The Cry of The Trumpet

Spiritual growth always involves resistance—not because we’re failing, but because we’re developing strength. President Oaks reminds us that, “ Just as our physical muscles cannot be developed or maintained without straining against the law of gravity, so mortal growth requires us to strain against Satan’s temptations and other mortal opposition .” Opposition isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s the very condition that builds spiritual muscle. Elder de Jager adds a vivid metaphor: our spiritual life is like a balloon rising upward.   - “Just as the balloon can rise higher by throwing ballast overboard, so must a person be willing to rid himself of unnecessary ballast that limits his rise in spirituality.” He names the common “ballast” that weighs us down:   - Impatience — “Get rid of our sandbag of impatience… ‘continue in patience until ye are perfected.’”   - Criticism — “Cease to find fault one with another.”   - Unfriendliness — “Ye are my friends....

Ministering Across the Spectrum: From Substance to Soul Service exists on a continuum—from the purely temporal to the deeply spiritual. All service carries spiritual value, so its worth is never nil. Yet many people feel more comfortable with the temporal end of the spectrum. Some even turn down opportunities for spiritually demanding service. It’s worth exploring what each type of service asks of us. 1. Temporal-Heavy, Low-Spiritual-Demand Service At the simplest level are acts of service that are primarily physical or temporal. These often require little sacrifice: donating money to a fund, dropping off items at a collection site, or contributing to a cause without personal involvement. These acts are still good—they bless lives and give us a quick sense of goodwill (and sometimes a tax write-off).   This type of service becomes more spiritually stretching when we give directly to someone in need or when the amount we give pushes us beyond our comfort zone. In those moments,...

Some truths arrive like sunlight—warm, clarifying, welcome.   Others land like nettles—sharp, unexpected, and hard to hold.   Both are gifts. But in a culture that prizes comfort and performance, we often mistake discomfort for harm. We flinch at correction. We bristle at challenge. We label anything that stings as “unsafe,” and anything that confronts as “unloving.” This is not the way of growth. 🕊️ Truth Is Not Violence Truth, even when firm, is not aggression.   Correction, even when direct, is not cruelty.   Conviction, even when uncomfortable, is not abuse. There is a difference between being wounded and being refined.   Between being attacked and being invited to change. We must learn to tell the difference. 🔥 The Sting Is Sacred If a truth stings, pause.   Ask: Is this pain the result of harm—or the beginning of healing? Sometimes the sting is the Spirit.   Sometimes it’s our pride.   Sometimes it’s...