No Fear!

Last night we got an e-mail from the Stake President via the Bishop that said that there might be visitors in church today from the No on 8 that may try to cause problems. We were told to treat them with courtesy and friendship and if they refuse to respect our meetings then to call the police... feeling the love. We were also counselled to not make the meeting all about Prop 8 but to share pure testimonies... I was pretty nervous about what might happen at church (I'd seen some crazy things on my mission and my imagination was going off...)

Then I read the second letter from the Stake Presidency:

... In March of 1842 the Prophet Joseph Smith was requested by a newspaper editor (John Wentworth) to summarize some of the beliefs of the Church. We received many precious things from this document. The Articles of Faith are one example. Towards the end of the letter, the Prophet Joseph wrote the following:

"The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done."

We are living in the times prophesied by the Prophet Joseph. This is our time to defend the Standard of Truth. May the Lord bless you for your efforts.

I had forgotten that basic truth. How many times in the scriptures do we read about faith overcoming fear. I need to have faith that what I do, what we are all doing, will have positive results. Instead of dreading what might happen I started thinking about my own testimony and what I would want to share with people who may disagree.

Anyway, back to church this morning: We got there early and soon we did spot an obviously non-member family - woman in slacks, man in polo shirt... Lets just say that everyone was on their best behavior! We had 2 baby blessings then testimonies. I remember as a missionary we were always nervous during testimony meeting because you never knew what craziness would come out of peoples' mouths when they got in front of a microphone... But today was a missionaries' dream! Everyone that got up shared a short, heart-felt testimony. They stuck to the basics. There were children, teenagers, young & older adults. I don't think I've been to such a spiritual testimony meeting since youth conference...

When the meeting ended without any incidences I secretly laughed as Jeremy, the father of one of the blessed babies, went to the suspect family and gave them a hug and thanked them for coming to the blessing :) So all the stress was for nothing but I think everyone felt a great unity and strength of spirit as we wanted to show this (imaginary) opposition what we were all about. I did go up to Jeremy later and told him 'good job' for providing the "plant" to keep us all on our toes. At first he looked confused then he broke out laughing when he realized that many of us misjudged the situation.

So look for us tomorrow as we 'go forth boldly, nobly, and independent' waving signs. I may even go for broke and break down and make some phone calls (If I can do it without shaking and sounding like about to start crying ... sheesh, what a wimp!)

Don't Forget to Vote!!!