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Modesty
"Know
ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the
Spirit of God dwelleth in you?.....The temple of God
is holy, which temple ye are."
(1 Corinthians 3:16-17)
"A
quality of mind, heart, and body, modesty is an
attitude of humility, decency, and propriety that may
be evidenced in thought, language, dress, and
behavior."
(Encyclopedia of Mormonism)
"In
females, modesty is used as synonymous with chastity,
or purity of manners. In this sense, modesty
results from purity of mind, or from the fear of
disgrace and ignominy fortified by education and
principle. Unaffected modesty is the sweetest
charm of female excellence, the richest gem in the
diadem of their honor." (Webster's
1828 Dictionary)
"Servants
of God have always counseled His children to dress
modestly to show respect for Him and for themselves.
Because the way you dress send messages about yourself
to others and often influences the way you and others
act, you should dress in such a way as to bring out
the best in yourself and those around you."
(For the Strength of Youth, Dress and Appearance)
"The most
precious thing that a girl has is her modesty and if
she preserves this in dress, in speech, in action, it
will arm, and protect her as nothing else will.
But let her lose her modesty, and she becomes a victim
of those who pursue her, as the hare is of the hound;
and she will not be able to stand unless she preserves
her modesty.
(Melvin J. Ballard, Conference Report, April, 1929)
"Modesty
in dress is one of the identifying characteristics of
saints. It is an aid in preserving chastity and
an outward sign that the modest person is imbued with
humility, decency, and propriety. Immodesty in
dress is worldly, excites passions and lusts, places
undue emphasis on sex and lewdness, and frequently
encourages and invites petting and other immoral
practices. It is an outward sign that the
immodest person has become hardened to the finer
sensitivities of the Spirit and been overcome by a
spirit of vanity and pride."
(Elder Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine)
The Lord
is concerned about the dress standards in today's
world.
The prophets have told us for years and it seems that the matter is getting worse....just as the world is. Joseph F. Smith said in 1913: "Never, I say within the period of my life and experience, have I seen such obscene, uncleanly, impure, and suggestive fashions of women's dress as I see today." Heber J. Grant in 1928 said: "I am ashamed, as I walk the streets of our cities, at the lack of modesty in the dresses, not only of our young people, but our mothers and grandmothers." What do you think these prophets would think of today's fashions? Shirts too small for maturing bodies, skirts that fit so low on hips that midriffs are showing, wearing flip flops while attending Church meetings... whatever happened to "Sunday Best!" Levi skirts and tight T-shirts have become the norm and have taken the place of nice Sunday dresses. The respect we are showing in our worshipping attire is sad to me. I do not know where this casualness came from...I have always taught my daughters that Sunday is the Lord's day....dress as such! Is this just another area where Satan has lulled us into complacency?
In Sister Bonnie D. Parkin's talk
at the Spring 2004 Relief Society Open House, she
said, "Have you considered how the spiritual
well-being of our sisters is impacted by their dress
and grooming? Are there sisters in your wards
who don't feel the Spirit as often as they could
because of how they dress? We know of bishops
who specifically asked that Home, Family and Personal
Enrichment meetings be held for Relief Society sisters
and the Young Women to address modesty. Some of
the mothers were the most grievous offenders, and they
were oblivious."
Are we as mothers and Young Women
leaders....OBLIVIOUS!! Are we being the Lord's
example of modesty to our young women....or the
world's example? What is the standard, sisters?
Pose that question to yourselves. How does
modesty influence our welfare both spiritually and
temporally?
Sister Kathleen Hughes said in
the 2003 General RS Women's Conference: "I once heard
a mother say that with all of the evil influences
facing her daughters, she had to choose which battles
to fight. And so she had chosen not to fight
their dress standards. But modesty is a battle
worth fighting because it so often affects more
serious moral issues. Sisters, you are wise and
amazing mothers. You don't need a handbook
outlining what is acceptable in dress. Follow
the Spirit, and you and your children will know what
is right."
Below you
will find some resources to help you gain knowledge
about modesty, why our Heavenly Father wants us to be
modest and ideas to reinforce the modesty issue with
our Young Women.
Articles
- offsite
Reverencing Womanhood -
Susan
Bednar, BYU-Idaho Fireside, Sept. 2001
It's time for us to stop accommodating an environment
of immodesty and jump out of the water before we get
boiled alive by the seductive and evil influences that
are a result of continued immodest dress. This
is about reverencing our womanhood.
Blessing Our Families -
Kathleen H. Hughes, Sept. 2003 General Relief Society
We need to be examples to our children of what we
expect in dress, in appearance, and in chastity.
To Clothe A Temple -
John S. Tanner, Ensign,
August 1992
Modesty
helps us to make our bodies temples in which the
Lord's Spirit may swell.
More than Hemlines and Haircuts -
Joseph Walker, Ensign, Feb. 1992
The way
youth dress is a key to shaping some of the most
important life relationships.
Standards of Dress and Grooming -
Dallin H.
Oaks, New Era, December 1971
Evaluate Your Style -
Caroline H. Benzley, New Era, Jan 2002
Everything Good and Beautiful -
Jan Pinborough, Ensign, March 2003
A Concerned LDS Man's
View of Modesty -
Letter from Jack in California
What
kind of impact is the lack of conformity to the dress
standards by young women having on the young men?
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