Dare To Stand Alone

Posted in: What's the Buzz

September October 2025

I recently watched one of my most favorite talks: President Monson’s “Dare To Stand Alone” from the October 2011 Priesthood Session of General Conference. You may recall that during this talk he tells a story about a time when he stood alone while in Navy boot camp. After his commanding officer ordered the Catholics, the Jews and the Protestants in his company to church, then Recruit Monson found himself standing alone in recognition of the fact that he was not a member of any of the faiths listed by his CO!

“Instantly there flashed through my mind the thought, ‘Monson, you are not a Catholic; you are not a Jew; you are not a Protestant. You are a Mormon, so you just stand here!’ I can assure you that I felt completely alone. Courageous and determined, yes—but alone.

“And then I heard the sweetest words I ever heard that chief petty officer utter. He looked in my direction and asked, ‘And just what do you guys call yourselves?’ Until that very moment I had not realized that anyone was standing beside me or behind me on the drill ground. Almost in unison, each of us replied, ‘Mormons!’ It is difficult to describe the joy that filled my heart as I turned around and saw a handful of other sailors.

“As we marched away [to church], I thought of the words of a rhyme I had learned in Primary years before:”

Dare to be a Mormon;

Dare to stand alone.

Dare to have a purpose firm;

Dare to make it known.

In October 2018, President Nelson directed members of the Church to stop referring to ourselves as Mormons. “Jesus Christ directed us to call the Church by His name because it is His Church, filled with His power,” exclaimed President Nelson. And thus, we effectively excommunicated the moniker “Mormon” from our vocabulary. At this point it almost feels like a slur when saying or hearing any member of the Church referred to as Mormon.

Except when the word is used online to disparage our faith. My reaction to negative falsehoods attributed to “Mormons” tends to be “You’re darn right I am a Mormon. And proud of it!”

In our increasingly godless world, The Arizona Beehive stands as a beacon to Members, and as a threat to some in our community. Our display racks are periodically vandalized, their stock of magazines trashed. Distribution locations on occasion ask to have our little stack removed from their places of businesses when customers complain about having “religious” or “Mormon” materials on display. But I continue to stand alone with this publication. Because I have you standing behind us, and I have a purpose firm – to uplift and enlighten our population of Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“You know … The Mormons!”). And I dare to make it known.

Thank you for reading and supporting … and for patronizing our advertisers… You are most appreciated.

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