Sign 94. The meeting at Adam-ondi-Ahman

          This grand meeting will be the first of three appearances of the Lord in the “second coming.” The other two are his appearance and saving the beleaguered Jews at the culmination of the Battle of Armageddon; and the third will be his general appearance to all mankind at his coming in glory. (Bruce R McConkie, The Millennial Messiah (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1982) 578-9)        

          It is the valley where the Savior appeared to Adam (age 927, died at 930) and his posterity (D&C 107:53-57) 5000 years ago. Adam gathered his people and blessed them and “wanted to bring them into the presence of God.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1976] 159). Elder Benson said that the blessings Adam gave his righteous posterity were temple blessings. (Ezra Taft Benson, “What I Hope You Will Teach Your Children About the Temple,” Ensign, Aug 1985, p 90)

          Adam will meet again with his posterity and the Savior prior to the Savior’s grand second coming (D&C 116 & Daniel 7:9-14). Adam will gather his righteous posterity, Christ will come, and those present will turn their keys over to Christ who will use them to usher in the millennium and govern the world. “Adam delivers up his stewardship to Christ, that which was delivered to him as holding the keys of the universe, but retains his standing as head of the human family.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 157). The City of Enoch will be in attendance. (Neal A Maxwell, Even As I Am [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1982] 121)

          Elder McConkie describes it as a secret meeting to members of the church. Christ will come in private to his prophet and to the apostles then living. Those who have had priesthood keys in all ages will be present including Moroni, Elias, John the Baptist, Elijah, Abraham Isaac, Jacob, Joseph (who was sold into Egypt), Peter, James and John and others. All faithful members of the church then living and all faithful saints from ages past will be present. It will be a sacrament meeting, a grand council at Adam-ondi-Ahman. (Bruce R McConkie, The Millennial Messiah: The Second Coming of the Son of Man [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1982] 578, 587-88). “All who have held the keys of priesthood will then have to give an account to those from whom they received them.” (John Taylor, The Gospel Kingdom [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1943] 217)

          “When this gathering is held, the world will not know of it; the members of the church at large will not know of it.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, The Way to Perfection [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1970] 289-91)

          The Lord told Joseph that his name for Spring Hill was Adam-ondi-Ahman (D&C 116). Orson Pratt said this name means “valley of God, where Adam dwelt” in “the original language spoken by Adam (Orson Pratt, Journal of Discourses, 18:343) and “the place or land of God where Adam dwelt” (Bruce R McConkie, Mormon Doctrine [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966] 19.). It is the place where “where Adam shall come to visit his people.” (D&C 116). Ahman is the name of God in the pure language and Son Ahman refers to Jesus Christ (D&C 78:20)       

          Adam-ondi-Ahman is located in northwest Missouri, in Daviess County, about 70 miles north of Independence. The Grand River runs through the property. In Joseph Smith’s time, it was referred to as “Spring Hill.” Today, 3500+ acres of land are owned by the church and maintained as a historic site and is largely undeveloped farmland, some of which is leased to local farmers to cultivate. Missionaries are called to preserve and improve the site, but not as proselyting missionaries. There was an old Nephite altar on Tower Hill and the altar where Adam offered sacrifice on Spring Hill, both above the valley itself. (John Taylor, Meditation and Atonement (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1979) 69-70; and Orson F Whitney, Life of Heber C Kimball [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1973] 209-10)

(author’s notes:

1- Randall Bird wrote a very informative and useful book entitled Adam-ondi-Ahman and the Last Days (Springville, UT: Cedar Fort, 2011) which provides much detail about Adam-ondi-Ahman.)

2- This wonderous event could possibly be similar to a solemn assembly where a new prophet is sustained, voted on by quorums and other groups, which is broadcast to stakes around the world. The meeting is not open to the general public but controlled by individual recommend/invitation.

Sign 95. Two prophets will be killed in Jerusalem

          During the last days, before the Savior’s second coming, two latter-day prophets (Rev 11:3; D&C 77:15) will minister to the Jews in Jerusalem for a period of 42 months (3 1/2 years) after which time they will be killed. Their bodies will lay in the streets for 3 1/2 days (Rev 11:9), during which the people in Jerusalem and the throughout the world will celebrate their deaths (Rev 11:10). After the 3 1/2 days, the two prophets will be resurrected (Rev 11:11) and the forces of Satan in the Battle of Armageddon will be defeated by the coming of the Savior to Jerusalem. Revelation refers to them as “witnesses” (Rev 11:3) whereas the Doctrine and Covenants refers to them as “prophets.” (D&C 77:15)

          Jerusalem will be protected by two prophets who are members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Bruce R McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:509) who will protect the city with fire like Elijah and plagues like Moses during the 42 month siege but who will eventually be killed and brought back to life. These prophets are “to” the Jewish nation in the last days (D&C 77:15). (Author’s note: “to” and not “of” the Jewish nation).

          They will perform miracles in the name of the Lord. As Zechariah prophesied, “And in that day [second coming] shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem,” (Zechariah 12:8). Fire will proceed out of their mouths (Rev 11:5) and they will have power to shut heaven that it rain not and power over waters to turn them to blood and smite the earth with plagues (Rev 11:6).

Sign 96. The Mount of Olives will split in two

          In the last days, when the Jews are engaged in an unprecedented battle for survival as many nations of the world lay siege to Jerusalem (Battle of Armageddon), and Jerusalem is about to be over-run and destroyed, the Savior will set foot on the Mount of Olives which is located just outside of Jerusalem. Christ will be attended by a host from heaven (Charles W. Penrose, “The Second Advent,” Millennial Star, 10 Sep 1859, 583)

          The Lord will set his foot on the Mount and it shall divide into two, and the earth shall tremble and the heavens shall shake (D&C 45:48; Zechariah 14:4). Numerous Jews will flee into the newly created valley (Zechariah 14:5) to escape the wrath of their persecutors.

          The Mount refers to a mile-long ridge located east of the Old City. It parallels the eastern part of Jerusalem. It gets its name from the olive groves that at one time covered the land. It rises to 810 meters, overlooking Jerusalem from the east. It is one kilometer from the old city which has an altitude of 750 meters.

          Jesus visited the Mount of Olives three times during his ministry. 1- He went to the Mount early in the morning and then to the temple (John 8:1-2); 2-He came down the Mount of Olives on a donkey and entered Jerusalem for his last week (Luke 19:28-39); 3- He went to the Garden of Gethsemane (on the Mount of Olives) with his disciples and suffered for the sins of mankind. (Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:44)

Sign 97. The sign of the coming of the Son of Man

          We do not know what this sign is, but we know clearly of its existence. We’ll have to wait for further prophetic insights to identify it; however it all people will see it together (D&C 88:93)

          Matthew describes this sign in Matthew 24: 29-31:

          29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

          30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

          31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

          This event is also referred to in Joseph Smith–Matthew 1:31-36 and D&C 88:90-93 but there is no indication what the sign is. Although we do not know what it is, it will be seen by all people (“all people shall see it together,” D&C 88:93).

          Joseph Smith explains “There will be wars and rumors of wars, signs in the heavens above and on the earth beneath, the sun turned into darkness and the moon to blood, earthquakes in divers places, the seas heaving beyond their bounds; then will appear one grand sign of the Son of Man in heaven. But what will the world do? They will say it is a planet, a comet, etc. But the Son of man will come as the sign of the coming of the Son of Man, which will be as the light of the morning cometh out of the east” (Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 286–87).

          “The devil knows many signs, but does not know the sign of the Son of Man, or Jesus” (Joseph Smith, History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4:608)