Come, Listen to a Prophet’s Voice

The foundation is just the first step in building a temple – or a life of discipleship.

We are accustomed to sustaining by raising our right arms but true sustaining {comes in our actions as we listen and apply their words}.

In April 2013 I spoke about the efforts involved in preparing every temple’s foundation to ensure that it can withstand the storms and calamities to which it will be subjected. But the foundation is just the beginning. A temple is composed of many building blocks, fitted together according to predesigned patterns. If our lives are to become the temples each of us is striving to construct as taught by the Lord (see 1 Corinthians 3:16–17), we could reasonably ask ourselves, “What building blocks should we put in place in order to make our lives beautiful, majestic, and resistant to the storms of the world?

I was focused on the foundation of or family (not sure I got it as desired) but I don’t think I thought specifically about many other building blocks.

These then are some essential building blocks of our individual faith and testimony:

1. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.
2. The Book of Mormon is the word of God.
3. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the kingdom of God on the earth.
4. Joseph Smith is a prophet, and we have living prophets on the earth today.

I stand corrected. I did think of each of those.

The chief cornerstone and building block of the Church and for our lives is Jesus Christ. This is His Church. President Nelson is His prophet. President Nelson’s teachings witness and reveal for our benefit the life and character of Jesus Christ. He speaks lovingly and knowingly of the Savior’s nature and of His mission. He has also borne frequent and fervent testimony of the divine calling of the living prophets—the Presidents of the Church—under whom he has served.

Listening to and hearkening to living prophets will have profound, even life-changing effects in our lives. We are strengthened. We are more assured and confident in the Lord. We hear the word of the Lord. We feel God’s love. We will know how to conduct our lives with purpose.