Nesting is a biological urge that many pregnant women experience to prepare their home for their baby’s arrival.

I have been cleaning, purging, decluttering, and organizing my home as if I was nine months pregnant and expecting a huge life change to come at any moment.

My family has enjoyed my little quips of “we don’t need this. Jesus is coming.” I know. I sound like a crazy lady. That is okay, I’m fine with that. If keeping this thought close to my heart and mind helps me to live a life more filled with joy, then I am happy to be the “village crazy lady”.

In General Conference last month, our beloved prophet said, “In a coming day, Jesus Christ will return to the earth as the millennial Messiah. So today, I call upon you to rededicate your lives to Jesus Christ.”

When I listened to this talk, I had heard him say, “In the coming days.” What a difference between those two phrases. In the coming days, to me, meant very soon. In a coming day means soon also, but more like The Chosen’s definition of soon. A soon that is coming, but it is unclear as to when.

Regardless of when Christ is coming, I have realized that if I choose to live my life as if Jesus is coming very soon, I will make choices that bring more joy into my life. True joy. More righteous choices that can bring joy into the lives of those around me. Choices that don’t take my focus off of Him. Choices that when I am struggling, I can choose faith over fear.

So… I am nesting. Not because I am having a baby. Not because someone is coming to live with us. I am nesting because I am preparing for a big life change. A change to more closely follow Jesus Christ, to learn of Him with more intention and purpose. To live my life as if He were coming this week, or next week, or soon.

I am preparing my home and my family for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Will this happen in my lifetime? I don’t know. I do know this: if I live my life now as if Jesus will be coming very soon, I will be ready whenever He actually does come. In doing this, I will have Him with me on a daily basis before He even comes. So that when He does come, He will know me, and I will know Him.

Jesus tells a parable of ten virgins. These virgins took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. The wise virgins took oil in their lamps, while the foolish virgins did not. While the bridegroom tarried, they slumbered and slept. A midnight, there was a cry made, “Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.”

The virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, “Give us your oil, for our lamps are gone out.” But the wise answered, “Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you; but go yet rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves.”

And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they were ready went in with him to the marriage; and the door was shut. The other virgins came back and said, “Lord, Lord, open to us.” He answered, “Verily I say unto you, I know you not.”

Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 25:1-13, KJV)

Let’s break this down. The ten virgins represent all of us on the earth. The lamps are vessels to hold the oil. Our bodies are vessels to hold our spirit. The oil represents faith, hope, our testimonies, good works, knowledge and understanding of Jesus Christ, and many more things I don’t even understand yet.

Elder Ronald A. Rasband, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, gave a talk. Hosanna to the Most High God. In this talk, he says:

“We, like the ten virgins, have lamps; but do we have oil? I fear there are some who are just getting by on a thin skiff of oil, too busy with worldly pressures to properly prepare. Oil comes from believing and acting on prophecy and the words of living prophets, President Nelson in particular, his counselors, and the Twelve Apostles. Oil fills our souls when we hear and feel the Holy Ghost and act on that divine guidance. Oil pours into our hearts when our choices show we love the Lord and we love what He loves. Oil comes from repenting and seeking the healing of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”

All of the good that we do; when we turn away from the things of the world; oil pours into our hearts. When we use the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we fill our oil lamps. I love this parable that He taught. I’ve always loved it. Even when I was a lazy kid that didn’t really understand it but felt like I was the foolish virgin waiting until the last minute, this parable intrigued me. Maybe I loved it because I knew that the Bridegroom’s coming is the most important thing for my soul. I don’t know. All I know is, I want to be a wise virgin in this parable.

I am excited for this new change in my life. My family has been very accommodating in my new focus. When I say things like, “because Jesus is coming”, they smile at me. I’m not exactly sure if the smile is because they think I’m crazy, or if my words are inspiring them to Think Celestial.

I want to tell you, thinking this way, and making the necessary changes in my life has brought me so much joy. It has brought me closer to my Heavenly Parents and my Savior, Jesus Christ.

Especially in times of strife, I have remembered more easily to turn to Them instead of trying to do these things on my own. I have a bad habit of forgetting Them when things in life get tricky. It used to take me way too long into my struggles in life to remember to get on my knees.

I’m so glad this isn’t the case anymore. It took a lot of work to get my brain to automatically turn to God instead of man. But as I have done the work to change this habit, I have always been given the most correct answers. Even when I get nonanswers, I am given peace. God knows things that I cannot know. He has this. He has me.

Because Jesus is coming. I hope this thought brings you are much joy, peace, and relief as it does me.