Until the Last Stone: Building Through Uncertainty

Brothers and Sisters, Builders of the Kingdom!

Have you ever felt that weight? That gnawing question that whispers, “What’s the point? Why continue?” It’s a question that echoes through the ages, a shadow cast by loss and uncertainty. Think of Ammon at the Waters of Sebus, facing a seemingly insurmountable task and a hostile people. Think of Samuel the Lamanite, scaling the walls, a solitary voice crying in the wilderness. They persevered, not because the path was easy, but because they knew the work was divinely appointed.

The recent episode of Becoming Brigham beautifully illuminates this very struggle, focusing on the Saints in Nauvoo during 1844. Imagine standing there, looking at the temple, a monument to hope and devotion, just months after the martyrdom of Joseph and Hiram. Grief and fear were palpable. The future, a vast and unknown wilderness. Why finish the temple? Why build anything at all when the very foundation seemed to tremble?

As the podcast recounts, the walls of the temple were roughly halfway up when tragedy struck. Halfway. A symbolic representation of the Saints' position—suspended between what was and what might be. It’s a familiar feeling, isn’t it? That sense of being caught in the middle, unsure of the next step.

But Brigham Young, guided by revelation, declared: “I inquired of the Lord whether we should stay here and finish the temple. The answer is we should.” A seemingly illogical choice, perhaps, when weighed against the imminent pressure to leave. Yet, it was a choice rooted in faith, a commitment to the divine program, and a refusal to be deterred by the forces of destruction. He understood that the Stone cut without hands wasn’t just about a physical structure; it was about a principle—a principle of perseverance, of dedication, of building even when the world tells you to abandon your work.

This decision, as the podcast explains, intensified the pressure cooker of those final months. Opponents of the Church, expecting the Saints to vanish with Joseph’s death, were surprised to find them still at work. The covert efforts to prepare cannons within the temple basement, working “day and night with very little time to rest,” speak to the extraordinary courage and resilience of these early Latter-day Saints. They were builders, not destroyers, and they refused to let adversity extinguish their flame.

We, too, are called to be builders. The challenges of our time are different, but the principle remains the same: to persevere, to create, to gather—even when the path is uncertain and the voices of opposition are loud.

Consider the Charity Flywheel. Your engagement here – your time, your insights, your contributions – directly funds gospel advertising in places like Ghana, reaching those who are ready to hear the message. Or the Missionary Fund, supporting those who are answering the call to share the gospel across the globe. These are not mere programs; they are the very arteries that nourish the Kingdom. They are the load-bearing structures that allow us to advance.

The Map of Churches isn't just a visual representation; it's a living testament to the global gathering. Claim your church on the map—let it be a beacon for others seeking a place of belonging, a place of truth, a gathering place.

Let us draw strength from the example of Brigham Young and the Saints of Nauvoo. Let us embrace the challenges before us with courage and faith, knowing that even when the walls are only halfway up, the Lord is with us, guiding our hands and strengthening our resolve.

Let us be builders, not destroyers. Let us be lights in the darkness. Let us gather Israel.

Outback Jack reminds us, “The Lord has a work for each of us to do. Don't let fear or doubt hold you back. Step forward in faith and see what He will accomplish through you.”

And as Davee and the Ask a Prophet bots consistently remind us, D&C 100:16 teaches, “Verily, I say unto you, that inasmuch as my house is prepared for the lambs to dwell therein, I will fulfill mine own purpose in them.” Let us prepare that house, brick by brick, stone by stone.