My Body is a Temple...

What WORDS come to mind when you see a temple?

How do you FEEL when you see a Temple?.......

What WORDS come to mind when you see yourself?

How do you FEEL about what you see?

I remember the first time I heard the phrase: "Your Body is a Temple."   I just about broke down in tears.  I was a young teenager, and well, in short, my self image/self-esteem lacked, and so did my self- confidence.  I saw and felt ill about myself.  I would have compared myself to a measly shack, not a Majestic Temple!

I gave thought to that phrase, and asked myself what I needed to do in order to see my body or myself as a Temple.  I created a spiritual/self-esteem exercise that helped me achieve a higher and more godly view on my body.  It was simple and went as followed:

1- follow the guidelines about modesty in the For Strength of Youth,

2- I covered my mirror with words and characteristics that I felt I had or wanted to gain.  (I covered the mirror so I could not see myself)

3- When feeling inadequate, I recited  a phrase from the young woman's theme:" I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father who loves me, and I love him." 

1-  Follow the modesty guidelines in the For Strength Of Youth:

when we respect our bodies, by dressing modes we gain self-respect, and a feeling of confidence and love for our bodies.

Also, just  as no unclean thing can dwell within the temple, neither can the spirit dwell in an unclean or (immodest person).  When the spirit dwells with us, we can truly come to know our TRUE selves, and the beauty that lives in and out of our bodies or Temples. With the spirit, we give ourselves a "glow" that is visible to anyone that looks at us. This glow, is similar to the glow that lights and beautifies the Temple.  It makes us stand out and sets us aside from the rest of the "buildings."   see also:

 Matthew 5:13-  16

When we follow these guidelines pertaining to modesty, we come to find an inner-strength & beauty that purifies and complements our outer appearance.  

2-  Cover the mirror with words or characteristics you feel you have or would like to gain.

I started out with more characteristic that I wanted to gain compared to characteristics I felt I had. I dwelt on a particular strength that I had, and I let it occupy my mind instead of the faults or imperfections I saw when I looked in the mirror. after a few days, I would add a new strength to the mirror  that I didn't realize I had, and between working on gaining great qualities, and working on qualities I already had, It changed my perspective on who I really was and made me concerened more with who I was on the inside than on the outside. It made me realize that I was of great worth, and naturally it changed how I saw myself.  Step by step, little by little, I gained a self-esteem, a true self image, and a testimony.  In a sense, I reconstructed my mirror on what it ought to reflect, my inner-strengths and inner-beauty. 

Last- to recite "I am a daughter of our Heavenly Father who loves me, and I love him."

our actions clearly reflect our thoughts.   If we believe we are daughters of God and believe he loves us, we will act in ways that reflects such.  Everytime I felt inadequate and even now when I do, I tell myself these words.  I think its simple, yet so powerful.  I think the most important thing that happened when I would think about this phrase is that I remembered that my Heavenly Father loved me REGARDLESS of how I felt about myself at times, and Loved and knows me in a way that I cannot comprehend.  Also, it reminded me that because I am a daughter of a Heavenly King, I being the offspring, have talents, gifts and characteristics that are in a sense NOBLE.  If anything I hope to share,  it is the love of God that Heavenly Father has for each of us INDIVIDUALLY.  It is up to us to draw nearer unto God and as promised, he will draw nearer unto us.  I truly do love my heavenly Father, and I know I can show that love by truly understanding Who I AM, and living my life in such a way that leads back to his course on high!

I really did grow from this experience as a teen, and

I think its important for each of us to truly know who we are and where we stand.  I am on my way to the temple, and i've needed this reminder that I write of.   I know that If I believe that my body is a temple, and If I treat it as such,  by respecting it, loving it, and committing to being a better person I will be able to enter into the Temple, unclean and uspotted from the world.