Perfection is very often linked with low self-esteem. Feelings of "I need to be better" and feeling that you aren't good enough.
YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH. If fact, if you knew what God thought of you, you wouldnt even question this!
There is a very fine line between Self-Masteryl and Perfection, but the difference is crucial to understand because perfection is NOT possible in this life. If we strive for it, we will fail, and we will feel like we aren't good enough and unable to be in control. But if we strive for Self- Mastery, God will lift us up. Self-Mastery can be defined as Spirit Over Body, and this is very important. We cannot achieve self-mastery by things of this world. Self- Mastery is not being 1 in all your classes, the best dressed, having time for everyone and every activity, AND being able to live without sin or having bad thoughts. This is CRAZY! Self-Mastery/Self-Contro is still having an occasional bad thought, but being strong enough not to act on it. Or it is repenting and being able to do better next time!
Self-mastery is being humble. It is being humble enough to compliment someone for doing better than you in class with a smile, and then maybe asking them for help! Self-Mastery is the ability to change worldly suffering into Godly Change. Weakness into strength.
To expect only perfection now would mean denying ourselves the opportunity for growth.
There is a difference between humility and feeling of little worth. Self-Mastery leads to humility, and "perfection" leads to feelings of little worth.
Remember, my dear one, not an age in life passes without temptation, trial, or torment experienced through your physical body. But as you prayerfully develop self-mastery, desires of the flesh may be subdued. And when that has been achieved, you may have the strength to submit to your Heavenly Father, as did Jesus, who said, "Not my will, but thine, be done." (Luke 22:42.)
Self mastery IS being scared, BUT having the ability to ask a friend for help. Not ever being scared would be perfection, and thats just never gonna happen. BUT THATS OK!!
Perfection will not come in this life, but in the life to come. We must choose happiness now, because YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH.
It is ok that you deal with sin! But I promise if you get on your knees and pray for forgiveness and tell yourself and the lord that you can overcome your weaknesses, you will feel a wonderful, clean, powerful feeling that YOU CAN OVERCOME! YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH RIGHT NOW!
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A Feminist Argument in Favor of Modesty
Modesty means humility. For example, if someone is very wealthy, but modest, they do not show off their wealth, or make fun of the less wealthy. A well educated person that is modest will not treat uneducated people poorly, but help them instead with the gift they have been given. They know there are people who are smarter/wealthier than they are.
Unfortunately, Modesty in today's day, means "Cover Up!!" Girls are constantly being criticized for what they wear, and this hurts me, because people should be able to wear what they want, just the same as they should be able write what they want. This is the argument that I heard a lot from the girls who would be dress coded in high school, and they're right, girls should be able to wear what they want.
But when it comes to Modesty, especially in high school, everyone thinks the argument is about sex. "if I wear this im a prude, if I wear that I'm slutty" "Girls need to cover up because of boys." but heres what one of my friends had to say, and I would believe that the vast majority of women, girls would agree.
I can't speak for all women, but my fashion choices have never really been about trying to appear "sexy" per se, but I've definitely been guilty of trying to look as "skinny" as possible.
I think womens' clothing trends have more to do with women trying not to look "fat" or proving that they're not "fat" and less to do with women trying to dress "slutty"
According to the Nation Eating Disorder Association,
42% of 1st to 3rd grade girls want to be thinner. 81% of TEN YEAR OLDS are afraid of being fat!
I know clothing isnt the only problem, but there is an increasing problem of eating disorders in the world, and it is especially important to realize that if you or someone you know is sick, it is not your fault. It is not someone's fault for wanting to look good, or for being sick.
But there is HOPE. IT IS POSSIBLE TO OVERCOME!
My message today is that YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! You ARE enough!
Modern Clothing trends are: tight fitting/revealing clothing, see-through clothes, clothes that highlight bones or skinnier body parts....and I believe these are affecting us, wanting to be skinnier. Now some of you are saying "why is it so wrong to want to look skinnier" and the reason is because this tricks you into thinking you need to be skinnier, which, if you are healthy and happy, you dont! We are talking about perfectly healthy girls, wanting to be skinnier. We are talking about our ten year old children looking up to us as an example.
I have heard perfectly healthy girls talking about not being able to wear something that they want because they are too big....Are you kidding me?? This tears at my heart...
Don't you see? Girls should be able to wear what they want! And if they want to wear something cute, they should be able to!
But here's the deal. My argument is in favor of modest because the enemy is not boys, the enemy is not girls. The enemy is a clothing industry that promotes a photoshopped idea of perfect, or worse, using models who are unhealthy.
We need to wear modest clothes NOT because someone told us to cover up. We need to wear modest clothes because our friends and children, skinny/curvy/thick/thin/small/tall are in pain that they're not something that someone else is.
Other girls are looking at you and wishing they were skinnier. Doesnt that sound familiar to what you've felt?
The clothing industry wants us to believe that modesty was something created by the patriarchy to keep women held down, but now the truth is that clothing is making us judge/hurt eachother/ ourselves.
we need to support and love each other. We need to love the bodies God gave us, and the bodies he gave our friends.
But modesty is a choice. The only way other clothes will feel comfortable is if you choose it. But I promise that if you choose to change your style, you will have better self confidence, you will love more, and you will see more happiness, more control in your life. And people will look up to you for being beautiful.
If we choose to wear other modest clothes, they have no power, because we chose. We chose being comfortable in our skin is more important than being comfortable in their clothes.
I call myself a feminist because the jokes aren't funny. Our girls need help. They are so beautiful, each and every human, because we're all created of something devine. We need to choose.
You are so beautiful. Ask God what he thinks about you. I know he'll answer you like he has answered me.
Self-Mastery means Spirit Over Body, and I know clothes dont make you beautiful, your smile does. It shines.
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If you agree, please share this! If someone you know is struggling, please share this! If someone makes you feel bad for choosing to be modest, please share this!
YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL, YOU ARE ENOUGH
LOVE,
ELDER AMANN
BE SURE TO WATCH GENERAL CONFERENCE THIS WEEKEND!!
Pray with a question, and watch to have it answered!
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Get Help: If you think you have an eating disorder, please contact http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/ for help!
I used these talks writing this, and they're super great!
Heres a government building we toured and a sweet Choose the Right cake!
