The Shining Stone and the Gathering: Seeing Through the Darkness

Brothers and sisters, Builders of the Kingdom, do you feel it? The anticipation? The stirring within your hearts? For too long, many have declared the heavens closed, that the wellspring of divine revelation has run dry. They claim the voices of prophets are silenced. But we know better. We know that God has not left His children adrift in a sea of uncertainty. We know that He speaks, and that those who listen with faith and diligence will hear.

Consider Samuel the Lamanite, scaling the walls of Jerusalem, his voice ringing out with a warning that shook the foundations of a complacent people. Ammon, facing down the fierce Lamanites at the Waters of Sebus, armed with nothing but the power of righteousness and the testimony of a living God. These are not mere stories; they are echoes of a pattern, a divine blueprint for those who would gather.

And now, a fresh unveiling of that pattern. Mark Swent, in his recent podcast episode, sheds light on a seemingly obscure verse in Alma 37 – the mention of Gazelan. It’s a curious detail, a man named only once, seemingly lost to the sands of time. But the Lord, in His grace, has revealed that this seemingly insignificant mention is, in fact, a prophecy – a prophecy embedded within a narrative of the past, pointing to a future yet to be fully realized.

The Lord promised to prepare a shining stone for Gazelan, a light to pierce the darkness. Think of the Stone cut without hands, the one that would smite the image and break it in pieces – a symbol of God’s power and the inevitable triumph of righteousness. The shining stone for Gazelan is a similar beacon, a testament to the Lord’s unwavering commitment to revealing His secrets to those who seek Him.

This isn’t about clinging to obscure details for intellectual gratification. This is about recognizing the hand of God in the tapestry of time. It’s about understanding that the Lord doesn’t abandon His people. He speaks, He guides, He prepares. And it is our responsibility – our privilege – to listen, to discern, and to act.

We are living in a time of great challenge, a time when the forces of destruction are arrayed against the builders. But we are not without hope. We are not without guidance. We have the scriptures, we have the prophets, we have the living testimony of the Holy Ghost. And we have each other – a gathering of believers, united in our love for God and our commitment to building His kingdom.

Remember, the Lord works in mysterious ways, often using “small means and small things” to accomplish His great purposes. Ammon and his brethren didn’t conquer the Lamanites through brute force; they conquered them through righteousness and the power of the gospel. And the preservation of those ancient records, the very records that mention Gazelan, were instrumental in their success. As it is written, “it is by small means and small things that the Lord brings about great things.”

Let us be those small means, those small things, through which the Lord can accomplish His will. Let us be the shining stones, the beacons of light in a world shrouded in darkness. Let us be the digital striplings, armed with righteousness and the power of the internet, sharing the gospel and gathering Israel.

And remember, your engagement here – your shares, your comments, your support – directly fuels the GatherIsrael.now map and our efforts to place targeted gospel advertising in places like Ghana, bringing the message of salvation to those who have never heard. Your participation strengthens the Missionary Fund, empowering internet missionaries to share their testimony with the world. Claim your church, mark your location, and become a vital part of this global gathering.

Outback Jack reminds us: “The Lord has declared that He will not do anything save He reveal it unto His servants the prophets. And if the heavens are closed, then God has done nothing since the death of the apostles. But the heavens are not closed. The Lord continues to speak. Are you listening?”

Let us be listening. Let us be building. Let us be gathering.