Grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ

These past few months have been a bit of a struggle for me.  I am so grateful for the gentle reminders I receive in Sacrament Meeting, Gospel Doctrine Classes and Relief Society.  Answer to my questions always seem to present themselves when I attend these meetings with an open, humble and prayerful heart.  I visited a Relief Society Meeting in another ward and the lesson was on a talk given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland – whom I might add that I love.  His talk was about being strong and living the gospel even if others around you don’t.  I want to quote a couple things from his talk that stood out to me as I listened this morning in Relief Society.  I thought about my grandchildren who will shortly be reaching the age of high school and missions and on to marrying in the temple.  I feel strongly that I must express my testimony to the truthfulness of what Elder Holland said.

Quoting Elder Holland:  “I say to all and especially the youth of the Church that if you haven’t already, you will one day find yourself called upon to defend your faith or perhaps even endure some personal abuse simply because you are a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Such moments will require both courage and courtesy on your part. . . . . . You may wonder if it is worth it to take a courageous moral stand in high school or to go on a mission only to have your most cherished beliefs reviled or to strive against much in society that sometimes ridicules a life of religious devotion.  Yes, it is worth it. . . . . . Hate is an ugly word, yet there are those today who would say with the corrupt Ahab, ‘I hate the prophet Micaiah; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always prophesied evil’. . . . . . . Sadly enough, my young friends, it is a characteristic of your age that if people want any gods at all, they want them to be gods who do not demand much, comfortable gods, smooth gods who not only don’t rock the boat but don’t even row it, gods who pat us on the head, make us giggle, then tell us to run along and pick marigolds. . . . .

He goes on to say, “I testify that the true and living gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth and you are members of His true and living Church, trying to share it.  I bear witness of that gospel and that Church . . . . . Be strong, live the gospel faithfully even if others around you don’t live it at all.  Defend your beliefs with courtesy and with compassion, but defend them. . . .. In courageously pursuing such a course, you will forge unshakable faith, you will find safety against ill winds that blow, even shafts in the whirlwind, and you will feel the rock like strength of our Redeemer, upon whom if you build your unflagging discipleship, you cannot fall.”

I would admonish all my grandchildren who might read this post to read the talk from Elder Holland and from Elder Neil L. Andersen from April conference 2014.  I stand with both these great leaders of our church in testifying that I have a testimony of the truthfulness of the words they speak.  I love this gospel, I know it is true and pray that I will always be found standing for truth and will hold that banner high for all to see!