Simply Deciding to Follow Jesus Christ

Making decisions is a part of life. Throughout life, and in the scriptures, we find many different people who face challenges and temptations—some that seem easy to overcome and others that are not so easy. It seems that determining in advance what your decision will be in any outcome makes the decision-making process, in the moment, simple—but, simple doesn’t always mean easy.

The word “simple” has a few definitions including: easily understood or done; presenting no difficulty; straightforward; uncomplicated; effortless and painless. The other definition, that I want to refer to, is: composed of a single element, pure, single, not elaborate or artificial (see definition).

In the Bible we read about Joseph—a man who had a lot of trials, and hence, a lot of decisions to make. His brothers hated him and sold him into slavery, he was bought by a man named Potiphar who eventually made Joseph a ruler in his house. At one point Joseph is approached by Potiphar’s wife.

“And it came to pass…that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

“But he refused, and said…how…can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:7-9).

In his mind he had decided that he would put the Lord first, above all else. The decision to refuse his employer’s wife was already made, despite the fact that he was putting his own position at stake.

“And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her” (Genesis 39:10). Then, one day, when all the men of the house were gone, “she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out” (Genesis 39:12).

It reminds me of an old adage, “when the time for decision arrives, the time for preparation is past.” Joseph did not have to decide in the moment how he would respond but acted on the decision he had previously made.

Where do we each stand on decisions of chastity, or any other commandment for that matter? What covenants have we made? If we have never thought about how we would handle different situations, now is the time to stop and decide. Elaine S. Dalton shared the following example from her life,

“When I was a young woman, I learned that some decisions need to be made only once. I wrote my list of things I would always do and things I would never do in a small tablet. It included things like obeying the Word of Wisdom, praying daily, paying my tithing, and committing to never miss church. I made those decisions once, and then in the moment of decision, I knew exactly what to do because I had decided beforehand. When my high school friends said, ‘Just one drink won’t hurt,’ I laughed and said, ‘I decided when I was 12 not to do that’” (link to talk).

Have we decided whether or not we will fully, and completely, follow the Savior throughout our lives? Are we acting in accordance with those decisions?

In the New Testament Jesus calls His apostles, and I find it rather telling about them by how quickly they followed when He called.

“And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

“And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

“And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

“And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

“And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him” (Matthew 4:18-22).

These men had probably been learning of the coming of a Messiah throughout their lives. They had probably studied the scriptures to know how to recognize Him when He came. If they had taken the time to spiritually prepare themselves for His coming, and were waiting patiently for that day, then their decision to leave their nets isn’t quite as abrupt as it might originally seem.

When we have our lives focused on the Savior the decisions can be so simple. It is when our eyes stray, or we lose focus, or our lives become cumbered, that making decisions becomes more difficult. When in a situation that we are not prepared for we have many influences that may affect what we do in the moment: the expectations of others, our own inadequacies, our desire to fit in, or numerous other factors. But, if we have our “eye single to the glory of God” (Doctrine & Covenants 4:5) then the decision is clear.

I love Elder M. Russell Ballard’s counsel about keeping our eyes focused on the Lord, and on His chosen leaders. He was specifically speaking to mission presidents, but I have adjusted it a little because I feel that these same principles can be applied in our own lives and homes.

“'Keep [your] eyes…on the leaders of the Church.…We will not and…cannot lead [you] astray.

“And as you teach your [families] to focus their eyes on us, teach them to never follow those who think they know more about how to administer the affairs of the Church than…Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ do’ through the priesthood leaders who have the keys to preside.

“I have discovered in my ministry that those who have become lost [and] confused are typically those who have most often…forgotten that when the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve speak with a united voice, it is the voice of the Lord for that time. The Lord reminds us, ‘Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same’” (link totalk).

In looking for ways to keep our eyes focused on the Lord, another thing we can do is to take time to evaluate our lives. Where is it that we want to end up? We can then determine the path necessary to get there, and then make the decisions that will lead us where we want to be. If our end goal is to live with our Heavenly Father, then we can use the resources that He has given us to help us along the path such as, prayer, scripture study, temple attendance, and obedience to His commandments. 

Prayer

When we pray, we can come to know our Father in Heaven and His plan for us. We can approach Him with our hopes, and dreams, our fears and sorrows, our achievements and weaknesses. We can receive guidance in knowing how to get to where He knows we can be. 

We must first, however, decide that we will pray sincerely, and humbly, every morning and night no matter the hour or our circumstances. By doing so we can gain the spiritual strength needed to face the challenges of this life.

Scripture Study

If we want to get nearer to God, we need to decide now that we will read His holy writ, and apply it in our lives. As we study the scriptures we can try to emulate the values, virtues, and principles we read about. Elder Russell M. Nelson taught,

“Nephi said, ‘I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.’ He was advising us to weave the fiber of scriptural wisdom into the fabric of our own being” (Russell M. Nelson, The Power Within Us, p29).

Temple Attendance

When we attend the temple we make covenants with the Lord—covenants that can empower and protect us. Nephi saw our day, and the blessings that come to those who keep their covenants:

“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory” (1 Nephi 14:14).

Obedience

By deciding that we will always be obedient we can have the guidance of the Holy Ghost to strengthen, and remind, us during those times when it may be hard to do so. I have an example that might seem a little silly, but I feel that it illustrates the point.

A while back I determined that getting up early to exercise would work best with my circumstances and schedule. I set my alarm, and in the beginning it was challenging to get out of bed. As I lay there, thinking of how nice it would be to have just a few more minutes of sleep, I would get a gentle reminder—I had decided to exercise and to do so would need to get out of bed. Some days it was really hard and I would ignore the feeling and hit the snooze button. However, being determined to stick to my goal I got to the point where getting up became more of a habit, than a daily decision that I had to make.

So it is with the commandments. If we are just starting to be obedient we may get a lot of opposition—from within and without. As President Henry B. Eyring stated, “In the short run, there will be troubles and Satan will roar” (link to talk). But, as we listen to the promptings of the Spirit we can be helped to make our goals become habits. We just need to decide that we will act when we receive those spiritual reminders.

One thing that I need to remember now is to get to bed earlier, so that I can keep my goal of getting up early to exercise—otherwise I am technically only keeping half of my goal. So it is with the commandments. We need to decide that we will keep ALL the commandments, not just a selective few. Elder Russel M. Nelson taught,

“Teach of faith to keep all the commandments of God, knowing that they are given to bless His children and bring them joy. Warn them that they will encounter people who pick which commandments they will keep and ignore others that they choose to break. I call this the cafeteria approach to obedience. This practice of picking and choosing will not work. It will lead to misery. To prepare to meet God, one keeps all of His commandments. It takes faith to obey them, and keeping His commandments will strengthen that faith” (link to talk).

As we are obedient to the commandments the Lord has given to us we will be greatly blessed in all aspects of our lives. Elder Koichi Aoyagi reminded us, “when we rely on the Lord and keep His commandments, He helps us accomplish things we could not otherwise accomplish” (link to article).

We must have the faith to decide, and then continue in faith and patience as we endure to the end. However, despite whatever challenges we face we will not be left alone. President Ezra Taft Benson taught,

“We will all have disappointments and discouragements—that is part of life. But if we will have faith, our setbacks will be but a moment and success will come out of our seeming failures. Our Heavenly Father can accomplish miracles through each of us if we will but place our confidence and trust in Him” (link to manual).

While thinking of those who decide to follow the Lord, I was reminded of the scripture where Alma says,

“Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people… if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him” (Mosiah 18: 8, 10).

Entering into a covenant with the Lord is like coming into the fold of God. Along those lines I was impressed by an article that I read in the Ensign about sheepfolds.

“[A sheepfold is] a simple pen [or] walled enclosure…[made of] stones, usually with thorny brush often placed into the top of the walls….

“In Israel, wolves, hyenas, panthers, and jackals are among predators that would target sheep…

“A shepherd led his sheep to food and water during the day and back to the fold at night. The shepherd would count the sheep as they returned, searching for strays if any were missing. He would then lie in the doorway of the fold to protect them” (link to article).

A shepherd is one who would fight wild animals in an attempt to protect his flock, and if necessary he would die in the process. In a like manner, the Good Shepherd will lead us to living water, and will protect us as we stay in His fold. He gave His life for us that we may return to Him, if we will repent and be obedient. Whether or not we decide to stay in His fold is our decision.

Elder Dale G. Renlund taught,

“Obedience is our choice. The Savior made this clear. As stated in the Joseph Smith Translation of Luke 14:28, Jesus directed, ‘Wherefore, settle this in your hearts, that ye will do the things which I shall teach, and command you.’

"It is that simple. Settle it. Decide now to be exactly obedient. As we do so, our spiritual stability will be greatly enhanced. We will avoid squandering God-given resources and making unproductive and destructive detours in our lives” (link to talk).

It is only through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that all mankind may be saved, and only by our obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel (see Articles of Faith 1:3). May we decide to use the resources—including prayer, scriptures, temples, and obedience—that have been provided for us by the Lord to gain “peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come” (Doctrine & Covenants 59:23). Now is the time to decide.

The Armor of God (Part 3: Righteousness)

…and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (Ephesians 6:14)

When thinking about the armor of righteousness, I am reminded of Nephi’s vision.

“And it came to pass that I beheld the church of the Lamb of God, and its numbers were few… and their dominions upon the face of the earth were small...

“And it came to pass that I beheld that the great mother of abominations did gather together multitudes upon the face of all the earth, among all the nations of the Gentiles, to fight against the Lamb of God.

“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory” (1 Nephi 14:12-14, emphasis added).

Nephi saw the covenant people of the Lord in the last days being few in number, but they were armed with 1) righteousness and 2) the power of God in glory.

To be armed means to be “furnished with weapons, or with something that provides security, strength and [the power to produce the desired result]” (Merriam Webster Collegiate Dictionary, 10 ed). Righteousness, through our obedience, can provide security and strength during our lives; but it often requires faith to be obedient.

To help explain what I learned about the power of God in glory I want to turn to the story of Lazarus in the Gospel of John. Lazarus had died and Jesus had been notified. After four days He came.

“Jesus…cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

“Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

“Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

“Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid….

“And…he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

“And he that was dead came forth (John 11:38-44, emphasis added).

The glory of God that the Savior demonstrated was the righteous use of Priesthood power. Such power is available to us today through our faith, obedience, and righteousness.

TEMPLE COVENANTS

When my children were younger they loved to dress up and pretend to be super heroes. My oldest came up with the super power of choice: anything power. This incredibly versatile power could meet whatever challenges the opposition could imagine. Bad guys coming? Anything power became the desired weapon of choice. Volcano erupting? Couch-cushion tower crumbling? Aliens invading? Anything power was there—and always defeated the enemy.

I have referred back to this often when talking to my children about the power of God—for He truly is all-powerful “to the fulfilling of all his words” (Alma 50:19).

One way to access this power, and spiritual protection, is through making and keeping covenants. A covenant is a two-way promise that we make with the Lord. Covenants aren’t something trivial where we can decide that we will do whatever we feel we want to do and expect the Lord’s blessings in return. As Linda K. Burton states, “the Lord sets the terms and we agree to keep them” (link to talk). In order to gain access to the Lord’s power and protection we need to abide by the Lord’s rules. Elder Russell M. Nelson teaches us that, “[We] keep [our] covenant by obedience to His commandments” (link to talk). As we keep our covenants, through our obedience, they can be a shield and a protection to us throughout our lives.

Nephi saw in the last days—our day—that the covenant people of the Lord would be provided with strength, security, and power through their righteousness. Elder M. Russell Ballard declared,

“When men and women go to the temple, they are both endowed with the same power, which is priesthood power….

“Our Father in Heaven is generous with His power. All men and all women have access to this power for help in their lives. All who have made sacred covenants with the Lord and who honor those covenants are eligible to receive personal revelation, to be blessed by the ministering of angels, to commune with God, to receive the fulness of the gospel, and, ultimately, to become heirs alongside Jesus Christ of all our Father has” (link to talk).

[For more of my thoughts on the Priesthood, click here]

The blessings and power of God can come to those who worthily attend the temple and make and keep the covenants therein. President Boyd K. Packer said, “Our labors in the temple cover us with a shield and a protection, both individually and as a people” (Boyd K. Packer, The Holy Temple, 1980, p 265). 

We can be sure of the blessings that come from making and keeping our covenants. The Lord has reassured us, “I will fulfil my promises which I have made unto the children of men” (2 Nephi 10:17), and “Who am I…that have promised and have not fulfilled?” (Doctrine & Covenants 58:31). We are also reminded that, “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise” (Doctrine & Covenants 82:10). The Lord will always do His part. Our commitment to our covenants is the catalyst for the blessings we are to receive.

DELIBERATE RIGHTEOUSNESS

In the New Testament we read about a visit the Savior made to two sisters: Mary and Martha.

“Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

“And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.

“But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

“And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

“But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:38-42).

Mary and Martha were both faithful, obedient women in the gospel. The Savior came to teach them. Martha was overwhelmed and focused on the physical logistics while Mary chose to “lay aside the things of this world, and [sought] for the things of a better” (Doctrine & Covenants 25:10). Many times in our life we are faced with choices. The question to each of us is whether we will choose to fill our daily lives being cumbered about by our own doing, or by spiritually sitting at the feet of our Savior.

Our daily, individual, righteousness will probably not be something that is touted in the news, or broadcast for the world to see. But, “the Lord seeth not as man seeth; [He] looketh on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). We will be blessed by those day-to-day, seemingly unremarkable, acts of obedience. Howard W. Hunter quoted President Joseph F. Smith when he said,

“Those things which we call extraordinary, remarkable, or unusual may 
make history, but they do not make real life.

“After all, to do well those things which God ordained to be the common lot of all mankind, 
is the truest greatness. To be a successful father or a successful mother is greater than to be a successful general or a successful statesman”
(link to talk).

As we are deliberate in our righteousness and obedience to God we can be blessed more powerfully than ever before. 

At time we will be faced with challenges and temptations. These may be the adversary's attempts to thwart our efforts, or may be what happens to us due to the trials of life. No matter what the reason we can look to the example of our Savior when we need the faith to keep moving forward. As stated by Elder Tad R. Callister, "All that He had intellectually was an unanswered why, but what he had spiritually was faith, and with that faith he pressed forward" (Tad R. Callister, The Infinite Atonement, p 153).

The Savior also “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). He didn’t do good because He wanted others to see how good He was. He did good because that is who He was. To be righteous is a personal matter of the heart. As we choose to follow the example of Jesus Christ we will be blessed. And the choice is always ours. President Henry B. Eyring reminds us, “Heavenly Father and the Savior are our perfect examples of what we can and must do. They never force righteousness because righteousness must be chosen” (link to talk, emphasis added).

BLESSINGS OF GUIDANCE

One of the blessings of living a righteous life, for those who have entered into the covenant of baptism, is the ability to receive the Holy Ghost. Elder Parley P. Pratt explains about the powerful refining nature the Holy Ghost can have in our lives.

“The gift of the Holy Ghost adapts itself to all these organs or attributes. It quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands, and purifies all the natural passions and affections, and adapts them, by the gift of wisdom, to their lawful use. It inspires, develops, cultivates, and matures all the fine-toned sympathies, joys, tastes, kindred feelings, and affections of our nature. It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness, and charity.…

“Such is the gift of the Holy Ghost, and such are its operations when received through the lawful channel—the divine, eternal priesthood” (Parley P. Pratt, Key to the Science of Theology, 61–62).

As we choose to live righteously we can have the Holy Ghost in our lives, and we can know that it is by the hand of the Lord that we are led. We may not understand why things happen the way they do, but it will be for our ultimate good. Our lives are tailored individually to our own specific needs for growth and development. It may not be until the next life when we see the reason for different trials or challenges, but one day we will know. Sharon G. Samuelson, wife of Elder Cecil O. Samuelson, expresses it this way:

“[I]n retrospect, what transpired [in our lives] clearly was not just by chance or coincidence. Likewise, we want to emphasize that customized, special blessings that have come to us are not predictive of what might or will happen with you. Similarly, you will have individualized blessings and interventions that have not been afforded to us or to other people. While Jesus Christ has promised that those who are faithful, keep the commandments, and make and observe their sacred covenants will receive all that the ‘Father hath’, the timing is unique for each person and does not always happen in this life” (link to talk).

We may not understand everything that happens to us in this life, but as we don the armor of God with obedience, faith, and righteousness we can be guided and protected by the hand of the Lord.

The Armor of God (Part 1: Standing in Readiness)

There are two powers in this world: the power of God and the power of Satan. Both will continue to grow until the Second Coming of our Savior. Brigham Young said,

“It was revealed to me in the commencement of this Church, that the Church would spread, prosper, grow and extend, and that in proportion to the spread of the Gospel among the nations of the earth, so would the power of Satan rise” (Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe (1954), 72).

  

The war that started in heaven continues on today; the war over the agency of man. Agency is the freedom for us to choose for ourselves. As we keep ourselves free from the bonds of sin we are free to choose our actions. However, if we use our agency to choose addicting behaviors or succumb to weaknesses (which always affect both the body and the spirit) we are relinquishing our freedom to act for ourselves.

President George Albert Smith quoted his grandfather, George A. Smith, when he said,

  

“There is a line of demarkation, well defined, between the Lord’s territory and the devil’s. If you will stay on the Lord’s side of the line you will be under his influence and will have no desire to do wrong; but if you cross to the devil’s side of the line one inch, you are in the tempter’s power, and if he is successful, you will not be able to think or even reason properly, because you will have lost the spirit of the Lord” (link to quote). 

    

The pathway of the Lord can be compared to whiteness, purity, and truth while the path of the adversary is often referred to as darkness, wickedness, and deceit. If the Lord’s way is pure white, than anything varying from that whiteness—in whatever shade of gray you choose—is tainted somewhat with the influence of the adversary. This only shows the great, even infinite, need that we have for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Through the merciful plan of our Heavenly Father we can escape the grayness of our daily lives. We can also find protection from the blackness that is throughout the world around us.

In Ephesians we read about the wickedness that surrounds us. And, more importantly, we also learn what we can do to protect ourselves.

“[B]e strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

"Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

"And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

"And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

"Praying always" (Ephesians 6:10-18).

Sheri Dew spoke of the significance of the armor of God when she said,

“[Satan] is 'a roaring lion, [who] walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.' And he will devour you--unless you 'put on the whole armour [or power] of God', for the power of God is stronger than the power of Satan" (link to talk).

The armor of God is readily available to us but we must take it unto ourselves; it cannot be forced upon us.

As I have studied about the armor of God I have found layers upon layers of meaning for each item. It has been fascinating to me to discover the many ways the Lord has given us to help arm ourselves against the power, and the many influences, of the adversary.

"Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth" (Ephesians 6:14)

Stand therefore,…

There are numerous ways the Lord asks us to “stand” throughout the scriptures. I want to delve into a few of those.

STAND AS A WITNESS:

In Mosiah we are asked “to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in” (Mosiah 18:9).

Shadrack, Meshack, and Abed-nego, from the Old Testament, are perfect examples of standing as witnesses of God. They were commanded by King Nebuchadnezzar to bow down to the idols that he had created or be thrown into the fiery furnace. Their response?

“If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

“But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up” (Daniel 3:17-18).

They stood as witnesses of God but were throw into the fire anyway. However, their lives were spared in a miraculous way.

“Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.

“He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God” (Daniel 3:24-25).

Elder M. Russell Ballard recounts this story about Joseph F. Smith standing as a witness of God. 

“ Joseph F. Smith was 19 when he returned from his mission in Hawaii. As he traveled from California to his home in Utah, he was confronted on emorning by a 'wagonload of profane drunks..., shooting their guns, yelling wildly, and cursing the Mormons.' One of the drunks, 'waving a pistorl,' came toward him. Although Joseph 'was terrified, he felt it would be unwise and useless to run..., and so he advanced toward the gunman as if he found ntohting out of the ordinary in his conduct. "Are you a -- -- -- Mormon?" the stranger demanded. Mustering all the composrue he could, Joseph answered evenly while looking the man straight in the eye, "Yes, siree; dyed in the wool; true blue, through and through." Almost stunned by this wholly unexpected response, the gunman stopped, dropped his hands to his sides, and, after looking incredulously at Joseph for a moment, said in asubdued tone, "Well, you are the -- -- pleasantest man I ever met! Shake. I am glad to see a fellow stand for hisw convictions." So saying, he turned and walked away" (link to talk).

Not all of those who stand as witnesses of God are so miraculously spared. In the Book of Mormon we read about the prophet Abinadi who was taken before King Noah. Here he testified to the king and his priest’s of their wickedness. He taught them about the Law of Moses, as well as the life, mission, and Atonement of Jesus Christ. Because he chose to stand as a witness of God he was then sentenced to a martyr’s death by fire (see Mosiah 12-17).

What does it mean to stand as a witness of God? Sister Sharon G. Larsen said, “It means we will not bow down or give in or be persuaded to do anything contrary to God’s will” (link to talk). As we seek to know God's will we can have the guidance of the Holy Ghost in our lives and can be led to know what the Lord would have us do. And as we read the scriptures we can know “all things what [we] should do” (2 Nephi 32:3). 

How does one stand as a witness? Sister Susan W. Tanner said, “You … can stand as a witness of God by nurturing a spirit of faith, love, peace, and testimony…now” (link to talk).

 STAND IN LIBERTY:

Captain Moroni, in the Book of Mormon, declared, “My soul standeth fast in that liberty in the which God hath made us free” (Alma 61:9). Paul, speaking to the Galations, similarly stated, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1). We can be freed from spiritual bondage as we stand fast, have faith in, and rely on, the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

We can keep ourselves from being led into bondage by “lay[ing] aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us” (Hebrews 12:1). In the Book of Job we read that Job “was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil” (Job 1:1). To eschew means to habitually avoid (source). Job made it a habit to avoid evil. I am guessing that along those same lines he made it a habit to avoid people, places, or things that might persuade him into temptation.

Stand fast in freedom from spiritual bondage, addiction, or sin by avoiding places where we know our weaknesses lie. Stand fast in spiritual liberty by repenting and forsaking our sins, and by relying on the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the power it has to change our lives.

STAND IN HOLY (AND HIGHER) PLACES:

Along the lines of avoiding evil, we can “seek for the things of a better [world]” (Doctrine & Covenants 25:10). We have also been counseled to “stand…in holy places, and be not moved” (Doctrine & Covenants 87:8).

In the Book of Nehemiah we learn of a people who

“… separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God…every one having knowledge, and having understanding;

"They...entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God’s law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes” (Nehemiah 10:28-29).

Be obedient to the teachings and commandments of God, even if it means separating yourselves from the world; including family, friends, and acquaintances who pressure you to do otherwise. Nephi chose to keep the commandments, and his brothers Laman, and Lemuel, did not. Because of this they sought Nephi’s life. Nephi was warned by the Lord to separate himself from them (see 2 Nephi 5:1-5).

We can also choose to stand on higher ground. Jesus told a parable of a wise man and a foolish man who each chose where he would build his house.

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

“And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

“And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

"And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it" (Matthew 7:24-27).

In this parable, the wise man built his spiritual house upon “the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God” (Helaman 5:12) and his house was not moved when the storm raged. I think that the wise man searched for a solid location; a higher place to build so as to have a refuge from the waves of the sea. I am pretty confident that the rock he built his house on was not a rock he found by digging in the ground. The foolish man, on the other hand, may have arrived when the tide was low, saw that it was a beautiful place, and was content to settle in the sand. So it is in our own lives; it takes a lot more effort to seek out higher ground than it does to just build wherever you want on the open sand. It also takes an effort to stand in holy places, but is an effort well worth the cost.

As we choose to be in the right places the Holy Ghost can be there and we can be protected from the adversary. President Spencer W. Kimball said,

  

“Sin, like a journey, begins with the first step and wisdom and experience teach that it is easier to resist the first temptation than later ones, when a pattern of transgression has begun to develop….It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the devil to enter a door that is closed. He seems to have no keys for locked doors. But if a door is slightly ajar, he gets his toe in, and soon this is followed by his foot, then by his leg and his body and his head, and finally he is in all the way” (Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 214-215).

The most holy place that we can stand on this earth is in the Holy Temple of our God.

“The temple is a place of instruction where profound truths pertaining to the Kingdom of God are unfolded. It is a place of peace where minds can be centered upon things of the spirit and the worries of the world can be laid aside. In the temple we take covenants to obey the laws of God, and promises are made to us, conditioned always on our faithfulness, which extend into eternity” (The Priesthood and You, Melchizedek Priesthood Lessons—1966, Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1966, p. 293).

Elder John A. Widtsoe of the Quorum of the Twelve said this about the spiritual blessings we can gain by taking the time to be in the temple:

“Temple work … gives a wonderful opportunity for keeping alive our spiritual knowledge and strength. … The mighty perspective of eternity is unraveled before us in the holy temples; we see time from its infinite beginning to its endless end; and the drama of eternal life is unfolded before us. Then I see more clearly my place amidst the things of the universe, my place among the purposes of God; I am better able to place myself where I belong, and I am better able to value and to weigh, to separate and to organize the common, ordinary duties of my life, so that the little things shall not oppress me or take away my vision of the greater things that God has given us” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1922, p 97–98).

Whether we live close to a temple or far away the Lord is more concerned about our where our hearts are. President Howard W. Hunter said,

“the Lord does desire that his people be a temple-motivated people. I repeat what I have said before: It would please the Lord for every adult member to be worthy of--and to carry--a current temple recommend, even if proximity to a temple does not allow immediate or frequent use of it" (link to talk).

I think that standing in holy places does not just mean the placement of our feet; I feel that it includes our heart, mind, strength and efforts as well.

In Isaiah we read, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9). If we are to be in tune with the Lord we will need to move our thoughts to higher ground.

Presiden Boyd K. Packer talked about controlling our thoughts.

“As you learn to control your thoughts, you can overcome habits, even degrading personal habits. You can gain courage, conquer fear, and have a happy life. I had been told a hundred times or more as I grew up that thoughts must be controlled, but no one told me how. I’ve thought about this over the years and have decided that the mind is like a stage. During every waking moment the curtain is up. There is always some act being performed on that stage. It may be a comedy, a tragedy, interesting or dull, good or bad; but always there is some act playing on the stage of your mind.

“Have you noticed that shady little thoughts may creep in from the wings and attract your attention in the middle of almost any performance and without any real intent on your part? These delinquent thoughts will try to upstage everybody. If you permit them to go on, all thoughts of any virtue will leave the stage.…What do you do at a time like that, when the stage of your mind is commandeered by the imps of unclean thinking…? If you can fill your mind with clean and constructive thoughts, then there will be no room for these persistent imps, and they will leave” (link to talk).

To have our thoughts be higher we need to have our focus in the right direction. I have found that when riding a bicycle it is really difficult to keep moving straight forward unless I am actually looking forward. If I look a little to the left or a little to the right I need to look straight ahead again or my bike will slowly shift to the left or right according to my gaze. If I look for a long time to one direction or the other my bike veers drastically in the direction that I am looking.

So it is with spiritual things.

Peter was one who was able to walk on water while he was focused on the Savior, but “when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and [began] to sink” (Matthew 14:30). When he took his focus off of the Lord, even just a little, doubt and fear attacked and he began to sink. But, the Lord stretched forth His hand, caught hold of him, and walked back with him. He will do the same for us.

In the story of Abraham and Lot we see the difference between where our hearts our centered and where our focus is directed. We read, “[Lot] pitched his tent toward Sodom” (Genesis 13:12) but Abraham “built…an altar unto the Lord” (Genesis 13:18). Eventually Lot moves to Sodom, and Abraham is blessed by his incredible faith in the Lord.

In our efforts to stand in holy places we need to be not moved. As Elder Neal A. Maxwell said, we must not have a home in the promised land and a summer cottage in Babylon (link to talk). We need to decide for ourselves where we will stand no matter our circumstances.

“[R]emember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall” (Helaman 5:12, emphasis added).

If you build upon the rock of the gospel of Jesus Christ you cannot fall.

having your loins girt about...

Girding up your loins is a phrase that we often hear in the scriptures, but may not fully comprehend what it means.

“In Biblical language, to ‘gird up the loins’ is to prepare for a journey, or for work. The Hebrews wore girdles [sashes] when traveling, and when at work. On such occasions they girt their clothes about them [by tucking them under the sash] to ensure free movement of the limbs. The servants of the Lord must be prepared to do His work, and to go when He calls” (Smith and Sjodahl, Commentary, p. 201). see also video link

In the New Era it says,

“Loins means the area between the hips and abdomen. Girt means tied around firmly with a belt. Generally, to “gird your loins” means to prepare for action. We prepare ourselves to take action in the battle against evil by learning the truth through prayer and scripture study” (link to article).

Both of these explanations talk about standing in readiness, or being prepared. We must be vigilant and on guard against the continual attacks of the adversary. Because of the location of our loins, however, I had another thought about girding our loins. I think it can also mean being virtuous and chaste—in our actions as well as our thoughts. Many blessings will follow as we choose to do so. In the Doctrine and Covenants we read,

“Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.

“The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever” (Doctrine & Covenants 121:45-46).

Two stories from scripture can be used to demonstrate the difference that being virtuous, or not, can bring to our lives.

David, who slew Goliath, became king. He was a very righteous man. But one night, as he tarried in Jerusalem—a place he should not have been, as he should have been in battle (see 2 Samuel 11:1)—he allowed a momentary glance to turn into something more. Rather than turning away quickly, he lingered for what was probably supposed to be a brief moment and allowed his mind to entertain thoughts that were most likely not virtuous. In the end he traded his soul for what started out as a simple glance, when he arranged the murder of Uriah (see 2 Samuel 11).

Joseph was also a good, righteous man who was sold into slavery by his brothers. His virtuous life was blessed and prospered by the Lord, and at one point he became the ruler of Potiphar’s house. Potiphar’s wife tempted Joseph and he initially responded by saying, “how…can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). She continues to speak to him day after day in an attempt to wear down his defenses (something she may have tried with others before). Joseph recognizes this and “fled, and got him out” (Genesis 39:12). His initial consequence is that he gets thrown into prison. But, the “Lord in his great infinite goodness doth bless and prosper those who put their trust in him” (Helaman 12:1), and Joseph eventually becomes greater than all the people of Egypt, save the Pharoah himself. The Lord then uses this virtuous man to help move His work forward and save his own family from famine.

Elder Bednar said this about the blessings of being virtuous,

“living the law of chastity invites some of the greatest blessings men and women can receive in mortality: appropriate spiritual confidence in the presence of family, friends, Church associates, and, ultimately, the Savior. Our innate longing to belong is fulfilled in righteousness as we walk in the light with hope” (link to talk).

Elder Marion G. Romney stated the following about living a virtuous life,

“I can think of no blessings to be more fervently desired than those promised to the pure and the virtuous. Jesus spoke of specific rewards for different virtues but reserved the greatest, so it seems to me, for the pure in heart, ‘for they,’ said he, ‘shall see God.’ And not only shall they see the Lord, but they shall feel at home in his presence” (link to talk).

Imagine feeling at home in the presence of God. 

The choices we make in this life, whether big or small, will determine where we will end up after this life. Let us arm ourselves with the protection of the Lord by living a virtuous life.