May 2019 Come, Follow Me and Ministering – The Second Coming
This month, the May 2019 Come Follow Me Ministering Printable talks about how “Prophecies about the Savior’s Second Coming can help me face the future with faith” in the “Come, Follow Me” manual.
These ministering printables are a great way to help families incorporate the “Come, Follow Me” lessons into their own study. They are also perfect for Young Women’s, Relief Society or Sunday School.
Download May 2019 Come Follow Me and Ministering Printable (PDF)
With summer coming, I thought it would be fun to pair the printable with a donut pool float!
May 2019 Come Follow Me Ministering Printable
The Second Coming – Staying Afloat in the Latter Days
In the New Testament, I am always struck by how much new information the apostles were digesting in such a short period of time. Lots of it came from prophesies that had been made hundreds of years before, but now they were seeing it in a light and context that they had scarcely imagined. Plus, Christ was there to institute a new and holier law as He prepared the world for the next step in Heavenly Father’s Plan. There were so many changes and many of them were in direct conflict with the attitudes of the day. Without doubt, Christ stirred up a huge hornet’s nest. We often judge the apostles for their foibles, but I am guessing that keeping up required a lot of faith, humility, and flexibility.
Preparing For the Lord’s Second Coming
Charged with preparing the world for Christ’s second coming, we also live in a dynamic and exciting time. And I find myself identifying a lot with the early apostles. Like them, we are aware of the prophesies of Christ’s coming. We also have ideas of what we think they will mean. But I am guessing that just like the apostles “my picture” of things isn’t always going to fit the reality. Just like them, I will have surprises and readjusting to do. I am going to have to strengthen my faith, increase my humility, and remember to be flexible to the Lord’s will.
As This Little Child
Christ teaches us, “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 18:27)
Children learn to trust their parents based on a relationship of closeness and the daily meeting of their needs. It is this trust that keeps us close to our parents even when we may be impatient or angry at their parenting methods. Through a similar dynamic we develop trust in a parent who performs His part perfectly – our Heavenly Parent. It is this trust that will help us follow Him even when it is hard or scary, or when we are angry. It is this trust that kept Peter strong even when he stumbled through the terrible moments of Christ’s suffering, crucifixion, and death.
Trust in Our Heavenly Parent
In these latter-days we will need this same trust. The prophesies about the Second Coming can be scary – wars, pestilences, famines, natural disasters, and corruption. But Christ reassures us, “Behold, I speak these things unto you for the elect’s sake; and you also shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled, for all I have told you must come to pass; but the end is not yet.”
(Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:23)
Christ later adds, “And they shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars. Behold I speak for mine elect’s sake; for nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. And again, because iniquity shall abound, the love of men shall wax cold; but he that shall not be overcome, the same shall be saved.” (Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:28-30)
Staying Afloat
In the above scriptures, the phrases “be not troubled” and “he that shall not be overcome” stand out to me. I am reminded of Peter walking out on the water to meet Christ. Peter starts out full of faith and leaves the boat immediately to join Jesus, “but when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.” (Matt 14:30) Immediately, Christ catches him by his hand and pulls Peter to safety.
Like Peter, we can stay above the turbulence of our times, but we have to look to Christ and not the wind. If we stumble like Peter, we can cry unto Christ and He will lift us back up. And the quicker we cry out, the less we will sink. We will stay afloat as long as we focus on and trust in our Savior. Christ promises us that as long as we “shall not be overcome,” we shall be saved.
I hope that I can be like Peter, although human in my imperfections, quick to correct my path and reach for my Savior to stay afloat. The time we live in isn’t easy, but if we have faith in Christ it doesn’t need to overcome us.
And so this cheesy printable reminds us to “donut” forget to stay afloat as we face this important dispensation and all its challenges!
