Standing for Something

Hello Dear Sisters:

Happy September. What a beautiful day. I love Fall--I could smell it in the air this morning. There is nothing like cool crisp mornings, warm afternoons, and perfect evening sunsets.

As a gentle reminder to please sign your comments (Name and ward) so that we can know who submitted them. Thank you.

I've been contemplating this "blog" for weeks. What could I say, what topic to address that would help someone (even if that someone was me). I've had several random thoughts but none seemed to gel until last Saturday.

I was sitting at lunch with three colleagues while attending a business meeting. I'm not quite sure how the topic came around to religion, but suddenly that's where we were. Invariably the question came up "Are you a Mormon?" after they remembered I was from Utah. I answered, "Yes." I found out that two were Jewish and the other Hindi. The questions started coming about Christianity, "Joe Smith, " (I corrected it to Joseph), polygamy, prophets..... One of them mentioned that she didn't have much purpose for religion; she didn't really believe in God but being "part of the universe" was all she needed; religion didn't add anything to life. I respectfully disagreed and bore a brief testimony about God and what religion can do for someone. I happened to use the phrase "I know." She wanted to know how I could know something that couldn't be proven, in her view. My heart paused. How could I explain faith in God and personal revelation to these good people who really didn't believe in God, who didn't know Christ, to whom religion was more a bother than a benefit. I did my best to answer but I wasn't satisfied with what I said. I felt wholly inadequate.

I have spent hours since pondering how I could have done better, been a better representative of Christ. How could I put into words what I hold so dear? Two thought came to mind (1) read and study Preach My Gospel, and (2) study Jesus the Christ.

As I've thought more about this experience, I've come to see how vital it is that we KNOW the doctrines and principles of the gospel and KEEP the covenants we've made. Satan is waiting ever so patiently to prod, poke, and push us at our weak points. So how do we defend those weak points?

In Ephesians 6:11-18, Paul gives us the perfect answer. We must put on the whole armor of God. No solider goes to battle partly dressed when the enemy is as deadly as the devil. Each day we must:

• Put on the Breastplate of Righteousness--protect our hearts, the place where we've made covenants and commitments to God and our families.
• Gird our loins with Truth--set what our standard will be, and keep it.
• Have our feet shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace--practice those gospel doctrines we've been taught that will protect our course.
• Put on the Helmet of Salvation--protect our thoughts, base our decisions on gospel standards and principles.
• Take up the Shield of Faith and the Sword of the Spirit--the most powerful weapons we have to "quench the fiery darts of the wicked."

Paul states by donning our armor each day we will be able to "withstand in the evil day and having done all, to stand." I thought about the places we've been asked to stand. The phrase that came to mind was "stand ye in holy places and be not moved." The most holy place we can stand in this earth-life is in the temple. The temple is also the only place where we can receive the full armor of God thru the covenants that we make.

I am looking forward to this fabulous opportunity we have to learn more of our Savior and to move closer to being the Women of Faith and Covenant that He needs us to be. May we STAND for truth and righteousness, STAND sure and immovable, STAND on the right hand of God.

I KNOW that He lives.

Karri Lynn Hoyt
Parleys Stake Relief Society, secretary.