The Cry of The Trumpet

There are moments in Relief Society when a single question reveals the spiritual weather of the room. Today, the question was this: “Why was the Family Proclamation announced to the women first?” Some sisters felt the weight of it—as if a heavy responsibility had been placed on women alone. Others heard echoes of old frustrations about gender, roles, or perceived imbalance in the Church. The tone carried a familiar undercurrent, one I’ve heard more often in recent years: a quiet resentment toward the Church itself. I felt a sadness settle in my chest—not because the feelings were invalid, but because I recognized them. I have lived through my own seasons of misinterpretation, where cultural narratives spoke louder than eternal ones. And I know how easy it is to confuse the follies of mortals with the doctrines of Christ. But the gospel has never been the source of our wounds.   It is the balm. The Gospel Doesn't Shift—We Do There’s a word that unsettles me whenever it pops up ...

Integrity, Influence, and What a Conversation Revealed Recently, I stepped into a political conversation almost as an experiment. I wanted to see whether calm, respectful, good‑faith dialogue was still possible on difficult topics. At first, it genuinely seemed like it was. Two of us were able to talk through concerns, ask sincere questions, and even find a workable compromise. It felt like a small reminder that “a soft answer turneth away wrath” and that reasoned conversation can still build bridges. But then the dynamic changed. A third person entered the thread already escalated, and the tone shifted instantly. My neutral questions were suddenly interpreted as extreme positions I didn’t hold. Motives were assigned to me that I never expressed. The conversation stopped being about ideas and became about assumptions, accusations, and group loyalty. What struck me most was how quickly the original conversation partner shifted once the audience changed. Positions we had calmly explored ...