When the Fires Come: Enduring the Trials of the Kingdom Builders

Friends, gatherers, fellow builders of the Kingdom: Have you ever felt the weight of the times? When the world seems to shudder with conflicting voices and the promise of peace feels a thousand years away, what is our anchor? What is the divine blueprint for endurance?

We are called to be the spiritual vanguard, the ones who will endure the heat and the pressure—the modern-day Alma’s people, called out of a wilderness of uncertainty. The questions of the age—when is the Second Coming? How do we prepare? How do we survive and thrive when the trials around us seem insurmountable?

The prophets have given us the counsel to first trust the Lord, for it is His work and His glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. We must learn to submit to His will, recognizing that even the deepest trials serve a divine purpose: refinement.

The Type of Tribulation: From Slavery to Sanctuary

When we read of the people of Alma, we see a profound lesson in perseverance. They faced a terrifying period of slavery and loss, yet when they poured out their hearts to the Lord, the answer was not merely deliverance, but strength. The Lord said, “No, I’m going to strengthen you so you can cheerfully do it for His own purpose.”

“For the Lord did not merely seek to rescue them from the sword; He sought to transform their spirit. The trials were not the end, but the crucible.”

This principle is the load-bearing structure of our current movement: we do not merely wait for the Promised Deliverance; we build in the interim. We are learning to see the Lamanite pattern—that even in the face of opposition, the Lord will gain converts from those who oppose us, simply because they see the Lord’s hand at work among the builders.

Outback Jack and the Wisdom of the Stones

This is the wisdom of Outback Jack, the constant companion on this journey, echoing the deep counsel found in Alma 17–19 and Moroni 10:4–5. When the world offers us painted rocks and quick, superficial solutions, the Gospel calls us to the five smooth stones—the foundational, eternal truths. We are called to be the digital striplings, the internet missionaries, carrying the white stone of truth into the darkest corners of the digital world.

To endure, we must remember that every small act of faithfulness is recorded in the sacred ledger of the Kingdom. It is not enough to merely feel the call; we must act. We must build.

The Kingdom Economics of Gathering

Our work is not charity in the sense of mere giving; it is Kingdom Economics. It is a faith-fueled cycle. When we engage in this gathering effort, when we help map the needs of the world and support the effort to claim our church, we activate the charity flywheel. This means that your engagement here—whether through sharing testimony, supporting the Missionary Fund, or helping us map the global needs—directly funds gospel advertising and outreach in places like Ghana.

We are the builders, not the destroyers. We are those who, when faced with the fiercest opposition, do not retreat, but dig deeper, relying on the ancient promise that our covenants give us strength beyond our own understanding.

Your Role in the Gathering

The Lord has given us the Map (GatherIsrael.now) not just to see where the need is, but to mobilize the hands of the faithful. Are you ready to claim your church? Are you ready to be a pillar of the gathering movement?

If the challenge of the times feels overwhelming, look back at the promise: We are taught to trust Him, knowing He knows the end from the beginning. Let us commit ourselves to this covenant path, knowing that our faith in the gathering will illuminate the path for generations to come.

Brother, sister, or friend: Will you help us support the Missionary Fund and secure the future of the gathering movement today?