"Silence in the Face of Such Calamity is a Sin"

I view that day when the Lord will come to us again as a very wonderful day. There will be an overwhelming feeling of love  for God, for our families, for our loved ones and friends. What is truly important in life will be illuminated. Greed, selfishness, doubt, violence, hate, and pain will all be abolished and  we will again be reunited with the Savior that made it possible for us to be redeemed, to live with God in a state of never ending happiness. That is a day worth living for. Peace. Hope. Love. Resurrection. Freedom from pain, sickness, insecurity, disability. To be honored for the squeaky clean, and silently noble lives we have lived from day to day, month to month, and year to year.
I know that in my life, there will be so much opposition to my beliefs, to the way I live my life, and to my testimony. I know that I, and other members who choose to "Stand as a Witness of God, at all times, and in all things and in all places" will be hated by many, persecuted, lied about, discriminated, and punished for our beliefs. Yet, I am not frightened, intimidated, or worried about the darkening world in which we live.
I know that many, especially in the years to come, may misunderstand my beliefs, feel threatened by them, and will strongly disagree with my personal viewpoints on Human Rights, Marriage, Morals, Substance abuse, the way we worship God, our view of commandments, what we do with His Sabbath day, modesty, integrity and the little day to day things on which we will not see eye to eye.
 We have been blessed with the rights to voice our opinions publicly, to have a right to worship as we please, and a right to live our lives in which ever way we choose. This in fact, is evidence of God's love for us. He has given us the amazing gift of agency, of choice, to decide whether we will choose Him, or not. Without choice- there is no good or bad. Without good or bad, there is no choice.

I love the gift of agency. It is powerful. It makes me strong. It gives me hope- that someday my weaknesses may also become strengths. I will use the incredible gift of Choice that God has given me to stay on His side. To uphold His Gospel, and His Church upon the Earth.

The storms will rage, the calamities will come, the opinions will bite, and the trials will blow without stopping. But I will live up to the powerful declaration that I and millions of other girls like me have recited weekly for our youthful years- that We are-

Daughters of our Heavenly Father Who LOVES us,

and we LOVE Him.

 

We WILL STAND as WITNESSES of God at ALL times, and in ALL things, and in ALL places.

 

as we STRIVE to LIVE the young women values which are

 

Faith

Divine Nature

Individual Worth

Knowledge

CHOICE and accountability

Good Works

Integrity

and

Virtue

 

we WILL BE PREPARED to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants

receive the ordinances of the temple,

 

AND ENJOY THE BLESSINGS OF EXALTATION.

 

Those most precious blessings of exaltation will begin the day that the Lord again returns upon the Earth. I don't know when that will be. But until that day, come persecution, come discrimination, come hardship, come disagreement, come trial, I will CHOOSE to serve the Lord, to uphold His ordained apostles, prophets, seers, and revelators.

 

I will Not be silent. I will Not be still.

 

Part of being a witness- requires us to open our mouths- and speak.