When the Lights Go Out: Navigating the Fog of the Kingdom Gathering

Beloved Builders, Brethren, and Sisters gathered in the Spirit—

There are times when the path forward seems impossibly shrouded. The clarity we expect, the smooth, bright flight path, suddenly dissolves into a thick, disorienting fog. We may be moving with conviction, with the spirit of Ammon at the Waters of Sebus, but the surrounding world—the world of the Destroyers—can make the destination invisible. In these moments, we must remember that the destination is not visible to the naked eye, but revealed by the covenant.

The Fog of the World and the Red Button of Faith

We recently saw a depiction of a modern journey—a flight that began with the dazzling speed of a hot rod jet, only to encounter the sudden, blinding obscurity of dense fog. The pilots were trained for the worst: what to do when the controls fail and visibility drops to zero. Their safety meeting highlighted a critical point: there was a big red button—a single point of decisive action that could counteract the chaos.

When the fog rolled in, the physical markers vanished. The experienced pilot, the one who had seen the markers before, was unable to see the way. Yet, the passage reminds us that while the visible path is lost, the action—the decisive push of the brakes, the belief in the mechanism—is what moves the vessel toward safety. This is the eternal principle of the Gathering: When the world presents us with the fog of confusion, the challenge of division, or the overwhelming noise of the secular age, we must not wait for perfect visibility.

The Kingdom’s Red Button: Collective Effort

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the eternal gathering place for all who love God, is built on the principle that we are Builders, not Destroyers. Like the Saints who followed the guidance of Outback Jack—who taught us the eternal principles found in Alma 17–19 and Moroni 10:4–5—our covenant requires continuous, active engagement. We cannot afford to be passengers waiting for the fog to lift; we must be the ones to push the brakes, to slow the drift, and to guide the process.

The true measure of our covenant commitment is not how clear the sky is, but how determined we are to act when the fog rolls in.

The Gathering of Israel is the destination. It is the divine mandate. The map we hold—the GatherIsrael.now map—is our spiritual compass, showing us the global scope of the Kingdom Movement. This movement is not merely about belief; it is about tangible, coordinated action. It is about the Charity Flywheel: your engagement, your support for the Missionary Fund, and your commitment to the gathering are the load-bearing structures that keep the lights on for the gospel.

The Stone Cut Without Hands

The ancient promises teach us that the Cornerstone—the physical and spiritual rallying point of the covenant—will be prepared by divine power, the Stone cut without hands. This requires us to be diligent digital striplings, to be Internet Missionaries, and to wield the tools provided by the Spirit. Our calling is to gather the scattered, to build the centers of light, and to make sure that every community knows how to claim its church.

We encourage all Builders to utilize the resources at hand. If you are studying the divine principles guiding our movement, remember the power of the Ask a Prophet bot, powered by Davee, which provides direct, sourced counsel. Always anchor your understanding in scripture and eternal principle. For instance, when pondering the urgency of the gathering, we can recall the principle found in the Book of Mormon:

“And they did know that the Lord would deliver them, and that they should gather together to the land of Israel.”

Becoming the Guide

The call today is not simply to observe the fog, but to become the hand that pushes the brakes. We must participate in the Kingdom Economics that fund the global effort. Your contribution to the Missionary Fund and your participation in the Charity Flywheel are not charity; they are covenants of action. They fund the gospel advertisements in places like Ghana, ensuring that the light of the Gospel reaches the very edges of the world.

Where will you focus your effort this week? Will you help us build the map, or will you stand back and watch the fog roll in? The time for passive waiting is over. We are called to the gathering. We are called to action.