or for anyone who endured it

for the first three weeks I was convinced my life

was in jeopardy

the navy wasn't trying to train me

it was trying to kill me

I shall ever remember when Sunday rolled around after the first week

we received welcome news from the Cheif petty officer

Standing at attention on the drill ground

In a brisk California breeze

we heard his command

today

everybody goes to church

everybody that is

except me

I'm going to relax

All you Catholics

you meet in camp Decatur

and don't come back until fifteen hundred hours

Fall out

Those of you who are Jewish

you meet in camp Henry

fallout

The rest of you Protestants

you meet in the theater in camp Theraget

Fall out

Instantly there flashed through my mind the thought

Monson you're not a catholic

You're not a Jew

you're not a Protestant, you're a Mormon

so you just stand here

I can assure you that I felt

completely alone

courageous

and determined yes, but alone

as we go about living from day-to-day

it's almost inevitable

that our faith will be challenged

We may at times find ourselves surrounded by others

yet standing in the minority

00:02:25,099 --> 00:02:26,599 or even standing alone

concerning what is acceptable or what is not

do we have the moral courage to stand firm

for our beliefs

if and in by so doing

We must stand alone

00:02:48,469 --> 00:02:50,279 it is essential

that we are able to face

with courage

whatever challenges come our way

“and just what do you guys call yourselves”

Until that very moment I had not realised

that anyone was standing beside me

Or behind me

on the drill ground

almost in unison

each of us replied “Mormons Sir”

well you guys go find someplace to meet

and don't come back until fifteen hundred hours, Fall out

It is difficult to describe the joy

that fill my heart

as we marched away 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

May we ever be courageous

and prepared

to stand for what we believe

And if we must stand alone

in the process

may we do so

courageously

strengthened by the knowledge

in reality we are never alone

when we stand

with our Father in Heaven