FAIR's Rising Generation

Posts Tagged ‘Mother in Heaven’

I don’t remember when all the men started wearing white dress shirts to Church. In fact, I don’t even know if I was alive when it happened. Or maybe it happened circa 1995, when Elder Holland advised: “May I suggest that wherever possible, a white shirt be worn by the deacons, teachers, and priests who handle the Sacrament.” Whether it happened before or after, or whether Elder Holland’s remarks merely solidified the trend is beyond me, but for one reason or another, the norm is that men and boys alike wear white shirts to Church.

Is it possible to deconstruct this phenomenon? Why do it if Elder Holland only intended the suggestion for a very narrow section of the Church? It doesn’t matter if you wear black denim Wranglers to Church; it doesn’t matter if you wear sneakers and mismatched socks; your shirt can even be untucked and wrinkled…as long as it’s white, you’re part of the gang.

The stated reason behind the practice—that Aaronic Priesthood holders should do it because it symbolizes ceremonial clothing that will be worn in the temple—doesn’t fully explain why endowed male members, who do not ordinarily administer the Sacrament, have chosen to adopt the practice. For another thing, one needs to account for the fact that women, who also wear ceremonial clothing in the temple, have not adopted the practice.

There are many possible reasons for men and boys to wear white shirts to Church. Below are three:

1) We use white shirts as a self-imposed marker of piety and membership. Latter-day Saints use many such markers (for example, the Word of Wisdom), as do other religions.

2) We use them to symbolize solidarity and equality between ourselves and our brethren. Christ has time and time again asked that we be one in purpose, also asking that we have all things in common.

3) We use them as something along the lines of an army uniform. This is somewhat controversial as Elder Holland made clear he was not likening white shirts to a uniform. Nevertheless, this isn’t about what Elder Holland had in mind, but why the greater Priesthood adopted a suggestion that was more or less directed at the Aaronic Priesthood.

But why an army? While it’s clear what we stand united against as Latter-day Saints, on whose behalf are we fighting? Jesus Christ’s? That is absolutely one way to look at it: A white shirt is an outward indicator of one’s desire and willingness to follow under Christ’s command. In other words, the wearer desires others to know that he is worthy to act in Christ’s name according to his Priesthood office. However, although Christ heads the Army and ensures our triumph, rather than fighting for him, I would suggest we actually fight alongside him towards a common goal. As Christians, we are not Soldiers battling for Christ. Rather, we battle precisely for what he battles for—the Kingdom of God itself.

Now, consider just a moment Helaman’s two-thousand Stripling Warriors. They went out on behalf of their parents and specifically on behalf of their mothers—whose faith upheld and supported their beloved sons as they fought valiantly. They trusted and revered their mothers, and as we all know, not one of them perished in battle.

On the subject of mothers, “The Family: A Proclamation to The World” contains a most peculiar reference. It asserts that every human being is either a son or daughter of heavenly parents. Furthermore, Eliza R. Snow reasoned in the well-known hymn “O, My Father” that in Heaven we indeed have a mother there.

So which scenario of the three mentioned is correct? I happen to prefer the third—thinking of myself as a Soldier in, not only His, but Her Majesty’s Royal Priesthood Army. This thought makes me somewhat more inclined to leave the black jeans balled up in the corner of my bedroom, make sure my socks match, and most of all, tuck in my freshly ironed white dress shirt. As the scriptures say, “Honor thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long upon the land.” I would like again to echo the words of Eliza R. Snow and testify to you that in Heaven parents are not single. There are many reasons to look our best at Church; perhaps honoring our Eternal Mother in quiet reverence is yet another reason to don the white shirt with gratitude and pride.