My Coach Said No

Agnes G., South Carolina, USA

Illustrations by Katie Payne

One day I was listening to a talk given by a young woman who was preparing to go on a mission. In her talk she emphasized the fact that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love us very much. Heavenly Father loves us so much that He gives us standards so we can be protected from the world’s damaging traditions and unhealthy habits.

When I got home from church that day, I wrote down in my journal what I had learned. What I didn’t know at the time was that this information would not only add to my conversion process but would also prepare me for a decision that would try my testimony. Two weeks later my dance coach showed us the costume for a certain dance routine, and to my dismay it was too immodest for me to feel comfortable wearing. I decided to ask my coach to either change the costume or take me out of the routine.

I hoped that because I did the right thing, Heavenly Father would soften my coach’s heart and everything would work out without major consequences. Unfortunately, my coach quickly took me out of the routine. I was devastated. Later, my parents reminded me that I had made the best decision. They supported me completely.

I’m glad that I was able to make the right decision and stand up for my values. Heavenly Father gave me certain values to live by because He loves me. Knowing this helped me learn that modesty is very important in ways that I may or may not yet understand. I am grateful to have this knowledge given to me to help me through adversity.