Brigham Young University-Idaho devotional: A firm foundation
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A firm foundation is necessary to withstand spiritual landslides in life, Elder L. Whitney Clayton of the Presidency of the Seventy, in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, told BYU-Idaho students during the weekly devotional held in the Hart Auditorium on Nov. 10.
"Many of us envision a landslide as looking something like an avalanche, where the snow on the side of a mountain breaks away and moves downhill at tremendous speed," Elder Clayton said. "That kind of landslide does happen, and can be quite destructive. … I learned that there are other landslides that are equally destructive but which move much more slowly."
Using homes in Bolivia in contrast of homes in some areas of Southern California as examples, Elder Clayton spoke of the immediate or gradual landslide a home can experience when built upon unstable ground. Many of those homes were built with the owner unaware of the risk involved.
While visiting Bolivia recently, Elder Clayton and his wife witnessed an area that was destroyed by a giant landslide. Many Church members' homes were destroyed in a quick moment as the fast moving landslide hit the area.
For the homes in Southern California the movement is slight, and over a period of time the home is moved from its original location. Simple things like sewer connections and water supplies are broken and, in some extreme cases, a home can literally be torn apart, Elder Clayton said.
"As you can understand, even a very slow landslide, with soil moving at only an inch every few months, can produce catastrophic results in a few years," he said. "My purpose today is to help you feel a greater desire to build your house upon a rock," Elder Clayton said.
"Digging deep and establishing our foundation on a rock is essential to our spiritual and emotional well-being. All of us will have some times when the rains will descend, the floods arise, and beat vehemently upon our lives, upon us," he said. "We will likely experience our own sudden landslides. … We don't get a free pass in this life. The strength of our foundation will be critical when the storms flood and winds blow upon our houses."
Slight landslides come in many different forms. Personally experiencing, or watching a loved one suffer from serious illness, a difficult marriage, a child who wanders or business failures can be difficult, Elder Clayton said. Some landslides come because of sin, or by slowly allowing Satan's influence to enter an individual's life.
"Tempting you to do something horrible would not be the adversary's best strategy," he said. "You understand that doing something awful would be terribly dangerous to you and to all of your hopes. I am more concerned about slow- moving landslides, about the seemingly insignificant temptations that move us little by little, here an inch and there an inch, away from a sure foundation."
The world offers so many clever rationalizations, Elder Clayton said, making it crucial for an individual to be careful and recognize when rationalization begins.
"These slow-moving landslides of risk exist in simple failures to read the scriptures daily, to pray, to keep the Sabbath day holy and to hold family home evening," he said. "They arise when we permit ourselves a first lingering look at pornography, a minor infraction of the Word of Wisdom or a small physical indiscretion when dating. He makes us think that finding fault with the Brethren doesn't matter, or suggests that we should feel embarrassed about our belief in the Lord, His Church, its doctrines and so on."
Other slow-moving landslides include prideful pursuing of wealth and social prominence, cynicism, political correctness and conforming to the philosophies of men.
Although temptations and diversions arise, individuals have a choice in which they build their foundation, Elder Clayton said. With a strong foundation, one can be stable during a major storm.
"There is a perfect foundation, of infinite strength, available to all," Elder Clayton said. "We can build on this foundation without fear. We can trust the foundation never to collapse under us. We can be sure that we will weather any storm, surmount any challenge, and come off conquerors in any spiritual contest if we build on that sure foundation."
This strong and sure foundation, Elder Clayton said, is the Savior, Jesus Christ and the doctrines of the gospel that He lived and taught.
"By being obedient I mean that we should cultivate a desire to be good, to be clean, be reverent, be kind, be consistent and be diligent," Elder Clayton said. "We control what we watch and the things to which we listen. We don't press our luck by taking risks physically or spiritually. We build controls and precautions into our lives. We are faithful. We manifest to the Savior that we are willing to take upon us His name. We offer Him our agency and promise to do it 'His' way. Our willingness to do His will opens the windows of Heaven for us."
As individuals are obedient to the counsel of the living prophet and apostles and study the scriptures, they are able to build upon the strong foundation the Savior has set.
"Building our lives on the Savior as our sure foundation is the only sure path to safety and joy," Elder Clayton said. "A constant, consecrated effort to anchor ourselves to Him is required. …
"If you will build on the foundation of Jesus Christ, your foundation will never fail. You will build upon a foundation which cannot fail, worlds without end. Your faith in Him can be unlimited, for His power and goodness and ability to bless and strengthen you know no end. He loves you perfectly."
