Standard.

In the summer of 2012, I was an EFY Counselor for 7 golden weeks :)

It looks fun, doesn't it? It was!!!!!!!!!!!

I still love each one of those Youth so much.

I was pondering what I should share with my girls one night for devotional. An idea came to my head (Go Spirit!) that I should ask a plethora of questions to a plethora of my boy friends. (Friends who are boys, you get the jist... and supposedly "jist" isn't a word, because there is a red squiggly underneath.)

I asked friends I knew had lived the gospel. I asked them questions like what they look for in a girl (hahaha), why it's important to follow a Prophet, and why it's important to keep the Standards of the Church. 

I got all sorts of answers back, but one has STUCK IN MY MIND ever since. It is about why we obey standards.

"The times when it is hard to obey are the very times that God is especially watching to see if we will choose Him, even when it is hard."

It's hard to be modest when it's a 120 degrees.

It's easy to be modest when it's -50. 

It's hard to be nice when everyone is rude.

It's easy to be nice when everyone is nice. 

It's hard not to judge when everyone is different.

It's easy not to judge when everyone is the same.

It's hard to listen to clean, wholesome music when no one else is.

It's easy when it's your Ipod and you can press next at anyyytime. 

It's hard to pay Tithing when you're saving up for something.

It's easy when you know why you pay.

WAITWHAT.

Yes, I switched it up. 

When we know WHY we keep a standard, keeping them becomes easy peasy lemon squeezy. 

"The biggest thing for me when it comes to keeping standards is learning why. There is great wisdom behind each standard. Don't be afraid to question why. If you have a hard time keeping a particular standard, pray about it and then study as to why it is a standard. If you do so sincerely, and put forth a good effort you will gain a testimony of each standard and it will be easy to keep them."

At the same time, having FAITH means to follow them, even without knowing the exact reason why.

Simply, we follow Standards, because we have Faith in Jesus Christ. Because we know His ways are higher than ours, and because we love Him, we will obey.

Whether it be telling clean jokes, choosing a modest Prom dress (which will make you look like a BABE), switching the song or TV show, or being honest even if it means humiliation or failing a test, 

YOU WILL BE BLESSED when you follow Christ "at all times, and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death." MOSIAH18:9

I can promise you that.

Who do we stand with? We stand with Christ. At allll times, in alll things, in alll places.