How do we respond to such malicious and evil designs? Do we strike back?

from Elder CarlosE. Asay, who was a member of the Presidency of the Seventy:

 Allow me to suggest a course of action—one which is in harmony with the teachings of the Savior, and one which, if followed, will be in harmony with the wise counsel of prophets past and present:

• “1. Avoid those who would tear down your faith. Faith-killers are to be shunned. The seeds which they plant in the minds and hearts of men grow like cancer and eat away the Spirit. True messengers of God are builders—not destroyers....

• “2. Keep the commandments. President Brigham Young promised, ‘All we have to do is to go onward and upward, and keep the commandments of our Father and God; and he will confound our enemies.’ ( Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. JohnA. Widtsoe, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1957, p.347.)...

• “3. Follow the living prophets. ... ‘Always keep your eye on the President of the Church, and if he ever tells you to do anything, and it is wrong, and you do it, the Lord will bless you for it. ... But you don’t need to worry. The Lord will never let his mouthpiece lead the people astray.’ (HeberJ. Grant, quoted by MarionG. Romney in Conference Report, Oct. 1960, p.78.)...

• “4. Do not contend or debate over points of doctrine. The Master warned that ‘the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil.’ ( 3Ne. 11:29 .) We are inconsistent if we resort to Satanic tactics in attempting to achieve righteous ends. Such inconsistency results only in frustration, loss of the Spirit, and ultimate defeat....
• “5. Search the scriptures. Few of us would go astray or lose our way if we regarded the scriptures as our personal guide or compass....

• “6. Do not be swayed or diverted from the mission of the Church. ... Satan used a diversion ploy when he tempted Christ in the wilderness. The Savior’s decisive response, ‘Get thee hence, Satan’ ( Matt. 4:10 ), is a proper example for all of us....

• “7. Pray for your enemies. ...

• “8. Practice ‘pure religion.’ Involve yourself in Christian service....

• “9. Remember that there may be many questions for which we have no answers and that some things have to be accepted simply on faith” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1981, 93–94; or Ensign, Nov. 1981, 67–68 ).