What is modesty but virtuous thought.

This is a General Conference Odyssey post for the General Young Women’s session of General Conference.

In a world of low morals, virtue is at a premium. I believe modesty in outward, as well as inward, appearance plays a vital role in virtuous behavior. 

Mormon influencers are going crazy over the new sleeveless garments. They are doing their very best to help us understand that we can wear sleeveless tops and dresses, and shorter skirts, and still fully comply with garment appropriateness. They want to assure us that garments have nothing to do with modesty. They only are given to us to remind us of Jesus Christ and our covenants.

Garments are indeed given to us to remind us of Jesus Christ, and the covenants we make with Him. But, I challenge them with the idea that garments have nothing to do with modesty.

Over the years, we have become more and more casual in our outward appearance. Remember the days when women dressed up to go shopping? Or, eating at a fancy restaurant, or attending a concert, meant getting a new formal dress for the occasion? Now, we see ripped jeans everywhere.

Along with our casual attire, our attitudes and behavior have become casual; in many cases, non-existent. Rudeness and road rage are the norm. It’s frightening to see a braless woman wearing an oversized t-shirt and butt-crack shorts yell at you while you’re searching for something in “her aisle” of a store. Would she act differently if she were wearing modest attire? Is her choice of clothing exposing how she feels about herself? Interesting questions.

Sometimes, I think the church experiments with new policies. They offer a cutting edge idea to see how far members will take it. And then they pull back. This may be one of them.

Sister Elaine S. Dalton talks about personal virtue. Yes, virtue is a personal thing; between you and the Lord. She believes that virtue is closely tied to moral purity and chastity, which closely ties it to modesty. Quoting from Preach My Gospel, she states:

“‘In order to be virtuous and remain virtuous, you must be true to your divine identity and establish patterns of thought and behavior based on high moral standards.’ In a world filled with relative truth, the Lord’s standards are absolute.”

I’m not saying that I believe sleeveless garments will make everyone suddenly begin wearing immodest clothes. I am saying that attitudes are changing to see how far we can get away with dressing more like the world and still be garment appropriate. The ability to wear sleeveless attire and shorter skirts is not the objective of offering these garments to temple going members of the church. It has been clearly announced these garments are to allow people, living in hotter climates, to be more comfortable. This is not what Mormon influencers are excited about.

We live in a “critical time” as Sister Dalton states. The world is watching us, literally to pounce on us. Satan would have us be as miserable as much of the world is today. More than ever before, we need to climb the mountain and shine our light of moral purity. 

For us to focus on this “new excitement” over garments is misplaced. Our focus should always be on Jesus Christ, as well as the purity, chastity, and moral virtue the daughters of His kingdom should always strive for in their daily attitudes and appearance.