Stand tall, Stand together

"The time has come for the [young women] to stand with and for the prophet in helping build the kingdom.  The time has come for us each to stand tall and to stand together."

- Sheri Dew

You know who I like to be united with?  People I like.  But guess what, UNITY means being united with MORE than just those people who are already our friends or who are easy to get along with.  There are two ways you can be when it comes to uniting.  You can sit in the corner and wait for someone to include you, or you can get up and start including others.  So what are you going to do?  GOD’S ARMY…UNITE!  JUST DO IT!  Go out today and start strengthening yourself by uniting with others, even those who you don’t know or get along with already.  

I love you!  I want to unite with you!!!  Together we can build God’s Kingdom and conquer Satan!  

Love,

Sister Rhinehart

United as Honey Bees

Honeybees are driven to pollinate, gather nectar, and condense the nectar into honey. It is their magnificent obsession imprinted into their genetic makeup by our Creator. It is estimated that to produce just one pound (0.45 kg) of honey, the average hive of 20,000 to 60,000 bees must collectively visit millions of flowers and travel the equivalent of two times around the world. Over its short lifetime of just a few weeks to four months, a single honeybee’s contribution of honey to its hive is a mere one-twelfth of one teaspoon.

Though seemingly insignificant when compared to the total, each bee’s one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey is vital to the life of the hive. The bees depend on each other. Work that would be overwhelming for a few bees to do becomes lighter because all of the bees faithfully do their part.

- M. Russell Ballard

Heavenly Father has created this earth for us to live in.  It is part of His grand plan for us to become like Him.  Our time here is a test.  Sometimes as we strive to live the gospel and do the many things that we have been asked to do in order to return to our Heavenly Father, we can get overwhelmed.  

A few months ago my mother decided to move here to Idaho Falls from Oregon.  All of my siblings decided to take time to go to Oregon and help our mom pack up the home that we had all grown up in.  We worked hard, taking apart beds, packing boxes and filling the moving truck.  When the job was complete the time came to say goodbye to our home.  It seemed appropriate to kneel in prayer for the last time in our childhood home and thank our Heavenly Father for the memories that we created there.  It was a bittersweet moment.  But as we knelt in our childhood home in a circle, we all felt a bond.  As a family, we had accomplished so much.  We had grown up together there in that home, stayed close as siblings once we moved away, and now had completed the task of moving my mother to another state.  We not only were united as siblings at that moment, but we each felt united in purpose as well.  

As sisters in an army, we need to unite together like the bees in a hive.  We need to work together to complete the work we have been placed here to do.  We can help each other.  By doing our part while all striving for the same goal, our task becomes less daunting and our burden becomes lighter.

- Sister Landers

Don't forget your Wingman

"I spent the majority of my life as a fighter jet pilot in the United Stated Air Force. The men in my squadron remain to this day, a tight knit group, keeping in close touch after 40 years.

In our training as fighter pilots, one of the first and most basic rules was, Take care of your wing man. Constantly check your six o'clock to make certain no enemy is sneaking up behind him.

It is good advice to protect comrades in a fighter squadron, it is great advice to stay close and protect our (Young Women) as we strive to stand firm on the Lord's side."
Robert C. Oaks

As we prepare for Girls Camp, let us prepare by becoming more united. We need to watch out for each other as Robert C. Oaks teachs. How great would it be if you knew someone had your back....always.  How helpful would it be if someone was always making sure that you were safe from our enemies and keeping us out of danger.  We can have this if we strive to be united. As we become united, we become a force. And a force that is powerful. Strive to be a wing man for each other as we unite to be become God's Army.

-Love, Sister Landers

United or Disorganized?

When my kids were little I had a really hard time keeping the house clean.  I would walk into the kitchen to do the dishes I would come back into the living room and it would look like a tornado had just ripped through it!  One day, when talking to my boys, I had him pick up a blanket.  They were on one side of the blanket and I was on the other.  I told them to try and move the blanket over to the couch.  They started walking over to the couch, but they didn't get very far before they were stuck because I was pulling on the other side of that blanket.  I kept encouraging them to take the blanket over to the couch and they kept pulling and pulling but pitted against me, it was not happening.  Finally, in frustration, they gave up and said, "We can't!  You're pulling against us."  I explained to them that this was how I felt with the housework.  I kept trying to clean up, and they kept trying to mess up!  We were not getting anywhere because we were pulling on opposite sides.  I asked them if they would pull with me.  Then we all took the blanket to the couch.  After that, I began using the phrase, "pull with me" in a lot of situations, and I still use it today.

When we pull together, we are able to do amazing things.  Because we are united!  When we pull against each other, or try to thwart somebody else's progress, it stops, not only them, but also us, in our progress.  We must be united with God, and his son Jesus Christ, in moving the world towards Him.  If we are not, then we are pulling against Him.  Unity is key in the army of God!  Join up!  With all of your heart, might, mind, and strength!  United we stand!

-Love, Sister Rhinehart

"We…..are all part of the Army of the Lord.  We must be united.  An army that is disorganized will not be united.  An army that is disorganized will not be victorious.  It is imperative that we close ranks, that we march together as one.  We cannot have division among us and expect victory.  We cannot have disloyalty and expect unity.  We cannot be unclean and expect the help of the Almighty."

- Gordon B. Hinckley

Put on the Armor of God

When we choose to obey the commandments of God and the words of our prophet, we not only will receive blessings, but it will become easier to make good choices and choose the right in the future.  As a teenager I was confronted frequently to break the commandments and do things that I knew were against the standards of the church.  I grew up in area where there were not many kids who were LDS.  It was hard to stand up for what was right, especially because no one around me followed those same standards and I felt very alone and unpopular.  When I received my patriarchal blessing I was told that I would be able to recognize Satan's attempts and that when I saw them, that I would provide leadership, hope and peace for my friends.  My blessing said that I would be able help my friends avoid Satan's snares and pitfalls, and that my friends would bless me for it.  Even though it was difficult, I took courage in my blessing.  There were many times when we were invited to participate in things that I knew to be wrong.  When I took a stand and chose to obey the commandments, my friends would follow me and make the same choices, even though none of them were LDS.  Years later I have had friends from high school call me and tell me how glad they were that they made good choices and how it has affected their lives.  I testify that once you stand up for what it right, you are blessed with power from on high and it becomes easier to do what is right.

- Sister Landers

Are we willing to become totally obedient to God's law?  There comes a time in our lives when a definite decision must be made.  We should decide now, in the light of morning, how we will act when the darkness of night and when the storms of temptation arrive.

- Howard W. Hunter

"Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them." - Alma 57:21

I will go and Do....

There are times when we don’t see the reason to obey a certain prompting, commandment, or directive.  When I was serving a mission in Texas, I was driving home from an appointment with my companion.  We got to an intersection that crossed a 4-lane highway.  It was nearly dark.  I looked both ways.  There was no one coming.  I started to go…and felt strongly that I should step on the gas HARD!  Without a moment hesitation, although I saw no danger, I obeyed the prompting.  Immediately I heard the screeching of brakes and felt the impact of a car as it collided with the back doors of our Ford Taurus.  If I had questioned or waited to see why I had received that prompting, I very likely would not be writing this today.  Certainly not all promptings are life and death…but may of them are even MORE important, because they are the difference between SPIRITUAL life or death.  Girls, that I already love, PLEASE listen and OBEY!  You will see the blessings.

 I love your cute faces and can’t wait to spend the week with you at camp!!!

 Sister Rhinehart

"The Day is coming, more than ever has been the case in the past when we will be under the obligation of making a choice of standing up for the Church, of adhering to its precepts and teachings and principles, of taking the counsel that comes from the apostles and prophets whom God has placed to teach the doctrine and bear witness to the world.  The day is coming when this will be more necessary than has ever been the case in our day or at any time in our dispensation."

                                                - Bruce R. McConkie

"It is important that we make up our minds early in life as to what we will do and what we will not do.  Long before the moment of temptation comes…. We all have different weaknesses and temptations, and we should examine our lives to find out what those weaknesses are and where we should put on the extra armor so we can do what is right and not submit to temptation."

                                                - N. Eldon Tanner

Obedience in all Things

Part of being in any Army is learning obedience.  In an Army it would be disastrous for the troops to go against the Commander in Chief’s orders.  A war is raging today and we, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are members of God’s Army.  We must learn to be obedient and follow our commander in Chief, Thomas S. Monson.  It is crucial in these last days to learn obedience in order to withstand Satan’s attacks.  Friends, be bold.  Do what is right……let the consequence follow.  “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.” (2 Timothy 1:8) Love, Sister Landers

“Nephi taught us a powerfully simple principle in recounting his father’s dream of the tree of life.  He described a strait and narrow path leading to a tree and a great and spacious building.  This building was filled with people who were dressed in exceedingly fine and fashionable clothing.  They were all in an attitude of mocking and pointing fingers toward those who were partaking of the fruit.  They were trying to get people off the path and into the building.  From all appearances, the people inside seemed to be having a great time.  What an indelible image of temptation.

The time has come when we must take an unyielding stand.  We must shore up our spiritual underpinnings, listen to the prophets of God, and follow their counsel.  Said Paul to Timothy:  “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.  Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.” (2 Timothy 1:7-8)

It requires courage to make good choices, even when others around us choose differently.  As we make righteous choices day by day in little things, the Lord will strengthen us and help us choose the right during more difficult times.”

• Elder Craig Zwick

“For years I thought the mocking crowd was making fun of the way the faithful live their lives, but the voices from the building today have changed their tone and approach.  Those who mock often try to drown out the simple message of the gospel by attacking some aspect of the Church’s history or offering pointed criticism of a prophet or other leader.  They are attacking the very heart of our doctrine and the law of God, given since the Creation of the earth.  We, as disciples of Jesus Christ and members of His Church, must never let go of that iron rod.  We must let the clarion trumpet sound from our own souls.”

• Elder Gregory A. Schwitzer