It seems no matter where I turn these days I can no longer tell the difference between some Latter-day Saint people and the people of the world. Let’s explore a little of what I’m talking about.

16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke of this in October of 2000 General Conference:

President Gordon B Hinckley mormonNow comes the craze of tattooing one’s body. I cannot understand why any young man—or young woman, for that matter—would wish to undergo the painful process of disfiguring the skin with various multicolored representations of people, animals, and various symbols. With tattoos, the process is permanent, unless there is another painful and costly undertaking to remove it. Fathers, caution your sons against having their bodies tattooed. They may resist your talk now, but the time will come when they will thank you. A tattoo is graffiti on the temple of the body.

“Likewise the piercing of the body for multiple rings in the ears, in the nose, even in the tongue. Can they possibly think that is beautiful? It is a passing fancy, but its effects can be permanent. Some have gone to such extremes that the ring had to be removed by surgery. The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve have declared that we discourage tattoos and also “the piercing of the body for other than medical purposes.” We do not, however, take any position “on the minimal piercing of the ears by women for one pair of earrings”—one pair. (Gordon B. Hinckley, “‘Great Shall Be the Peace of Thy Children’,” Ensign, Nov 2000, 50–53)

Some may consider this a silly thing to be writing about, but in reality, Heavenly Father is the one who created our bodies. He is God the Father and because He is God He can create nothing that is not beautiful in His sight.

We have been asked by Paul the apostle, in 1st Corinthians, to treat our bodies as a temple of God. The living prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley has asked us to do the same. Joseph Smith, Jr. wrote of the Lord’s revelation called the Word of Wisdom, which is a road map for good health for the body. God gave us these bodies so that we who had valiantly earned our first estate could continue to progress in our second estate, mortality. It’s important to God that we keep our as physically pure as is possible.

mormonI believe a Latter-day Saint should be visible in every crowd. The light of the gospel should shine from our faces and it should be evident that there is something different about us. Enough so that people question, “Why does that woman look so different? She stands out but I can’t tell why.”

Piercings in the nose, lips, eyebrows and assorted other sites detract from the physical beauty of the body God created. Tattoos mar and detract from our natural God-given beauty. It causes His emissaries, us, to blend into the fabric of the world. These things make us in the world, rather than of the world.

We are so precious in His sight. God loves us more than we will ever comprehend. His chosen mouthpiece, a living prophet of God, Gordon B. Hinckley, has asked Latter-day Saints to refrain from tattooing and excessively piercing our bodies. I would say if one has the desire to stand out, then be different, do not conform. Meaning, eschew all things which mar or harm the body. Immerse yourself in prayer and study of the gospel of Jesus Christ. When participating in entertaining activities, never forget who you are. All members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are heirs to the Abrahamic covenant . . . meaning the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, and we are joint-heirs of that covenant. Change who you are on the inside and the image of Jesus Christ be stamped in your countenance.

If I can ask of you one thing . . . remember who you are.

About Candace

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