A Big Sister's Request to the Young Girls

Dear girls,

I have once been a teenager. I know what it feels to like boys. These associations can be fun and amazing but these can also lead to some serious dilemmas. I am a big sister to two wonderful boys. This is my request to you.

I was 5 when my Mama told my sister and I that we will be having another sibling. Even now, I still can remember how thrilled I was. Every time I'm asked to pray, I would specifically ask Heavenly Father that our new baby would be a boy. I would ask the person who will offer the prayer to remind Heavenly Father of that request. Imagine how happy we all were when Liam was born. He was an answered prayer.

When I was 6, I asked Mama over dinner to buy me a Barbie doll for a Christmas gift. She smiled and told me "How about a baby brother?" In 1998, Louie was born. He was better than any Barbie doll.

Why am I telling this to you? Because I want you to know that my brothers mean a lot to me. I love them, I want them to be happy, I want them to be good boys and I want them to be pure despite all the temptations in the world. Call me a hovering sister, but I fear so much for them. The adolescent years are trying times and  I don't know what challenges and temptations they are facing. I cannot battle the adversary in behalf of my brothers. But I can ask for YOUR help.

I don't know all of you. I don't know your associations with my brothers or how you and them became acquainted. You may be girls they love, girls they adore, girls they respect and girls they have crushes on. I don't know you all personally but this request is for all the girls my brothers know: PLEASE HELP THEM REMAIN GOOD AND VIRTUOUS.

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are taught that young women are guardians of virtue. We have great power to help our young boys to be better by helping them be pure. We are Mormons and my brothers have the responsibility to serve on a mission when they reach the age of 18. You play a great part in making sure they are worthy to take this responsibility. It's their responsibility to the Lord.

What can you do to help?

Please, help them retain their sexual purity. For guys, when one male is still a virgin, you are a laughing stock. Some guys tend to believe this. Girls, please please please help my brothers know that this is not true. Help them by expressing your belief that saving one's self before marriage is never ridiculous. Be someone who is brave enough to change the topic when you think you're talking really sensitive stuff. Please be wise enough to respect yourself and my brothers.

Girls, please be modest both in appearance and in your actions. Stand firm in your decision to not engage in any physical relationship before you have a ring on your wedding finger.  Help my brothers think clean, act clean and be clean. I will forever be thankful to you. The Lord will also be thankful to you for you have not taken away from my brothers their chance of serving Him a mission.

Also, please encourage them to be the best that they can be. Please help them realize the responsibility that is in their hands. Some young men forget about their sacred responsibility. Be the kind of girl who wants what's best for my brothers.

Lastly, be brave girls. Please do it for me. Be brave enough to correct them when what they are doing is wrong. My parents could reprimand them, I could give them a pretty long sermon, but you have no idea what effect girls they respect could have on them. You could affect his decisions and his actions. Your standards will influence them. You are stars in their world, MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

I know these requests are hard and they require a lot of patience, love and complete unselfishness. But this is necessary. The Devil knows what my brothers are capable of. He is powerful. But girls, WHEN (not IF) we truly become guardians of my brothers' virtue and purity, we can fight him.

I will forever be thankful to you. My brothers' future wives will be grateful. Our Heavenly Father will be so very happy.

Help me, girls.

From a sister who is counting so much on you,
Giulia