Sister Tobias gave the lesson this Sunday from these 2 conference talks:
Dare to Stand Alone and Stand in Holy Places both by President Monson
She started the lesson by having each sister write down the 10 commandments from memory. Some even knew them in the correct order.
She shared part of this story: "A distinguished Notre Dame sociologist led a research team in conducting in-depth interviews with 230 young adults across America. I believe we can safely assume that the results would be similar in most parts of the world.
I share with you just a portion of this very telling article:
“The interviewers asked open-ended questions about right and wrong, moral dilemmas and the meaning of life. In the rambling answers, … you see the young people groping to say anything sensible on these matters. But they just don’t have the categories or vocabulary to do so.
“When asked to describe a moral dilemma they had faced, two-thirds of the young people either couldn’t answer the question or described problems that are not moral at all, like whether they could afford to rent a certain apartment or whether they had enough quarters to feed the meter at a parking spot.”
The article continues:
“The default position, which most of them came back to again and again, is that moral choices are just a matter of individual taste. ‘It’s personal,’ the respondents typically said. ‘It’s up to the individual. Who am I to say?’
Moral is simply your good or bad choices. It mentioned between the 2 talks that the "moral compass of society is accelerating." The Ten Commandments have been viewed as The Ten Creative Suggestions but President Monson reminded us that they are just that - Commandments.
Sister Tobias said that the Ten Commandments are the base, the scriptures are our guide and full of other commandments to follow. We should not be in doubt of what is expected of us. Our faith will be challenged.
Do you have the moral courage to stand for your beliefs?
President Monson listed out 3 things to help us be strong as we stand:
1. Testimony
2. Prayer
3. Inspiration
From the Dare to Stand Alone talk we are reminded of what President Benson said:
“In all ages, prophets have looked down through the corridors of time to our day. Billions of the deceased and those yet to be born have their eyes on us. Make no mistake about it—you are a marked generation. …
“For nearly six thousand years, God has held you in reserve to make your appearance in the final days before the second coming of the Lord. Some individuals will fall away, but the kingdom of God will remain intact to welcome the return of its Head—even Jesus Christ."
From the Stand in Holy Places talk:
The Lord invites us, “Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me.” As we do so, we will feel His Spirit in our lives, providing us the desire and the courage to stand strong and firm in righteousness—to “stand … in holy places, and be not moved."
Sister Tobias asked us what we it meant to us to Stand in Holy Places?
"may our determination ever be to guard and defend it and to be worthy of its great promises. Brethren, may we follow the Savior’s instruction to us found in the book of 3 Nephi: “Hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do.”
