her and she put them on. I see! I see!, [she said] Tears streamed down her cheeks in gratitude for her sight. At that point a burning sensation was felt deep within Manabu's soul as he was encompassed by the Holy Spirit. As she left, he exclaimed, "Wakarimasu! Wakarimasu!" [I understand! I understand!] His eyes and heart were opened as he felt the Savior's love and knew that there is Someone greater than himself. Elder Holland I have a theory about those earlier dispensations and the leaders, families, and people who lived then One way or another, I think virtually all of the prophets and early apostles had their visionary moments of our timea view that gave them courage in their own less-successful eras. Those early brethren knew an amazing amount about us. Prophets such as Moses, Nephi, and the brother of Jared saw the latter days in tremendously detailed vision. Some of what they saw wasnt pleasing, but surely all those earlier generations took heart from knowing that there would finally be one dispensation that would not fail. Elder Holland Continues Ours, not theirs, was the day that gave them heavenly and joyful anticipations and caused them to sing and prophesy of victory. Ours is the day, collectively speaking, toward which the prophets have been looking from the beginning of time, and those earlier brethren are over there still cheering us on! In a very real way, their chance to consider themselves fully successful depends on our faithfulness and our victory. I love the idea of going into the battle of the last days representing Alma and Abinadi and what they pled for and representing Peter and Paul and the sacrifices they made. If you cant get excited about that kind of assignment in the drama of history, you cant get excited!