Wednesday, January 15, 2014

I will wear it proudly

Modesty is a fairly common word but a less common practice, especially in this time and a day. Modesty is something I used to struggle with, I couldn’t follow all the simple guidelines that the LDS church suggested when it came to dressing modest. I was never a very immodest person but I would still wear less modest clothing, and at that time I was okay with that. I was embarrassed to dress “Mormon” and to fully look modest, I wanted to look stylish and looking “Mormon” wasn’t stylish. I didn’t care how I felt in what I was wear or how it could make others feel, only cared if it was cute. Once I allowed the Gospel back into my life I became more conscious of what I would wear to church, but I would still sometimes wear less modest clothing outside of church. I wasn’t fully ready to give up my cute pieces of clothing because I thought that since I was not sealed in the temple I didn’t have to be fully modest, I could commit myself once that happens in my life. With that being said, I am going to share a little experience on what changed my mind and views on modesty and preparing yourself now. 

I was going to be a bride so I needed to find the perfect dress to wear on my perfect day! I wanted to wear a modest dress, well mostly modest. My mother was going to make my wedding dress, so I showed her the dress I wanted her to replicate… it was modest, besides having a sheer top. It was simple yet stunning and I was extremely pleased with how it was turning out. When it came to the part of making the top half my mother asked

if I wanted it sheer or solid and I told her sheer just like the original dress. She then reminded me of my goal of getting sealed in the temple and that I should wear a fully modest dress. I shot back that I wasn’t going to be sealed for a while since my husband and I were going to have a civil marriage first, so I wouldn’t need a fully dress modest. I knew she was right but didn’t like it, so I just angrily said yes while rolling my eyes… I was going to look like a Mormon bride. I went to my room and cried angry tears because I was not going to get the perfect dress I wanted and I was going to look modest even though I was not going to have a temple wedding. As I sat and pouted a verse from I Love to See the Temple came to mind, "I will prepare myself while I am young; this is my sacred duty".  I was being blinded from the world’s view and my own justifications on modesty.

What really helped me overcome my struggle with dressing immodest was, seeing myself as a daughter of God. I want others to see that I respect my title as such, and I do that by dressing modest. As being a daughter of God I need to prepare myself now to be able to enter into His house, including dressing modest. It’s my goal to be sealed in the temple to my husband and if I want to reach that goal I need to make the necessary sacrifices to get there. Dressing modest may seem like a small part of preparing yourself to enter the temple but if you can’t follow the small things, how do you expect to follow the greater things the Lord asks us to do? After praying and fasting I came to realize being modest isn't about fashion or looking the most stylish, no it was way more than those worldly things. It outwardly shows that we understand and value our relationship with our Heavenly Father, that we respect the gift of our body he gave to us. We are keeping the holy covenants by doing so and we are showing our Heavenly Father we are wanting to be virtuous. I stopped looking at modesty in the worldly aspect because the world isn't who matters, it's our Heavenly Father who does. 


I know being modest everywhere, not only church, is hard and can be a challenge. You have to search through crop tops, skirts that have high slits in them, skimpy dresses, and hardly there shorts to only find something that is modest but isn’t your size. It very discouraging when you see others wear stylish outfits but knowing it isn’t modest, so you shouldn’t wear it. Keep in mind… “Modesty is more than a fashion statement, it’s a daily decision to dress like the child of God you are.” I know if we, daughters of God, wear our faith and show we respect our title… we will be blessed! I am no longer ashamed to look Mormon, because I am proud of my faith, and I will wear it proudly.

**The original photo at the top of the post is from Mikarose, which happens to be a website full of cute modest clothing + they have adorable accessories!** 

2 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh Camille, I love this!! :) This is so well said and I love that you use your perspective of the challenge you had. So many can relate, even myself! It is so wonderful to be able to look at yourself as a daughter of God, and to live that way. I remember when I was in high school I knew I needed to make the decision to start dressing as if I were wearing garments, because then it wouldn't be as hard to give up half my closet when I got married, because I knew it would be in the Temple, and that I just should. It was so hard, many trips to Vegas cause sweat and just horrid heat, but I knew I was respecting the body my Father in Heaven gave me, and I'd go through the heat for Him.

    Now that I've been through the temple, it means so much more. It sucks, because it's harder after you go through. Shorts don't always go down to your knee cap, and your garment top shows easily so you either wear a white shirt underneath, or you choose a different shirt. I could complain all I want, but when I attend the Temple for any session, I am overcome with peace and gratitude, that I'm able to partake of these blessings because of washing & anointing. Gosh, I can't wait until you go through, it will really be so amazing and you will understand so much more than you already do. Thank you for sharing this, I'm going to share it with others!

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    1. Thank you, Ashley! It's such a hard small thing to change. I am still having a hard time letting go of some of my clothes because they're so cute... but my relationship with God is far greater than clothes.

      I can not wait to be able to go through the temple and be sealed to Ariel!!! I just get all smiley thinking about it. That's how I feel, once I go do something spiritual I forget all about the worldly views on certain things, I think that's why they recommend us to go to the temple weekly!

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