"Just as ships need anchors to keep them from drifting away on the open seas, people need spiritual anchors in their lives if they are to remain steadfast and not drift into the sea of temptation and sin. Faith in God and in his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the main anchor we must have in our lives to hold us fast during times of social turbulence and wickedness that seem to be everywhere today. This faith must be more than that of the generic dictionary variety. Our faith, for it to be meaningful and effective and to hold us fast, must be centered in Jesus Christ, in his life, in his atonement, and in the restoration of his gospel to the earth in the last days....
"Nothing is more remarkable or important in this life than to know that God our Eternal Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, have spoken again from the heavens and have called prophets and apostles to teach the fullness of the everlasting gospel once again upon the earth. That is a glorious thing to know. When you know it, that knowledge affects your life. It influences every major decision you make. It changes the course of your life to a safer one because it provides an anchor that helps hold you fast to the teachings of the gospel despite the evil influences all around you that entice you to drift toward sin and transgression."
- M. Russell Ballard, "Anchor to the Soul," BYU Fireside, September 6, 1992
Click here to read or listen to the full talk
Elder Ballard suggests that "spiritual anchors" are crucial in our lives to prevent us from drifting in the midst of storms and challenges; and the greatest anchor of all is to have faith in God and in Jesus Christ. He encourages us to have faith that goes beyond "the generic dictionary variety"—firmly centered in the Savior, the Atonement, and the Restoration.
It becomes so critical for us to establish, and then to nurture and build, that faith and understanding in our lives.
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