Standing Up

Last Thursday I finally got in to get a haircut and color. I had been procrastinating getting this done for quite sometime, so consequently my hair really needed it. It takes awhile to do highlights and color so naturally I started to make conversation with the hair stylist. Her comments kind of wound their way around until she came to religion. She began to criticize my religion, and make assumptions about my beliefs. I was a little taken back at first as I have never been in such a position of having to defend my faith and its teachings in such setting before. I listened for a few minutes and then decided I could not sit silent any more. I pulled my courage up from the bottom of my feet and politely started to correct her. It was amazing how the words and scriptural references came as I found my voice in standing up for truth and righteousness. Yes, we are Christians. Yes, we do believe in the Bible as far as it is translated correctly, we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. It is another testament of Christ. Yes, we do believe Christ is our Savior, that he atoned for our sins, that through him we can be saved. We believe He is the literal Son of God. We believe in God the Father, and in his son Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost. They are three separate Beings, that constitute the Godhead. We pray to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ. We believe in modern day revelation, that God does speak to us today through a living Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson. He was ordained to that position by men holding the Holy Priesthood of God, who can trace their authority back to Christ. He is not paid, he willing accepted the call to serve the Lord without monetary compensation. Likewise all of those who serve in His Church do so without monetary compensation. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men. Indeed we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul, we believe all things, we hope for all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things, if there is anything virtuous, lovely of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.
We are not perfect, but we are honestly striving to be the best we each can be. We desire to emulate the Savior, to be like Him.
I walked out of the salon that day with my head, wet, but held high. It felt good to testify of what I believe! I hope that her impression's of "Mormons" now rank higher than before I met her. That she is a little more informed on what we believe. Maybe I planted a little seed that day. I am so grateful to Parents, Primary teachers, Sunday school teachers, Young Women teachers and leaders, Relief Society teachers, and all others who have taught me about the Savior, and who have helped me to gain a testimony of my own of His divinity. He is my Savior to this I do testify!