Becoming a Devoted, Life-long Disciple of Jesus Christ

The Book of Mormon prophet Helaman counseled his sons to “remember, remember that it is upon the rock of the Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.” (Helaman 5:12 emphasis added)

To build our foundation on the Rock of the Redeemer is to become a lifelong disciple of Jesus Christ.  During the past two years, the Asia Area has emphasized the importance of becoming lifelong disciples of the Savior through helping all to feel a sense of belonging, to have joyful sabbath experiences, to serve God and our fellow men, and to deepen the influence of sacred covenants in our lives.  In each of these areas, we have focused on the corresponding covenants and ordinances of baptism and confirmation, the sacrament, missionary service, and worship in the house of the Lord.  We are most grateful for your individual and collective efforts, for the progress made in each of these areas of focus and for the many lives that have been blessed because of it. 

Earlier this year, the world was stunned by the sudden and unexpected firestorm that destroyed entire neighborhoods in Los Angeles, California, in the USA.  The speed and intensity at which the fires spread was unprecedented resulting in tens of thousands of people displaced and the destruction of entire communities.  However, amongst the devastation, there were occasional homes that survived, while everything around them was burned to the ground.  These “Miracle Homes” have been studied by experts, and it has been found that while location, wind direction, firefighting efforts, and building density all play important roles, these homes share similarities including: being built with fire-resistant materials; having had combustible brush and vegetation cleared from their immediate perimeters; and in some cases, having defensive fire-repelling sprinkler systems installed in advance.

Similarly, the challenges we will face in life, whether they be temporal, financial, emotional, physical health, or spiritual in nature, may come unexpectedly and swiftly.  But if we have already built our foundation solidly on the rock of Jesus Christ, we have the promise that we will be able to survive anything that may come our way.  On the contrary, if we choose not to do so, it is assured that we will not survive.  (See 3 Nephi 18:13). For those of us who have children or others whom we love, do we not wish to prepare them in such a way so they can withstand and triumph over every trial they will encounter in their lives?

To help us, the Lord has taught us through His prophet.  Let’s review some of the things President Russell M. Nelson, has instructed and invited us to do in recent years:

1. “In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.” (“Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives,” Liahona, May 2018)
2. “Remove, with the Savior’s help, the old debris in our lives.” (“Welcome Message,” Liahona, May 2021)
3. “Implement extraordinary measures...to strengthen our personal spiritual foundations.” (“The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation,” Liahona, November 2021)
4. “Whenever any kind of upheaval occurs in your life, the safest place to be spiritually is living inside your temple covenants!” (“The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation,” Liahona, November 2021)
5. Be peacemakers –“Replace belligerence with beseeching, animosity with understanding, and contention with peace.” (“Peacemakers Needed,” Liahona, May 2023)
6. “Now is the time for you and for me to prepare for the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.  Now is the time for us to make our discipleship our highest priority.”  (“The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again,” Liahona, November 2024)

The Lord’s prophet is inviting us to build our foundation upon the Rock of the Redeemer and to become better and lifelong disciples of the Savior.  He is preparing us for the Savior’s second coming and the turbulence that will surely arise between now and then.  The promises to the faithful who heed and hearken to the Lord’s invitations are assured.  Wherever we each may be on our path of discipleship, may we continue to move forward with diligence and faith and be as the “wise man who built his house upon the rock.” (See Matthew 7:24-27)