Last week I had a struggle with my check book.  It wouldn't balance.  Not only would it not balance, but my figures and the bank's figures were hundreds of dollars apart; and if the bank's figures were correct, I was severely overdrawn.

I couldn't believe it.  I poured over the bank statement and went through the figures again and again; and to make matters even worse, no matter how careful I was, I couldn't get the same answer twice.  I gave up and went to bed, hoping that a night's rest would clear my head.

The next morning I attacked the problem again.  I narrowed the gap between me and the bank, but the problem was insoluble.  There were apparently multiple problems at play in the figures, and I couldn't determine how they fit together.  This normally easy job was unsolvable.

When I had finally exhausted all my ideas about how to solve the puzzle, I put my pen and calculator down and prayed.  When I opened my eyes again I noticed something on the bank statement, remembered an online donation to the Church that I'd failed to record, juggled a couple of other figures, and suddenly everything balanced.  Instead of being $600 overdrawn, I was only overdrawn by $53, and I could cover that before the bank would even know.

What a relief!  And how grateful I was.  How did the Lord know how to fix that?!  The experience brought home the lesson which I keep having to relearn that there is not anything which the Lord does not know.  He even knows the intricacies of my bank account!

I have another big worry.  I see my beloved country going up in smoke literally and figuratively.  If I look at the upcoming election; or the pandemic; or the urban unrest; or fires, floods, and hurricanes; or international or race relations, I see insoluble problems that can't possibly fit together and be brought into balance.

Yet when I pray I find myself feeling peace.  When I read the scriptures I find assurance after assurance that all will be well.  When I listen to general conference I hear our prophet saying that he "looks forward to the future with joyful anticipation."  He is optimistic even while talking about "the latter part of these latter days" that we are in.

I can't see how all of these things can be brought into balance, but this I know:  The Lord is in control, things are playing out according to His prophecies and plan, and we will be just fine if we keep the commandments, keep our covenants, make our preparations, stay close to the Spirit, and follow the prophet.

The Lord is in the details.  "He knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it," Jacob said in 2 Nephi 9:20.

We've been told that all things would be in commotion in the latter times.  We've been told that every ancient prophet has looked forward to this day and has longed to be a part of it.  Our current prophet has told us to fasten our seat belts and to hang on.  Nephi saw our day and told us seven times in seven verses that the righteous will come through these present and future circumstances just fine.  He says, "(the Lord) will not suffer that the wicked shall destroy the righteous," "he will preserve the righteous by his power," "the righteous (will) be preserved," "the righteous need not fear; for ... they shall be saved," "for behold, the righteous shall not perish," "and the Lord will surely prepare a way for his people," "and the righteous need not fear."  (1 Nephi 22:16-22).

All we have to do is be righteous.  It will help if we pray.  One day we'll open our eyes, and everything will be in balance.

We're preparing for the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.  We're in the 74th verse of the 77 verses of Zenos' allegory of the tame and wild olive trees that we read about in Jacob chapter 5.  I love that allegory.  Right at the end of that long chapter the Lord of the vineyard sends his servant, the prophet, to call other servants to help prune the vineyard for the last time--"and they were few."  "Few" means in comparison to the rest of the world, and in comparison to the work that needs to be done.  Never mind that "few" means 60,000 or the 88,000 missionaries that the Church had when Marjorie and I were serving in Vanuatu.  Never mind that there are millions of church members working on their family histories and humanitarian projects all over the world.  Never mind that we are "few" in comparison to the billions of people in the world.  Jacob chapter 5 says that "the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them; and they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard in all things."  (verse 72).  He's working with us, and He is in control.

Time wise, we're in the same position as the people at the end of the book of Helaman where both the righteous and the wicked were looking for the prophesied signs of the Savior's first coming.  The signs appeared in the very next chapter, and "the people began to be astonished," and "fell to the earth and became as if they were dead."  (3 Nephi 1:15-16).  The Second Coming is that close, and we're all going to be astonished.  There is still much to be done, however, and prophecies yet to be fulfilled.  But it's just like the prophet Nephi said in 3 Nephi 1:4:  "... the prophecies of the prophets began to be fulfilled more fully; for there began to be greater signs and greater miracles wrought among the people."

Even the non-believers among us are taking note and know that something is happening.

This work is exciting.  President Nelson says that it's the most important thing happening in the world today, and the greatest effort ever put forth by mankind.  You and I get to be a part of it.  Don't be frightened.  Don't be discouraged.  Hang onto your covenants.  Keep the commandments.  Read the scriptures.  Pray, and be grateful.  Let yourself be excited, let your light shine, and be assured that the Lord is in the details.