2 Nephi 13

Good afternoon and happy Pi Day! Get it? March 14th, 3.14.....yeah. Here at BYU we are celebrating! Pi day shirts are being worn, games are being played, and I'm sure there will be lots of pie served at the Cannon Center tonight (woohoo!). Anyway, today I am focusing on 2 Nephi chapter 13. Mostly I want to focus on the last 11 verses or so. Verses 17 through 26 talk about how the daughters of Zion will be cursed because of their focus on jewelry, clothing and fine objects. In today's society, men and women are constantly bombarded by advertisements, commercials, movies and magazines that display people with supposed happy lives because of their fame and fortune or brand name jeans. It is important for all women and men to know that pure happiness does not come from a certain kind of perfume or pair of sunglasses. Your house doesn't have to be perfect. You are going to have a bad hair day sometimes. Your car might not be the most expensive one in the parking lot. Realize that it's okay! Elder Jeffrey R. Holland once said, "Fixation on the physical is spiritually destructive." Heavenly Father gave us the privilege to have responsibility of our bodies. They are on loan from Him to us, so of course we should take care of them. But our bodies are the homes for our precious spirit. With our bodies, we were also given the privilege to come to Earth to learn and grow and strive to be like the Savior. I love this quote from Sister Elaine S. Dalton (and it can apply to young men, too), " I wish every young woman assembled here tonight would know and understand that your beauty—your “shine”—does not lie in makeup, gooey cream, or the latest clothing or hairstyles. It lies in your personal purity. When you live the standards and qualify for the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, you can have a powerful impact in the world. Your example, even the light in your eyes, will influence others who see your “shine,” and they will want to be like you. Where do you get this light? The Lord is the light, “and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit.” A divine light comes into your eyes and countenances when you draw close to your Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ." It is hard to live in the world today. As President Packer once said, living in modern times is like living in the building full of pride found in Lehi's vision. We do not have to be of the world though. As Sister Dalton explained, our light does not come from sparkly clothes, but from the light of Christ that dwells within us. I am grateful that we have church leaders who emphasize this over and over again! Together as Saints in the Latter-days, we must stand together and make sure that everyone knows their worth.