True Beauty

Posted by, Paulette

Last week, I decided to go clothes shopping. Since gaining weight, my clothes are too tight and it makes me feel discouraged to wear them and see the obvious signs of weight gain. I just wasn't feeling pretty anymore. After speaking with a good friend, she convinced me to go shopping. And so we did
 As we left one of the stores, she told me that she felt like the sales ladies would have been more helpful and friendly, if she was dressed up, with her makeup on. She was angry that the world expects this of us. I guess maybe just women? 
 I put on one of my new outfits and went to the temple with my one and only. We decided to do sealings, which is an ordinance that is done by proxy for those who have passed on. It binds families to one another through the eternities. 

 As I looked around the room at all of the people dressed in white, I was impressed that everyone looked so beautiful. Regardless of how much money someone makes, or how old or young they are, everyone in the temple radiates beauty. We are discouraged from wearing jewelry, unless it's small pearl earrings, or other such small adornments. Certainly nothing like the arm full of colorful bracelets, chunky turquoise necklace and dangly earrings I wore. I left all of that in my locker. One of the phrases that seemed to stand out, was "clothed with immortality and Eternal lives."  We all will be beautiful after the resurrection!  
I pondered this for the day, and came up with this. Satan is the father of all lies, and natural man is the enemy of God. Meaning that as our carnal selves, we are in opposition to God's teachings.
 So what if, we know that through the grace and atonement of Jesus Christ, we all will be glorious and beautiful someday? What if Satan knows this and is providing a counterfeit? That would mean that we are searching for that beauty in people and ourselves, but it's counterfeit. If we spend more time in the service of our Heavenly Father and less time searching for that perfect beauty, we will achieve it. Isn't that a beautiful concept? That's what Jesus meant when he said that he who loses himself will find himself.