Digital Only: Young Adults
Do You Struggle with Your Self-Image? Stand in Holy Places!
Because I felt so out of place, I thought maybe I didn’t have a place in Heavenly Father’s plan.
Throughout my life, I have struggled to feel like I fit in. Growing up, I was labeled as “overly sensitive,” and my big emotions affected every aspect of my life. I felt like I was always too loud and too emotional.
As I got older, this insecurity about my personality began to affect my mental health. But I also noticed something else—the way my body looked depended on how I felt mentally. Sometimes, when I was in a cycle of depression, I lost weight quickly. In other times of my life, I gained weight quickly. For me, it felt like my emotions and body were tied closely together, and that made it hard to love what I saw in the mirror.
As I dealt with these struggles, my insecurity deepened. It made me wonder:
How could I find my place in God’s plan if I couldn’t find my place in this world?
Worshipping in the Temple Reminded Me Who I Am
When I was in college, I received my endowment. As I attended the temple for the first time, I was filled with a lot of peace, but I wasn’t entirely clear on what I had learned.
So, I decided to worship in the temple regularly to better understand. I also prayed to Heavenly Father with specific questions so I could understand what He was trying to teach me.
When I did this, the Spirit taught me that I could draw strength from my divine identity—even if I felt insecure about my personality or how I looked. The endowment ceremony in the temple showed me that a loving Father in Heaven created our unique bodies and spirits for a specific purpose—to come to this earth and become like Him.
Over time, the more often I worshipped in the temple, the better I felt about myself. This didn’t come instantly or perfectly, but for me, a combination of therapy, medication, and prayer was what I needed to create a healthy sense of self-image.
President Russell M. Nelson taught us an important principle about our bodies, saying:
“The marvel of our physical bodies is often overlooked or underappreciated. Who has not encountered feelings of low self-esteem because of physique or appearance? Many people wish their bodies could be more to their liking. …
“Ponder the magnificence of what you see when you look in the mirror. … Look beyond to see the real you—a child of God, created by Him in His image.”
I now understand that my body and emotions are not a burden—they’re a blessing from Heavenly Father! And I’ve found that when we continually stand in holy places, even when we are going through a hard time, we will be blessed.
For those who do not live close to a temple, there are still ways to stand in holy places. Taking the sacrament, participating in Church activities, and studying the scriptures are all ways to invite the Holy Ghost into your life. And when you have the close companionship of the Holy Ghost, you can more easily see your divine purpose, which in turn can help you love yourself.
Standing in Holy Places Keeps Me Anchored to Christ
While the temple gives me a better understanding and perspective, there are still times when I struggle with a deep sadness about my mind and body. And I know there are others who may feel the same way I do.
The words of Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles encourage me when I feel this way. He taught:
“Even when you fail, you can choose not to give up, but rather discover your courage, press forward, and rise up. That is the great test of the journey.
“God knows that you are not perfect, that you will fail at times. God loves you no less when you struggle than when you triumph.”
Because we live in an imperfect world, we will still struggle. But we learn in the scriptures that the Lord wants us to experience joy (see 2 Nephi 2:24–25) and that He will consecrate all our afflictions for our gain (see 2 Nephi 2:2).
For those who battle mental or physical challenges, I have found that standing in holy places anchors me to Jesus Christ and helps me endure those bad days. Now I love who I am and strive to improve every day—because I have found my identity as a daughter of God.
I promise that knowing your divine nature will change how you see yourself, and this knowledge will give you peace when you need it most.