How I was Raised

As I grew up, my parents had fairly high expectations of me. I was the youngest of three and my older siblings set a standard that my parents wanted me to follow. I remember watching my sibling grow up. I saw their failures and their successful moments. I saw how they reacted and how they changed.
They are my heroes.
They have helped me shape who I am and continue to help me understand the person I want to become still.

There was one standard that I remember watching my sister keep sacred to her.

It was respectful and appropriate language.

I remember her telling my mom an experience of her first year in high school where there were people cussing and talking about Mormons in a negative way. She stood up for what she believed in and I remember being in awe of her. How she could have so much courage, it was amazing.
Didn't she care what people thought of her?
Wasn't she scared that they would make fun of her?
I think that answer is yes for both questions, but standing up for her beliefs and standards was MORE important.


I had friend who cussed a lot in 5th grade. I wanted to be just like my sister, but I was really scared that this person would hate me and judge me for being different than everyone else. I thought I would lose a friend. (a 10 year old worries about those sort of things a lot!)

One day, she said a bad word and I just went for it.

Me- "Allison, would you mind not saying those kinds of words around me?"
Allison- "Huh?"
Me- "The bad words.... Can you not say them around me?"
Allison- "Oh, sure! I didn't know they bothered you?"
Me- "Uh, ya, they do. Thanks."

UTTER RELIEF!

Now not everyone reacted that way when I asked them, but Allison was my friend and she respected me and didn't use those words around me ever again. If ever she slipped and did, she would immediately apologize and move on.

I was taught at an early age that foul language is degrading and harmful to our spirits. We should always use clean and wholesome language that uplifts and edifies.

When we choose to stand up for our standards and our beliefs, we are showing that we value the opinion of the Lord more than the opinion of men.

I want to be like Hyrum Smith when the Lord told him, " Blessed is my servant Hyrum Smith; for I the Lord, love him because of the integrity of his heart, and because he loveth that which is right."

I love the Lord.
I love his commandments and I WANT to obey them because I LOVE the Lord.