Brightening My Light

Congratulations! You’re married! All that chastity has paid off with a beautiful temple wedding. But virtue doesn’t stop at the altar—modesty in all areas continues in marriage. Clothing : Remain modest in respect for your spouse and temple garments. On beach days and date nights, you can still dress attractively without flaunting your sexuality. Bedroom : The Church has no official rules on what is and is not allowed in the bedroom, except for obvious behaviors that break covenants, such as infidelity, pornography, and abuse. However, President Kimball advised, “ If it is unnatural, you just don’t do it. That is all, and all the family life should be kept clean and worthy and on a very high plane. There are some people who have said that behind the bedroom doors anything goes. That is not true and the Lord would not condone it.” 1 When you are unsure of something concerning intimacy, examine your motivation and feelings. Sex should never

In all the modesty talks, the focus is usually on women, but modesty applies to men too. Extremes : The most obvious immodesty for men is sporting extreme hairdos and offensive clothing and accessories. Modesty is about being moderate and includes not showing off flashy, expensive apparel. Dress your best without being distracting, especially at church or in the temple. Tight Clothing : Tight clothing is just as immodest for men as it is for women! Revealing Clothing : If what you are wearing doesn't cover garments, whether or not you are endowed, then it is immodest. This rule applies to athletic wear as well. Of course some sports require certain clothing that may not allow for garments (such as swimming), but those activities are not excuses to be immodest. Words (spoken or written) : Men are usually the most immodest when it comes to what they say. Repeating crude humor, sharing intimate activities, and using profanity are all inappropriate for a priesthood holder to do.

We may think we are dressed modestly when really we aren’t, even if we are following all the written rules. Modesty is just as much about the spirit of the law as it is about the letter of the law. Here are some ways to check for accidental immodesty before heading out the door. Sneaky Skin : You may not realize areas of skin that are showing because you cannot see them. Stand in front of a mirror and bend over in all directions. Check for skin showing on your backside, tummy, and chest. If you can see down your shirt, so can anyone else taller than you. Tight Clothing : Your clothes are too tight if you can’t pinch them, move around comfortably in them, or put them on easily. Glamour : Too much jewelry, heavy makeup, and incredible heel height make you look more like a woman of the world than a woman of the Lord. Modesty means not obsessing over fashion and makeovers or focusing on the “vain imaginations” of the world. 1 The word modesty

We’ve all heard the modesty talk so many times, we could recite it in our sleep. And most of us already dress modestly, so it feels like they’re preaching to the choir. But this time it’s not about the clothes—modesty extends beyond fashion to all aspects of your life. Conversation : What we talk about with our friends and significant others is just as important as what we wear. If you have nonmember friends who like to share their sexual conquests, tell them that’s private information you aren’t interested in. When on dates, don’t talk about sexual activities. Men, avoid crude humor and let your friends know it’s not funny to you—sex is an intimate topic. Photos : We all have social media accounts through which we share our everyday lives, vacations, and fun times with the rest of the world. We need to be careful, though, of what photos we take and post of ourselves. When unsure, just ask yourself, “Would I be embarrassed if my bishop saw t

Church, school, home—we are modest where and when expected. However, are we using the following situations as excuses to dress immodestly? Beach/Pool : Women, choose your swimsuit by how much it covers, not by its name—even one-piece suits can be immodest with plunging necklines and no backs. Men, avoid tight swimming shorts. Athletics : Sports, dance, and exercise all require flexible, proper-fitting clothing. It’s possible to find such clothing in (more) modest styles or to make them more modest, such as by wearing spandex shorts underneath track shorts. Even sports with mandatory uniforms can be worked around. For example, a girl in my stake ordered her high-school cheerleading skirt longer than required with no problem. Halloween : Often this holiday is seen as the night modesty is scared away. Most women’s costumes revolve around sex appeal and men's around crude humor. There are so many creative costumes out there that are m

photo from lds.org Now that lds.org posts the priesthood session video online, I watched it. I must say, it was not anything like I expected. I frequently hear from men how stern and scolding it is, but I disagree! The only really serious talk was President Monson's, but even then, President Monson lightened it with lots of humor and love. Other than that, I did not find priesthood session to be any different from the rest of General Conference. My favorite talk from priesthood session was by Elder Gibson on the Aaronic priesthood . I think that young men underestimate the power they hold simply because the Aaronic priesthood is referred to as the lesser priesthood. My husband wisely calls it the preparatory priesthood. The only differences between the Melchizedek and Aaronic priesthoods are the responsibilities and keys (authority). The power is the same. Young men can call upon the Lord to produce miracles as well, as Elder Gibbons shared about the deacon's quorum presid