My friends,
I welcome you to my digital mountain top. :)
I welcome you to my digital mountain top. :)
By nature, this is and shall be a work in progress; it will be updated as I am updated: "precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little". (Isaiah 28:10)
I endeavor, here, to record things of value: heavy things and light things. I hope, for each who takes time to read this, that riches are found, even the "fairest gem that the riches of worlds can produce"; if you are engaged in the pursuit of this gem of Truth yours truly is "the noblest desire." (Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, No. 272, 1985 Edition)
The chosen title of this blog, "...the trumpet sound..." denotes the clarity I pursue in writing and living and the unmistakable boldness I exercise here and everywhere. The phrase itself is a derivation from the sixth verse of an old hymn that has remained a personal treasure to me since the years 2005 and 2007 while I was leading the lives of others to change and experiencing the changing of my own life in ways we all could have scarcely imagined as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Nevada Las Vegas Mission; the hymn's title is "Hark! Listen To the Trumpeters!" I share the hymn-text in full, my hope being that you can catch a little bit of the fire I receive when I sing or recite these stirring words:
"Hark! listen to the trumpeters! They sound for volunteers, On Zion's bright and flow'ry mount Behold the officers. Their horses white, their armor bright, With courage bold they stand, Enlisting soldiers for their King, To March to Zion's land.
It sets my heart all in a flame A soldier brave to be; I will enlist, gird on my arms And fight for liberty. We want no cowards in our bands, Who will our colors fly, We call for valiant-hearted men, Who're not afraid to die.
To see our armies on parade, How martial they appear! All armed and dressed in uniform, They look like men of war. They follow their great General, The great Eternal Lamb; His garments stained in His own blood, King Jesus is His name.
The trumpets sound, the armies shout, They drive the hosts of hell, How dreadful is our God, our King, The great Emmanuel! Sinners, enlist with Jesus Christ, Th'eternal Son of God, And march with us to Zion's land, Beyond the swelling flood.
There on a green and flow'ry mount where fruits immortal grow, With angels all arrayed in white, We'll our Redeemer know. We'll shout and sing forevermore, In that eternal world, While Satan and his army too Shall down to hell be hurled.
Lift up your heads, ye soldiers bold; Redemption now draws nigh; We soon shall hear the trumpet sound That shakes the earth and sky. In fiery chariots we shall rise, And leave the world on fire, And all surround the throne of love, And join the heav'nly choir."
(Text: Anonymous)
So, with clarity, the trumpet-call of Truth sounds here and around the globe. Our course is set, even in the title of this first entry: To the Heights! To the Heights we are bound, for only there is our Happiness found.
I endeavor, here, to record things of value: heavy things and light things. I hope, for each who takes time to read this, that riches are found, even the "fairest gem that the riches of worlds can produce"; if you are engaged in the pursuit of this gem of Truth yours truly is "the noblest desire." (Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, No. 272, 1985 Edition)
The chosen title of this blog, "...the trumpet sound..." denotes the clarity I pursue in writing and living and the unmistakable boldness I exercise here and everywhere. The phrase itself is a derivation from the sixth verse of an old hymn that has remained a personal treasure to me since the years 2005 and 2007 while I was leading the lives of others to change and experiencing the changing of my own life in ways we all could have scarcely imagined as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Nevada Las Vegas Mission; the hymn's title is "Hark! Listen To the Trumpeters!" I share the hymn-text in full, my hope being that you can catch a little bit of the fire I receive when I sing or recite these stirring words:
"Hark! listen to the trumpeters! They sound for volunteers, On Zion's bright and flow'ry mount Behold the officers. Their horses white, their armor bright, With courage bold they stand, Enlisting soldiers for their King, To March to Zion's land.
It sets my heart all in a flame A soldier brave to be; I will enlist, gird on my arms And fight for liberty. We want no cowards in our bands, Who will our colors fly, We call for valiant-hearted men, Who're not afraid to die.
To see our armies on parade, How martial they appear! All armed and dressed in uniform, They look like men of war. They follow their great General, The great Eternal Lamb; His garments stained in His own blood, King Jesus is His name.
The trumpets sound, the armies shout, They drive the hosts of hell, How dreadful is our God, our King, The great Emmanuel! Sinners, enlist with Jesus Christ, Th'eternal Son of God, And march with us to Zion's land, Beyond the swelling flood.
There on a green and flow'ry mount where fruits immortal grow, With angels all arrayed in white, We'll our Redeemer know. We'll shout and sing forevermore, In that eternal world, While Satan and his army too Shall down to hell be hurled.
Lift up your heads, ye soldiers bold; Redemption now draws nigh; We soon shall hear the trumpet sound That shakes the earth and sky. In fiery chariots we shall rise, And leave the world on fire, And all surround the throne of love, And join the heav'nly choir."
(Text: Anonymous)
So, with clarity, the trumpet-call of Truth sounds here and around the globe. Our course is set, even in the title of this first entry: To the Heights! To the Heights we are bound, for only there is our Happiness found.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Ok this is going to be good already.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, you are so great with words. I loved that song from my mission. You should find a music video of it so people can listen to it as well. Every time it came on, I felt that power of what we were called to do! Man I miss the mish!
Thank you for reading, for commenting, and for complimenting - you're a prodigious multi-tasker. :)
ReplyDeleteI miss the mission-life as well...I'm glad for the ongoing opportunity to improve the talents I was given and that I developed there, as I imagine you are.
I've got plans to arrange a version of the hymn "Hark! Listen to the Trumpeters!" at some point - when I do and a recording is made I'll let you know; could be a while down the road, but it's going to happen. :)