Local Pages
Standing for What Is Right
Renisha is a 16-year-old girl who lives in Kingston, Jamaica. She is an only child and has been a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints her whole life. Growing up in the Church has helped her build a strong testimony. Now, as a teenager, she finds many chances to be a good example and to share what she believes with others.
Renisha spends a lot of time with her friends from school who are also members of the Church. They help each other keep their standards and stay strong. “No matter how hard life is, we keep each other grounded in the gospel,” she says. The girls in her ward are also very close. They work together as a team and support each other.
One day at school, Renisha had to make a tough choice. A friend not of her faith asked a group of girls to follow her into the bathroom. Once inside, the girl pulled out a vape and started using it. She offered it to everyone else. The moment was very awkward, but Renisha knew what she needed to do. “I told her I didn’t want to do that,” she said. “I knew it wasn’t good for us.”
That day, when she got home, Renisha felt even more determined to stay close to Heavenly Father. She decided to make scripture study and daily prayer a bigger part of her life. “If I make God my priority, it will help me stay strong,” she explained. “It’s never easy, but it’s good to have the Savior as a backup.” President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency, taught, “We need to have inspired priorities and apply them in ways that will bring eternal blessings to us” (“Focus and Priorities,” Ensign, May 2001 84).
Renisha has also had chances to share the gospel with her school friends. One day, she was talking with her group when another girl joined and said she had heard something strange about the Church. One of the girls pointed to Renisha and said, “She’s a Mormon.” Renisha felt a little nervous, but the group wanted to learn more, so she explained what she believed. “There are so many untrue things about the Church on social media,” she said. “But I was able to share my testimony, and they understood better who we are and what we stand for.”
In Mosiah 18:9, we read the importance of standing “as witnesses of God at all times and in all things . . . that ye may be redeemed of God.” Renisha knows it can be hard to talk about her beliefs when others say negative things. “I’m afraid sometimes they will judge me,” she said. “But then I remember that I will be judged by my actions, not by what other people think of me.” When she feels nervous or unsure, she prays in her heart and asks Heavenly Father to help her feel peace and courage. “I ask for the Holy Ghost to comfort me so I can speak without fear.”
Renisha also tries to encourage her friends in the Church, as they encourage her. A special memory for Renisha happened at a youth activity last year. A testimony meeting had been planned, and many of the youth were nervous about bearing their testimonies. Renisha and the Young Men president talked and encouraged each other to go first. “We said we would go up and be an example,” she said. “We didn’t want to be scared. We just did it.” After they bore their testimonies, many other youth followed. It turned into a powerful and joyful experience. Everyone felt the Spirit, and afterward, the youth took photos together, smiled, and were happy about the experience. “It just takes one person to be brave,” Renisha said. “That day strengthened my testimony.”
Renisha is already making a difference through her example, her words, and her faith. She is strong, kind, and brave—and she shines brightly in her home, her school, and her country.