When I was in high school, I saw kids in my classes getting tattoos. That's when I first thought about getting a tiger tattoo on my upper back. Being a kid, it was more of an idea that stuck with me for over a decade. It was a dream that I believed would never come to fruition as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Life moved on. I went to college, served a mission, and got married. The idea of the tattoo faded into the background until 2022. During General Conference they announced the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet was revised. Instead of listing specific rules like no tattoos or multiple piercings, the guidance would read:
“The Lord’s standard is for you to honor the sacredness of your body, even when that means being different from the world. Let this truth and the Spirit be your guide as you make decisions — especially decisions that have lasting effects on your body.”
Instead of having dos and don’ts, we are encouraged to commune with God and seek personal revelation. I thought that was beautiful. ...But I wouldn’t dare go against previous policies and have members of the church stare at me- wondering if my testimony was shaking or if I had one foot out the door. Emily in her late 20s couldn’t handle that.
