There is a story of a farmer who lost his watch.
He enlisted the aid of a group of young boys playing outside of the barn. He told them that he would award any boy that found it.
The boys looked and looked, but the farmer finally called off the search.
One boy came up to him later and asked to have a bit more time by himself in the barn. The man agreed. The boy came back a few minutes later with the watch.
The boy said he sat and listened for the ticking of the watch. It was much easier to locate in the silence.
This morning, I was up early and was thinking about this story in bed and how great of an object lesson it would make for my kids when discussing the second coming.
But I thought to myself, do I have a clock that ticks in my house? (I hate ticking clocks)
Then suddenly, no joke, as soon as I had that thought, I HEARD TICKING. A noise I have never heard from my room. (I would know, because I would have hunted it down and thrown it away).
And once I heard it, I couldn’t unhear it. It was literally all I could focus on.
And thus began my five am frantic search for the noise, despite the fact it might wake my kids up. Sure enough. There under my bed was a ticking clock!
How long was it there and I didn’t hear it?
Undoubtedly, it was there. Ticking consistently without my conscious knowledge.
And yet, when I opened my ears, when I hearkened, it was all I could hear.
I can’t stop thinking about how powerful that is!!
In Doctrine and Covenants 133, it tells us to “hearken” and “listen” multiple times.
To “listen […] and hear the voice of the Lord; for he calleth upon all men.”
He is there.
Even when you don’t recognize it—calling on ALL men and women.
A steady, constant in your life.
Hearken. Listen. Have ears to hear.
Turn your mind towards Him and make some room for silence.
You will hear Him all around you.
And truly, that is the best way to prepare for His coming—by listening for Him today. And every day.
come follow me daily 