This week I studied the sermon, Spiritual Whirlwinds by Neil L. Andersen. All quote are from this sermon unless otherwise noted. While some sermons give a small nugget of truth to cherish, others including this one are gems from commencement to conclusion. To me this sermon confirmed what I know to be true. Holding onto the Word and walking in the footsteps of Jesus help me resist temptation. When fear creeps into my psyche, I shake it off and put my trust in God. Am I perfect? No, the whirlwinds are quite strong at times. That's when repentance comes into play. As usual the sermon speker said it more eloquently than I...
"And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people," Doctrine and Covenants 88:91
Brigham Young said, “It was revealed to me in the commencement of this Church, that the Church would spread, prosper, grow and extend, and that in proportion to the spread of the Gospel among the nations of the earth, so would the power of Satan rise."
"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our 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, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall," Helaman 5:12
"More concerning than the prophesied earthquakes and wars3 are the spiritual whirlwinds that can uproot you from your spiritual foundations and land your spirit in places you never imagined possible, sometimes with your barely noticing that you have been moved. The worst whirlwinds are the temptations of the adversary. Sin has always been part of the world, but it has never been so accessible, insatiable, and acceptable. There is, of course, a powerful force that will subdue the whirlwinds of sin. It is called repentance. Not all the whirlwinds in life are of your own making. Some come because of the wrong choices of others, and some come just because this is mortality. The whirlwinds...can increase your spiritual strength, preparing you for the years ahead."
President Thomas S. Monson has said, “Where once the standards of the Church and the standards of society were mostly compatible, now there is a wide chasm between us, and it’s growing ever wider...Changes in the civil law do not, indeed cannot, change the moral law that God has established. God expects us to uphold and keep His commandments regardless of divergent opinions or trends in society...The Savior of mankind described Himself as being in the world but not of the world. We also can be in the world but not of the world as we reject false concepts and false teachings and remain true to that which God has commanded."
"Treasure more completely His incomparable life and teachings. Follow more diligently His example and His commandments. Embrace more deeply His love, His mercy and grace, and the powerful gifts of His Atonement. As you do, I promise you that you will see the whirlwinds for what they are—tests, temptations, distractions, or challenges to help you grow. And as you live righteously year after year, I assure you that your experiences will confirm to you again and again that Jesus is the Christ. The spiritual rock under your feet will be solid and secure. You will rejoice that God has placed you here to be a part of the final preparations for Christ’s glorious return."
