Please don't run away!

As young women leaders in my church we have felt impressed to speak to the girls about the law of chastity.  It's a delicate subject to address, mainly because of misunderstanding the "why" of the law and "what" to do if it is broken.

I think my biggest anxiety in lessons like these are for those youth who have been raised in the gospel, taught their whole life what to avoid, what to do and not to do, and who have at one time or another found themselves in a vulnerable situation and gave in.  How difficult must it be for them to hear the seriousness of breaking the law of chastity?  Do they feel like a lost cause, that there is no more hope for them?  Do they feel that they've ruined the story of their life?  Do such lessons make them want to hide, to disappear from spiritual things, from the presence of God, or from those who speak in His name?  I certainly hope not.  I hope and pray in those situations that those youth have had firm foundational teachings in Christ, His redemption, and power to make things right again, to make them completely whole, as if it NEVER happened.

When Adam partook of the forbidden fruit he was ashamed and hid himself.  He desperately tried to cover his own nakedness by retreating into the darkness where he "couldn't be seen" by others or himself.  He ran away from the light which so painfully reminded him of the choice he had made.  How many of God's precious children do the same?  I have witnessed this for myself among people I love very dearly.  When they mess up, they give up.  They feel they've lost their worth.  But it's not true, they are still worth more than gold.  If they could only see.  I want to run and call after them, "Please don't go, all is not lost, there is hope... please whatever you do, don't disappear!"

That's essentially what our Father in Heaven did for Adam and Eve.  He called after them, He forgave them, and provided clothing for them so they didn't have to be ashamed of their nakedness anymore, so they could come out freely into the light and out of hiding.  The atonement of Jesus Christ not only clothes our nakedness but prepares us for the finest clothing.  He wants to adorn us like a bride for her groom.  I feel such reverence for this sacred truth! He pleads for us to "come unto Him."

Christ is all about healing, He's all about hope... He is all about love.

I cherish the following scriptures:

"And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him." - Luke 5:12-13

"And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.
And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.
And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away.
And I said: Lord, how is it done?" - Enos 1:4-7

"When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." - John 8:10-11

This is the character of Christ.  I don't comprehend how it is all done.  But I know that there is nothing I could ever say or do that He can't fix. I know there is nothing  that would end His love for me... which makes me adore and reverence Him even more. He has provided a way back, a way for healing, and for wholeness.

I pray for the youth.  I hope they understand this.  I hope they understand their great and infinite worth.  If they have messed up, I pray they won't hide.  And I hope the only running they do is in the direction of the Savior.

Because of Him, we can start brand new... this is the first day of the rest of our lives.  Do we believe it?  Do we believe it not just for ourselves but for all of our brothers and sisters?  I do.  With all my heart, I do.

-Alicia

As a "Keeper of the Hearth"

"I know of no better answer to [the] foul practices that confront our young people than the teachings of a mother, given in love with an unmistakable warning... No one can calculate the tremendous force for good that you can become. You are the keepers of the hearth. You are the managers of the home...I charge you to stand tall and be strong in defense of those great virtues which have been the backbone of our social progress." - President Gordon B. Hinckley

One of the biggest threats to the family is the devastatingly destructive drug of pornography.  If we as mothers are to be "the keepers of the hearth" we must educate our children about this pernicious evil.  Mothers and fathers must be vigilant in filtering the images and messages that come into their homes through music and media and help their children choose wisely.

"You live in a world of terrible temptations. Pornography, with its sleazy filth, sweeps over the earth like a horrible, engulfing tide. It is poison. Do not watch it or read it. It will destroy you if you do. It will take from you your self-respect. It will rob you of a sense of the beauties of life. It will tear you down and pull you into a slough of evil thoughts and possibly of evil actions. Stay away from it. Shun it as you would a foul disease, for it is just as deadly." -  President Gordon B. Hinckley

Each time a person chooses to view pornography, it eats away at their true identity and the true identity of others, especially those closest to them.

"Research has found that after men are exposed to pornography, they rate themselves as less in love with their partner than men who didn’t see any porn. On top of that, another study found that after being exposed to pornographic images, people were more critical of their partner’s appearance, sexual curiosity, sexual performance, and displays of affection"
 - See more at: http://fightthenewdrug.org/porn-kills-love-2/#sthash.PPxsfbtR.dpuf

It's interesting to me that in a society, where their is so much spouse and child abuse, we have these extremely well-funded agencies and organizations that insist on pushing what they call "sexual rights".  They go so far as to DEFEND the multi-billion dollar porn industry under this "right". These people have no interest in parental rights and  they refuse to defend or protect the traditional family, and in fact see it as a threat.  They insist the solution is in teaching "safe sex".  Imagine the difference these organizations could make if they focused on educating abstinence before marriage and fidelity after.

These things are extremely agonizing and difficult for me to think about.

I find strength and hope to see their ARE groups and organizations coming together in a coalition to make the truth be told.  I pray for the youth of this world, for the fathers and mothers.  I pray for a return to virtue, human dignity, and responsibility.
- Alicia

To the Women of the World

I have been given the opportunity to attend the Convention on the Status of Women at the United Nation's Headquarters.  I will be taking note and observing many things that are of grave concern involving the women of the world especially the young women.

I find it interesting and of no coincidence that many of the ladies I am traveling with have recently been given callings in the Young Women's Program, including myself.  Also, my roommate will be an amazing sister who formerly served on the General Young Women's Board. I'm excited for such a privilege.

ARISE AND SHINE by, James Christensen
Young Women Holding The 8 Values and the Banner of the Temple

The reason we are going is because "Far too many corrosive social policies are being made that have direct impact over our sphere of influence. As we gather together our presence and influence will expand to make the creative changes that can grow goodness. Because we are life-affirming, we will not stand idly by as destructive changes take place (such as in national and international policies). We wish to highlight to the world that the internal power that we cultivate is indeed tremendously powerful, and what we do everyday within the walls of our homes is deeply valuable. We are united with women from all parts of the world that care, safeguard, protect, and sacrifice." 
-Carolina Allen

While there, we will seek out and network with women from all over the world who share our desire to protect and uphold the family unit, who believe in the complimentary and Divine relationship we share with men. We will stand as witnesses of God at all times, in all things, and in all places.  The proverbial banners we wave are the values we proclaim every Sunday in Young Women's written in a universal language that sisters of all faiths and nations can understand.

1.) We believe in God and are women of Faith. For many of us worldwide women. We believe in a higher power. It is what gives us our internal strength and courage as we face life's challenges. It is an integral part of our identity and it is powerful.
2.) We  embrace our life-affirming biology. To be a female means that we we have a unique and powerful life affirming anatomy. We celebrate this.
3.) We are each unique and innately worthy of respect. Every individual is worthwhile and special.
4.) We seek after wisdom and knowledge. We have each been endowed with an internal compass that when used can magnify our wisdom and knowledge for the good of humanity.
5.) We have the freedom to choose, and choose wisely. The freedom to choose is inalienable. We choose life-affirming and non-violent paths.
6.) We reach out and serve others in need. We are the innate healers of suffering, and do so with great compassion.
7.) We follow our conscience with integrity. We speak truth amidst confusion and  we follow our intuitions with faith and confidence.
8.) We cultivate wholeness and harness our creative power. Our virtue is priceless and we guard and cultivate our wholeness.

We are ready to embark! Who is coming aboard?

-Alicia


About the Painting
Arise and Shine Forth

by James C. Christensen

“Years ago I did a painting," relates Jim Christensen, called 'Virtue,' which featured a quiet and determined young woman making her way, alone, through the darkness with the light of faith to guide her. One of the things I wanted to say is that not only are our young women strong, they are not alone. They are well prepared and know how to stand for what they believe. They know how to support each other and the community. As a group they are unstoppable in their ability to reach their divine potential. There is always another group coming up behind them.”