Podcast with Commentary
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Lesson – Build a Fortress of Spirituality and Protection & Where Will This Lead?
Oxford dictionary defines fortress as:
for·tress/ˈfôrtrəs/noun
a military stronghold, especially a strongly fortified town fit for a large garrison.synonyms:fort, castle, citadel, blockhouse, burg, keep, tower, donjon, turret, bunker;
a person or thing not susceptible to outside influence or disturbance.
Christ-centered homes are fortresses for the kingdom of God on earth in a day when, as prophesied, the devil “rage[s] in the hearts of the children of men, and stir[s] them up to anger against that which is good.”
People have built fortresses throughout history to keep the enemy outside. Often those fortresses included a guard tower where watchmen—like prophets—warned of menacing forces and coming attacks.
- Reading Insights from a Prophets Life, talk about Family Proclamation
How can we be better watchmen for our families?
In early Utah pioneer times, my great-grandfather Thomas Rasband and his family were some of the first settlers to enter the Heber Valley in the beautiful Wasatch Mountains of Utah.
In 1859, Thomas helped construct the Heber fort, built for their protection. It was a simple structure of cottonwood logs positioned one next to the other, forming the perimeter of the fort. Log cabins were built inside the fortress using that common wall. The structure provided both security and safety for those pioneer families as they put down roots and worshipped the Lord.
Video of building a log cabin. I made a 2 minute version of this hour long YouTube video. https://youtu.be/7rgGEkI510Q
Our homes are fortresses against the evils of the world. In our homes we come unto Christ by learning to follow His commandments, by studying the scriptures and praying together, and by helping one another stay on the covenant path. The new emphasis on personal and family study in the home through the curriculum Come, Follow Me is designed “to deepen our conversion and help us become more like Jesus Christ.”
In so doing we will become what Paul called “new creature[s]”5 with our hearts and souls in tune with God. We need that strength to face and deflect the assaults of the adversary.
As we live with devotion born of faith in Jesus Christ, we will feel the peaceful presence of the Holy Ghost, who guides us to truth, inspires us to live worthy of the Lord’s blessings, and bears witness that God lives and loves us. All this within the fortress of our own homes. But remember, our homes are only as powerful as the spiritual strength of each one of us within the walls.
Oxford dictionary defines devotion as:
de·vo·tion/dəˈvōSH(ə)n/noun
love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause.”his courage and devotion to duty never wavered”synonyms:loyalty, faithfulness, fidelity, trueness, staunchness, steadfastness, constancy, commitment, adherence, allegiance, dedication, devoutness;
How can we become more devoted to Christ and the building up His kingdom? How can we help our families to be more devoted to Him?
President Russell M. Nelson has taught, “In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.”
For our safety, we must build a fortress of spirituality and protection for our very souls, a fortress that will not be penetrated by the evil one.
Satan is a subtle snake, sneaking into our minds and hearts when we have let our guard down, faced a disappointment, or lost hope. He entices us with flattery, a promise of ease, comfort, or a temporary high when we are low. He justifies pride, unkindness, dishonesty, discontent, and immorality, and in time we can be “past feeling.” The Spirit can leave us. “And thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.”
When we build a fortress of spiritual strength, we can shun the advances of the adversary, turn our backs on him, and feel the peace of the Spirit. We can follow the example of our Lord and Savior, who, when tempted in the wilderness, said, “Get thee behind me, Satan.” We each have to learn by the experiences of life how to do that.
What are some ways we can fortify ourselves in troubled times, that we may be “instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work”?
Do we act with the willing obedience of Nephi? Or are we more inclined to question God’s commands as did Nephi’s brothers, whose lack of faith eventually turned them away from the Lord? Obedience, exercised with “holiness of heart,”18 is what the Lord asks of us.
We trust the Lord, who said to Joshua as he prepared to lead the Israelites into the promised land, “Be strong and of … good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”
We stand for the truth, as did the prophet Abinadi in the Book of Mormon
We make and renew our covenants by partaking of the sacrament and by worshipping in the temple.
We should have integrity in all that we do.
Our present and our future will be happier if we are always conscious of the future. As we make current decisions, we should always be asking, “Where will this lead?”
As we diligently strengthen our fortifications, we become like Jesus Christ, as His true disciples, with our very souls in His protection.
Your testimony of Jesus Christ is your personal fortress, the security for your soul. When my great-grandfather and his fellow pioneers built the Heber fort, they put up one log at a time until the fort was “fitly framed together”28 and they were protected. So it is with testimony.
Our testimonies connect us to the heavens, and we are blessed with “the truth of all things.” And, like pioneers protected by a fortress, we are safely encircled in the arms of the Savior’s love.
My dear brothers and sisters, I leave you with my blessing to go forth with confidence in the Lord and in His gospel. Put your arms around those who stumble and, with the strength of the Spirit within you, lead them lovingly back to the fortress of spirituality and protection. Seek “to be like Jesus”32 in all that you do; shun evil and temptations; repent, as we were admonished yesterday by our dear prophet; be honest in heart; be upright and pure; show compassion and charity; and love the Lord your God with the devotion of a true disciple.
Our testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ, our homes, our families, and our membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be our personal fortresses of protection surrounding us and shielding us from the power of the evil one.
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