I have an autoimmune disease. As I age, my body hurts in lovely new ways. Lately, it hurts to lay down through the duration of the night to sleep. My back tightens up and my muscles feel locked up. It has nothing to do with my mattress or my pillow, trust me, I have looked into it. My body just does this sometimes and I find ways to endure it until it goes back to normal. So… I am frequently looking for ways to help my body get better sleep and/or rest.

I came across an ad for a vibration exercise plate. I looked into it and felt that this would help me. Maybe not immediately, but eventually over time. I bought the machine and when it came, I was excited and nervous to try it out. That first day, I had it on the lowest speed and did not know if I could last 10 minutes. I had to put my arms out for balancing and it was so weird! I had to build up a tolerance to it and then once I could tolerate it, it wasn’t long before I was able to also build up my endurance with it.

I had to make the effort to keep trying, even when it felt impossible to do it. Now, I try to use it everyday when I wake up so that my body aches from the night’s sleep would relax and I could feel refreshed. I have begun to do other exercises on the vibration plate, but stretching feels the best.

I have come to notice a few things that I want to share with you. The week I got my vibration plate, we were studying in Come Follow, Me Doctrine and Covenants 87. Verse 8 says, “Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly, saith the Lord. Amen.”

As soon as I read this, I thought about how tricky it was to stand on the vibration plate that first day. I felt so unbalanced and I frequently had to adjust my balance putting my arms out. I giggled to myself thinking about all of the times I needed to stand in Holy Places as a teenager and be not moved from my convictions.

My two oldest are now in High School. We home school, but I’ve been feeling strongly that my son needs to be in school. Not because of academics, but because his light needs to be able to shine more to others around him.

They started school this week. This was difficult for me to act in faith on. Finally, I submitted and said, “Not my will, but thine.” I know God will take care of them. That doesn’t mean challenges and trials won’t come up, but God always provides a way when we do the things He asks of us.

What does it mean to stand in Holy Places? I want to share what google said with you:

Google says: “Standing in holy places generally refers to making efforts to live a righteous life, drawing closer to God, and seeking His presence. It involves creating and maintaining environments, both physical and spiritual, where the Holy Ghost can be a constant companion. This includes actions like attending religious services, studying the scriptures, praying, and striving to live according to God’s commandments.”

Well said Google! Let’s keep going with the Google breakdown:

“Physical Holy Places: Temples, churches, and homes filled with love and kindness can be holy places. These are spaces where one can feel closer to God and receive spiritual guidance.

Spiritual Holy Place: A pure heart, free from distractions and open to God’s influence, can be a holy place. This involves controlling thoughts, actions, and desires to be worthy of the Spirit’s presence.

Maintaining Holiness: This involves living a life of virtue, obedience, and reverence. It means making sacrifices, controlling worldly desires, and seeking to be morally pure.

Finding Protection and Strength: Holy places provide a refuge from worldly temptations and negative influences. They offer a sense of security, peace, and strength to resist evil and remain steadfast in faith.

Becoming More Like God: By standing in holy places, individuals can become more like God, developing Christ-like qualities and preparing for His return.”

Wow! Google! I’m impressed!

Now, let’s talk about what this actually looks like. I would like to remind you that I was once a Prodigal Daughter. I had my really dark moments where I thought that I had messed up so badly from making stupid choices that there was no hope for me. No redemption. No joy. I did not understand the Atonement of Jesus Christ in the way that He meant for us to understand it.

Before I decided to let myself leave my Holy Places, I was noticed and admired for my convictions and standards. Then I started down a tricky path. I let the temptations of the world slowly creep in little by little.

There is an analogy that I was told during this time about a man and his camel in the desert. I want to share it with you now (this is how I was told this story, I know that there are other versions of it):

There was a man riding a camel in the desert. Suddenly and quickly, a sand storm picked up and headed in the direction of the man. He quickly set up his tent and took shelter. It wasn’t long after the sand storm cam over his tent that the camel begged him, “Please allow me to bring my nose into your tent so that I can breathe fresh air as it is hard to breath with the sand swirling all around.” The man allowed this. It wasn’t long before the camel asked, “Please allow me to bring my head into your tent as the sting of the sand hitting my ears is quite painful.” The man allowed this as well. It wasn’t long before the entire camel was inside the tent and the man is pushed out of his safe place due to the enormity of the size of the camel filling the tent.

I hated this analogy. You know why, because I had already let the camel’s nose inside my tent. My Holy Sanctuary of peace. And just like the man, I found myself pushed out of my Holy Place and looking desperately for safety in my wilderness place.

The analogy of the camel and the tent was the warning. I did not heed this warning. I ignored it. I loathed it.  And it wasn’t long before I was the girl who lost her safe place because I had given it up to the “camel”. I felt so foolish. I felt so lost. I did not know what to do now.

I spent a couple of years in a dark place and decided that I could not redeem myself and just gave in to more and more worldly vices. I. Was. Not. Happy. I. Was. Miserable. Living in the world did not bring JOY into my life. I was always looking for happiness and never finding it.

I did none of the things that Google suggested to stand in Holy Places. For a long time, I deeply regretted this, all of it. But now… Now, I understand more of how God’s plan works.

“For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so… righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be compound in one…”

Opposition is part of the plan. When we go through challenges and difficulties, we have the opportunity for growth. Now, I say this fully hating how I dealt with those challenges and difficulties. BUT… It was through all of the strife and the consequences of my actions that I truly came to know God.

If you asked me today, if I knew then what I know now, would I still do it again? I would tell you yes. I would go through those challenges all over again because they made my who I am today. A woman filled with love for her Savior and her Heavenly Father. Because of that opposition I faced, I also get to be filled with their perfect love now. They know the beginning from the end. They were not angry with me even when I made the most foolish of choices. They mourned with me, They protected me with safety, and They nourished me in whatever ways that I would allow Them to. And They were always there with me.

Why? Because they knew that was a crucial period of development for my soul. It would refine me to become a disciple of Jesus Christ and to share His Gospel to others.

I never want to go back to that place I was at. I continually ask Him for opportunities to share His good news so that it brings His light into my life.

I came across a talk given by Sharon G. Larsen in April 2002. She has the most amazing perspective on Standing in Holy Places. She says, “Standing in Holy Places is all about being in good company, whether you are alone or with others.” I love this!

I also want to share a couple more scriptures that talk about standing in holy places:

In Mattew chapter 24, Jesus told the disciples that Jerusalem would be destroyed and they ask Him to know more about when this would happen. Jesus goes on to give them advice and warnings. In verse 15 He says, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place.”

In Psalm 24, David is testifying of the Lord and His earth. He explains that those that will ascend into the Hill of the Lord (the tabernacle or temple) will be those that stand in his holy place.

Verse 3: “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who shall stand in his holy place?”

Verse 4: “He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.”

Verse 5: ”He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.”

Here you have the same phrase “stand in holy places” in three books of scripture. The Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Doctrine and Covenants. I think that tells us just how important it is to Stand in Holy Place AND be not moved.

When we move away from that holy place, we are sure to enter a wilderness place. How are you making your life a Holy Place? Do you need some ideas? Let me know!