Question
Gramps ,
My adolescent son has started painting his fingernails and toes black. He ’ s not gay. apparently it ’ s a manner swerve. I ’ m a 49 year old parent, so I don ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate feel as though I ’ m THAT “ antique ” when it comes to knowing when I should pick my battles and when it ’ s a judicious idea to rede my kids about something crucial. My interrogate : because my son wears his black complete polish on a regular basis, should he take it off while blessing the sacrament ?
Cindy
Answer
Dear Cindy ,
I can hear your sleep together and business for your son in your interrogate and commend you for it. I can tell you ’ ve spoken with him and tried to understand his taste in style.
A phone number of counter-cultures and subcultures use black complete polish as a defining fashion, including peasant and emo among others. I encourage you to continue your discussions with him and let him guide you through the subculture he ’ s embraced so you can better understand it. Elder William K. Jackson recently observed that in “ most man-made cultures, there is found both good and bad, constructive and destructive. ” That means you need to understand your son ’ randomness subculture well enough that you can mentor him through the unmanageable task of embracing the good and constructive while leaving behind the bad and destructive elements. And those fashions and elements of the acculturation that are passing fads like zoot suits and bellbottoms can be safely ignored. even our establish prophet admits that as an older adolescent he “ frequently fell into many anserine errors, and displayed the weakness of youth, and the foibles of human nature ” but that what he needed at this time was for “ those who ought to have been my friends and to have treated me kindly, … if they supposed me to be deluded to have endeavored in a proper and affectionate manner to have reclaimed me. ”
When your son blesses the sacrament he should follow the direction of the bishop. The sacrament is an empower ordinance. This means that the ordinance is only performed under the commission of the bishop, and only with the approval of the bishop. You can see examples of this with the rules local bishops have given with respect to home worship. In those places and circumstances where bishops have authorized priesthood holders to administer the sacrament at home they may do so. But if no such authority has been given then the ordinance is not performed. additionally, if the bishop has given such authority he has probably included some abbreviated information on how to administer it ( frequently a reference book to the General Handbook of Instruction I have linked ) .
What this means for your son is that your son should ask the bishop whether or not the bishop is comfortable with your son blessing the sacrament with painted nails. The bishop will direct him in any changes he needs to make in his dress and dressing. It ’ second besides potential that if you are presently administering the sacrament in your home, the bishop may delegate this decision to you and your husband. If he does, make it a submit of entreaty for both you and your son .