The Test Heber C. Kimball Spoke Of Has Begun

[jonnyp117]

First timer here...

My one thought that I keep coming to on this topic is the "borrowed light" quote mentioned way earlier in this post. We cannot live any longer on the testimonies of others. In addition to that, we cannot sway on what we know to be God's law concerning marriage. I believe good, just and righteous members of the Church will be tested on these topics because it impacts us all and it impacts those we love. And because of the stance the Church will take on this and other things, it will cause good members of the Church to choose a side.

[jahallem]

I am relatively new to the church and have not ever ready this prophecy by Heber C. Kimball. So, I appreciate Kirtland for posting it and I also appreciate the remarks by everyone. Thanks.

[4Joshua8]

It appears that there are four periods of time referenced in this prophecy. I could be wrong here so feel free to correct me but here's what I see.

The first period is characterized by two key events:

1. An army of Elders will be sent to the four quarters of the earth (tens of thousands of missionaries are currently serving on every civilized continent).
2. All kinds of religions will be started and miracles performed (we do have quite a few now).

The next period is indicated by the phrase "after a while" so that a certain amount of time passes from the previous period and includes the following events:

1. After a while the Gentiles will gather by the thousands to this place, and Salt Lake City will be classed among the wicked cities of the world. (There are millions of Gentiles now, and I'm not sure it's among the most wicked of cities quite yet but that's debatable.)
2. A spirit of speculation and extravagance will take possession of the Saints, and the results will be financial bondage. (To some degree.)

What happens next could all be included in the fourth period, or at least parts of it - difficult to tell. It looks like the third because it says "Persecution comes next" but half of those things could possibly be happening now and others have not yet happened. First, here they are.

1. Persecution comes next and all true Latter-day Saints will be tested to the limit. (Many degrees of persecution, and tested how? To what limit?)
2. Many will apostatize and others will be still not knowing what to do. (This is right on.)
3. Darkness will cover the earth and gross darkness the minds of the people. (You could say that this is now.)
4. The judgments of God will be poured out on the wicked to the extent that our Elders from far and near will be called home, or in other words the gospel will be taken from the Gentiles and later on carried to the Jews. (This hasn't happened yet)
5.The western boundary of the State of Missouri will be swept so clean of its inhabitants that as President Young tells us, when you return to that place, there will not be left so much as a yellow dog to wag his tail. (This hasn't happened yet either.)

The next paragraph begins like this:

1. Before that day comes, however, the Saints will be put to a test that will try the integrity of the best of them.
2. The pressure will become so great that the more righteous among them will cry unto the Lord day and night until deliverance comes.

So this test comes before "that day" which is something mentioned previously. The test is actually the third period and not the fourth. What is "that day" though, it is grouping all of the persecution, judgements, and the wiping out of western Missouri or it is just talking about the part that mentions Missouri? The gospel has not yet been taken to the Gentiles, the Elders have not been called home, but the first three things may be in progress, but perhaps not to their worst extents. That's why I'm wondering if "that day" is everything after "Persecution comes next" and ending with the Missouri section.

This would mean that the order of events would look something like:

1. Army of Elders and all kinds of religions.
2. Gentles gather to mountains, speculation and extravagance among Saints and financial bondage.
3. Test begins and pressure mounts, the righteous cry unto God.
4. Judgments pour out (perhaps in response to these cries?) Elders called home, gospel taken to Jews, western Missouri swept clean.

Hinckley said in 1974 that he believes that this test is upon us and I think that this is entirely plausible. That would mean that we know what is coming next: Persecution, and it isn't hard to see how that will unfold.

Seems like a good time to bring back this discussion.

[Yahtzee]

Well, the elders have somewhat been called home. In our area our international ones are back, but the domestic ones are still out. But that is in #4. I am inclined to think we go back and forth between #3 and #4.
How many are crying for deliverance day and night? I'm not sure we've reached that part of the test yet. Things just don't seem that bad to me.

[oneClimbs]

It definitely seems like things have escalated or progressed a step or two. Maybe the persecution won't be aimed specifically at the Latter-day Saints, we'll feel it but it will be coming at us as part of a larger category of people:

1. Christians
2. Religious people
3. Those that are not for homosexual marriage
4. etc.

I feel like right now we are being weakened, lulled into a state of waiting, psychologically stressed, and provoked to lash out in protest for the chokehold upon our economy and liberties.

[The Airbender]

An army of Elders will be sent to the four quarters of the earth to search out the righteous and warn the wicked of what is coming. All kinds of religions will be started and miracles performed that will deceive the very elect if that were possible. Our sons and daughters must live pure lives so as to be prepared for what is coming.

After a while the Gentiles will gather by the thousands to this place, and Salt Lake City will be classed among the wicked cities of the world. A spirit of speculation and extravagance will take possession of the Saints, and the results will be financial bondage.

Persecution comes next and all true Latter-day Saints will be tested to the limit. Many will apostatize and others will be still not knowing what to do. Darkness will cover the earth and gross darkness the minds of the people. The judgments of God will be poured out on the wicked to the extent that our Elders from far and near will be called home, or in other words the gospel will be taken from the Gentiles and later on carried to the Jews.

The western boundary of the State of Missouri will be swept so clean of its inhabitants that as President Young tells us, when you return to that place, there will not be left so much as a yellow dog to wag his tail.

Before that day comes, however, the Saints will be put to a test that will try the integrity of the best of them. The pressure will become so great that the more righteous among them will cry unto the Lord day and night until deliverance comes.

Yes, we think we are secure here in the chambers of these everlasting hills, where we can close the doors of the canyons against mobs and persecutors, the wicked and the vile, who have always beset us with violence and robbery, but I want to say to you, my brethren, that the time is coming when we will be mixed up in these now peaceful valleys to that extent that it will be difficult to tell the face of a Saint from the face of an enemy against the people of God.

Then is the time to look out for the great sieve, for there will be a great shifting time, and many will fall. For I say unto you there is a test, a Test, a TEST coming.

This Church has before it many close places through which it will have to pass before the work of God is crowned with glory. The difficulties will be of such a character that the man or woman who does not possess a personal knowledge or witness will fall. If you have not got this testimony, you must live right and call upon the Lord, and cease not until you obtain it.

Remember these sayings: The time will come when no man or woman will be able to endure on borrowed light. Each will have to be guided by the light within themselves. If you do not have the knowledge that Jesus is the Christ, how can you stand? (Heber C. Kimball, First Counselor in the First Presidency, May 1868, in Deseret News, 23 May 1931; see also Conference Report, Oct. 1930, p. 58-59)

I am of the opinion that we are in the first year of Famine spoken of by Bishop John Koyle.