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It is natural to read the prophecy as referring to mortal life, and many members believed that the Millennium was imminent. | It is natural to read the prophecy as referring to mortal life, and many members believed that the Millennium was imminent. | ||
− | But prophets are clear that many prophecies and promises will only be fulfilled following the resurrection during Christ's Millennial reign, as John A. Widtsoe taught: | + | But prophets are clear that many prophecies and promises will only be fulfilled following the resurrection during Christ's Millennial reign, as John A. Widtsoe taught regarding prophetic blessings specifically: |
:It should always be kept in mind that the realization of the promises made may come in this life or the future life. Men have stumbled at times because promised blessings have not occurred in this life. They have failed to remember that, in the gospel, life with all its activities continues forever and that the labors of earth may be continued in heaven. Besides, the giver of the blessings, the Lord, reserves the right to have them become active in our lives as suits his divine purposes. We and our blessings are in the hands of the Lord, but there is a general testimony that when the gospel law has been obeyed, the promised blessings have been realized.{{ref|widtsoe.1}} | :It should always be kept in mind that the realization of the promises made may come in this life or the future life. Men have stumbled at times because promised blessings have not occurred in this life. They have failed to remember that, in the gospel, life with all its activities continues forever and that the labors of earth may be continued in heaven. Besides, the giver of the blessings, the Lord, reserves the right to have them become active in our lives as suits his divine purposes. We and our blessings are in the hands of the Lord, but there is a general testimony that when the gospel law has been obeyed, the promised blessings have been realized.{{ref|widtsoe.1}} | ||
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+ | Or, as President Boyd K. Packer noted: | ||
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+ | :Sometimes someone will worry because a promise made in a patriarchal blessing is not yet fulfilled. … That does not mean that the blessing will go unfulfilled. It is well to know that things happen in the Lord’s due time, not always in ours. Things of an eternal nature have no boundaries. From the premortal existence to our existence beyond the veils of death, our life is an eternal life.{{ref|packer.1}} | ||
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Did Wilford Woodruff prophecy that New York would be destroyed by earthquake, Boston by flood, and Albany by fire? Did President Brigham Young confirm this to be a true revelation?
To see citations to the critical sources for these claims, [[../CriticalSources|click here]]
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Woodruff did make such a prophecy, and Young confirmed it.
The critics' account typically ignores, however, that Woodruff nowhere makes a prophecy that this will happen within the mortal lives of those attending. This prophecy can easily be fulfilled during the Millennial years of the Lord.
It is natural to read the prophecy as referring to mortal life, but prophets are clear that many prophecies will only be fulfilled following the resurrection during Christ's Millennial reign.
Here is Elder Woodruff's account from his journal:
Woodruff makes the following claims:
Items 1-4 are not at all problematic. The criticism usually arises regarding the 5th--all of the youth there present are now deceased, and the cities listed have yet to be destroyed.
This ignores, however, that Woodruff nowhere makes a prophecy that this will happen within the mortal lives of those attending. This prophecy can easily be fulfilled during the Millennial years of the Lord, during which temples will continue to exist and be used, and during which the earth will still be inhabited by the righteous.
It is natural to read the prophecy as referring to mortal life, and many members believed that the Millennium was imminent.
But prophets are clear that many prophecies and promises will only be fulfilled following the resurrection during Christ's Millennial reign, as John A. Widtsoe taught regarding prophetic blessings specifically:
Or, as President Boyd K. Packer noted:
== Notes ==
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