The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation

We arrived to Maui a few days ago and have spent every evening on the beach just outside our condo. Usually the waves remind me of constant strength and energy, but this time I was watching the effect they were having on our little beach. The relentless force of the ocean was beating down onto the once sandy shore, exposing the bed of rocks and boulders below. The delicate sands were no match for the churning waters. I related to this vulnerable shoreline, now bare and raw. Tired and beaten. Wondering if it will ever see rest from the crashing.

Then I looked closer at what was being revealed. I noticed the elements of rock and earth, immovable and solid, that remained in their place day after day, wave after wave. I no longer saw a shore that was weak, but a shore that was in it for the long game. It knew its beautiful sands would return if it just held on. It knew the foundation on which it was built was strong enough to withstand any storm, swell, or surge.

We too, may be exposed at times—victim to the breaking waves of mortality and adversity, leaving us exhausted and stripped to the core. And so we must ask ourselves, what remains?

“How firm is your foundation?”

When all else fails or washes away, is He the ground you stand on?

“If you and I are to withstand the forthcoming perils and pressures, it is imperative that we each have a firm spiritual foundation built upon the rock of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ . . . The temple lies at the center of strengthening our faith and spiritual fortitude . . . I promise you that over time, [it] will become a place of safety, solace, and revelation."

The heavens will open and angels will attend. THIS, we are promised. A foundation that remains is not built in a day, it is built day by day.

Begin with the temple. Spend time with Him there. And recognize that when you meet resistance it simply means that the adversary knows the good that is about to come of it.

Hang on a little longer. Trust in the long game. The waves you face are no match for a foundation “built solidly upon Jesus Christ."

Affirmation

I stand firm and immovable against the storms of adversity. I trust in my God and in my Savior upon which my foundation is built.

Invitation

Decide now when you will attend the temple over the next six months. Set a realistic goal, write it down, schedule the appointment(s) ahead of time, make necessary childcare arrangements if needed, and follow through!

If you don’t yet love to attend the temple, remember President Nelson’s promise, “Go more often—not less. I promise you that over time, the temple will become a place of safety, solace, and
revelation.”