A Gathering?
For those who are prepared physically and spiritually, there could very likely be a call, a great gathering invitation to all who are willing and ready. This would be a great test of faithfulness and preparedness.
Such a gathering call would follow similar patterns in the scriptures, (see another post of mine http://fulnessoftimes.blogspot.com/2017/05/a-few-scriptural-examples-of-righteous.html) coming before severe trials afflict those who stay behind. It will likely be several weeks or even months before such trials become evident to those who do not gather.
Most likely these weeks or months immediately following such a gathering--where the faithful are gathered out from among the wicked and less faithful--will see minor events take place. Economic conditions may deteriorate. Fuel will likely become more expensive, making travel less likely. Food prices will increase, leading to riots. In many places martial law or travel restrictions may come into play. These may be imposed as the result of rioting, or possibly to prevent the spread of contagious diseases/plagues. For those who choose to later gather, they will find it increasingly difficult to do so.
For those who have gathered, these weeks or months (the initial period of time before the big destruction which comes later) will be a further thinning out, a weeding out of those who aren't really ready. Many will want to return, because nothing really big has happened. They will have expected the massive natural disasters or war to immediately come, and will become disillusioned when it doesn't. Reports of what has happened won't be of much concern for them because the events will seem inconsequential, and that the government is handling things. They will choose to return, mistakenly thinking they could quickly return if events change for the worse.
After the initial call to gather, I think the first big event may be a big earthquake along the west coast during that time. Most likely it will overwhelm the local and regional resources, and strain national ones as well. International assistance will probably come through the UN.
For those truly committed, and who have gathered, it will be an increased time of preparation and trials. It will be a time for learning how to work together towards a common cause. A time to share talents. A time of teaching and learning. The trials will come as others leave and return to "civilization" because "nothing has happened" and the church members are being seen as a cult.
Other trials will come from those who have a difficult time learning to share with others, especially those who are seen as not being as prepared, or who aren't pulling their weight. It will be a time for all to learn to become more humble, and more reliant on the guidance of the spirit. Despite what some may think, there will still be those (at least in the beginning) who will believe they deserve more than others, even if they weren't as prepared as others.
Additional trials will include the constant "camping" situation, particularly in inclement weather. It's not easy for most people to live in a tent for multiple weeks, particularly when they are accustomed to more comfortable environments.
And then, I think, it will quickly happen.
The initial gathering call will likely begin mid-spring, and by mid to late summer bigger things will happen. Events will happen in quick succession. If a big west coast earthquake didn't happen earlier, it will happen at this time. If it happened already, other earthquakes will likely occur, maybe even the Cascadia one in the Pacific Northwest. Storms will probably pound the country. Maybe even the late summer the massive hailstorm mentioned in the Doctrine and Covenants, which wipes out the crops, will decimate the coming harvests. The monstrous earthquake in Utah will devastate that area, and close off the passes into the mountains. Other earthquakes and volcanic eruptions may also be triggered. I'm not sure if the New Madrid fault zone will rupture at that time or after the foreign troops invade, I kind of think it will be after the invasion.
America will fall into economic chaos and complete collapse, and foreign nations--specifically North Korea, China, and Russia--will seize this unexpected advantage to strike. World War III will begin. EMP's and nuclear explosions will wipe out the infrastructure in most of America, and even in many other parts of the world.
But the actual invasion will not likely last long. Conditions in many parts of the world are poor. Most of the population in the majority of countries see the corruption and extreme unfairness in wealth distribution. The people will see the breakdown of infrastructure as an opportune time to rebel. In many parts of the world the citizens will likely rise up against their "elitist" masters. WWIII will break down into civil war in most countries, probably in a less than a year after it started, and more likely within a period of 8 months or less. Military forces will be called back to their homelands to re-establish order.
Invasion forces in America who are not called back to their respective countries will be left on their own. Of course, communications may be down and those forces may not know what is going on.
During these times, the camps and places of refuge will be the safest places to be. They will still be difficult. There will still be plenty of trials. But they will be relatively safe against the plagues of disease, and the extreme violence that will be prevalent elsewhere.
Those who are not in places of refuge, especially those who remain in the cities, will quickly discover that their preparations are insufficient and make them a target, particularly if they have not been very covert in their preparation efforts. They will likely realize they should do one of two things: either use their preparations to help them get out, or join with others who are like-minded and similarly prepared.
The prepared who are in rural areas will be much better off than those in the urban, city environments. The more rural, the better.
Marauding bands of military and organized gangs will seize control where they can and terrorize those who remain. These, as well as the enormous amount of destruction, remnants of plagues, and other challenges, will make the eventual return to Missouri hazardous and full of trials.
But the good part is the rest of the world will mostly ignore America. It will be seen as completely broken and inconsequential. Eventually other nations make look to America to take over, but not until those who lust after power and control are able to reassert their self-assigned authority, and once again enslave the people. After those nations have been able to restart their rebuilding, and new alliances forged, and some old ones reinforced, then they may look to America for expansion.
However, I suspect the time frame will be be at least a few, if not several, years after World War III. And they will probably be surprised at the amount of development and organization that has occurred in the Americas, including substantial rebuilding. This will probably be the time period where the wicked will not want to go to Zion because the inhabitants are "terrible".
"And it shall be said among the wicked: Let us not go up to battle against Zion, for the inhabitants of Zion are terrible; wherefore we cannot stand." (D&C 45:70).
And it will be during this time that the righteous will be sought out and "gathered out from among all nations, and shall come to Zion" (D&C 45:71).
The trials leading up to that time will be great. Even the trials during that time won't be easy. But it will be an awesome, marvelous time to be alive, and to prepare for the Great Day of the Lord.
Such a gathering call would follow similar patterns in the scriptures, (see another post of mine http://fulnessoftimes.blogspot.com/2017/05/a-few-scriptural-examples-of-righteous.html) coming before severe trials afflict those who stay behind. It will likely be several weeks or even months before such trials become evident to those who do not gather.
Most likely these weeks or months immediately following such a gathering--where the faithful are gathered out from among the wicked and less faithful--will see minor events take place. Economic conditions may deteriorate. Fuel will likely become more expensive, making travel less likely. Food prices will increase, leading to riots. In many places martial law or travel restrictions may come into play. These may be imposed as the result of rioting, or possibly to prevent the spread of contagious diseases/plagues. For those who choose to later gather, they will find it increasingly difficult to do so.
For those who have gathered, these weeks or months (the initial period of time before the big destruction which comes later) will be a further thinning out, a weeding out of those who aren't really ready. Many will want to return, because nothing really big has happened. They will have expected the massive natural disasters or war to immediately come, and will become disillusioned when it doesn't. Reports of what has happened won't be of much concern for them because the events will seem inconsequential, and that the government is handling things. They will choose to return, mistakenly thinking they could quickly return if events change for the worse.
After the initial call to gather, I think the first big event may be a big earthquake along the west coast during that time. Most likely it will overwhelm the local and regional resources, and strain national ones as well. International assistance will probably come through the UN.
For those truly committed, and who have gathered, it will be an increased time of preparation and trials. It will be a time for learning how to work together towards a common cause. A time to share talents. A time of teaching and learning. The trials will come as others leave and return to "civilization" because "nothing has happened" and the church members are being seen as a cult.
Other trials will come from those who have a difficult time learning to share with others, especially those who are seen as not being as prepared, or who aren't pulling their weight. It will be a time for all to learn to become more humble, and more reliant on the guidance of the spirit. Despite what some may think, there will still be those (at least in the beginning) who will believe they deserve more than others, even if they weren't as prepared as others.
Additional trials will include the constant "camping" situation, particularly in inclement weather. It's not easy for most people to live in a tent for multiple weeks, particularly when they are accustomed to more comfortable environments.
And then, I think, it will quickly happen.
The initial gathering call will likely begin mid-spring, and by mid to late summer bigger things will happen. Events will happen in quick succession. If a big west coast earthquake didn't happen earlier, it will happen at this time. If it happened already, other earthquakes will likely occur, maybe even the Cascadia one in the Pacific Northwest. Storms will probably pound the country. Maybe even the late summer the massive hailstorm mentioned in the Doctrine and Covenants, which wipes out the crops, will decimate the coming harvests. The monstrous earthquake in Utah will devastate that area, and close off the passes into the mountains. Other earthquakes and volcanic eruptions may also be triggered. I'm not sure if the New Madrid fault zone will rupture at that time or after the foreign troops invade, I kind of think it will be after the invasion.
America will fall into economic chaos and complete collapse, and foreign nations--specifically North Korea, China, and Russia--will seize this unexpected advantage to strike. World War III will begin. EMP's and nuclear explosions will wipe out the infrastructure in most of America, and even in many other parts of the world.
But the actual invasion will not likely last long. Conditions in many parts of the world are poor. Most of the population in the majority of countries see the corruption and extreme unfairness in wealth distribution. The people will see the breakdown of infrastructure as an opportune time to rebel. In many parts of the world the citizens will likely rise up against their "elitist" masters. WWIII will break down into civil war in most countries, probably in a less than a year after it started, and more likely within a period of 8 months or less. Military forces will be called back to their homelands to re-establish order.
Invasion forces in America who are not called back to their respective countries will be left on their own. Of course, communications may be down and those forces may not know what is going on.
During these times, the camps and places of refuge will be the safest places to be. They will still be difficult. There will still be plenty of trials. But they will be relatively safe against the plagues of disease, and the extreme violence that will be prevalent elsewhere.
Those who are not in places of refuge, especially those who remain in the cities, will quickly discover that their preparations are insufficient and make them a target, particularly if they have not been very covert in their preparation efforts. They will likely realize they should do one of two things: either use their preparations to help them get out, or join with others who are like-minded and similarly prepared.
The prepared who are in rural areas will be much better off than those in the urban, city environments. The more rural, the better.
Marauding bands of military and organized gangs will seize control where they can and terrorize those who remain. These, as well as the enormous amount of destruction, remnants of plagues, and other challenges, will make the eventual return to Missouri hazardous and full of trials.
But the good part is the rest of the world will mostly ignore America. It will be seen as completely broken and inconsequential. Eventually other nations make look to America to take over, but not until those who lust after power and control are able to reassert their self-assigned authority, and once again enslave the people. After those nations have been able to restart their rebuilding, and new alliances forged, and some old ones reinforced, then they may look to America for expansion.
However, I suspect the time frame will be be at least a few, if not several, years after World War III. And they will probably be surprised at the amount of development and organization that has occurred in the Americas, including substantial rebuilding. This will probably be the time period where the wicked will not want to go to Zion because the inhabitants are "terrible".
"And it shall be said among the wicked: Let us not go up to battle against Zion, for the inhabitants of Zion are terrible; wherefore we cannot stand." (D&C 45:70).
And it will be during this time that the righteous will be sought out and "gathered out from among all nations, and shall come to Zion" (D&C 45:71).
The trials leading up to that time will be great. Even the trials during that time won't be easy. But it will be an awesome, marvelous time to be alive, and to prepare for the Great Day of the Lord.
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