Elder Gary E. Stevenson on temple foundations and personal foundations

Elder Gary E. Stevenson (born August 5, 1955) was called as a Seventy in 2008, then as Presiding Bishop in 2012. He was called as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in October 2015.

"As I contemplate the next four years of the life of this beautiful, noble, exalted, and awe-inspiring Salt Lake Temple, I envision it more as a time of renewal rather than a time of closure! In a similar way, we might ask ourselves, 'How could this extensive renewal of the Salt Lake Temple inspire us to undergo our own spiritual renewal, reconstruction, rebirth, revitalization, or restoration?'

"An introspective look may reveal that we too and our families could benefit from our doing some needed maintenance and renovation work, even a seismic upgrade! We might start such a process by asking:

"'What does my foundation look like?'

"'What comprises the thick-walled, stable, strong cornerstones that are part of my personal foundation, upon which my testimony rests?'

"'What are the foundational elements of my spiritual and emotional character that will allow me and my family to remain steadfast and immovable, even to withstand the earthshaking and tumultuous seismic events that will surely take place in our lives?'

"These events, similar to an earthquake, are often difficult to predict and come in various levels of intensity—wrestling with questions or doubt, facing affliction or adversity, working through personal offenses with Church leaders, members, doctrine, or policy. The best defense against these lies in our spiritual foundation."

- Gary E. Stevenson, "A Good Foundation against the Time to Come," General Conference April 2020, Saturday afternoon

Click here to read or listen to the full talk

Elder Stevenson reviewed the history of the construction of the Salt Lake temple, including the importance of the foundation stones. He then described the extensive project underway this year to provide reinforcement to the temple to ensure its stability and endurance. It was fascinating to me a number of years ago to have the chance to frequently watch similar work that was done on the Provo Tabernacle in preparation for its becoming a temple.

That provides the opportunity to present an analogy to consider: are there modifications in our personal and family situations that could provide greater strength, stability, or safety from the challenges of our time?

Elder Stevenson suggests that we will all have "earthshaking and tumultuous seismic events that will surely take place in our lives" in the future. So are there items of "maintenance and renovation work" in our lives that would help provide the strength to endure and thrive, come what may? "The best defense against these lies in our spiritual foundation." In the talk, he goes on to suggest some things that could help strengthen that foundation. We should each consider our personal situation and look for ways to improve.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2020)

Elder LeGrand Richards on laying a solid foundation

Elder LeGrand Richards (1886-1983) served as the Presiding Bishop of the Church from 1938-1952, when he was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles.  He died in 1983 at age 96.

"Today I thought I would like to say a few words about the kind of a foundation we have for our faith, and what we live for, and what our aims and our ambitions really are. I think of the time the beautiful temple here on this block was erected, over a hundred years ago. When the foundation was being laid, we are told that it was sixteen feet wide, and at one time President Brigham Young came and saw the workmen throwing in chipped granite. He made them take it out and put in those great granite blocks with this explanation: 'We are building this temple to stand through the millennium.' Isn’t that a good thought? Each one of us ought to want to build our lives and help our families to build their lives so that we can stand through the millennium....

"The kind of foundation upon which we build our lives is just as important for our eternal happiness as is the kind of a foundation upon which they built that holy temple that it might stand through the millennium."

- LeGrand Richards, "Laying a Foundation for the Millennium," General Conference October 1971
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

Elder Richards loved to teach from the scriptures, and loved stories and analogies—often from his own missionary experiences. He was one of the leaders who spanned the early part of the dispensation; when he was born, the Salt Lake temple had not yet been dedicated, and so in a way he had a personal connection to that building and to this story of its construction:

So the importance of a firm and solid foundation can't be understated, when you are planning on building a long-lasting structure. That was critical for the temple; it is even more critical for our lives and our futures, and for our families. We should think carefully about what kinds of foundational principles are in place that we depend on in our lives. Those underlying beliefs and practices become more and more critical as the years go by.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2019)

Elder D. Todd Christofferson on the challenges of society and moral discipline

Elder D. Todd Christofferson (born January 24, 1945) was called to the Seventy in 1993, and as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2008.

"In most of the world, we have been experiencing an extended and devastating economic recession. It was brought on by multiple causes, but one of the major causes was widespread dishonest and unethical conduct, particularly in the U.S. housing and financial markets. Reactions have focused on enacting more and stronger regulation. Perhaps that may dissuade some from unprincipled conduct, but others will simply get more creative in their circumvention. There could never be enough rules so finely crafted as to anticipate and cover every situation, and even if there were, enforcement would be impossibly expensive and burdensome. This approach leads to diminished freedom for everyone. In the memorable phrase of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen, 'We would not accept the yoke of Christ; so now we must tremble at the yoke of Caesar.'

"In the end, it is only an internal moral compass in each individual that can effectively deal with the root causes as well as the symptoms of societal decay. Societies will struggle in vain to establish the common good until sin is denounced as sin and moral discipline takes its place in the pantheon of civic virtues.

"Moral discipline is learned at home. While we cannot control what others may or may not do, the Latter-day Saints can certainly stand with those who demonstrate virtue in their own lives and inculcate virtue in the rising generation."

- D. Todd Christofferson, "Moral Discipline," General Conference October 2009
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

Elder Christofferson's premise is that financial, economic, and societal challenges are the result of "widespread dishonest and unethical conduct." Governments respond by trying to enact more regulations to control behavior; but that only evokes more creative misbehavior. As the rules and controls pile up, we not only struggle with the burden of enforcement, but inevitably see a loss of general freedom.

It's been said that "you can't legislate morality." You can only attempt to control behavior. But the underlying motivations must come from a well-defined moral foundation in order to truly find peace and success:

And so it becomes ever more critical to "inculcate virtue in the rising generation." Without that foundation being established, society will continue to struggle mightily to define a proper course.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2019)

Elder Neil L. Andersen on being solidly grounded in times of spiritual tornadoes

Elder Neil L. Andersen (b. August 9, 1951) served as a Seventy beginning in 1993, and was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 2009.

"With all the wonderful blessings that are ours in living in this beautiful world, ours is also a time of spiritual tornadoes.... These tornadoes come out of the modern day sky with increasing frequency and test our spiritual foundations. With more opportunities, more time, more freedom, and more privilege come more temptation, and more chance of spiritual destruction from the cares, riches, and pleasures of this life. (See Matthew 13:21; Luke 8:13-14)

"To weather these storms in this environment the Lord has instructed us by His prophets that we must become grounded, rooted, established, and settled in spiritual things. (See Ephesians 3:17; 1 Peter 5:10; Colossians 1:23; 2:7) Christ himself speaking to His disciples said, 'Settle this in your hearts, that you will do the things which I shall teach and command you.' (JST Luke 14:28) Grounded, rooted, established and settled.

"My message today is that we must deepen our faith. Our motives must be real belief. In the environment in which we now live and in which we will live, a simple desire to follow the traditions of our parents will not be sufficient to protect us. There must come into each of our lives a firm conviction that there will be no lasting happiness except in keeping the commandments of God. It will not be sufficient to spiritually live without deep-rooted, powerful testimonies, for the winds and tornadoes of the world will surround us like never before....

"What does it mean to be grounded, rooted, established, and settled spiritually? It means to see 'things as they really are.' (See Jacob 4:13) It means having an eternal perspective, and realizing those things that will shape our lives over much more than the next five, ten, fifteen, or fifty years, but shape and mold our spirits eternally, for our spirits live forever. It is having a faith that is not a generalized feeling but reflects specific experience with interlocking principles. Being grounded and rooted means being able to look forward and backward from this life. A hundred years from now, how will my decisions affect me? A thousand years? A million years? The difficulties that are now mine, how meaningful will they be in a future state?

"This perspective of seeing the spiritual all around us, seeing the purposes of life, does not come merely because we want to believe these things. If we have not grounded and settled these things deep within the foundation of our soul, when the tornadoes come we will find ourselves carried away."

- Neil L. Andersen, "Grounded, Rooted, Established, Settled," LDS Business College devotional, January 14, 1998
Click here to read the full article

I recently came across this talk by Elder Andersen, given when he was serving as a Seventy before his call to the Twelve. I loved his examples and analogies as he discussed the destructive power of tornadoes, and then considered the "spiritual tornadoes" of our time and the different but equally devastating destructive influence they can have if we are not prepared for their onslaught.

I believe it was Elder Neal A. Maxwell who, in a 1981 BYU devotional, first brought together adjectives from the teachings of Peter and Paul to discuss the hope for each of us to be "grounded, rooted, established, and settled" in our gospel maturity. That kind of spiritual anchoring and stability becomes the key in resisting the force of spiritual tornadoes:

Elder Andersen specifies some of the evidences of one who is "grounded, rooted, established, and settled" as:

• having deep-rooted, powerful testimonies
• seeing things as they really are (the spiritual perceptiveness to understand truth)
• having eternal perspective on life and the events that befall us
• having specific, detailed, reinforced faith
• seeing life in the context of time both backwards and forwards
• knowing that events and circumstances might seem serious, but being able to keep the long-term perspective of what their true impact will be

Being grounded and settled happens "deep within the foundations of our soul." We would be wise to carefully examine our souls and consider how we can strengthen our spiritual moorings.

Elder Robert D. Hales on the sure foundation of the Savior

Elder Robert D. Hales (b. August 24, 1932) served as a Seventy from 1976 to 1985, when he was called as a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles.

"The words of the prophet Helaman cry from the dust: 'Remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation..., a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall' (Helaman 5:12). Indeed, we will not fail.

"That sure foundation is Jesus Christ. He is 'the Rock of Heaven' (Moses 7:53). When we build our house upon Him, the rains of the latter days may descend, the floods may come, and the winds may blow, but we will not fall. We will not fail, for our home and our family will be founded upon Christ. (See 3 Nephi 14:24-25.)

"I testify that such a home is 'a house of glory' (D&C 88:119; 109:8, 16). There we gather together to pray to our Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ, His Beloved Son. There we glorify and give gratitude to Them. There we receive the Holy Ghost and 'the promise which [He gives] unto [us] of eternal life, even the glory of the celestial kingdom' (D&C 88:4)."

- Robert D. Hales, "Eternal Life—to Know Our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ," Ensign, November 2014, pp. 80-82
Click here to read or listen to the full article

The prophet Helaman delivered a stirring reminder to his sons that has become an important and frequently-quoted message to our day as well. He begins with "Remember, remember..."—a reinforced plea that they hold to this counsel. Helaman senses this is something we have a tendency to neglect, but that he knew was critically important to retain active in our thoughts. Failure in life follows from building on a foundation that is not solid; but it also comes when we forget the counsel to base our life and decisions on the rock of the Redeemer.

What does it mean to build upon the foundation of the Rock of Heaven, the Redeemer of man? It means that everything we do is based on His role and influence. It means that our decisions are made in the light of of His teachings and commandments. It means that our actions strive to follow His example. It means that every word and deed is motivated by recognition of, and gratitude for, His love and atoning gift to us.

And a home and family built upon this Rock truly becomes a divine institution, a foretaste of heavenly potential, a "house of glory." What a marvelous ideal to strive for!