What is the hardest aspect of the gospel ? In school how do you keep doing the right things ?


lizzy12
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School is a challenging place to live correct principals of the gospel. People gossip, swear, take God's name in vain, dress immodestly, make fun of sacred things.

How do you keep making correct choices when there is an ocean of evil around you ? What keeps you moving forward ? What inspires you to make the choices necessary to live with Heavenly Father again ?

In my area, we have very few members and this yr I am very lucky to have two classes with members of the church. (math and a photography class). Having members in my classes helps me to keep the spirit with me. Once I see YM and YW in class or in the hall way at school and exchange a smile, I remember that I am a Daughter of God and I am loved. I know that Heavenly Father has surrounded me with wonderful people and by doing so has helped me grow in the church- w/o those few YM and YW in my classes I really would feel utterly alone.

What is the hardest aspect of the gospel ? In school how do you keep doing the right things ?

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Lizzy ~ I’m not longer “in school” though I am at school. I’ve also retired from doing what I love most, law enforcement. As a teenager I had my share of struggles, I only had one LDS member at the school. He and I were and still are like brothers. When I went onto law enforcement, once they learned I was LDS the jokes and the remarks started. I did my best to ignore the remarks though many of them were bad, (cops have a sick sense of humor).

I did my best to keep my standards as an example of what I knew in my heart to be what my Father in Heaven expected of me. One evening I was working an extended shift; I had been out for almost 16 hours. I went to a bar to handle a bar fight. When I got there the problem was a middle age man who stood all of about 5’2” tall. He was drunk and wanted to fight the world.

I did my best to talk him down but he kept taking swings at me and trying to fight. I didn’t want to hurt the guy, didn’t want to have people watch this 6’3”, 225 lbs man wrap this guy up like a pretzel, but I was tired. I stepped close to him, popped him on the ear with an open hand, spun him around, picked him up by the pants and carried him to my unit. There I not so softly laid him across the hood of the car, cuffed him and threw him into the back seat of the unit.

In the course of all if this I said a few things that were not nice. My language was colorful to say the least. When it was all done one of the officers who had been watching this with amusement said, “So, that’s how Mormons talk when they are using the ‘gifts of tongues” and they all started laughing.

I still remember the sickening feeling I had in my gut and in my heart. I let myself down, I left every other member of the church I represented down, I disrespected my priesthood and I disappointed my Father in Heaven. I will never forget that night or the feeling I had.

That’s what helps me every day. Remember, people are watching you and know you keep higher standards. By knocking you down, they feel ‘lifted up’. Stay on higher grounds!!

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I'm also no longer in school but remember having similar experiences. Especially once I started going to college. There, I felt very cut off from the church (partially due to my own choices, but also because I was far away from family and friends and there were very few members attending a very large school). Living the gospel and doing the right things when surrounded by unhealthy influences and examples. This is why it is so important for us to attend church. Our church meetings help boost our spirituality and give us the strength to continue living righteously in our daily lives.

I remember going to high school, I absolutely loved going to early morning seminary. I would bring my scripture mastery cards with me to school and work on them there. Having a spiritual start to my day helped keep me on the right track.

When you find yourself surrounding by those choosing to live unrighteously, the best thing you can do is everything you can think of that will give you a spiritual boost. Read and STUDY your scriptures, say your prayers, go to seminary and/or institute, go to all your meetings on Sunday and actively participate, read your ensign and new era magazines, and if you are still feeling a lack find even more ways to build yourself spiritually.

When you cannot do these things, remember what you learned while doing them and try to put those lessons into action. Treat others with kindness and affection. Use clean speech, take the higher road when presented with opportunities to cheat, lie, or steal. Etc. etc. etc.

Everyone has moments where they feel alone. Don't let such feelings consume you. Satan will attempt to use them to draw you down. Instead, remember that the Lord is always with you. You are never alone.

The hardest part of living the gospel is different for everyone. Figure out what your weaknesses are and strengthen them. Don't let yourself be caught in a tough spot where you will be tempted to give in on your weak areas. If you can't find good friends that will build you up, it's better to just not have friends. And yes, that is very hard. I went through all four years of high school having just one good friend, and we didn't really spend much time together due to family issues.

Now, I know I said a lot here and that my comments were kind of all over the place. I just hope you find some of this helpful. Good luck in school, and stay focused!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Now it is my time to comment. As the others, I'm not in the school anymore, waiting for my mission call so lol.

From 11 to 18 I only had 1 LDS friend atending my school during year, that is 11-12...I had to "fight the world" from 12 to 18...I wasn't always the best example for the others, as I went through a "rebellion" part, but nothing they really knew...

What did I needed to keep going and doing the right choices? The bad example of my father (which is dead) helped me, choosing the right friends, helped me...I remember having only 2 friends (real friends) from 12-16, one was a geek, that know's the church and has gone to some church activities, he's quite a cool guy...the other one wasn't that good, but while being with me he wasn't that bad either...there is an experience I want to share:

after 5 years being sorrounded of that unhealthy and unholy people, one day I was on the football field, I can't remember why we started arguing, but I remember saying one word, only one word...I sweard for ths first time in my life, they didn't notice because I didn't say it too loud and also because it was normal to them...like 10 minutes later, the "geek boy", my friend Peter looked at me surprised and dissapointed and said: "dude, you sweard"...I can still remember the feeling I had, I never did that again but everytime I looked at him (he was from my class from 11 to 18) I could remember his face, he was there for me, looking at me...he actually noticed when I failed and didn't ever want to fail again. He is not a member but I hope he will be someday, as he already knows so much of the church and accepts it.

lizzy12, I can assure you the life will be hard, but if it wasn't...would it be worth the effort?

"Do the right which is hard, not the wrong which is easy", that was written in one of my t-shirts (from seminary).

Attend to seminary classes, I'm a teacher now and I know how spiritual they are when you want them to be.

Always be an example, people will notice you're different.

Have a backup plan, when you're feeling "away from the right things" turn on your mp3 and listen to EFY songs, call the spirit...do as the people in Helam did (I don't know if that's the name in English, I'm sorry...Mosiah 21 or close), pray in your heart...it won't be easy everyday, you will probably fail...but that's the beauty of this gospel, we are not perfect, but we can repent and keep trying...(do not count on the repenting thingy everytime tho lol)

I think I already talked to much so...

ETTE

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I teach the 10/11 yr old primary class in our ward. And it just so happens that this week our lesson was on the City of Enoch and how they were a righteous people surrounded by unrighteous people. I focused my lesson on how to choose the right in a world filled with temptation.

I have always found it interesting that for the past several general conferences there is at least one talk encouraging us to have family scripture study, family prayer, and family home evening. Why do you think that is? Because church members in general are not doing it. These three things may seem simple but the strength that comes from them is tremendous. I have been striving to do these things with my daughters and I can tell you there is a peace in our home and in our lives that I have never known before.

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I teach the 10/11 yr old primary class in our ward. And it just so happens that this week our lesson was on the City of Enoch and how they were a righteous people surrounded by unrighteous people. I focused my lesson on how to choose the right in a world filled with temptation.

I have always found it interesting that for the past several general conferences there is at least one talk encouraging us to have family scripture study, family prayer, and family home evening. Why do you think that is? Because church members in general are not doing it. These three things may seem simple but the strength that comes from them is tremendous. I have been striving to do these things with my daughters and I can tell you there is a peace in our home and in our lives that I have never known before.

My "boss" as a seminary teacher, when he was stake presidente he used to teach:

"For good family relations, for happiness within the family you need to do the simple things:

pray with your family

sutdy scriptures with your family

family meetings

attend to church

and since the worl is ending real soon (we can see that pretty well), let's give our last effort in keeping in between the line :D

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  • 3 months later...

I feel it's absolutely necessary to read scriptures before I go to school and after.

I think that since people are swearing all around me, it's best to limit or get rid of anything that might swear at hom (ex. music, t.v., computer, books) because once the words are repeated over and over again at school and then supported at home it becomes more likely that you'll start to think of those words and then say them.

Just get some good friends that respect your standards even if their not LDS because sometimes the people that are LDS can be rude, just depends on the person.

I think that building up a wall to barricade all of the temptation and bad stuff is a good idea to do before you go to school. (as in build up faith, obedience, and your reason why you won't say this or that)

What i also do is get lots of friends from different clicks and be friends with them,

so if one group is having some drama, i can go hang out with another.

example:

I can hang out with the people that like sports to play sports with them but i don't hang out with them afterward because they watch bad movies

so i hang out with the "nerds" (no offense) afterwards to go read books or play World of Warcraftt

So i have lots of friends in different places, so that if i know that there seems to be a problem it's not the end of the world because i have other friends i can hang with.

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I think also remember if you don't stick to your principles chances are the same peer pressure is laughing behind your back, I found any LDS in my area that didn't stick to their standards may have got in with the right crowd but they didn't have respect for it.

Surround yourself with good friends, mine would have been disappointed in me if I had slipped./

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School is a challenging place to live correct principals of the gospel. People gossip, swear, take God's name in vain, dress immodestly, make fun of sacred things.

How do you keep making correct choices when there is an ocean of evil around you ? What keeps you moving forward ? What inspires you to make the choices necessary to live with Heavenly Father again ?

In my area, we have very few members and this yr I am very lucky to have two classes with members of the church. (math and a photography class). Having members in my classes helps me to keep the spirit with me. Once I see YM and YW in class or in the hall way at school and exchange a smile, I remember that I am a Daughter of God and I am loved. I know that Heavenly Father has surrounded me with wonderful people and by doing so has helped me grow in the church- w/o those few YM and YW in my classes I really would feel utterly alone.

What is the hardest aspect of the gospel ? In school how do you keep doing the right things ?

Patience....perhaps, this is why I need Elias visitation in order to preserve the Saints mortal and eternal life. I simply short on patience with the Saints and what is transpiring in the land of the Americas.

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  • 4 months later...

There is nothing I cannot do with the Savior by my side. Sometimes it is difficult to remember that if I live righteously the people on my side will be bigger than their people. I always try to never miss a chance to share the gospel. This has caused so many great things to happen, but sometimes I have to remember that I am not responsible for everyone in my high school. I am, however, responsible for trying to influence others for good.

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  • 3 months later...

I went to a public school where in the whole school there was only two members! and we're talking this is out of 1,200 students. So you think you've got it tough I was lucky to have the other member in my class 5% of the time. The thing that kept me going was knowing that my every move, my every word and my every action in the school was reflecting upon heavenly father and reflecting upon the church I once had a teacher that though it was funny most days straight after school I was out with the elders. I once by mistake knocked on this teacher's door after school hours with the elders from the church who where serving here at the time and the teacher said " He is a fine young man and a person you should be proud of he has never be accountable for any problems in any of my classes" just knowing that made me just thought them. Seminary was a great help too but I'd try to listen to church podcasts and church music during recess and lunch if I could and mormon channel if i could find a free wireless signal in the school somewhere. The hardest part was everyone asking a million questions about my religion why when I was asked out by a older girl I said no, and I said because that is what god would've have done because that is what is right. I decided to make a stand one day in a english class we had many oral presentations that needed to be done. we each had to pick a topic and I picked the church. I pulled out a big post of the articles of faith and spoke about each one of the articles and the meanings of every one of the articles and the duty to god and everything. I got though that final year by just knowing making a stand and spreading the word was a tad bit of help that day on no one ever looked at me the same it soon got around the whole school yard what I did and people where starting to pull me aside at recess and lunch and asking questions about the church and I referred them to full time elders/sisters and a couple got converted in to the church in other branches/wards/stakes. just think of god standing next to you your every move would you do that if he was right there by your side.

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I could go on forever and explain what you need to do to survive High School, but these five words would be the best way how I survive High School.

Posted Image

Honestly, there's no other way to describe it. Just relax, and maintain your spirituality in your own way as you did before. You only make the situation worse by blowing it out of proportion and making it look like some large monster you can't beat.

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I feel one of the most important things you can do as a teenager is to get a strong testimony of the Savior and your Heavenly Father. Taking the whole Gospel seriously.

Part of your Baptismal Covenant is to remember Christ always. As you sit in class or walk to class. Let your heart and sould be turned toward your Heavenly Father. Remember the sacrifice and pain the Christ endured for you. Remember He suffered what you are suffering.

Trust, then, that everything will be alright no matter how painful, because you are doing your best to follow Him. That trust will be your peace, it will give you strength and fill you with hope. You will believe you can endure those trials at school, and even in other places.

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  • 2 weeks later...

pray all the time! i have to pray for guidance to keep me on the right track simply because i am a convert of one year and even with an incredibly strong testimony, i hadnt followed the law of chastity before joining the church and have the temptation often. so i CONSTANTLY have to pray for guidance in resisting temptation, and even when i have a little slipup like i go and dance at a party inappropriately or something, i repent as hard as i possibly can and it gets me back on the track toward celestial glory! repentance is key, as long as you dont abuse it :]

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  • 3 months later...

I would like to make a confession and say that I was one of the "evil" people. I hung out with a LOT of Mormons (there were 3 meetinghouses within a 5 mile radius of our high school) and I would swear and make bad jokes around them. Mostly it was because I didn't understand LDS values, because they would never explain them too me. They would ask me not to swear, but I'd be like, oh, Ok, sure whatever.

I would encourage young people that need to ask their Christian friends to be closer to the Gospel to explain why. Not only does it make the request easier to follow, but BAM, you've just opened the door for a missionary experience. Doesn't mean that the person will take it, but it does open the door.

I would not be where I am today if it weren't for my LDS friends in high school. Keep up the good work!

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  • 2 weeks later...

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