My favorite scripture is found in Helaman 5:12. This is Helaman speaking to his sons Nephi and Lehi. He is talking to them about the importance of building our spiritual foundation on Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the only sure foundation upon which we can build and manage the storms of this life. The scripture reads as follows:

12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the ^arock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your ^bfoundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty ^cstorm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

Helaman 5:12

In his talk “Steady in the Storms“, President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency states “Anyone with eyes to see the signs of the times and ears to hear the words of prophets knows that [we live in perilous times]. The perils of greatest danger come to us from the forces of wickedness. Those forces are increasing. And so it will become more difficult, not easier, to honor the covenants we must make and keep to live the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Every day we see these dangers, these storms if you will, around us. We see the hatred of various people towards one another. We see acts of violence that we cannot explain. We see the manipulations of culture to believe certain things are normal that are not. The winds of wickedness are increasing in force. These winds also throw darts at us and pelt us with hail, all in an effort to wear us down to dishonor our covenants and decrease our faith in Jesus Christ.

Building Upon Our Foundation

However, if we have a strong foundation we can weather any storm. Helaman also states that we must build upon that foundation. The goal is to create our own personal fortress founded upon Jesus Christ that will keep us on the covenant path.

I have outlined some of the things we need to do in order to strengthen our foundation. But what can we do to build the fortress? I believe the answer is found in the Church’s move to the “Come Follow Me” curriculum. Each year we get the opportunity to study in our home the lessons and teachings of the scriptures. We get to “liken the scriptures” (1 Nephi 19:23) to our situations. The curriculum also allows us to discuss the scriptures in a way that broadens our understanding and increases our faith and testimonies in Jesus Christ.

Come Follow Me helps us to build the walls of our fortress. Another way to strengthen both our foundation and our fortress is to listen to, understand, and follow the words of our living prophets, seers, and revelators. These women and men have been called of God to:

1. Preach the doctrine of Christ
2. Guide us along the covenant path
3. Reveal to us areas in which we can improve our service to God
4. Improve ourselves by better understanding God’s plan and how we fit into it
5. Show us the way along the Covenant Path that leads to God

The General Conferences of the Church give us direct access to these teachings. We also can participate in other various events to hear and be taught. These events include:

1. Temple Dedications
2. Face to Face Broadcasts
3. Visits to areas where addresses are given

Finally, local leaders have been called at the Area, Stake, and Ward levels. These leaders have even more insight into what is happening at our specific level. We should avail ourselves of the opportunities given to us to hear from these local leaders and act on the things they teach us.

Not Falling

At the end of his statement, Helaman says that “if [we] build [on the foundation of Jesus Christ] [we] cannot fall”. What does that mean? It does NOT mean that we won’t commit sin. It does mean that we will be less susceptible to the enticings of Satan. It also means we will have the promise of the sacrament we take each week to “always have His Spirit with [us]”.

Not falling is also a promise to help us in our earnest efforts to share the gospel. We can be led to sharing the gospel with friends, family, and those we meet. Sharing the gospel then becomes another way to strengthen our foundation and our fortress.

Conclusion

Jesus Christ is our sure foundation. He is the way to our Heavenly Father’s kingdom. By strengthening our foundation and building our fortress upon it, we can withstand anything that Satan throws our way. His storms can be intense, but inside our fortress everything is calm.