Standards...

Being Mormon can be pretty tough at times. You are a strict observer of your faith, which I hope, is true for most Mormons.

We don't drink alcoholic beverages, coffee, or tea. We do not use tobacco, whether that's for chewing or smoking. We have been counseled by our church leaders to not date until 16 years of age. We are counseled never to watch, read or participate in anything that can harm our spirits, including (but not limited to) reading/watching violent or pornographic media (We have been counseled to never watch R-rated movies, and to be wary of most PG-13). We dress modestly (knees, shoulders, backsides, and chests covered) and cleanly.

Everyday we not only represent our church, but we represent our Savior. We took His name upon us at baptism, and try to act as He would in our situation. We believe that lowering our standards will cause the influence of the Holy Ghost to withdraw from our lives and we are left without light in a darkened room.

But keeping our standards is not the toughest part about being Mormon. It's the ridicule (and hurt) that we face when other members of our faith choose not to uphold the standards that they profess in. I can take any other kind of ridicule/persecution/call it what you will. Anything but that.

It hurts me that those members choose to take so lightly the counsel that they profess to believe in. I guess every religion has its hypocrites, but I had hoped that ours was different.

I just don't understand why people won't live what they say they believe. If you don't believe in it, great, take yourself somewhere else and do what you want with your life. But if you believe that Joseph Smith is a prophet, then you believe that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet. If you believe the Book of Mormon is true, you believe that they are prophets and that all the counsel they give is truly from God. If you believe this, then you know it is wrong to disobey any of the commandments and that it is wrong to lower your standards! Don't you get it? You have promised to keep the commandments! One of those commandments is to listen to the warning voice of the prophet!!!

I plead with you to not just talk Mormon, but to live Mormon. If you believe it, then DO IT!