MommaBear

Thank you, Islander, for the welcome back - and for the insight you have provided for me. Deep down, I knew the answer. I guess I just had to either hear it or see it in print. It isan adjustment (just as it was, I am VERY sure, for your wife!), but one that is worth making in order to readjust my life to LDS ways; in order to feel closer to the Lord. I guess it's the same as giving up the occasional glass of red wine I have come to enjoy over the years :) To commit myself is to fully immerse myself into a lifestyle that is compatible with LDS doctrine/ways. I can still be an individual...and have my own style and personality...but just readjust it so that I can feel as if I am living the life the Lord desires for me. It's funny, too...my Dad is former LDS and he and I share many interests, one of them being wine tasting. I told him that I was revisiting Mormonism and it really piqued his interest. Instead of sharing a glass of wine recently, we shared LDS doctrine, discussing the Book of Mormon, etc. My Dad is a quiet man, but in sharing the gospel with eachother recently, it really opened up a whole new world of conversation between us - and I found that he still feels a pull towards the LDS church. Might be that he will join me for Sacrament sometime in the near future :) Again, thank you. Guess I'll be throwing a tee shirt on underneath the sundresses I have on hand. You're right. I won't be any cooler in a tank top than I would wearing an extra tee under the dresses...and just adding that extra piece of clothing will make me feel more comfortable in ways that are much more important than wondering whether or not the dress is being worn the way in which the maker meant for it to be! Tell your wife that you did a great thing here today. In sharing your (very cute) story, you reaffirmed something that I knew deep down, but had a tougher time accepting, because it would bring some added change to my life. Change can be tough - but in the long run, this type of change will bring so much joy to my life and life of my husband and kids. Plus, my husband is all for modesty anyway. He's not even LDS, but one of the reasons he fell in love with me (other than my charming personality, that is...only kidding...lol) was because I dressed more modestly. He said I dressed funky - but not in a way that was at all revealing or too seductive...and that he found that to be very attractive in a woman :) That was years ago - but I know he still feels the same way today! Again, thanks for the welcome and the advice!

Okay, so I'm fairly new to Mormonism. I'm a baptized member, but have not been active since I was 14 years-old (which was eons ago). There is still so much to be learned. I do not wear garments. My husband (who is not Mormon, nor is he sure he wants to become a member of the church in the future) and I were not married in the temple. My question is: even though you do not wear garments are you still held to the same guidelines as those who do? I'm sorry if it seems to be a silly question. I know that we are to wear modest clothing - and overall, I do. I do, however, wear sundresses and sleeveless shirts. I know I can layer, if need be, but I am also one who is going through the lovely stage of being cool one second and roasting the next. I prefer to wear cooler clothing. I don't ever think of myself as looking inappropriate, but I'm not sure if some of the clothing I wear might not considered to be modest enough. I love my sundresses - and I don't believe that if I were in the presence of the Lord he would deem me to be inappropriate in any way...but of course, I'm not totally sure of this. I know I have some changes to make - as in what I wear around the house during the hot summer months (shorts and tees, some tanks), for one. But overall, I wear dresses and skirts (with nice tee shirts). With my dresses, my shoulders show...but they fall below the knees...and most of them to the ankles. Are the shoulders totally out - regardless if you wear garments or not? BTW, I believe one person on here is also a fan of Doc Martens. Two of my favorite pairs of shoes are good ol' Docs...and thankfully, I can work them into wearing clothing that is stylish - but still modest :) Thanks, in advance, for your input!

This topic totally intrigues me. After 28 years of having been inactive in the church (I was baptized at 10 years old and my parents chose to leave the church, as a family, when I was 14), I have begun revisiting Mormonism - for myself and my family. One of the issues I struggle with is the role of women in the church. Like Wanderer, I would not label myself (I actually detest labels) as being a feminist - just as a humanist or an individualist, I guess you could call it. I'm a homeschooling, stay-at-home mom to three children (one of whom is severely physically disabled), yet my husband cooks far better than I can, and my housekeeping skills are definitely lacking. I have my gifts, my strengths, but they are not ones that would lead some people to deem me to be the so-called model/ultimate wife and mother or keeper of the home. I am unique in my approach - and it works for us and for our family. I don't believe that all women can fit into one mold - in fact, that would be going against, I believe, what God has planned for us. To reject who we are, naturally, would be to reject our own creation. It's like the shape sorting game most of us played as kids - you can't force the square block into the circle opening. We can all aspire to living modest, pure, spiritual lives - and we can be as successful at it as humans can be - we may just accomplish this in different ways- because we are different people. One note: I believe that the Mormon church is more progressive than other Christian faiths in that they at least acknowledge the existence of a Heavenly Mother. If you look at nature, itself, you see that life is not possible without the existence of both male and female forces. In looking at ancient traditions and mythology, too, we can see, in the belief of male and female deity, that many gods and goddesses exist to represent the many aspects of humanity. Athena, in Greek tradition, is a warrior whereas Aphrodite is the goddess of love. Brighid in celtic tradition is the goddess of poetry, (health) midwifery and the forge, whereas the Morrighan is a warrior that ushers in death, or bestows her strength on chosen ones to win in battle. Because there is no cookie cutter version of women, there came to be many goddesses out there to represent aspects of what *can* make up or define woman. I think, also, that embracing the goddess in us (or in LDS faith, the acceptance of a Heavenly Mother) does not necessarily make us feminists - it just allows us to see (and accept) ourselves for who we really are...for who Heavenly Father meant for us to be.