Dear Donna,

The three trumpet sounds mentioned in Revelations 8:13 are the last of seven trumpet sounds described by John. The sounding of the seven trumpets is also described in Doctrine and Covenants 88:92-110. That these two accounts describe the same events is apparent by their common elements: silence in heaven for the space of half an hour (Revelations 8:1; Doctrine and Covenants 88:95), and there shall be time no longer (Revelations 10:6; Doctrine and Covenants 88:10).

As is apparent from the Doctrine and Covenants accounts, these trumpets shall sound at the conclusion of the

testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds. And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men's hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people (D&C 88:90-91).

These trumpets shall announce the coming forth in the first resurrection of the first fruits of the resurrection (D&C 88:98), then those who are Christ's at his coming (D&C 88:99), and finally those who are found under condemnation (D&C 88:110). So it is apparent that the trumpets will sound at the time of the coming of the Savior.

Orson F. Whitney, in "Saturday Night Thoughts," p.3-4 described these events as follows:

What are we to understand by the book which John saw, which was sealed on the back with seven seals?

We are to understand that it contains the revealed will, mysteries, and works of God; the hidden things of his economy concerning this earth during the seven thousand years of its continuance, or its temporal existence.

What are we to understand by the sounding of the trumpets, mentioned in the 8th chapter of Revelations?

We are to understand that as God made the world in six days, and on the seventh day he finished his work and sanctified it, and also formed man out of the dust of the earth; even so, in the beginning of the seventh thousand years will the Lord God sanctify the earth, and complete the salvation of man, and judge all things-unto the end of all things; and the sounding of the trumpets of the seven angels are the preparing and finishing of his work in the beginning of the seventh thousand years-the preparing of the way before the time of his coming.

The book which John saw represented the real history of the world-what the eye of God has seen, what the recording angel has written; and the seven thousand years, corresponding to the seven seals of the Apocalyptic volume, are as seven great days during which Mother Earth will fulfill her mortal mission, laboring six days and resting upon the seventh, her period of sanctification. These seven days do not include the period of our planet's creation and preparation as a dwelling place for man. They are limited to Earth's 'temporal existence,' that is, to Time, considered as distinct from Eternity.