I am so grateful that I am a daughter of God. That knowledge alone has given me reason for so many things in my life. It has brought me hope in times of discouragement. It has brought me peace. It has brought me comfort.
I've been thinking lately about my worth. All growing up in Young Womens we recited, "We are daughters of our Heavenly Father who loves us..." I think every girl at some time in her life goes through some self worth doubts. I remember when I had that realization that I really am worth way more than what the world sees me as. I used to take everything so seriously about what people said about me. It still is hard, and sometimes I still take things way too seriously and personally. But I remember one specific time. I was in the fifth grade. We were all lining up in front of our door getting ready to go to recess. There was this one boy that was in front of me in line. I remember standing in line and saying "Oh, I'm hot." referring to my temperature. But this boy in my class turned around and gave me this look of disgust and said, "Uhhh..not really." To this day, I still remember that feeling I had. I remember the look he gave me. That really offended me, and after that I really didn't think that anyone liked me or could like me because I wasn't "hot" or even "cute". I didn't think I was cute, and I didn't think that boys could even like me.
Now, first of all, I think it's important for us to realize that what we say to others and about others can really effect them. I think that we should never say anything bad about anyone because people never forget what you say to them and how you treat them. So I am going to try and remember that myself and I will try to be better at saying nice things to people. You never regret when you say something nice. Never.
Secondly, this was just a little fifth grader. Why should I base what I thought about myself and base what everyone else thought about me just because of what a little fifth grade boy told me? I know that my Heavenly Father loves me, and I know that I am worth way more to Him than I think I could every be capable of.
Again, I am grateful for the knowledge that I have that I am a daughter of Heavenly Father. That has brought me peace. Another thing that I learned a lot about in Young Women's is about how my body is a temple and a gift from my Heavenly Father. One of my greatest pet peeves is immodesty. It's not immodesty itself that is my pet peeve, but more when girls dress immodestly and expect boys to respect them. How could you expect anyone else to respect you when you don't even respect yourself? I don't dress modestly just so that boys will respect me, I dress modestly because I respect myself and I know my worth. I think that is where it all starts. When you truly know your worth, you know how Heavenly Father sees you, you know that your body is a gift, then why would you even want to disrespect that and dress immodestly? I dress modestly because I want to. I know that I will make covenants in the temple with my Heavenly Father and I want to dress in such a way that will respect those covenants. I remember singing this song in Young Womens that says, "I don't need the attention of immodesty. I am confident in my divinity. No matter what the world may do, I'm a daughter of God, and I'm holding on to virtue."
And that's where it all comes back to. I am a daughter of God, and I am so grateful for that. I know that I am worth so much to Him, and the least I can do is respect my body that He gave me. I am worth more than what the world says I am. I am worth more than what I think I am and what others think of me. I strive to stand as a witness of Him in all the ways that I can. Sometimes it's hard to stand up for truth. Sometimes it's hard to not want to just be "of the world", but we can't hide under a bushel. Jeffrey R. Holland says, "Never check your religion at the door!" I think that that is something that really shows our devotion to God. We need to be a witness at all times, in all things, and in all places no matter what other people think, no matter what the world says. You are worth more than what others think of you. You are a beloved child of God, and He loves you. No other knowledge is worth more than that truth.
