Should we be paying attention?

Ok, so there has been earthquakes, a bunch of them. A bunch of them in places that normally never have them. Ok, that got my attention and I found it fascinating. Now this volcano eruption in Iceland, wait isn't that a contradiction?? Fire and ice? They do make for some amazing photo's.


Pretty amazing right? Uhhhh ....untill I saw this....

Go ahead, click on the pic above. Look at it closer, I dare ya. That's right it's a lightning storm coming from a volcano cloud. From a volcano that has not erupted in "THOUSANDS OF YEARS". Got that right off the NatGeo web site. Uhhh, should we be paying attention people?? Doesn't this pic look a little biblical to you?? It does to me, snap goes my eyelids right open. How's that song go ..."Suddenly I see"!

I'm not saying we are going down tomorrow, but maybe this is what it means in the Bible when it says "Prepare ye, Prepare ye!".
The Lord said "If ye are prepared ye shall not fear". "Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh". This made me think of the talk given by Dahlin H. Oaks of the twelve apostles. Here is my favorite excerpt from that...

"We can accelerate our own preparation and try to influence the preparation of those around us. A parable that contains an important and challenging teaching on this subject is the parable of the ten virgins. Of this parable, the Lord said, “And at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins” (D&C 45:56).

Given in the 25th chapter of Matthew, this parable contrasts the circumstances of the five foolish and the five wise virgins. All ten were invited to the wedding feast, but only half of them were prepared with oil in their lamps when the bridegroom came. The five who were prepared went into the marriage feast, and the door was shut. The five who had delayed their preparations came late. The door had been closed, and the Lord denied them entrance, saying, “I know you not” (Matt. 25:12). “Watch therefore,” the Savior concluded, “for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh” (Matt. 25:13).

The arithmetic of this parable is chilling. The ten virgins obviously represent members of Christ’s Church, for all were invited to the wedding feast and all knew what was required to be admitted when the bridegroom came. But only half were ready when he came.

Modern revelation contains this teaching, spoken by the Lord to the early leaders of the Church:

“And after your testimony cometh wrath and indignation upon the people.

“For after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes. …

“And … the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds.

“And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people.

“And angels shall fly through the midst of heaven, crying with a loud voice, sounding the trump of God, saying: Prepare ye, prepare ye, O inhabitants of the earth; for the judgment of our God is come. Behold, and lo, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him” (D&C 88:88–92)."~~~

I will still stop to smell the roses, and enjoy my beautiful spring day. This won't put me under a rock thinking the world is going to end, and we shall all parish. Instead I am happy and joyful that I know that my oil lamp is full, and I am prepared!