What can I learn from the scriptures to help me prepare for the Second Coming?

Jesus Christ has promised that He will return to the earth again in power and glory. Part of our responsibility as Latter-day Saints is to prepare ourselves and help prepare the world for the Second Coming. For the righteous, the Second Coming will be a day of peace and triumph. We do not know exactly when the Savior will come again, but studying the prophecies and observing the signs of His coming can strengthen our testimonies of the Second Coming and help us be prepared whenever He comes.

Prepare yourself spiritually

What scriptures about the Second Coming have brought you peace? What are you doing to prepare for the Second Coming?

Are the youth in your class comfortable using the study aids in the scriptures? In what ways will learning how to study the scriptures bless the youth?

Prayerfully study these scriptures and other resources. What do you feel inspired to share with the youth?

Luke 21:34–36 (We should watch and pray to remain worthy to stand before the Lord)

2 Peter 3:10–13; Joseph Smith Translation, 2 Peter 3:10–13, Bible appendix (We should look for and prepare for the coming of the Savior)

1 Nephi 22:17 (The righteous need not fear)

D&C 45:26–44; Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:21–36 (Signs of the Second Coming)

D&C 49:7; Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:40 (No man knows the hour and day when the Lord will come)

“The Second Coming of Jesus Christ,” True to the Faith (2004), 159–61

David A. Bednar, “Therefore They Hushed Their Fears,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 46–49

Teaching in the Savior’s way

The Savior invited those He taught to act in faith and live the truths He taught. In all His teaching, He focused on helping His followers live the gospel with all their hearts. How are you encouraging the youth to act on what they are learning?

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We Learn

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Make connections

During the first few minutes of every class, help the youth make connections between what they are learning in various settings (such as personal study, seminary, other Church classes, or experiences with their friends). How can you help them see the relevance of the gospel in daily living? The ideas below might help:

Invite the youth to discuss topics they are learning about in their personal study or Church classes. What questions do they have about what they are learning?
Display pictures of the Savior’s birth and Second Coming (see Gospel Art Book, 30, 66). Invite the youth to sing, listen to, or read the hymn “Jesus, Once of Humble Birth” (Hymns, no. 196) and make a list under each picture of the words and phrases they find that describe how His earthly ministry differs from His Second Coming. Ask the youth what questions they have about the Second Coming. Write their questions on the board, and encourage them to look for answers as they study scriptures about the Second Coming in this lesson.

Learn together

Each of the activities below can help the youth understand how to prepare for the Second Coming. Following the guidance of the Spirit, select one or more that will work for your class:

Some youth may be fearful about the events leading up to the Second Coming. Invite them to search Elder David A. Bednar’s talk “Therefore They Hushed Their Fears” for a scripture that can help them understand how to overcome fear. Ask them to read these scriptures together and discuss how building their faith in Jesus Christ can prepare them for His coming.
Write on the board the following questions about the Second Coming: What will happen? What can I do to prepare? What else do I learn? Invite the youth to look up “Jesus Christ, Second Coming” in the Topical Guide and choose several scriptures to read, looking for answers to these questions. Invite them to share what they find.
Ask the youth to read “Second Coming of Jesus Christ” in True to the Faith. Show the youth how to make a scripture chain using the scriptures referenced in this section. They could make a scripture chain for each of the prophesied events and signs listed on pages 160–61. For example, to make a chain of scriptures about “Signs in heaven and on the earth” they would turn to Joel 2:30–31 and write in the margin the reference for the next scripture, Matthew 24:29–30. In the margin next to Matthew 24:29–30, they would write D&C 29:14–16, and so on. Encourage the youth to find other scriptures about that topic to add to their chain. Ask the youth why they think scripture chains are useful. What signs of the Second Coming did they learn about from these scriptures that they didn’t know about before? Why do they feel it is important to know about the signs of the Second Coming? (see D&C 45:34–39).
As a class, read Doctrine and Covenants 45:44. Show the class how reading the footnotes to this verse can help them understand it better. For example, footnote c refers to Mark 13:32–37, which teaches that no one knows the day or the hour of the Second Coming. This helps us understand why we should be watchful. Assign each youth a passage about the Second Coming, such as those suggested in this outline or on pages 159–61 of True to the Faith. Ask the youth to study the verses and write down any insights they gain by looking up verses in the footnotes. Give the youth time to share what they learned from their study. How will the things they learned help them be more prepared for the Second Coming?
Ask the youth to turn to 2 Peter 3:10 and follow along as one class member reads Joseph Smith’s translation of this verse in the Bible appendix. Ask them to make note of places where Joseph Smith’s translation is different. What additional knowledge does Joseph Smith’s translation give them about preparing for the Second Coming? Continue this activity for verses 11 through 13.

Ask the youth to share what they learned today. Do they understand how to study the scriptures to learn about the Second Coming? Do they have any additional questions? Would it be worthwhile to spend more time on this topic?

Gospel study skills

Using the Topical Guide. In the first activity in this section, the youth are invited to use the Topical Guide to find scriptures about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Listed under each entry in the Topical Guide are related words or phrases that can help youth learn more about the topic they are studying. The youth could also think of other words related to their topic and look them up in the Topical Guide. Encourage them to use the Topical Guide whenever they want to learn about a particular gospel topic.

Invite to act

Invite the youth to share any impressions they have had during class. What will they do to prepare for the Second Coming? What did they learn today that they will apply in their personal scripture study?