“A Good Foundation against the Time to Come (excerpts),” New Era, May 2020, 28–29.
A Good Foundation against the Time to Come (excerpts)
On July 24, 1847 … Brigham Young … entered the Salt Lake Valley.
Two days later, … Brigham Young … stuck his cane in the ground, exclaiming, “Here shall stand the Temple of our God.” …
… Brigham Young offered the following prophetic insight at general conference in October 1863: “I want to see [the Salt Lake] temple built in a manner that it will endure through the millennium.” …
The temple renovation that would employ [the latest seismic] technology was announced by the First Presidency last year. … It is estimated to be completed in approximately four years. …
An introspective look may reveal that we too and our families could benefit from our doing some needed maintenance and renovation work, even a seismic upgrade! …
[Events in our lives], similar to an earthquake, are often difficult to predict and come in various levels of intensity—wrestling with questions or doubt, facing affliction or adversity, working through personal offenses with Church leaders, members, doctrine, or policy. The best defense against these lies in our spiritual foundation. …
For me, the principles included in the questions discussed as part of receiving a temple recommend serve as a strong basis for a spiritual foundation—particularly the first four questions. I see them as spiritual cornerstones. …
… During the coming years, may we allow these improvements made to the Salt Lake Temple to move and inspire us, as individuals and families, so that we too—metaphorically—will “be built in a manner that will endure through the millennium.”