Embrace the Future with Faith

 Here are the highlights for this weeks lesson! The link to the full talk is here.

Embrace the Future with Faith 

By President Russell M. Nelson  President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Lord has spoken of our day in sobering terms. He warned that in our day “men’s hearts [would fail] them”2, even the very elect would be at risk of being deceived.3 Yet the Lord has also provided a vision of how remarkable this dispensation is. He inspired the Prophet Joseph Smith to declare that “the work of … these last days, is one of vast magnitude. … Its glories are past description, and its grandeur unsurpassable.”6

Now, grandeur may not be the word you would choose to describe these past few months! How are we to deal with both the somber prophecies and the glorious pronouncements about our day? The Lord told us how with simple, but stunning, reassurance: “If ye are prepared ye shall not fear.”7 If preparation is our key to embracing this dispensation, how can we best prepare?

Principle Number One: Create Places of Security

When your home becomes a personal sanctuary of faith, it becomes the first line of defense. The stakes of Zion are “a refuge from the storm”13 because they are led by those who hold priesthood keys and exercise priesthood authority.

The temple is a place of security unlike any other. There, you are endowed with priesthood power through the sacred priesthood covenants you make. Even this year, when access to our temples has been seriously limited, your endowment has given you constant access to God’s power as you have honored your covenants with Him.

Simply said, a place of security is anywhere you can feel the presence of the Holy Ghost and be guided by Him.15 When the Holy Ghost is with you, you can teach truth, even when it runs counter to prevailing opinions.

Principle Number Two: Prepare Your Mind to Be Faithful to God

Our faith increases every time we exercise our faith in Him. That is what learning by faith means. Each time we have the faith to be obedient to God’s laws—even when popular opinions belittle us—or each time we resist entertainment or ideologies that celebrate covenant-breaking, we are exercising our faith, which in turn increases our faith. Few things build faith more than does regular immersion in the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is our latter-day survival guide.

Our ultimate security comes as we yoke ourselves to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ! Life without God is a life filled with fear. Life with God is a life filled with peace. I promise that as you increase your capacity to receive revelation, the Lord will bless you with increased direction for your life and with boundless gifts of the Spirit.

Principle Number Three: Never Stop Preparing

The adversary never stops attacking. So, we can never stop preparing! The more self-reliant we are—temporally, emotionally, and spiritually—the more prepared we are to thwart Satan’s relentless assaults.

Dear sisters, please, keep going! Your vigilance in safeguarding your homes and instilling faith in the hearts of your loved ones will reap rewards for generations to come. The Lord placed you here now because He knew you had the capacity to negotiate the complexities of the latter part of these latter days.