Hoorah for a group of youth in our world who know what they believe in. I was privileged to attend the general Young Women Broadcast of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints last Saturday evening. The theme of the night was "We Believe," based upon the 13th Article of Faith.
We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men. Indeed we may say we follow the admonition of Paul. We believe all things. We hope all things. We have endured many things and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely or of good report, or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.Isn't it great to know there are teenagers out there who know what they stand for? We live in a world where it is popular to do what feels good now: people ask, 'what is the right thing for me, and me alone? What feels good?' I feel like there are so many T.V. shows right now (especially geared towards teens and young people) that make virtue and personal purity in an individual seem archaic, out-of-fashion, and even close-minded. What is the message that women are taught these days? Your self-worth is derived from your sexual attractiveness.
This is a gigantic hoax! Anyone who holds a puppy or a newborn knows that this individual has intrinsic value and is of worth. Those adorable newborns can do nothing--NOTHING-- for themselves, but we adore them and love them. We would think it ridiculous to label children as worthwhile or worthless based upon their clothes or their color of skin or some other feature. Those little babies turn into the children, neighbors, and friends we love. They are still of great worth--not because their hair is fashionable or their clothes are trendy or their figure is flawless. It is because they are children of God. Yes, LITERAL spirit children of God. We should worship and love ourselves, not because of a physical feature or talent someone else deems desirable, but because we came from Heavenly Father. All that other stuff is a bonus and just adds to the depth of our character. We are loved for who we are, just the way we are-- we are loved more than perhaps we can even comprehend.
It can be confusing, even for me, a 32 year-old mom of four, to stick by my values and be a vessel of good (for those of you who know me, they know I am still working on this). I sometimes get confused about what makes me worthwhile. I can be easily discouraged when I feel like I don't measure up. I was uplifted and inspired to hear these words from my leaders (Sister Dalton):
What can each of you do to be a guardian of virtue? It starts with believing you can make a difference. It starts with making a commitment. . . . . . . For the mothers listening tonight, you are your daughters’ most important example of modesty and virtue—thank you. Never hesitate to teach them that they are royal daughters of God and that their value is not based on their sensual appeal. And let them see your belief modeled correctly and consistently in your own personal attitude and appearance. You are also guardians of virtue.
When life gets hard and you are discouraged, Sister Dibb gave some helpful advidce:
Sometimes we hear the list of attributes outlined by the 13th article of faith and we feel overwhelmed. However, I know as we try to live these standards and try to follow Christ's example, we can make a difference. . . . . It is my prayer that each of you will not only state, "I believe in being honest and true," but that you will commit to live that promise each and every day. As you do this, Heavenly Father's strength, love, and blessings will sustain you.Amazing words with some amazing promises, right?
To top off my evening, I even got to go get a treat afterward with my new friends and presidency members. I am so thankful for their example to me. Not to mention a delicious key lime pie.
