Stand Up, Stand Out, Stand Together!

Here are the thoughts I shared at Stake Conference today. Stand Up, Stand Out, Stand Together Most of the youth have just gone back to school. In the four days you spent in the hallways last week, on the bus, at team practices and in the cafeteria you have likely been slapped in the face, figuratively at least. “Welcome back!” to the way the world operates. Language, skipping classes, drugs, alcohol, smoking, gossip, modest clothes, behavior at school dances, etc. Hopefully, summer was a retreat from those types of things for you. In particular, I hope youth conference was a special break from all those influences. Because you are, who you are, you will have situations arise this school year that will challenge you. When that happens, remember the youth conference theme from this summer. Remember the things the spirit taught you while you were there. Stand Up, Stand Out, Stand Together. Standing Up In the book of Alma, chapters 39-42, Alma is counseling his son Corianton. In chapter 40, he perceives that Corianton has specific questions about the resurrection. Alma testifies to his son about Jesus Christ and of all he knows about the resurrection. At least 5 times in the first 12 verses, however, he tells Corianton, basically, “I don’t have a perfect knowledge of this gospel principle either.” But he was still willing to share the parts of his testimony he did know to be true. What a great example of standing up for the things he knew. Do we dare to follow the example of Alma? We certainly must try, whether it be in a deep gospel discussion or about the simple reasons we choose not to go boating on Sunday. I challenge you to always be ready to share those parts of you testimony that you know, without fear, even if your knowledge is not 100% complete. If you have the courage to begin, the Lord will put the words in your mouth to share. You never know when the spirit will whisper to you to do something. Three years ago this September, I was listening to the radio at home in the morning. An ad came on for a local carpet cleaning company. The ad was the inner thoughts of a mother who was excited the kids were back in school. She said something along the lines of this: “Oh my goodness! The kids are back in school, now I can finally get my carpets cleaned!” only instead of saying “Oh my goodness!” she took the name of the Lord in vain. I know that people in the real world talk like this all the time, but I was horrified to think that we might be at that turning point where it was becoming acceptable to broadcast it over the radio. It ate at me all morning and I couldn’t get it out of my mind. Finally, I felt I needed to do something about it. After all, if no one protests, how will anyone know there is a problem? I was totally petrified though. I had NEVER stood up for something in such a vocal way, especially to someone I didn’t know. I found the phone number of the company and dialed. I was so nervous my hand was shaking. What would I say if they challenged me or were rude? The receptionist answered and I asked to speak to the marketing and advertising department. She was totally confused, they were a small company and she didn’t know what to do. She just told me she would transfer me to the owner of the company. I almost hung up the phone! He came on the line and I explained that I had concerns with the radio ad I was hearing say “Oh my God!” He was courteous, but genuinely had no idea what I meant, so he probed a bit. I simply explained that I was a Christian woman in the community. I asked if he knew what the 10 commandments in the Bible were. He said he wasn’t a Christian, but knew about them. I told him I believed it was a code of conduct that God has asked his people to live by and that one of the commandments was, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain.” He was floored and completely embarrassed. He apologized and said he would do what he could to fix it. I thanked him for listening to my concerns and we hung up. The very next day, I heard the same ad and it was changed. This experience taught me to listen to the spirit when it tells me to stand up for something. You can make a difference when you stand up for the little things. Even in the smallest of situations, your opinion matters, so share it with those around you. So, Stand Up! Next, Stand Out. Remember if you have made the decision to live by the teachings of the prophets, found in the scriptures, in other words, to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, I’m sorry, but you WILL stand out. No “if”s “and”s or “but”s, you will be different and other people are going to notice. The next step then, is to choose not to be ashamed or embarrassed about who those choices make you. Most people will respect you for it. Many things could set you apart from your peers. Your choice to not cheat in school, not date until you are 16, be selective in the parties you attend on the weekends, the words you choose to speak, going to seminary every day or the music you choose to listen to. Basically, everything you read in the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet might set you apart. Be proud of who you are and stick to you choice to follow God’s way. If that sounds daunting to you, consider the last part of the youth conference theme. Stand Together. Youth conference this year was a multi-stake event. We had over 400 youth show up and participate this summer. Add to that number, the youth that were unable to attend with you. You are one person in a group of well over 400 in this immediate area doing the exact same things you are doing. You are not alone. If you start to feel alone and hopeless or need extra strength and reassurance, go find it with those who are like you. Be at your mutual activities, wake-up for seminary everyday, come to the stake activities that are planed for you, worship on Sundays with your ward and participate in your classes in YM and YW, partake of the sacrament each week to remind you of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for you. These are the places you will find strength when you are feeling weak and alone. I know the Lord will bless you in every honest effort you make to Stand Up, Stand Out, and Stand Together.