May you keep the flame of your Testimony burning brightly

There will be times when you will face challenges which might jeopardize your testimony, or you may neglect it as you pursue other interests. I plead with you to keep it strong. It is your responsibility, and yours alone, to keep its flame burning brightly. Effort is required, but it is effort you will never, ever regret. I’m reminded of the words of a song written by Julie de Azevedo Hanks. Referring to her testimony, she wrote:

Through the winds of change, encircled by clouds of pain, I guard it with my life, I need the warmth  I need the light, though the storm will rage, I stand against the pounding rain, I remain A keeper of the flame.

May you believe and then may you keep the flame of you Testimony burning brightly, come what may.

Finally, may you endure. What does it mean to endure? I love this definition: to withstand with courage. Courage may be necessary for you to believe; it will at times be necessary as you obey. It will most certainly be required as you endure until that day when you will leave this mortal existence.

Thomas S. Monson

Logan Temple

"When filled with God's love, we can do and see and understand things that we could not otherwise do or see or understand. Filled with His love, we can endure pain, quell fear, forgive freely, avoid contention, renew strength, and bless and help others in ways surprising even to us."

John H. Groberg

"Of course, we will face fear, experience ridicule, and meet opposition. Let us have the courage to defy the consensus, the courage to stand for principle. Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God's approval. Courage becomes a living and an attractive virtue when it is regarded not only as a willingness to die manfully, but also as a determination to live decently. A moral coward is one who is afraid to do what he thinks is right because others will disapprove or laugh. Remember that all men have their fears, but those who face their fears with dignity have courage as well."

Thomas S. Monson

"Courage is acting in spite of fear." Howard W. Hunter

"Courage is the art of being the only one who knows that you are afraid."

"A man full of courage is also full of faith." Cicero

"Courage doesn't always roar.  Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying,

'I will try again tomorrow.'"

"Courage is the first of human qualities, because it is the quality which guarantees all others."  Winston Churchill

"Be Strong and of a Good Courage"

By Hilary Weeks

I just finished reading a book called, "The Chosen."  It is the story of a friendship between two Jewish boys, Danny and Reuven.  Danny is faced with the challenge of answering difficult questions about the Talmud, testing his knowledge and depth, in front of an entire congregation every week.  Reuven complains to his father about how unfair and cruel it seems to have to participate in something so "terrible in front of everybody."  Reuven's father replies, "It is a little cruel, Reuven.  But that is the way the world is.  If a person has a contribution to make, he must make it in public.  If learning is not made public, it is a waste."

When I read that sentence it rang very true in my own life and many of the experiences I have had through speaking, singing and performing.  I understand a little bit about what it means to make a contribution in public.  I have mentioned before that I love to sing...just not in front of people.  Well, at least I didn't use to.  Singing in public used to terrify me.  I would get so nervous before a performance - even weeks before!  On the day of a performance I would hardly be able to eat a thing (and I love to eat!)  It was all I could do to get myself to take the stage.  I worried about everything.  What if I forgot the words?  What if I had to cough in the middle of the song?  What if I hit the wrong note?  What if I spontaneously combusted?  (Well...you never know, it could happen.)

The only thing that helped, the only thing that got me through and gave me courage was prayer.  I plead for Heavenly help before every performance.  And Heaven never let me down.  Many years and countless experiences later, I am not afraid to sing in public.  I still get the butterflies, but I can live with that.  Over time, one habit has stayed with me and that is to pray before each and every performance.  In a very deep and profound way, I am grateful for the fear the Lord allowed me to feel because it allowed me to feel so many other things...strength in the arms of the Savior, confidence in His power, faith in His ability to help me succeed, peace knowing that He would walk with me.  If I had never felt such genuine fear, I would never have felt such geniune love.  I would never have turned to the Savior like I did.

I would like to believe that I'm not the only one who has ever been afraid of something.  I'd like to think that every person who reads this is able to relate because you have faced fear straight in the eyes.  While I believe that the Lord allows us to experience fear as a means of accomplishing so many different ends, He also helps us overcome our fears when we turn to Him for help.

In the New Testiment, the book of John chapters 14-16 contain the last discourse the Savior gives to His disciples.  The first verse of that discourse reads: "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me."  The last verse of that discourse says: "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."  The first and the last verse both speak of courage.

when Joshua was just about to lead the children of Israel into the promised land the Lord told him something four times in one chapter.  And when the Lord repeats Himself, He wants (and expects, if I may add) us to listen.  In the first chapter of Joshua verses 6, 7, 9 and 18 the Lord says:

"Be strong and of a good courage."
"Only be thou strong and very courageous."
"Have not I commanded thee?  Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid."
"Only be strong and of a good courage."

Well, I don't know about you, but I am starting to get the point.  I can be courageous.  I know I can, because I have tried and succeeded with the Savior's help.  I have done things that have taken all the courage I felt I had and I felt the Lord with me, by me, supporting me.  He wants us to be courageous.  He will lead.  He will guide.  Our contributions are worth making - even, and maybe especially, when they must be made in public.  Somehow He makes everything work for our good (and everyone elses,) just as He promises.