2 Timothy 1:7-8
Of all my favorite scriptures, this is probably third. The true nature of fear is that it weakens and takes away from our ability to grow. This is the reason that Satan uses fear so often and so intensely. He knows that if he can keep us from testifying of truth, he can keep us from growing. He can keep people from truth, and he can damn more people.
This was my favorite scripture while I was on my mission because while I served in the bible belt (I served in Mississippi) it meant that I could talk to anyone, or go where ever the spirit commanded. It was very intimidating when I thought that everyone else I met had a better understanding of the bible than I did. I then looked at a few scriptures that made me think differently. D&C 84:85 is incredibly powerful. The spirit is a great tool that can be used in the service of God. It will give you what you can say to others and it will give you a way to be able to change their hearts.
Furthermore, I had a far greater knowledge of truth. They might have had good training on the philosophy of man, mingled with scripture, but I had a divine calling, and the prayers of hundreds of thousands of members behind me. I had a power there that no one I talked to had or even could have had. I was called of God by a living prophet. I was part of something real and living. They only had knowledge of the last time something that great had been on the earth.
2 Timothy 3:1-14
This section of scripture is about the time right before the second coming. It is a time where people will be very evil and the whole world will be suffering. The sin of the masses will affect all. Surely the wicked will suffer, but maybe not during the time before the second coming. I think the the terrors that await there are first, probably almost all already here, and second, going to happen to about everyone.
By that I mean that all of the things that the earth will be tormented with are plaguing us right now. The storm of wickedness and unhappiness that prevails on the earth right now is an example of that. We are currently suffering from the sins that others are committing.
(The argument that what you do does not affect anyone else is flawed. By the very nature of this planet, we all have to be in contact with others on a regular basis. Our attitude, our moods, and our activities, even those that have nothing to do with the people that we are around affect other people. If you are grumpy, you are likely to make other people that you pass by and don't even talk to grumpy as well. What you do always affects others. That is part of the human condition. Every thing that you do will have affect on another person. Just be aware.)
So while we will definitely suffer during the time before the second coming, but there is no reason to fear. See the first point.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Whenever I teach a gospel lesson, I start off by talking about how learning is not complete unless we do something different after we learn. This is kind of what you are talking about. It is not about knowing the hard things that we will endure, but rather that we must learn what to do when things get hard. It is about learning, and changing through the power of the scriptures, through "reproof", so that we can be prepared for whatever will come.
