We Believe...

We believe in being honest like Alma, true like Mary and Martha, chaste like Joseph in the clutches of Potiphar's wife, benevolent like the Good Samaritan, virtuous like Sadrack, Meshack and Abednigo and in doing good to all men as the Lords servants have always done.

The scriptures are full of examples for us to follow and advice we should strive to live by. In 2011 the church asked the youth to incorporate the 13th article of faith into their lives and make it a theme by which they were guided. This morning as I was reflecting on that years theme as well as the current theme (arise and shine forth), I couldn't help looking forward and thinking how we can build on those with the introduction of the new 2013 theme "Stand Ye in Holy Places and Be Not Moved".

And so I ask the youth - Do you believe in being honest, true, chaste benevolent, virtuous and do you believe in doing good to all men?

Have you chosen to show integrity in your daily activities? Or will your values and standards bend with opportunity.

Have you chosen to remain true to the Lord and the standards He has set forth? Or when called upon to defend your Lord, will you say you never knew Him.

Have you chosen to keep yourself morally clean in your thoughts, entertainment and actions? Or does the music, movies and friends you allow to influence you cloud your resolve to remain clean before the Lord.

Do you strive to notice the needs of those around you? Do you remember the covenants you made when you were baptized to "bear one another's burdens; mourn with those who mourn and to comfort those who stand in need of comfort? Or do you justify your lack of service with other tasks and activities.

Does "virtue garnish your thoughts unceasingly"? Or have you become numb to the enticing of the adversary to where you can't recognize him seeking to lead you away.

From the time we entered Primary we have been committing the Articles of Faith to memory - We know what we believe, but do we show what we believe?

"I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded", Elder Jeffery R. Holland said, "I confess that I wince a little when I hear that promise quoted so casually among us. Jesus knew what that type of commitment would entail... and so will a host of others before it is over. That vow took Christ to the cross on Calvary, and it remains at the heart of every Christian covenant. I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, Well - we shall see".

How are you going and doing the things which the Lord has commanded you, and are you preparing yourselves to accomplish the commands He has for your future as well? Are you preparing for missions, temple marriages and future service in the Lord's kingdom? You cannot expect to reach the end of a path you never started travelling down. Decide where you want to end up and then make the choices that will keep you on that path. Where we end up in life will never be a surprise once the sum of our choices have been tallied. And we will one day see with perfect clarity that we are exactly as close too or as far away from the Lord as we chose to be.

The apostle Paul declared, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto Salvation". When we are not ashamed of the gospel - we will find the strength needed to actively live these characteristics and then we will be on our way to "believing all things", which will spur us to "hope all things." Hope is an expectation based in knowledge, it is not merely crossing our fingers and toes, closing our eyes and wishing on a star. We "hope all things" because "by the power of the Holy Ghost we may know the truth of all things". As you study the plan of our Father in Heaven, the Spirit will help you gain the knowledge needed to form the foundation for the hope required to "endure all things."

We have endured many things. Collectively the heartache, trials and burdens we have all experienced are staggering; individually, they press us to our knees. While we are weighed down by our burdens try to remember the Savior's plea, "come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

At times we may not know why we are being asked to endure a specific trial. C.S. Lewis said it perfectly with this analogy:

"Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage; but He is building a palace."

President Monson encouraged, "Lest you feel inadequate for the tasks which lie ahead, I remind you of another of the Apostle Paul's stirring statements from which we might draw courage: 'For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and love, and of a sound mind'."

We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous and in doing good to all men; indeed we may say we follow the admonition of Paul. We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely or a good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

Truly we believe all things as did Nephi and hope all things as Ester. I pray that as we seek after the things which are virtuous, lovely, good report or praiseworthy; the Lord will see fit to enable us to endure all things which will help us to "arise and shine forth" and always be found "standing in holy places". Our testimonies will increase until we will "be not moved". In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Love, Taryn