What are the cornerstones of life and why?

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Rose Garden
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What are the cornerstones of life and why?

Post by Rose Garden »

This is the current philosophical question I'm pondering on right now. I thought I'd see what others say.

gardener4life
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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

Post by gardener4life »

I know this sounds cliche but its so true....

The corner stones of life include the concept of being centered on Christ. I really think this. One of the reasons why I think this is knowing that no matter how bad things get in this life, or things I don't have or don't get, or are deprived of Jesus and Heavenly Father can give me a future in the hereafter or in the Millenium to compensate if I stay living worthy and true. I think people underestimate this. No matter what I have to go without on, or miss or have taken away because of the choices of others, through the atonement of Christ it can be compensated through faithful living of the gospel.

Loss of friends can be fixed by the atonement, loss of family, death, disease, poverty, chronic illness, enmity, predatory relationships, divorce, a child or sibling straying from the gospel, not having enough for our needs, sin, spiritual death, needing a lift up, hate from others,...all of that can be compensated for and fixed from living the gospel and reaching out to Christ.

It won't always be fixed in this life. In fact a lot of it won't be fixed in this life. But he always keeps his promises to those that are living worthy. And I say this because it can hurt to be missing some of the anchors of life we need. When we're missing an anchor we replace that with Christ.

Thanks for asking such a great question to think about!

And to reach such promises, the simple things of taking the sacrament, keeping covenants, prayer, scripture study, repentance, and obedience with faith matter.

Rand
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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

Post by Rand »

Faith in Jesus Christ, Hope in him and his Gospel. Charity toward all men. Live with delightful gratitude and our of sense of deep humility and you will be on the right track.
Why? Faith because it is the foundation of all that is good. Hope, because it will infect all we do. Charity, because it sets the stage upon which we live. Gratitude, because we have been commanded to give thanks to God in all things, and it is a manifestation of faith in Him.
Humility, because, with gratitude, it puts all things in a proper godly perspective.

Finrock
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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

Post by Finrock »

gardener4life wrote: February 15th, 2018, 12:09 am But he always keeps his promises to those that are living worthy.
I believe God keeps His promises. Period.

-Finrock

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Rose Garden
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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

Post by Rose Garden »

I probably should have specified that when I asked the question, I was asking about this earthly life, not eternal life. I realized that on this type of forum, it's natural to go more toward metaphysical things. I was considering the question from a universal position. I am wondering about principles that would apply to everyone everywhere, regardless of what their life was like. What applies to the slave and to the king, to the businessman and to the bum, to the infant and to the parent, regardless of what they have been taught and understand. My main question is what is the "chief cornerstone" or the point in which all life revolves around in this earthly life.

Here is what I have come up with so far:

Chief cornerstone: focus
This is the thing that drives a particular person, that they place their faith and hope in and that they love. It could be self preservation, vanity, etc. It could be Jesus Christ if a person chose to make him their focus in life but it doesn't have to be. There is always something driving everyone in life.

Secondary cornerstones (the ones measured from the chief cornerstone): protection and substance
These two stones provide every need to sustain physical life.
-Substance: food, water air. The things that keep the body alive.
-Protection: clothing (for personal body), shelter (for protection against the elements), and community (for protection against other groups of people)

Final cornerstone: action
This is what the person actually does. It is what they use their strength and abilities to do in their life.

The cornerstones and foundation would look something like this:
Image

robertlee
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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

Post by robertlee »

I believe that we are given a life to praise God and to follow the right path to atone for our sins and our loved ones. For everything else - God's will and all the rest will be managed only by Him

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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

Post by robertlee »

And this is right I think

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Craig Johnson
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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

Post by Craig Johnson »

Actually God provides all of our needs. If a person has not ever heard of the Lord Jesus Christ then their cornerstone is following His Spirit which will guide them to do works of righteousness. In the current world there are not many who have not heard of the Lord and very few who do not know, by the blessings of God to every soul the difference between right and wrong, which is the Spirit of Jesus Christ given to every person. Those who have true mental cognition issues are the ones who can be excused and only God knows who each one of them is. Your cornerstone and every one else's is Jesus Christ, He provides all your needs and He guides you in all your righteous, purposeful thoughts. Without Him not only would we have nothing, we would not exist since He is the medium by which God the Father has created all that is.

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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

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Craig Johnson wrote: February 23rd, 2018, 9:15 am Actually God provides all of our needs. If a person has not ever heard of the Lord Jesus Christ then their cornerstone is following His Spirit which will guide them to do works of righteousness. In the current world there are not many who have not heard of the Lord and very few who do not know, by the blessings of God to every soul the difference between right and wrong, which is the Spirit of Jesus Christ given to every person. Those who have true mental cognition issues are the ones who can be excused and only God knows who each one of them is. Your cornerstone and every one else's is Jesus Christ, He provides all your needs and He guides you in all your righteous, purposeful thoughts. Without Him not only would we have nothing, we would not exist since He is the medium by which God the Father has created all that is.
I'm not saying you are wrong, but I would like to hear your thoughts on why people who believe in Jesus Christ don't always have all their needs met.

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Craig Johnson
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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

Post by Craig Johnson »

Meili wrote: February 23rd, 2018, 1:28 pm
Craig Johnson wrote: February 23rd, 2018, 9:15 am Actually God provides all of our needs. If a person has not ever heard of the Lord Jesus Christ then their cornerstone is following His Spirit which will guide them to do works of righteousness. In the current world there are not many who have not heard of the Lord and very few who do not know, by the blessings of God to every soul the difference between right and wrong, which is the Spirit of Jesus Christ given to every person. Those who have true mental cognition issues are the ones who can be excused and only God knows who each one of them is. Your cornerstone and every one else's is Jesus Christ, He provides all your needs and He guides you in all your righteous, purposeful thoughts. Without Him not only would we have nothing, we would not exist since He is the medium by which God the Father has created all that is.
I'm not saying you are wrong, but I would like to hear your thoughts on why people who believe in Jesus Christ don't always have all their needs met.
You need to analyze your own question in order to figure out what the answer is. You might try inserting different key adjectives in your question, if you are sincere. It will be better for you to figure it out on your own than for me to just spell it out for you, that way you can learn something. Besides, from what I have seen so far on this website this kind of question is an indication of contentiousness and an attempt to provoke needless interrogatory.

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Rose Garden
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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

Post by Rose Garden »

Craig Johnson wrote: February 23rd, 2018, 1:37 pm
Meili wrote: February 23rd, 2018, 1:28 pm
Craig Johnson wrote: February 23rd, 2018, 9:15 am Actually God provides all of our needs. If a person has not ever heard of the Lord Jesus Christ then their cornerstone is following His Spirit which will guide them to do works of righteousness. In the current world there are not many who have not heard of the Lord and very few who do not know, by the blessings of God to every soul the difference between right and wrong, which is the Spirit of Jesus Christ given to every person. Those who have true mental cognition issues are the ones who can be excused and only God knows who each one of them is. Your cornerstone and every one else's is Jesus Christ, He provides all your needs and He guides you in all your righteous, purposeful thoughts. Without Him not only would we have nothing, we would not exist since He is the medium by which God the Father has created all that is.
I'm not saying you are wrong, but I would like to hear your thoughts on why people who believe in Jesus Christ don't always have all their needs met.
You need to analyze your own question in order to figure out what the answer is. You might try inserting different key adjectives in your question, if you are sincere. It will be better for you to figure it out on your own than for me to just spell it out for you, that way you can learn something. Besides, from what I have seen so far on this website this kind of question is an indication of contentiousness and an attempt to provoke needless interrogatory.
I don't want to provoke contention. I have pondered on that question extensively. I have many thoughts I could share on the subject. I was interested in yours.

I believe God lives by eternal law. I believe he is God because he lives by eternal law and that if he were to stop living the law he would stop being God. In seeking a deeper understanding of the cornerstones of life, one that applies even to those who have not heard of Jesus Christ, I'm seeking to understand eternal law. I want to become like God myself.

I don't necessarily believe the Lord provides for all our needs, at least not physically. I think it's more of a balance between him giving to us and also leaving part to us to do the work. So he might make the fruit grow on the trees but we still need to pick it. He multiplies our efforts but still requires some effort.

Even so, he sends us in to the world absolutely unable to provide for ourselves and dependent on others to provide for us. He still won't pick the fruit for us even when we are tiny babies but allows us to thrive or dwindle depending on the whims of others. Then he allows some people to remain childlike and dependent throughout life and allows injury and age to cause others to become dependent.

If God is just, as I believe he is, then there must be just reasons for him to allow these things. I don't have time to write all my thoughts on the subject right now. I would still be interested in yours (or anyone else's) if you would care to share.

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Craig Johnson
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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

Post by Craig Johnson »

I will answer your request and I feel that I was wrong about your intent, that happens a lot because I am pretty suspicious of people. In thinking about this question(?) you have to keep a few things in mind. We know that God knows each one of us intimately, how He he does this is beyond our comprehension, but this is also done through the medium of our Saviour. The prophets have told us that our lives have been specifically crafted for each one of us, get that point, it's specific, your life is no accident, you are not a product of some random evolution or some chance genetic mixture of your parents. So in your question you might have said "don't always 'appear' to have their needs met" because the fact is that all our needs have been met. Death, suffering, malnutrition and woes of every kind come to us. If you rethink this you will find, these are also needs, we are here to be proved we are not here for a pleasant cakewalk. It is in our hands, particularly the wealthy who can make a much bigger difference, to take these challenges and do the right thing and that is to bless and comfort and help every person that we can. We are here to do what is right even though we don't have to. We see that riches often mean more to the rich than their very souls and you my friend are rich, perhaps not in funds but in knowledge. God has given us all ways to help, if we don't know what to do we can find out and then we need to do it. If you want to be God that is possible, but that means following the Lord's teachings and the teachings of His servants as closely as you can for the rest of your life. God bless.

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Rose Garden
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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

Post by Rose Garden »

Craig Johnson wrote: February 24th, 2018, 8:23 am I will answer your request and I feel that I was wrong about your intent, that happens a lot because I am pretty suspicious of people. In thinking about this question(?) you have to keep a few things in mind. We know that God knows each one of us intimately, how He he does this is beyond our comprehension, but this is also done through the medium of our Saviour. The prophets have told us that our lives have been specifically crafted for each one of us, get that point, it's specific, your life is no accident, you are not a product of some random evolution or some chance genetic mixture of your parents. So in your question you might have said "don't always 'appear' to have their needs met" because the fact is that all our needs have been met. Death, suffering, malnutrition and woes of every kind come to us. If you rethink this you will find, these are also needs, we are here to be proved we are not here for a pleasant cakewalk. It is in our hands, particularly the wealthy who can make a much bigger difference, to take these challenges and do the right thing and that is to bless and comfort and help every person that we can. We are here to do what is right even though we don't have to. We see that riches often mean more to the rich than their very souls and you my friend are rich, perhaps not in funds but in knowledge. God has given us all ways to help, if we don't know what to do we can find out and then we need to do it. If you want to be God that is possible, but that means following the Lord's teachings and the teachings of His servants as closely as you can for the rest of your life. God bless.
Thanks. That was beautiful. I'm touched.

I have similar beliefs. I would say the woes of life are necessary and we need to know why. Yes, they serve as an opportunity to serve one another and that is a vital aspect of life but I believe there is also a deeper purpose.

Adam and Eve were given a beautiful garden that met all their physical needs. That changed with the fall but it's supposed to be the state the world returns to during the millennium. So we've been given an ideal to seek after.

I believe our suffering here is a call to repentance, a testimony to us that we are falling short. When I say repentance, I do not mean to imply that everyone who suffers is guilty of serious sins but only that we lack faith. The Lord has promised us that he would care for every physical need if we had faith in him. He's even said that sickness will be eliminated in Zion. So if we are suffering it is because we do not believe him enough to accept his promises.

So to bring the subject back to the cornerstones of life, the things we need to live a physical life comprise 3 of the cornerstones but they are squared by the first and chief cornerstone, what the person has focus on. This applies to the slave as much to the rich man. Presumably, both the slave and the rich man could make Jesus Christ their first cornerstone and if they did so to the fullest extent possible, then everything they had need of would flow to them naturally and they would have no need to rely on the usual channels of this world to receive their physical needs. Also presumably, the reason they don't have their needs spontaneously met is because they have not made Jesus Christ their chief cornerstone, at least not fully. (I say presumably because I have never done it and so I can't say 100% sure it's true. All I can do at this point is believe that it's possible and try to work toward it.)

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Rose Garden
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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

Post by Rose Garden »

Craig Johnson wrote: February 24th, 2018, 8:23 am I will answer your request and I feel that I was wrong about your intent, that happens a lot because I am pretty suspicious of people. In thinking about this question(?) you have to keep a few things in mind. We know that God knows each one of us intimately, how He he does this is beyond our comprehension, but this is also done through the medium of our Saviour. The prophets have told us that our lives have been specifically crafted for each one of us, get that point, it's specific, your life is no accident, you are not a product of some random evolution or some chance genetic mixture of your parents. So in your question you might have said "don't always 'appear' to have their needs met" because the fact is that all our needs have been met. Death, suffering, malnutrition and woes of every kind come to us. If you rethink this you will find, these are also needs, we are here to be proved we are not here for a pleasant cakewalk. It is in our hands, particularly the wealthy who can make a much bigger difference, to take these challenges and do the right thing and that is to bless and comfort and help every person that we can. We are here to do what is right even though we don't have to. We see that riches often mean more to the rich than their very souls and you my friend are rich, perhaps not in funds but in knowledge. God has given us all ways to help, if we don't know what to do we can find out and then we need to do it. If you want to be God that is possible, but that means following the Lord's teachings and the teachings of His servants as closely as you can for the rest of your life. God bless.
Thanks. That was beautiful. I'm touched.

I have similar beliefs. I would say the woes of life are necessary and we need to know why. Yes, they serve as an opportunity to serve one another and that is a vital aspect of life but I believe there is also a deeper purpose.

Adam and Eve were given a beautiful garden that met all their physical needs. That changed with the fall but it's supposed to be the state the world returns to during the millennium. So we've been given an ideal to seek after.

I believe our suffering here is a call to repentance, a testimony to us that we are falling short. When I say repentance, I do not mean to imply that everyone who suffers is guilty of serious sins but only that we lack faith. The Lord has promised us that he would care for every physical need if we had faith in him. He's even said that sickness will be eliminated in Zion. So if we are suffering it is because we do not believe him enough to accept his promises.

So to bring the subject back to the cornerstones of life, the things we need to live a physical life comprise 3 of the cornerstones but they are squared by the first and chief cornerstone, what the person has focus on. This applies to the slave as much to the rich man. Presumably, both the slave and the rich man could make Jesus Christ their first cornerstone and if they did so to the fullest extent possible, then everything they had need of would flow to them naturally and they would have no need to rely on the usual channels of this world to receive their physical needs. Also presumably, the reason they don't have their needs spontaneously met is because they have not made Jesus Christ their chief cornerstone, at least not fully. (I say presumably because I have never done it and so I can't say 100% sure it's true. All I can do at this point is believe that it's possible and try to work toward it.)

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Craig Johnson
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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

Post by Craig Johnson »

I want to say this very kindly, you do not know what a cornerstone is, there is not more than one cornerstone in a building nor in our lives. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the only cornerstone, there are not three more, no building is built like that. The cornerstone is the first stone set and all other building is done from that setting. There is only one cornerstone, there are not more than that.

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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

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https://www.lds.org/ensign/2016/01/the- ... e?lang=eng

The Cornerstone

A building’s first stone teaches us about the Savior’s role in our lives.

“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

“And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

“In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

“In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”

Ephesians 2:19–22

Cornerstone

Walls

Foundation

Facts about the Cornerstone

What it is. A cornerstone is the first stone placed upon a building’s foundation, in a corner of the structure.

What it does. A cornerstone bears much of the weight of a building’s outer structure, and it connects and unites two of the walls. After it is placed, all other stones and their angles are measured out from it.

What its characteristics are. Anciently, a cornerstone would normally be one of the largest, most solid stones a builder had to work with. The builder would examine his stones carefully and select the best one as a cornerstone, rejecting any stones that didn’t appear suitable.

What We Can Learn

A cornerstone:

Is the first. Jesus Christ is the Firstborn of all the Father’s children (see Colossians 1:15–17; Hebrews 1:6; D&C 93:21), the first to be resurrected (see 1 Corinthians 15:20), the one who was to “go to prepare a place for [us]” in His Father’s house (John 14:2), the “Beloved and Chosen from the beginning” (Moses 4:2), and “the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).

Unites. Jesus Christ “inviteth … all to come unto him” (2 Nephi 26:33). The Atonement of Jesus Christ allows us to repent, become sanctified through the Holy Ghost, and be reunited with Heavenly Father. The Apostle Paul showed that Jesus Christ, as the cornerstone, was the connecting point for the two “walls” of the Church in that day: the Apostles of the New Testament and the prophets of the Old Testament, perhaps illustrating the mix of Gentile and Jewish converts (see Ephesians 2:20). The prophets and apostles of today, along with those of old, help unite us in Christ—in His doctrine, His service, and His Church.

Aligns. Jesus Christ “marked the path and led the way, and ev’ry point defines” (“How Great the Wisdom and the Love,” Hymns, no. 195). He is our guide and our lawgiver, the one whose commandments we obey and whose words we heed.

Strengthens. Jesus Christ has taken upon Himself our sins so that we can be forgiven if we will repent. In this way, He strengthens us by removing the ill effects of sin. In addition, “the enabling power of the Atonement strengthens us to do and be good and to serve beyond our own individual desire and natural capacity” (David A. Bednar, “The Atonement and the Journey of Mortality,” Ensign, Apr. 2012, 42–43).

“Our community of Saints is not one of exclusion but one of inclusion, built upon a foundation of apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone. It is open to all of us who love, appreciate, and have compassion for our Father in Heaven’s children.”

Elder L. Tom Perry (1922–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Building a Community of Saints,” Ensign, May 2001, 37.
Bible Facts

Psalm 118:22 refers to the Messiah, saying, “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.” Jesus quoted this scripture in reference to Himself (see Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17), suggesting that although He would be “despised and rejected of men” in His day (Isaiah 53:3), He was in fact the Messiah and would bring salvation.

After the Savior’s Resurrection, Peter quoted this psalm when testifying of Jesus Christ to the people of Jerusalem (see Acts 4:11–12). He quoted it again in his first epistle, where he also mentioned another Old Testament verse that compares the Messiah to a cornerstone (see 1 Peter 2:6–7; Isaiah 28:16).

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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

Post by EmmaLee »

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/ ... h?lang=eng

The Cornerstones of Our Faith
Gordon B. Hinckley

A week ago last evening there emanated from this Tabernacle on Temple Square a great conference of the women of the Church. Many thousands participated in that conference, which was carried across the continent from coast to coast. It was an inspirational experience to look into the faces of those assembled in the Tabernacle on that occasion—women of beauty, women of strength, women of capacity, women of virtue, women of faith.

Last night, similarly, there emanated from the Tabernacle a great gathering of the priesthood, a meeting which was carried from here to 714 other locations across the world and to 900 stake centers in which were assembled men and boys of the Church who love the Lord and walk with faith and conviction. What a marvelous thing this work is, my beloved brethren and sisters.

It is a great honor to stand before you and speak to Latter-day Saints across the world. I pray for direction of the Holy Spirit. I am not here as a substitute for the President of the Church. I am speaking as his Second Counselor, a responsibility I did not seek but one which I have accepted as a sacred call, in the fulfillment of which I have tried to lift some of the heavy burdens of office from the shoulders of our beloved President and move forward the work of the Lord with diligence. President Kimball is the prophet of the Lord. None other can or will take his place for so long as he lives. When he passes, there will be another ready, a man who, through long years of experience and service, has been trained, has been tested, has been schooled and refined and prepared to fill that sacred and awesome responsibility.

I wish to report to the membership of the Church wherever you may be that the work is going well. I feel that our Father in Heaven smiles upon it with approval. I realize, of course, that each of us, regardless of our position, could do better in our responsibilities. We ought constantly to be improving. Nonetheless, there is cause for satisfaction.

The missionary work moves forward, with new fields opened since we last met in conference. The activity of Church members throughout the world improves. The vast work of genealogical research is being expanded, and an ever-increasing number of faithful Latter-day Saints carry forward the sacred work in the temples.

We are building new houses of worship on an unprecedented scale. Economies of construction have been developed to hold down the cost of these structures.

Three new temples have been dedicated since last we met—one in Boise, Idaho; one in Sydney, Australia; and, most recently, one in Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. Tens of thousands of Latter-day Saints have participated in these inspiring dedicatory services. In the Boise Temple, twenty- four individual services were held, with a great outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord in each. Numerous were the expressions of appreciation. In Australia it was the same. People came to the temple from as far away as Tasmania in the south, and from Thursday Island in the far north; they came across the entire continent, from Perth on the west coast, many of them at great sacrifice, to enjoy the wonderful atmosphere of that significant occasion when fourteen dedicatory services were held.

We returned only a few days ago from Manila in the Philippines. There on an eminence where the ground falls away to the rear, affording a view of an entire valley, stands a beautiful and sacred temple. Here, as elsewhere, there is incised in the stone of one of the towers the words “Holiness to the Lord. The House of the Lord.” By the thousands they came, the wonderful, faithful members of the Church in the Republic of the Philippines. With songs of thanksgiving, with words of counsel and testimony, with a prayer of dedication, they all joined in presenting to the Lord, as the gift of a thankful people, this beautiful house as his abode.

In all of these new temples, the buildings have been opened to the general public prior to dedication. Tens and tens of thousands have gone through them. They have been free to ask any questions concerning them. These visitors have been respectful and reverent as they have partaken of the spirit of these sacred structures. As they have felt of that spirit and learned something of the purposes for which the temples have been built, these who have been our guests have recognized why, following dedication, we regard these buildings as sanctified and holy, reserved for sacred purposes and closed to the public.

Participating in these dedicatory services, one senses the true strength of the Church. That strength is in the hearts of the people, who are united by a bond of recognition of God as our Eternal Father and Jesus Christ as our Savior. Their individual testimonies are firmly established on a foundation of faith concerning things divine.

In each new temple we have had a cornerstone ceremony in harmony with a tradition that goes back to ancient times. Before the general use of concrete, the foundation walls of the building were laid with large stones. A trench would be dug, and stones would be placed as footings. Starting at a point of beginning, the foundation wall would be run in one direction to a cornerstone; then the corner would be turned and the wall run to the next corner, where another stone was placed, from which the wall would be run to the next corner, and from there to the point of beginning. In many instances, including the construction of early temples in the Church, cornerstones were used at each junction point of the walls and put in place with ceremony. The final stone was spoken of as the chief cornerstone, and its placement became the reason for much celebration. With this cornerstone in position, the foundation was ready for the superstructure. Hence the analogy that Paul used in describing the true church:

“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

“And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

“In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord.” (Eph. 2:19–21.)

We have basic cornerstones on which this great latter-day church has been established by the Lord and built, “fitly framed together.” They are absolutely fundamental to this work, the very foundation, anchors on which it stands. I should like to speak briefly of these four essential cornerstones which anchor The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I mention first the chief cornerstone, whom we recognize and honor as the Lord Jesus Christ. The second is the vision given the Prophet Joseph Smith when the Father and the Son appeared to him. The third is the Book of Mormon, which speaks as a voice from the dust with the words of ancient prophets declaring the divinity and reality of the Savior of mankind. The fourth is the priesthood with all of its powers and authority, whereby men act in the name of God in administering the affairs of his kingdom.

May I comment on each of these. Absolutely basic to our faith is our testimony of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, who under a divine plan was born in Bethlehem of Judea. He grew in Nazareth as the carpenter’s son, within him the elements of both mortality and immortality received, respectively, from his earthly mother and his Heavenly Father. In the course of his brief earthly ministry, he walked the dusty roads of Palestine healing the sick, causing the blind to see, raising the dead, teaching doctrines both transcendent and beautiful. He was, as Isaiah had prophesied, “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.” (Isa. 53:3.) He reached out to those whose burdens were heavy and invited them to cast their burdens upon him, declaring, “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:30.) He “went about doing good,” and was hated for it. (Acts 10:38.) His enemies came against him. He was seized, tried on spurious charges, convicted to satisfy the cries of the mob, and condemned to die on Calvary’s cross.

The nails pierced his hands and feet, and he hung in agony and pain, giving himself a ransom for the sins of all men. He died crying, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34.)

He was buried in a borrowed tomb and on the third day rose from the grave. He came forth triumphant, in a victory over death, the firstfruits of all that slept. With his resurrection came the promise to all men that life is everlasting, that even as in Adam all die, in Christ all are made alive. (See 1 Cor. 15:20–22.) Nothing in all of human history equals the wonder, the splendor, the magnitude, or the fruits of the matchless life of the Son of God, who died for each of us. He is our Savior. He is our Redeemer. As Isaiah foretold, “His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isa. 9:6.)

He is the chief cornerstone of the church which bears his name, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There is no other name given among men whereby we can be saved. (See Acts 4:12.) He is the author of our salvation, the giver of eternal life. (See Heb. 5:9.) There is none to equal him. There never has been. There never will be. Thanks be to God for the gift of his Beloved Son, who gave his life that we might live, and who is the chief, immovable cornerstone of our faith and his church.

The second cornerstone—the first vision of the Prophet Joseph Smith. The year was 1820, the season spring. The boy with questions walked into the grove of his father’s farm. There, finding himself alone, he pleaded in prayer for that wisdom which James promised would be given liberally to those who ask of God in faith. (See James 1:5.) There, in circumstances which he has described in much detail, he beheld the Father and the Son, the great God of the universe and the risen Lord, both of whom spoke to him.

This transcendent experience opened the marvelous work of restoration. It lifted the curtain on the long-promised dispensation of the fulness of times.

For more than a century and a half, enemies, critics, and some would-be scholars have worn out their lives trying to disprove the validity of that vision. Of course they cannot understand it. The things of God are understood by the Spirit of God. There had been nothing of comparable magnitude since the Son of God walked the earth in mortality. Without it as a foundation stone for our faith and organization, we have nothing. With it, we have everything.

Much has been written, much will be written, in an effort to explain it away. The finite mind cannot comprehend it. But the testimony of the Holy Spirit, experienced by countless numbers of people all through the years since it happened, bears witness that it is true, that it happened as Joseph Smith said it happened, that it was as real as the sunrise over Palmyra, that it is an essential foundation stone, a cornerstone, without which the Church could not be “fitly framed together.”

The third cornerstone—the Book of Mormon. I hold it in my hand. It is real. It has weight and substance which can be physically measured. I open its pages and read, and it has language both beautiful and uplifting. The ancient record from which it was translated came out of the earth as a voice speaking from the dust. It came as the testimony of generations of men and women who lived their lives upon the earth, who struggled with adversity, who quarreled and fought, who at various times lived the divine law and prospered and at other times forsook their God and went down to destruction. It contains what has been described as the fifth Gospel, a moving testament of the new world concerning the visit of the resurrected Redeemer on the soil of this hemisphere.

The evidence for its truth, for its validity in a world that is prone to demand evidence, lies not in archaeology or anthropology, though these may be helpful to some. It lies not in word research or historical analysis, though these may be confirmatory. The evidence for its truth and validity lies within the covers of the book itself. The test of its truth lies in reading it. It is a book of God. Reasonable men may sincerely question its origin; but those who have read it prayerfully have come to know by a power beyond their natural senses that it is true, that it contains the word of God, that it outlines saving truths of the everlasting gospel, that it came forth by the gift and power of God “to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ.” (Book of Mormon title page.)

It is here. It must be explained. It can be explained only as the translator himself explained its origin. Hand in hand with the Bible, whose companion volume it is, it stands as another witness to a doubting generation that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. It is an unassailable cornerstone of our faith.

Cornerstone number four—the restoration to earth of priesthood power and authority. That authority was given to men anciently, the lesser authority to the sons of Aaron to administer in things temporal as well as in some sacred ecclesiastical ordinances. The higher priesthood was given by the Lord himself to his Apostles when he declared, “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matt. 16:19.)

In its full restoration, it involved the coming of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, whose head was taken to satisfy the whims of a wicked woman, and of Peter, James, and John, they who faithfully walked with the Master before his death and proclaimed his resurrection and divinity following his death. It involved Moses, Elias, and Elijah, each bringing priesthood keys to complete the work of restoring all of the acts and ordinances of previous dispensations in this the great, final dispensation of the fulness of times.

The priesthood is here. It has been conferred upon us. We act in that authority. We speak as sons of God in the name of Jesus Christ and as holders of this divinely given endowment. We know, for we have seen, the power of this priesthood. We have seen the sick healed, the lame made to walk, and the coming of light and knowledge and understanding to those who have been in darkness.

Paul wrote concerning the priesthood: “No man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.” (Heb. 5:4.) We have not acquired it through purchase or bargain. The Lord has given it to men who are considered worthy to receive it, regardless of station in life, the color of their skin, or the nation in which they live. It is the power and the authority to govern in the affairs of the kingdom of God. It is given only by ordination by the laying on of hands by those in authority to do so. The qualification for eligibility is obedience to the commandments of God.

There is no power on the earth like it. Its authority extends beyond life, through the veil of death, to the eternities ahead. It is everlasting in its consequences.

These great God-given gifts are the unshakable cornerstones which anchor The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as well as the individual testimonies and convictions of its members: (1) the reality and the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God; (2) the sublime vision given the Prophet Joseph Smith of the Father and the Son, ushering in the dispensation of the fulness of times; (3) the Book of Mormon as the word of God speaking in declaration of the divinity of the Savior; and (4) the priesthood of God divinely conferred to be exercised in righteousness for the blessing of our Father’s children.

Each of these cornerstones is related to the other, each connected by a foundation of Apostles and prophets, all tied to the chief cornerstone, Jesus Christ. On this has been established his Church, “fitly framed together,” for the blessing of all who will partake of its offering. (Eph. 2:21.)

So undergirded beneath and fitly framed above, it stands as the creation of the Almighty. It is a shelter from the storms of life. It is a refuge of peace for those in distress. It is a house of succor for those in need. It is the conservator of eternal truth and the teacher of the divine will. It is the true and living Church of the Master.

Of these things I give solemn testimony, bearing witness to all within the sound of my voice that God has spoken again to open this final glorious dispensation; that his Church is here, the Church which carries the name of his Beloved Son; that there has come from the earth the record of an ancient people bearing witness to this generation of the work of the Almighty; that the everlasting priesthood is among men for their blessing and the governance of his work; that this is the true and living Church of Jesus Christ, brought forth for the blessing of all who will receive its message; that it is immovably established on a foundation of Apostles and prophets, with cornerstones of unshakable firmness put in place by him for the accomplishment of his eternal purposes, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.

Of such was the faith of our fathers. Of such is our faith. “Faith of our fathers, holy faith. We will be true to thee till death!” In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

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Craig Johnson wrote: February 24th, 2018, 11:29 amI want to say this very kindly, you do not know what a cornerstone is... Jesus Christ is the only cornerstone...
A discussion on "cornerstones" of life could depend entirely on how each person defines what a "cornerstone" is. Who are we to tell someone they don't know what a cornerstone is?

One of the dictionary definitions is: "an important quality or feature on which a particular thing depends or is based."

Another definition is: "a stone that forms the base of a corner of a building, joining two walls." (implying that even in a building there could be multiple corner stones). Yes, and there is also the ceremonial single cornerstone or stone that "is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation".

You could, if you want, correctly say that Jesus Christ is your foundation upon which you build.. and then the cornerstones (important things in your life) are placed on top of that.

Personally I don't think there is one right answer to a discussion like this. Some things are inherently subjective and up for interpretation.

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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

Post by Craig Johnson »

BrianM wrote: February 24th, 2018, 12:05 pm
Craig Johnson wrote: February 24th, 2018, 11:29 amI want to say this very kindly, you do not know what a cornerstone is... Jesus Christ is the only cornerstone...
A discussion on "cornerstones" of life could depend entirely on how each person defines what a "cornerstone" is. Who are we to tell someone they don't know what a cornerstone is?

One of the dictionary definitions is: "an important quality or feature on which a particular thing depends or is based."

Another definition is: "a stone that forms the base of a corner of a building, joining two walls." (implying that even in a building there could be multiple corner stones).

Would it not be correct to say that Jesus Christ is your foundation upon which you build? (personally I don't think there is one right answer to a discussion like this).
I see your point. My background includes construction as well as 12Bravo, Combat Engineer, or they who build everything in the Army and go ahead of everyone else to clear the way for battle. Again, there is only one cornerstone and everything that evolves from that is not a cornerstone. That being said, we do add things from that cornerstone and they are very important, it won't hurt anyone if they want to consider those things cornerstones, but it also won't be exactly correct terminology which I should worry about less than anyone else since in college I became very offended by a professor who was such a stickler about absolutely precise usage of words. Sorry.

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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

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Craig Johnson wrote: February 24th, 2018, 11:29 am I want to say this very kindly, you do not know what a cornerstone is, there is not more than one cornerstone in a building nor in our lives. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the only cornerstone, there are not three more, no building is built like that. The cornerstone is the first stone set and all other building is done from that setting. There is only one cornerstone, there are not more than that.
Huh. You're right.

I read an article years ago taking about ancient construction using cornerstones. I'm fairly sure that it said that the three other stones were set first beginning with the first cornerstone. I've spent a good ten minutes looking but can't find it or any other article that talks about the process in detail. Whatever they're called, I'm pretty sure the four stones at the corners of the foundation are set first, with the first stone see being the one everything else is measured from. While I might have the terminology wrong, if I've got the process right, the analogy still works for me.

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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

Post by Rose Garden »

Craig Johnson wrote: February 24th, 2018, 12:14 pm
BrianM wrote: February 24th, 2018, 12:05 pm
Craig Johnson wrote: February 24th, 2018, 11:29 amI want to say this very kindly, you do not know what a cornerstone is... Jesus Christ is the only cornerstone...
A discussion on "cornerstones" of life could depend entirely on how each person defines what a "cornerstone" is. Who are we to tell someone they don't know what a cornerstone is?

One of the dictionary definitions is: "an important quality or feature on which a particular thing depends or is based."

Another definition is: "a stone that forms the base of a corner of a building, joining two walls." (implying that even in a building there could be multiple corner stones).

Would it not be correct to say that Jesus Christ is your foundation upon which you build? (personally I don't think there is one right answer to a discussion like this).
I see your point. My background includes construction as well as 12Bravo, Combat Engineer, or they who build everything in the Army and go ahead of everyone else to clear the way for battle. Again, there is only one cornerstone and everything that evolves from that is not a cornerstone. That being said, we do add things from that cornerstone and they are very important, it won't hurt anyone if they want to consider those things cornerstones, but it also won't be exactly correct terminology which I should worry about less than anyone else since in college I became very offended by a professor who was such a stickler about absolutely precise usage of words. Sorry.
So can you recommend any sources outlining the process of construction using a cornerstone? I'd like to review the information.

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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

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https://www.templesquare.com/blog/interesting-facts-you-didnt-know-about-the-salt-lake-temple/ wrote: ... The original cornerstones were made of firestone from Red Butte Garden and were placed in 1853. In 1857, ten years after the pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley, news broke that a potential hostile United States army was coming to Utah. Brigham Young had the temple foundation covered with dirt to hide the construction of temple. The army set camp near Utah Lake, about thirty miles south from the site and only left when the American Civil War started in 1861. When the foundation was uncovered, Brigham Young noticed that the cornerstones were flawed and concluded they wouldn’t be able to support the weight of the temple. He then decided that the foundation should be made entirely of granite, with sixteen feet thick footings. ...

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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

Post by Craig Johnson »

Meili wrote: February 24th, 2018, 6:46 pm
Craig Johnson wrote: February 24th, 2018, 12:14 pm
BrianM wrote: February 24th, 2018, 12:05 pm
Craig Johnson wrote: February 24th, 2018, 11:29 amI want to say this very kindly, you do not know what a cornerstone is... Jesus Christ is the only cornerstone...
A discussion on "cornerstones" of life could depend entirely on how each person defines what a "cornerstone" is. Who are we to tell someone they don't know what a cornerstone is?

One of the dictionary definitions is: "an important quality or feature on which a particular thing depends or is based."

Another definition is: "a stone that forms the base of a corner of a building, joining two walls." (implying that even in a building there could be multiple corner stones).

Would it not be correct to say that Jesus Christ is your foundation upon which you build? (personally I don't think there is one right answer to a discussion like this).
I see your point. My background includes construction as well as 12Bravo, Combat Engineer, or they who build everything in the Army and go ahead of everyone else to clear the way for battle. Again, there is only one cornerstone and everything that evolves from that is not a cornerstone. That being said, we do add things from that cornerstone and they are very important, it won't hurt anyone if they want to consider those things cornerstones, but it also won't be exactly correct terminology which I should worry about less than anyone else since in college I became very offended by a professor who was such a stickler about absolutely precise usage of words. Sorry.
So can you recommend any sources outlining the process of construction using a cornerstone? I'd like to review the information.
This link will give some biblical references: http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/artic ... rner-stone
Also, please understand that my mind was really stuck on the cornerstone imaging that I personally have which did not give me the apparatus I needed to respond appropriately to your post. But, that's America. A cornerstone is a foundational object which will give the builder the right point from which to build the rest of the edifice (a person's life in this case) there is only one per building. In your sense I think you are imagining either multiple cornerstones or perhaps the key principles from which you could fully establish, insure and promulgate a completely developed life that would not want for anything and therefore be capable of no limit in achievement. Over the years I have consciously developed this method of thinking that sometimes gets in my way, basically it is a minimalist thinking kind of thing where I exult in stripping things down to the barest needed items. It's kind of like the Bruce Lee philosophy of the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Sorry.

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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

Post by Craig Johnson »

Meili wrote: February 24th, 2018, 6:42 pm
Craig Johnson wrote: February 24th, 2018, 11:29 am I want to say this very kindly, you do not know what a cornerstone is, there is not more than one cornerstone in a building nor in our lives. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the only cornerstone, there are not three more, no building is built like that. The cornerstone is the first stone set and all other building is done from that setting. There is only one cornerstone, there are not more than that.
Huh. You're right.

I read an article years ago taking about ancient construction using cornerstones. I'm fairly sure that it said that the three other stones were set first beginning with the first cornerstone. I've spent a good ten minutes looking but can't find it or any other article that talks about the process in detail. Whatever they're called, I'm pretty sure the four stones at the corners of the foundation are set first, with the first stone see being the one everything else is measured from. While I might have the terminology wrong, if I've got the process right, the analogy still works for me.
I can see this from the point of view that the first cornerstone is sometimes called the chief cornerstone. An architect could then, possibly, call the other stones that are in corners of the building cornerstones - that terminology, while maybe not exactly correct, is not necessarily wrong - I mean they are in corners and they are stones. Sorry if I sounded like a butt, but I was really stuck on this imaging of mine.

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Re: What are the cornerstones of life and why?

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Meili wrote: February 14th, 2018, 11:07 pm This is the current philosophical question I'm pondering on right now. I thought I'd see what others say.
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Upon This Rock

Selected the text as it was a perfect fit and also to symbolize that we are commanded to develop our personal testimony and revelation, and not rely on the copy of another. The nearer the second coming the more we will need to personally discern important truths. The first set of cornerstones used for the temple weren’t good, and the final “him” should be Him. The church is true and was built on a solid foundation, but it is folly to except absolute correctness, as even the Book of Mormon is described as the most correct book.

Maybe “him” is correct? What do you think?

Interesting that there are four paragraphs stating “this is the rock!” :P
Last edited by BeNotDeceived on February 24th, 2018, 11:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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