In nature, trees that grow up in a windy environment
become stronger.
As winds whip around a young sapling, forces inside the tree
do two things.
First, they stimulate the roots to grow faster and spread
farther.
Second, the forces in the tree start
creating cell structures that actually
make the trunk and branches thicker and more
flexible to the pressure of the wind.
These stronger roots and branches
protect the tree from winds that are sure to return.
My young friends, the world will not
glide calmly toward the Second Coming of the Savior.
The scriptures declare that "all things shall be in commotion."
More concerning than the prophesied earthquakes and wars
are the spiritual whirlwinds that
can uproot you from your spiritual foundations
and land your spirit in places you never imagined possible,
sometimes without your hardly noticing that you
have been moved.
The worst whirlwinds are the temptations of the adversary.
Sin always has been and always will be a part of this world.
But it has never been so accessible, insatiable,
and acceptable.
There is, of course, a powerful force that
will subdue the winds of sin.
It is called repentance.
How do you prepare for your whirlwinds?
"Remember ...
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, ...
his shafts in the whirlwind, ...
when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you,
it shall have no power ...
to drag you down ...
because of the rock upon which ye are built."
This is your safety in the whirlwind.