Preparing for the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ was one theme mentioned in several talks during the April 2025 general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
This follows President Russell M. Nelson‘s talk in October 2024 general conference, where he testified that “the Lord Jesus Christ will come again.”
He also said that now is the time to prepare for Christ’s return.
Speaking in the Sunday afternoon session of April 2025 general conference, President Nelson said no one knows the day or the hour of His coming.
“But I do know that the Lord is prompting me to urge us to get ready for that ‘great and dreadful day’ (Malachi 4:5)."
He invited all to take intentional steps to grow in confidence before the Lord.
“Imagine the comfort of having confidence in the presence of God,” he said.
President Nelson said disciples of Jesus Christ have access to different kinds of confidence, referring to how the Lord told the Prophet Joseph Smith that one’s confidence can “wax strong in the presence of God” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:45).
In the Lord’s own words, charity and virtue open the way to having confidence before God, according to President Nelson.
“When we make and keep covenants with God, we can have confidence that is born of the Spirit,” he said. “When I speak of having confidence before God, I am referring to having confidence in approaching God right now. I am referring to praying with confidence that Heavenly Father hears us, that He understands our needs better than we do. I am referring to having confidence that He loves us more than we can comprehend.”
Speaking in the Saturday afternoon session, Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles pointed to several of the Savior’s own teachings regarding His Second Coming and how to personally prepare for that day.
He said there is no need to fear the Second Coming of Jesus Christ when one follows Jesus Christ’s teachings.
Elder Renlund quoted three of the Savior’s parables, recorded in Matthew 25. In the parable of the ten virgins, the five wise virgins were prepared to meet the bridegroom because they received truth, took the Holy Ghost for their guide and were not deceived.
“The five wise virgins could not help those without oil; no one can accept the gospel, take the Holy Ghost as a guide and avoid deception on our behalf,” he said. “We have to do this for ourselves.”
Using the parable of the talents, Elder Renlund taught that God expects one to magnify the talents one has received.
“Indeed, God will be disappointed if we do not rely upon the merits, mercy and grace of the Savior to magnify the God-given talents we have received,” he said.
And finally, in the parable of the sheep and the goats, the Lord taught how the shepherd will divide the sheep from the goats based on whether they had served others and, by extension, served God.
By doing the same, “you will be ready to meet the Savior, and you can join President Nelson in being joyfully optimistic,” he said.
President Camille N. Johnson, Relief Society general president, referencing the parable of the ten virgins, also spoke about being spiritually prepared.
During the Saturday morning session, she talked about becoming spiritually whole in Jesus Christ.
“Much like the five wise virgins who had their lamps full with oil when the bridegroom came, we can be whole in Jesus Christ as we fill our lamps with the nourishing oil of conversion to Him,” she said. “In that way, we are prepared for the symbolic wedding supper, His Second Coming.”
She said covenants made in the house of the Lord fill one’s lamps with this oil of conversion. She also testified that wholeness is born of faith in and conversion to Jesus Christ and in letting the light of that conversion shine.
“We are whole in Jesus Christ when we exercise our agency to follow Him in faith, submit our hearts to Him so He can change them, keep His commandments and enter a covenant relationship with Him, meekly enduring and learning from the challenges of this earthly estate until we return to His presence and are healed in every way,” she said.
Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke during the Saturday morning session about being an eyewitness to the Lord hastening the work before His Second Coming.
“I marvel at what President Nelson calls the ‘majesty of this moment’ and express profound gratitude to the Lord for His work,” Elder Rasband said. “I encourage us to stand tall as His disciples, eyewitnesses to the fulfillment of prophecy, both ancient and modern.”
The hastening is happening as the Church builds temples at an unprecedented pace, missionaries gather record numbers into the fold of Jesus Christ and the Church Educational System teaches those who seek Jesus Christ.
“I emphasize again the words of our living Prophet: ‘Do you see what is happening right before our eyes? I pray that we will not miss the majesty of this moment. The Lord is hastening His work,‘” he said. “May we as His disciples of our day shout, ‘Hurrah for Israel’ as we prepare for the return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
Participating in God’s work, including through callings, ministering, temple worship and following promptings, uniquely prepares people to meet the Savior, according to Elder Steven D. Shumway, General Authority Seventy.
Speaking in the Sunday morning session, Elder Shumway said God is pleased when willing souls engage in His work.
“When we say yes to serving, we are saying yes to Jesus Christ,” he said. “And when we say yes to Christ, we are saying yes to the most abundant life possible.”
He also testified that living one’s covenants transforms them to become the kind of person who wants to be in God’s presence.
“Our preparation to meet Jesus Christ accelerates when we stop asking what God will permit and start asking what God would prefer,” he said.
