In the Sunday afternoon session of the October 2021 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Russell M. Nelson made the following remarks:
The voices and pressures of the world are engaging and numerous. But too many voices are deceptive, seductive, and can pull us off the covenant path. To avoid the inevitable heartbreak that follows, I plead with you today to counter the lure of the world by making time for the Lord in your life—each and every day.
If most of the information you get comes from social or other media, your ability to hear the whisperings of the Spirit will be diminished. If you are not also seeking the Lord through daily prayer and gospel study, you leave yourself vulnerable to philosophies that may be intriguing but are not true. Even Saints who are otherwise faithful can be derailed by the steady beat of Babylon’s band.
My brothers and sisters, I plead with you to make time for the Lord! Make your own spiritual foundation firm and able to stand the test of time by doing those things that allow the Holy Ghost to be with you always.
In Sunday school we were invited to analyze this passage, highlighting what we felt were important concepts. I decided to also make a little diagram to organize the concepts that were impressed upon me:
(4) Results: Covenants Strength Holy Ghost
^ ^
(3) Focus: JESUS CHRIST
^ ^
(2) Time: Truths Prayer Scriptures
^ ^
(1) Influences: Media Voices Pressures "Beats"
v v
(2) Time: Philosophies "Babylon's Band"
v v
(3) Focus: THE WORLD
v v
(4) Results: Heartbreak Lies Weakened
We are all presented with influences (middle line). We choose what to do with our time in response to those influences, which lands our focus accordingly. What/who we focus on over the long-term determines our results.
Doctrine and Covenants 45:57
57 For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived--verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day.