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| Photo take of two Sister Missionaries on a Sunday, March 17, 2019. To protect the identity the faces have been obscured. |
Last Sunday, my family and I were getting ready to drive home from Church and I noticed the two sister missionaries walking home on the sidewalk. I pointed to my wife and said "Look, the sister missionaries". My wife didn't believe me because they were both wearing pants. Now I know the changes have been made to allow for this, but for some reason they quickly changed out of their dresses leaving Church and put on their pants for the rest of the Sabbath.
I grew up in a home that we typically stayed in our "nice clothes" on Sundays. When we went to a family dinner at my Grandparents home on Sundays, my sisters and Mom would usually still wear their skirts/dresses. Today however, that might seem really old-fashioned and outdated. Obviously we don't want to look Pharisaical, but for us growing up and even today in my family, Sundays were always a different day for us, and what we wore reflected that.
If pants are becoming the norm these days for women, we might need to consider updating the restroom icons, since dresses don't seem to be worn anymore, at least not by the Sister Missionaries.
On the flip side.. the Dress Code and Grooming for Priesthood Holders to participate in ordinances has become more strict and less casual.
Below is a letter from a Stake President that was read over the pulpit in Sacrament Meeting to the wards in his stake. He states that "casualness leads to CASUALTY."
The men are expected to observe and dress in their "proper priesthood attire" when participating in priesthood ordinances like a blessing of a baby. This includes:
Here is the letter dated March 3, 2019:
I'll conclude with a quote from Hugh Nibley's Joseph Smith Lecture Series 1972-1973:
From the LDS Church website it says:
Updated dress and grooming guidelines now provide sister missionaries the option to wear pants during regular missionary activities, including during normal training activities at missionary training centers.
When attending Sunday worship services, leadership and zone conferences, and baptismal services in the mission field, you may wear dress slacks to the meeting location and change into dresses or skirts before the meeting begins.
I grew up in a home that we typically stayed in our "nice clothes" on Sundays. When we went to a family dinner at my Grandparents home on Sundays, my sisters and Mom would usually still wear their skirts/dresses. Today however, that might seem really old-fashioned and outdated. Obviously we don't want to look Pharisaical, but for us growing up and even today in my family, Sundays were always a different day for us, and what we wore reflected that.
If pants are becoming the norm these days for women, we might need to consider updating the restroom icons, since dresses don't seem to be worn anymore, at least not by the Sister Missionaries.
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Below is a letter from a Stake President that was read over the pulpit in Sacrament Meeting to the wards in his stake. He states that "casualness leads to CASUALTY."
The men are expected to observe and dress in their "proper priesthood attire" when participating in priesthood ordinances like a blessing of a baby. This includes:
- wear a white shirt
- wear a tie
- wear pants
- wear shoes
- A coat may be worn, but not necesssary.
If they are not wearing the above "Priesthood Attire" - they will be asked to not participate and should remove themselves from the circle. In addition no more than 5-6 men can be in the circle.
Also in the letter is a reminder that men in leadership positions need to be clean shaven. If they are unwilling to be clean shaven they may not have the opportunity to serve in these callings.
Here is the letter dated March 3, 2019:
"The worst sinners, according to Jesus, are not the harlot and publicans, but the religious leaders with their insistence on proper dress and grooming, their careful observance of all the rules, their precious concern for the status symbols, their strict legality, their pious patriotism...the haircut becomes the test of virtue in a world where Satan deceives and rules by appearances."
