Why Our Baby is Modest

Alright, I know I may get some flak about this one... but I'm not going to be "modest" about it

MODESTY

... I feel this topic gets thrown out there every once in awhile on social media.  It seems to be a controversial issue at times even at BYU.

Specifically though, lately my wife and I have been talking about our daughter, Charlotte, and the importance of her learning to be modest (she is currently 18 months).  We have decided to dress her modestly since she was born.  The other day, my wife asked me if one of the outfits that Charlotte  had on was modest.  I said, "Well the sleeves are too short... but I guess that's okay..." then I caught myself... and my wife did as well and said:

"Why is it okay for a baby to be immodest?"

Now I know occasionally for babies you have to strip 'em down while they eat their spaghettiO's so it doesn't get all over their clothes... but why is it okay for their normal outfits to be immodest?  Why is it okay for a little girl to wear a bikini when she is 6 but not 16?  (And I don't think the Lord's commandment of modesty is restricted to anatomical differences with age.)

Now maybe it's just me... and my wife for that matter... but we have personally decided to help our little girl learn to be modest from day 1.  We even just bought Charlotte an Easter dress... with no sleeves, so we bough a jacket to go with it.


THOUGH... I feel like this is not just an issue for babies and the decisions of the parents... I see this at BYU as well.  Which still doesn't make any sense to me.  This is the whole leggings-yoga pants-type deal that people are bloggin' about.

For me though, if someone said, "Hey Chad, I don't feel like what you wear is modest..." I would say, "GREAT! Thank you!"  I mean, who am I to draw attention to myself for what I am wearing?

LDS.org says concerning modesty:

"Modesty is an attitude of propriety and decency in dress, grooming, language, and behavior. If we are modest, we do not draw undue attention to ourselves. Instead, we seek to “glorify God in [our] body, and in [our] spirit”

Well some people would say, "I can wear what I want" or "People should just not look" or the classic line about the whole leggings controversy at BYU is, "Well guys should just learn to control their thoughts."

All I have to say is who are we to match our wisdom with that of God's?  If it is even questionable should we really be living on the edge of the cliff to begin with?  Come on people!

We should really be thinking:

“Would I feel comfortable with my appearance if I were in the Lord's presence?”

Thank you to my wife and all the other modest women out there.

"What shall a man (or woman) give in exchange for his (or her) soul?  Are you exchanging the Lord's thoughts on modesty for your own?

What Matters Most?

What matters most in your life? How much time and attention do you give to those things?

Life is full of schedules and planning and work and school and birthday parties and dance parties and jungle gyms and...

You get the point. So many things compete for our attention... And unfortunately the Lord and our families can take the back burner if we are not careful. This video helps me keep those things in perspective:

"We should not need a hurricane or other crisis to remind us of what matters most. The gospel and the Lord’s plan of happiness and salvation should remind us. What matters most is what lasts longest, and our families are for eternity." - Elder M. Russell Ballard

I love the Lord. I love my family. And I'm glad that even in the hectic moments of keeping up with the daily grind, I can enjoy moments like this:

Busy: The Drug

So I am currently taking the Seminary Teaching class here at BYU.  It has been a stressful but awesome experience to say the least.  Lately, I have been absorbing a plethora of media in the form of scriptures, quotes, music, and movies.  I have also noticed that I remember and understand that media 5x more because I am teaching it.

One particular principle that has especially struck me lately is one about the importance of being an example to those around us.

"Verily I say unto you all: Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations" - Doctrine and Covenants 115:5

I'm trying to be better at this one.  I think we can get so caught up in the busyness of our lives that we forget about the world around us.  Sometimes we don't realize that we aren't the only person that has a busy life... we aren't necessarily busier than everyone else... and what we are busy doing isn't more important than what everyone else is busy doing.  So let's slow down... stop speeding down the road to get to your destination and forget about everyone else around you.

Don't become so encompassed in getting from point A to point B that we don't enjoy the journey.

Don't become so busy trying to make a living, that you forget to make a life.

Smile!

I loved our class the other day on home videos.  I often hear a lot of negative things about the media, but there are many positive aspects as well... such as making home videos.  It is amazing that the quality of video I can make with just my phone is already 10x better than what I had as a child.

Which is great... because I can't stop watching this home video my daughter, Charlotte.

“And [Jesus] took a child … in his arms [and] said …

“Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth … him that sent me.” - Mark 9:36-37

Why Are We Gloomy?

So to make this short and sweet... To make an honest confession... I realize I can get very distracted and waste a lot of time doing meaningless and unproductive things.  The use of media is just one example.  More importantly though, I know that I cannot look back on the past but only look forward with hope.  The Atonement makes it possible to change even our most carnal and natural man desires.  God wants us to come to His Son and look upon him with joy, for he can heal us and empower us.  We can experience a complete change from our imperfect selves and reach out potential of our eternal selves.  But only through the Atonement of Christ.

This quote came to my mind this week, and I'm grateful for positive aspects of the internet where I could quickly get access to it:

"If we remain gloomy after what he did for us, it is because we do not accept what he did for us. If we suffer, we deserve to suffer because there is no need for it if we only believe in him." - Hugh Nibley

It may be a little bold, but sometimes we need to open our hearts to fully accept what we need to learn from our Heavenly Father.  I know I needed to this week.

Big Hero 6: A Gospel Perspective

Big Hero 6.  What a great movie.  If you haven't seen it, I strongly suggest you rearrange some things in your life to make room for this one.  Maybe it's because I just got off work from teaching missionaries... or maybe it's just because the gospel of Jesus Christ is my life and purpose, but I feel this movie strengthened my testimony of Jesus Christ.

Think about this... Baymax' soul purpose was to help others even to the point of sacrificing himself.  What really got me was this quote:

"You are my patient.  Your health is my only concern."

I can imagine our Savior, Jesus Christ, saying those words... feeling those emotions... while he suffered for each and every one of us.

And... let us not forget Baymax' last words to his good friend Hiro:

"I will always be with you."

Let us not forget what is truly important in our lives.  I feel that good, enriching media will bring that to light.  To me, that light is Jesus Christ and His gospel.  He gave everything for me and you, so that we can be changed and return to our Father in Heaven.

Not all media can do this... some media may put us on the fence, a battlefield if you will, of what will bring good into our lives vs. what will not.

"Each of us has his or her own battlefield. The tactics which the enemy will use against us will vary from time to time. He will seek to exploit our weak spots, so we must be alert to the devil’s devious designs—the subtle sins and clever compromises as well as the obvious offenses . . . Some of the greatest battles we will face will be fought within the silent chambers of our own souls." - Ezra Taft Benson

How will be the result of your battle?

The Power to Overcome Life's Challenges

Next month, on April 18th, I will have taught at the MTC for 3 years.  Every time I get a new group, it never ceases to amaze me the kinds of struggles that these young 18, 19, 20+ year old missionaries have gone through.  One missionary I am currently teaching said that his mom passed away 8 months ago.  Another missionary I have had said he had 3 major near death experiences where he thought he wouldn't live.  Others have felt the weight of mistakes and sin keep hold them down.... death... sickness... struggling families of alcoholics, abuse, and sickness.

I thought of this quote by President Henry B. Eyring:

"Many of you are now passing through physical, mental, and emotional trials that could cause you to cry out as did one great and faithful servant of God I knew well. His nurse heard him exclaim from his bed of pain, 'When I have tried all my life to be good, why has this happened to me?'”

I think of all of the missionaries I have taught...
Instead of giving up... they decided to give.
They chose to serve God and help others that may feel the burden of their trials.

"If the foundation of faith is not embedded in our hearts, the power to endure will crumble." - President Henry B. Eyring

Let us have more faith... not in ourselves... but in our Savior Jesus Christ.  That is where the power to overcome life's challenges lie.