Summary:
Chad Daybell’s sensationalistic writings about “end-times prophecy” – events prior to the Second Coming of Christ are not in line with Church teachings. Church leaders emphasize optimism and sharing the gospel, not end-times paranoia.
Latter-day Saints Believe in the Savior’s return
Like most Christians, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe Jesus Christ will return in glory and “reign personally on the earth.” The Church’s name–”Latter-day”– references the belief that the Savior’s return is near. Scripture, both the Bible and those unique to the Latter-day Saints, talks about alarming events and conditions leading up to the Savior’s return.
The LDS Church Discourages Extremism
However, Church leaders have long been careful to place this belief in a context of faith and hope that discourages extremism. In 2015, the Church’s First Presidency (highest governing council) addressed figures like Daybell who taught preoccupation with end-times turmoil:
“The Church encourages our members to be spiritually and physically prepared for life’s ups and downs. For many decades, Church leaders have counseled members that, where possible, they should gradually build a supply of food, water and financial resources to ensure they are self-reliant during disasters and the normal hardships that are part of life, including illness, injury or unemployment.
“This teaching to be self-reliant has been accompanied by the counsel of Church leaders to avoid being caught up in extreme efforts to anticipate catastrophic events.
“The writings and speculations of individual Church members, some of which have gained currency recently, should be considered as personal accounts or positions that do not reflect Church doctrine.
The Church’s website on emergency preparedness does not even mention the Second Coming, and focuses instead on common natural disasters.
The Gospel Topics essay on preparedness emphasizes financial responsibility, obtaining formal education, a reasonable supply of food and water, and first aid training. The Church does not encourage extreme prepping and paranoia about end times strife.
Emphasis on Spiritual Preparation
Church leaders do often teach members to prepare for the Second Coming, and note it will be preceded by frightening conditions. But they overwhelmingly emphasize spiritual preparation via unexceptional acts of personal righteousness.
In 2004, Apostle Dallin H. Oaks (who is now First Counselor in the First Presidency) encouraged preparation for the Second Coming by contemplating:
“If we knew that we would meet the Lord tomorrow—through our premature death or through His unexpected coming—what would we do today? What confessions would we make? What practices would we discontinue? What accounts would we settle? What forgivenesses would we extend? What testimonies would we bear?”
Church Leaders Focus on Faith and Hope
Recent addresses by Apostles Jeffrey R. Holland and Russell M. Nelson (now President of the Church) emphasize the excitement and joy of preaching the gospel and working in temples as a precursor to the Second Coming.
Apostle Neil L. Anderson also recently tied preparation for the Second Coming to serving a mission, without a word about calamities.
Speaking to college graduates in 2012, Apostle M. Russell Ballard acknowledged serious problems in the world but urged faith and hope, and even promised them extraordinary economic opportunity.
Church leaders acknowledge scriptural prophecies about the last days, but do not focus on doom and gloom.
Daybell’s End-times Prophecy is in Stark Contrast to the Church
In contrast, Chad Daybell wrote several books about last days calamities that he claimed were informed by his own inspired dreams, visions, and a near-death experience. His books were never published, endorsed, or taught by Church leaders. Church members are free to write and publicize such things, but the scriptures and teachings of Church leaders caution against putting faith in claims of prophecy or revelation by anyone who isn’t a regularly-ordained Apostle.
Summary
Daybell’s focus on sensational aspects of “end times” events is a stark contrast with Church leaders’ emphasis on faith, optimism, personal righteousness, reasonable emergency preparedness, and ordinary acts of charity and sharing the gospel.
