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Living in the Eleventh Hour: Preparing for the Glorious Return of the Savior

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Just as the scriptures teach us that the Second Coming of the Lord will be "at midnight" (Matthew 25:6), so the signs of the times teach us that "midnight" is close at hand. In Living in the Eleventh Hour, author Robert L. Millet points our minds and hearts toward the future-to the glorious day that lies ahead. This encouraging work not only assists us a Latter-day Saints to recognize and better understand the signs of the times but also reminds us of our individual responsibilities as we prepare ourselves and the world for the much-anticipated return of Jesus Christ. Filled with uplifting quotations from Church leaders, insightful scriptural texts, and engaging personal experiences, this timely book inspires us to live today as if He were coming tomorrow. Brother Millet's faith-building message is clear: Steadfastly doing the small things that allow us to live each day with faith, rather than fear, builds our trust that the Savior's return to earth to rule and reign will be a glorious and welcome event. About the Author Robert L. Millet, an Abraham O. Smoot Professor and former dean of Religious Education at Brigham Young University, is a professor of ancient scripture and a lifelong scholar of the last days. After receiving bachelor's and master's degrees from BYU in psychology, he earned a PhD from Florida State University in religious studies. He has served in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a seminary teacher, bishop, stake president, and member of the Materials Evaluation Committee. He and his wife, Shauna, are the parents of six children.

146 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

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About the author

Robert L. Millet

141 books70 followers
Robert L. Millet, professor of ancient scripture and former dean of Religious Education at Brigham Young University, holds a master s degree in psychology from BYU and a Ph.D. in religious studies from Florida State University. He is a popular speaker and prolific writer whose other books include Lost and Found: Reflections on the Prodigal Son; Grace Works; and More Holiness Give Me. He and his wife, Shauna, have six children and live in Provo, Utah.

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158 (42%)
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65 (17%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
6 reviews1 follower
March 11, 2023
P 37 “What should be my highest priority? In fact, it is the Lord God who must come first in our lives, and the Spirit will whisper what should come second in each instance.”

P 38 "it is through the quiet curative we know as the Spirit that we are able to have bitterness and anger removed from our hearts, to have sin and self-obsession and arrogance burned out of our souls as though by fire. "
Profile Image for Lacey.
610 reviews3 followers
January 7, 2015
I typically don't enjoy reading books about the second coming because they make me anxious and nervous. However, I love that Brother Millet encourages us to be happy in the last days, and that even though we know terrible things are going to happen, really great things are going to happen as well.
Profile Image for Jenny.
3,372 reviews39 followers
December 31, 2019
Neil L. Andersen said faith is not just a feeling but a conscious choice. Webster's 1828 dictionary says we call a man holy when his heart is conformed in some degree to the image of God and his life is regulated by divine precepts. So a holy person is one who lives a life patterned after the Savior's

*What should our highest priority be? The church or our family? The reality is...our highest priority should be God and when He is, the Holy Ghost will help us know what should come second at any given time.

*He writes of acquiring the oil for our lamps. This oil brings light into our lives by conveying information, perspective, change, healing. This oil is "mighty medicine" for the wounds we bear as we battle for the souls of individuals we love.

*We become what we think about. If we treasure up the words of the prophets and the scriptures, memorize verses, listen to conference talks, get these words into our minds and hearts, that is what we will become.

*A BYU professor of philosophy said that man's fundamental need is not to ask a question but to answer one. God asks us the same question he asked Adam, "Where art thou?" He knows the answer but helps us to figure out the answer by asking the question. And really there are just 2 answers...with Him or without Him...and just two ways to go...toward Him or away from Him.

*Isaiah 52...put on my strength O Zion...this refers to those God calls in the last days who hold the power of the priesthood. To put on strength is to put on authority.

* The Lord pleads with us to go out of Babylon, rise above the foolishness of the world, cast off sin, put on the power of the priesthood that comes with obedience.

We can and will be prepared if we continue to learn, study, draw closer to God.
Profile Image for Tosca Wijns-Van Eeden.
824 reviews5 followers
October 12, 2020
When we study the scriptures and people speak about the signs of times and right before the Lord Jesus returns to the earth it is a time of wo, lots of awful things will happen and basically not a time to look forward to.
What we don't always read and remember is that it is also a time of rejoicing for the followers of Christ who have been looking forward to His coming.
This book helps put those happy things in perspective and focus on the positive signs of the times.
Profile Image for Katie (hiding in the pages).
3,515 reviews329 followers
February 25, 2014
A lot of these types of books create a panicky feeling inside of me. I feel like the end is so scary, even if it's something to look forward to. I loved the way this book was written in a way that made me feel at peace with things. This truly is a time to anticipate, rather than dread. I loved what the author said in the preface--"My intention is not to frighten but to fortify; not to startle but to solidify; not to be sensational but to be sound." He did an excellent job of doing just what he claimed he'd do.

I enjoyed the way scripture and General Authority quotes were woven into the commentary, as well as modern thoughts and applications to our own lives today. I was able to find relations between the person stories given and my own life and I was filled with hope as I read this book. There was a lot of good information in here, especially in the Glossary. My mind was opened to a few new ideas that I hadn't considered before and I'm enjoying pondering on those.

I recommend this book for those looking for an uplifting and encouraging source about the Last Days.
Profile Image for Christopher Angulo.
377 reviews8 followers
August 24, 2020
This was a great book. As usual, Millet provides wonderful insights and keen observations. The book comforted me and inspired me to be better and reach further. The focus is not so much on the global, catastrophic events of the last days, but on the self and personal actions you may take to be ready and feel confident.
Profile Image for Heather.
660 reviews10 followers
February 4, 2019
Millet helps one look at living in the Eleventh Hour as a good thing, rather than a time that can bring on anxiety and depression because of all the "terrible" things we have heard regarding living in the last days. Yes, there will be wickedness, wars and rumors of wars, storms, etc., but there will also be goodness, joy, knowledge that the world has never had before, prophets and apostles, etc.

I was uplifted by this book. Living today as though Christ will come tomorrow is the lesson I received.
Profile Image for Apzmarshl.
1,822 reviews32 followers
August 28, 2018
I put off reading this book for quite a while. I didn't want to read something that made me anxious or worried all of the time. But Brother Millet did a wonderful job speaking on preparing yourself, but not necessarily describing specific horrifying events. I found this book much more hopeful rather than terrifying.
177 reviews
June 8, 2023
I liked how this book taught us how we should live to be prepared for the Second Coming.

"The greatest preparation we can make today as we anticipate tomorrow is to attend to the small and simple things that come before us each minute and hour of every day."

"The extent to which I am prepared to meet the Lord Jesus when he comes again might very well be reflected, for example, in the extent to which I am learning each day to tame the tongue; to channel my thoughts in righteous paths; to choose not to be offended but rather to assume the best; to ask myself consistently what I can do to serve and lighten the burdens of others; to put on hold my immediate gratification in order to achieve a higher aim than satisfied selfhood; to be willing to be inconvenienced; and to be found at my duty station at all times."
Profile Image for Brittany Seal.
189 reviews4 followers
April 30, 2022
“President Thomas S. Monson has reminded us that “the world is in need of your help. There are feet to steady, hands to grasp, minds to encourage, hearts to inspire, and souls to save. The blessings of eternity await you. Yours is the privilege to be not spectators but participants.”

This book was a magnificent teacher in the knowledge of why we are living in our day. It is not by any coincidence that the souls on the earth today. We were all chosen for this specific time. To have our faith and testimony tested, to be a light for others, to grow and prepare to meet God. I love the principles taught in this book that correlate with Gods love and purpose for His children.
Profile Image for Linda.
1,172 reviews4 followers
November 14, 2020
Some really impressive ideas on preparing for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. I like how Brother Millet teaches us, rather than trying to prepare for a specific time or date, let us live as though each day the savior could come tomorrow. We don’t know the day or time, but we do know he will come, let us live to be ready.
Profile Image for Brian.
266 reviews
January 30, 2022
Another good book from Robert Millet. Not a 5-star book, but maybe not his fault: I judged the book by its title thinking it was going to about the last days. It is, but this is more about advice and personal experiences pertaining to living in the last days than a description of the last days themselves.
Profile Image for Christian.
462 reviews2 followers
September 27, 2025
Another really good and relevant book from Brother Millet. He has great advice for living in the latter days, what to be careful of, what to embrace, and what to avoid. And he closes with ‘it is unlikely that you and I will live as mortals to see that day of glory.’ Very interesting- I really liked this book.
Profile Image for Amanda.
637 reviews1 follower
August 14, 2020
This book was absolutely beautiful. No gloom and doom, no lists of “the signs of the times”, just practical scriptural advice on how to live each day to prepare for the return of the Savior. Good insights and incredibly uplifting. I highly recommend reading it.
49 reviews1 follower
January 13, 2021
I thought this book would delve into details of the signs of the last days. It was more basic in the concept of preparing ourselves spiritually and looking forward with faith. It did talk about positivity and listed many great quotes. However, it wasn’t too eye opening or what I was expecting.
10 reviews1 follower
July 6, 2022
Loved book!

The book helped me understand more fully many of
the terms used in the church. There has been so much revealed and I believe we will constantly learning while on this earth!Probably

Profile Image for Rob .
637 reviews27 followers
November 6, 2017
Some helpful stuff, but mostly page after page of sanctimony.
Profile Image for Becky.
429 reviews2 followers
August 16, 2020
Good thoughts about living in the last days. I liked his view point and ideas.
Profile Image for Patsy.
492 reviews11 followers
December 16, 2022
I like Brother Millet's faith, not fear, approach to the Last Days. After all, it is part of God's glorious plan for our happiness.
Profile Image for Julie.
219 reviews1 follower
May 4, 2023
My favorite chapter was the one that described how to keep oil in our lamps.
Profile Image for Kelly.
471 reviews3 followers
January 2, 2025
I quite liked this book. It was a short read, discussing basic principles of the Last Days.
Profile Image for Tamara Bennett.
238 reviews4 followers
September 5, 2025
enjoyed this inspirational book. i thought it would be more instructional so wasn't quite what i expected but still a great read.
38 reviews2 followers
March 2, 2017
A great book. wonderful at helping to see how to prepare yourself for the second coming.
Profile Image for Melanie.
752 reviews23 followers
February 28, 2014
This book is a good reminder of what we all need to be doing daily to prepare for the Second Coming. Since nobody knows when it will be, we need to be prepared at all times. There are lots of scriptures, quotes and personal stories included.

He spoke on filling our lamps with oil. When he was a Bishop, a couple came to him asking for help in getting more spirituality in their home. They hadn't been active for many years and their home life was falling apart. He gave several suggestions and they had a "reason" not to do each thing he suggested (reading scriptures, family prayer, Family Home Evening, even attending church). He asked again what they wanted and they said they needed to get God's Spirit in their home. At that point, he understood the parable of the ten virgins more fully. As much as he wanted to help them, there are some things that just can't be shared. They wanted the blessings that come with doing all those things but weren't willing to actually do them to obtain the blessings themselves.

He also spoke about what it means to treasure up the word. I like this quote: "...Because we are largely a product of what occupies our minds and because our feelings and actions are so inextricably linked to our thoughts, we must see to it that what we think about is worthy of a son or daughter of God striving for exaltation in the celestial kingdom. ..." (p. 42) It's not possible for us to be thinking about the scriptures every minute of the day, but we can each find time to read or listen to something uplifting each day. He also spoke on the importance of memorizing scriptures and how remembering them in our tough times can give us strength.

There are some other great insights and discussions and towards the end, he has a chapter on knowing the signs of the times. He doesn't go into them in any detail but shares principles he has gleaned over the years relative to reading the signs of the times. He ends by listing some of the personal responsibilities we share as we do our part to prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Son of God.

I enjoyed reading this book and I felt like I was able to check off some things that I'm doing well and also determine the areas where I need to make improvements. This is a book that reminds us that there is a lot to look forward to in the coming days and years and we need to be full of faith rather than fear.

Mel's Shelves
Profile Image for Shanda.
354 reviews68 followers
February 18, 2014
Living in the Eleventh Hour is a fairly quick read. There are several quotes and scriptures cited that I found inspiring in living a more Christ-centered life, which is relevant no matter the dispensation or how near the time of the Second Coming. The author also speaks on establishing Zion wherever we are currently living, beginning inside our own homes. Also, working to share the gospel and save the souls of our spiritual brothers and sisters should be of great importance to us, and accomplishing this work to the best of our ability is the only way we can affect the events of the last days.

We might well ask ourselves, “Our Lord and Savior is coming. What do I need to do today to prepare myself for tomorrow? What efforts can I make now to ensure that when he does come he will see my face with pleasure?” -page 52


While the message of Living in the Eleventh Hour is inspiring and a good reminder to prepare now and keep our focus on Christ, it touches only lightly on events and details leading up to and surrounding the Second Coming. Those who do a fair amount of gospel-related reading will probably not find much new or eye-opening here. It is an uplifting read, but anyone looking for a more piercing or detailed message related to the Second Coming might find themselves disappointed. Not every book discussing the Second Coming needs to pierce the soul or be detail-specific, however, and readers who appreciate an encouraging read they can finish in a Sunday will enjoy Living in the Eleventh Hour.

Review originally posted on LDS Women's Book Review - www.ldswbr.com
FTC FYI: free hardcover review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for Crystal (Books Are Sanity!!!).
795 reviews38 followers
February 28, 2014
This is my first time reading a book by Robert L. Millet and I was hooked from the beginning. Gospel books are not always easy for me to read, but Millet speaks in a straight forward fashion, uses scriptures and direct quotes from prophets to make it easy for the reader to understand the point he is making. He shared personal stories from teaching religion classes at BYU and he tied everything into each point seamlessly. I enjoyed the short chapters that focused on one specific aspect of living in the last days. I came away with a sense of calmness not fear. Millet gives us knowledge backed through scriptures and prophets to help us understand what we will are and will face as the time approaches for His return. I honestly was amazed at how quickly I read through the book! I found certain quotes or stories so great that I would re-read them and then share them with my husband. One of my favorite's is taken from chapter 9, "We stand in holy places when we stand firm against vice and immorality and stand humbly but assuredly with God and with "clouds of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1) made up of Saints on both sides of the veil (2 Kings 6:16, compare 1 John 4:4). This is truly a great read that will help and inspire you and I highly recommend it!
I received a copy of this book for free and this is my honest review.
Profile Image for Michelle Llewellyn.
530 reviews10 followers
October 10, 2014
I must be one of the few who can't wait for the second coming and the millennium. So many women on this earth won't have any opportunity to enjoy all the blessings of the priesthood including dating, courtship, temple marriage, and raising up a righteous posterity unto the Lord until that glorious day. What to do until then? Pick marigolds? Pray a cure for AIDS will be found? Volunteer to be bridesmaids at LGBT weddings? Not judge our single, nonmember or less active friends who choose alternative lifestyles (cohabitation) while we sit ever-obedient and passively by in our single-bedroom homes waiting and waiting and waiting...
Sadly, none of these topics are addressed by the author. His failure to at least mention the lowering of the mission age was a disappointment. None of the traditional Christian "signs of the times" are listed. The author choosing instead to focus on general gospel "feel good" topics are why I could only give this book two stars. A fast read. The narrative flows well but we might as well be living in the tenth hour for all the modern day challenges (rampant pre-marital sex, addictions and terrorist activities) Brother Millet so carefully avoids.
Profile Image for Heather .
572 reviews104 followers
February 18, 2014
I love Robert L Millet's teachings and writing. Living in the Eleventh Hour takes very small chunks of doctrine in each chapter which makes for a quick, light read. It's certainly not a deep doctrinal look at the signs and time of the second coming of Christ, not does it reveal "big new truths." However, I enjoyed it for exactly what it was. His counsel is straight forward and simple. I found that for me, this book was the perfect fit. It offers a hopeful perspective without the doom and gloom or long lists of signs of the second coming. Brother Millet re- emphasizes what we can do on a daily basis to have the Spirit with us and to keep our lamps filled with oil before the bridegroom cometh. I especially liked his story of how many of us, in fear of judging others fall into the "tolerance trap" and begin to tolerate the behaviors of others that are sinful without speaking up. The formula for preparation is built on the basic primary answers we all know and I am glad he kept it that way.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews

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