Family
Henry B. Eyring, “The family unit is fundamental not only to society and to the Church but also to our hope for eternal life.” (“The Family,” Ensign, February 1998.)
Henry B. Eyring, Eternal life means to become like the Father and to live in families in happiness and joy forever, so of course we know that what he wants for us will require help beyond our powers. (“The Family,” Ensign, February 1998.)
Russel Ballard, The family is the basic unit of society; it is the basic unit of eternity. (“Let Our Voices Be Heard,” General Conference, October 2003.)
Russell Ballard, “The world needs to know what the proclamation teaches, because the family is the basic unit of society, of the economy, of our culture, and of our government. And as Latter-day Saints know, the family will also be the basic unit in the celestial kingdom.” (“What Matters Most is what Lasts Longest”, General Conference, October 2005.)
Dallin H. Oaks, “Parents should act to preserve time for family prayer, family scripture study, family home evening, and the other precious togetherness and individual one-on-one time that binds a family together and fixes children’s values on things of eternal worth. Parents should teach gospel priorities through what they do with their children.” (“Good, Better, Best,” General Conference, October 2007.)
Robert D. Hales, “The family is strengthened as we draw near to the Lord, and each member of the family is strengthened as we lift and strengthen and love and care for one another. “Thee lift me and I’ll lift thee, and we’ll ascend together” (Quaker proverb).” (“Strengthening Families: Our Sacred Duty”, General Conference, April 1999.)
Russell M. Nelson, “Individual progression is fostered in the family, which is “central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.” The home is to be God’s laboratory of love and service. There a husband is to love his wife, a wife is to love her husband, and parents and children are to love one another.” (“Salvation and Exaltation”, General Conference, April 2008.)
Elder Quinten L. Cook, “In addition, we need to greatly increase religious observance in the home. Weekly family home evening and daily family prayer and scripture study are essential. We need to introduce into our homes content that is “virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy.” If we make of our homes holy places that shelter us from evil, we will be protected from the adverse consequences that the scriptures have foretold.” (“Let There Be Light!” General Conference, October 2010.)
Elder L. Tom Perry “In a world of turmoil and uncertainty, it is more important than ever to make our families the center of our lives and the top of our priorities. Families lie at the center of our Heavenly Father’s plan.” (“The Importance of the Family”, General Conference, April 2003.)
Boyd K. Packer, The family is safe within the Church. We are not in doubt as to the course we must follow. It was given in the beginning, and guidance from on high is renewed as need may be. As we continue on our course, these things will follow as night the day: The distance between the Church and a world set on a course which we cannot follow will steadily increase. Some will fall away into apostasy, break their covenants, and replace the plan of redemption with their own rules.” (“The Father and the Family”, General Conference, April 1994.)
Position Statement:
Reading the talks and quotes concerning the family strengthened my testimony of it’s importance. The family unit is constantly under attack by the world. It is our duty to take steps to protect and nurture families. I grew up in foster care and while I lived in many homes, families were few and far between. Families are more than just a place that feeds, clothes and gives shelter. A family is a place of refuge and support from the world. As we work to strengthen families we bless ourselves and all the members of the family. I am thankful for the strength a loving family gives me.
Atonement
Thomas S. Monson, “As the result of Christ’s victory over the grave, we shall all be resurrected.” (“He Is Not Here, but Is Risen,” General Conference, Apr. 2011)
Jeffrey R. Holland, “His Atonement, Resurrection, and example teach us to have faith in Him, repent, make covenants, and love one another. Jesus Christ is the light that never faileth—the bright light that will pierce the darkness.” (“Charity Never Faileth: A Discussion on Relief Society,” Ensign, Mar. 2011)
Russell M. Nelson,“The second concept to stress in our mental preparation is Atonement. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is the central act of all human history. It is the core of the plan of salvation. Without the infinite Atonement, all mankind would be irretrievably lost. Temple ordinances and covenants teach of the redeeming power of the Atonement.” (“Prepare for the Blessings of the Temple,” General Conference, Oct. 2010)
Dallin H. Oaks, “The central idea in the gospel of Jesus Christ—its most powerful idea, along with the universal Resurrection—is the Atonement of our Savior.” (“The Atonement and Faith,” General Conference, Apr. 2008)
Jeffrey R. Holland, “Indeed the Atonement of the Only Begotten Son of God in the flesh is the crucial foundation upon which all Christian doctrine rests and the greatest expression of divine love this world has ever been given. Its importance in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints cannot be overstated. Every other principle, commandment, and virtue of the restored gospel draws its significance from this pivotal event.” (“The Atonement of Jesus Christ,” Ensign, Mar. 2008.)
Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Prophet Joseph Smith once declared that all things “which pertain to our religion are only appendages” to the Atonement of Jesus Christ. In like manner and for the same reasons, every truth that a missionary or member teaches is only an appendage to the central message of all time—that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the world.” (“Missionary Work and the Atonement,” Ensign, Oct. 2001)
Gordon B. Hinckley, “The great Atonement was the supreme act of forgiveness. The magnitude of that Atonement is beyond our ability to completely understand. I know only that it happened and that it was for me and for you. The suffering was so great, the agony so intense, that none of us can comprehend it when the Savior offered Himself as a ransom for the sins of all mankind.” (“Forgiveness,” Ensign, Nov. 2005)
Quentin L. Cook, “Live so the Atonement can be fully efficacious in your life.” (“Strengthen Faith as You Seek Knowledge,” Ensign, Sept. 2008.)
Quentin L. Cook, “We know from the scriptures that some trials are for our good and are suited for our own personal development.” (“‘Hope Ya Know, We Had a Hard Time,’” Ensign, Nov. 2008)
Bruce R. McConkie, “I feel, and the Spirit seems to accord, that the most important doctrine I can declare, and the most powerful testimony I can bear, is of the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. His Atonement is the most transcendent event that ever has or ever will occur from Creation’s dawn through all the ages of a never-ending eternity.” (“The Purifying Power of Gethsemane,” Ensign, Apr. 2011)
Position Statement:
The Atonement is the most important doctrine we can share with others. Christ has experienced every pain pain and worry in our lives. The Saviour can’t just sympathise with us because he is the only one that can truly empathise with our struggles as he has felt them also. He has felt this and has lived a perfect life himself. We all fall short of the perfection of the Lord. Through Christ we can return again to his presence and overcome the bonds of death. I am grateful for the sacrifice the Saviour has given to all of us. I wish more of those in the world would accept his gift so that we could all return to our Father’s presence.
Agency
Robert D. Hales, “Agency allows us to be tested and tried to see whether or not we will endure to the end and return to our Heavenly Father with honor. … Agency permits us to make faithful, obedient choices that strengthen us so that we can lift and strengthen others.” (“To Act for Ourselves: The Gift and Blessings of Agency,” General Conference, April 2006.)
Robert D. Hales, “Agency used righteously allows light to dispel the darkness and enables us to live with joy and happiness.” (“To Act for Ourselves: The Gift and Blessings of Agency,” General Conference, April 2006.)
Robert D. Hales, “Agency is to act with accountability and responsibility for our actions. Our agency is essential to the plan of salvation. With it we are ‘free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil.’ ” (“Agency: Essential to the Plan of Life,” General Conference, October 2010.)
Robert D. Hales, I bear my special witness that They live. When we exercise our agency in righteousness, we come to know Them, become more like Them, and prepare ourselves for that day when “every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess” that Jesus is our Savior. (“Agency: Essential to the Plan of Life,” General Conference, October 2010.)
Thomas S. Monson, “The choices we make determine our destiny.” (“Choose You This Day,” General Conference, October 2014.)
David A. Bednar, “The fundamental purposes for the gift of agency were to love one another and to choose God.” (“Did You Know?,” Liahona, September 2009.)
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “You have agency, and you are free to choose. But there is actually no free agency. Agency has its price. You have to pay the consequences of your choices.” (“On the Wings of Eagles,” Liahona, July 2006.)
Russell Ballard, “Because the eternal principle of agency gives us the freedom to choose and think for ourselves, we should become increasingly able to solve problems. We may make the occasional mistake, but as long as we are following gospel principles and guidelines, we can learn from those mistakes and become more understanding of others and more effective in serving them.” (“O Be Wise,” General Conference, October 2006.)
James E. Faust, “Our agency, given us through the plan of our Father, is the great alternative to Satan’s plan of force. With this sublime gift, we can grow, improve, progress, and seek perfection. Without agency, none of us could grow and develop by learning from our mistakes and errors and those of others.” (“The Forces That Will Save Us,” Ensign, January 2007.)
Charles W. Dahlquist II, “Choose righteousness and happiness, no matter what your circumstances. Take responsibility for the choices you make. Develop your abilities and talents, and use them for good. Avoid idleness and be willing to work hard.” (“18 ways to Stand Strong,” General Conference, October 2008)
Position Statement:
I think the doctrine concerning agency is one of the defining doctrines in the Church that helps clarify so many questions about things in the world. Questions like, “Why does the Lord allow people to do bad things?” and “Why are we here?” are all better understood with an understanding of agency. So many people in the world thinking we are tied down and forced to do things in the church, when it is the opposite. By having agency and choosing to exercise it righteously, we free ourselves from the chains of Satan. Simply put, using our agency to follow the commandments makes us more free.
Pornography
Dallin H. Oaks, “Let us all improve our personal behavior and redouble our efforts to protect our loved ones and our environment from the onslaught of pornography.” (“Pornography,” General Conference, April 2005.)
Dallin H. Oaks, “Those who seek out and use pornography forfeit the power of their priesthood.” (“Pornography,” General Conference, April 2005.)
Richard G. Scott, “The onslaught of pornography in all of its vicious, corroding, destructive forms has caused great grief, suffering, heartache, and destroyed marriages. It is one of the most damning influences on earth. Whether it be through the printed page, movies, television, obscene lyrics, vulgarities on the telephone, or flickering personal computer screen, pornography is overpoweringly addictive and severely damaging.” (“The Sanctity of Womanhood”, General Conference, October 2009)
Jeffrey R. Holland, “Remember that those young wives said their husbands’ infidelity began with an attraction to pornography, but immoral activity is not just a man’s problem, and husbands aren’t the only ones offending.” (“Place No More For The Enemy Of My Soul”, General Conference, April 2010)
Thomas S. Monson, “Avoid any semblance of pornography. It will desensitize the spirit and erode the conscience.” (“True to the Faith” General Conference, April 2006)
Thomas S. Monson, “Pornography, the carrier, is big business. It is evil. It is contagious. It is addicting.” (“Pornography, The Deadly Carrie”r, Ensign July 2001)
Thomas S. Monson, “My beloved friends, under no circumstances allow yourselves to become trapped in the viewing of pornography, one of the most effective of Satan’s enticements. And if you have allowed yourself to become involved in this behavior, cease now. Seek the help you need to overcome and to change the direction of your life. Take the steps necessary to get back on the strait and narrow, and then stay there.” (“Until We Meet Again”, General Conference, April 2009)
Boyd K. Packer, “In our day the dreadful influence of pornography is like unto a plague sweeping across the world, infecting one here and one there, relentlessly trying to invade every home, most frequently through the husband and father. The effect of this plague can be, unfortunately often is, spiritually fatal.” (“Cleansing the Inner Vessel”, General Conference, October 2010)
Gordon B. Hinckley, “Stay away from pornography as you would avoid a serious disease. It is as destructive. It can become habitual, and those who indulge in it get so they cannot leave it alone. It is addictive.” (“Living Worthy of the Girl You Will Someday Marry”, General Conference, April 1998)
Gordon B. Hinckley, “[Pornography] is like a raging storm, destroying individuals and families, utterly ruining what was once wholesome and beautiful.” (“A Tragic Evil among Us”, General Conference, April 2004)
Position Statement:
Do we ever really create something? Sure we can carve, paint or build things but that’s just reshaping material in my opinion. The only way we can truly create something, like the Lord, is through the miracle of childbirth. I feel the powers and process with that are sacred as they have in them a power that God has sacredly bestowed on us. When people view pornography it cheapens that sacred power given to us. The power of procreation is not just physical act, there is that spiritual side to it. In addition, the viewing of pornography weakens and cheapens relationships that should be sacred and important to us. As pornography becomes more easily available with technology, we must ensure we avoid it and it’s impact.
Service
Thomas S. Monson, “When faith replaces doubt, when selfless service eliminates selfish striving, the power of God brings to pass His purposes.” (“Willing and Worthy to Serve,” General Conference, April 2012)
Thomas S. Monson, “Fill your minds with truth. Fill your hearts with love. Fill your lives with service.” (“Choose You This Day,” General Conference, October 2014.)
Henry B. Eyring, “As we serve Him, we become like Him, and we feel closer to Him as we approach that day when nothing will hide our view.” (“Where Is the Pavilion?”, General Conference, October 2012)
Henry B. Eyring, “If we serve with faith, humility, and a desire to do God’s will, I testify that the judgment bar of the great Jehovah will be pleasing. We will see our loving Father and His Son as They see us now—with perfect clarity and with perfect love.” (“Where Is the Pavilion?”, General Conference, October 2012)
Henry B. Eyring, “Let us do whatever is required to qualify for the Holy Ghost as our companion, and then let us go forward fearlessly so that we will be given the powers to do whatever the Lord calls us to do.” (“Serve with the Spirit”, General Conference, October 2010.
Russell Ballard, May we focus on the simple ways we can serve in the kingdom of God, always striving to change lives, including our own. (“O Be Wise,” General Conference, October 2006.)
Russell Ballard, “The Savior’s words are simple, yet their meaning is profound and deeply significant. We are to love God and to love and care for our neighbors as ourselves. Imagine what good we can do in the world if we all join together, united as followers of Christ, anxiously and busily responding to the needs of others and serving those around us—our families, our friends, our neighbors, our fellow citizens.” (“Be Anxiously Engaged”, General Conference, October 2012)
Russell Ballard, “There is power in our love for God and for His children, and when that love is tangibly manifest in millions of acts of Christian kindness, it will sweeten and nourish the world with the life-sustaining nectar of faith, hope, and charity.” (“Be Anxiously Engaged”, General Conference, October 2012)
Dallin H. Oaks, “Those who are caught up in trying to save their lives by seeking the praise of the world are actually rejecting the Savior’s teaching that the only way to save our eternal life is to love one another and lose our lives in service.” (“Unselfish Service” General Conference, April 2009)
Dallin H. Oaks, “Our Savior teaches us to follow Him by making the sacrifices necessary to lose ourselves in unselfish service to others.” (“Unselfish Service” General Conference, April 2009)
Position Statement:
Service to others is one of the easiest ways we can follow the example of the Saviour. There are many opportunities for us to serve others and we need to take advantage of them. Not just church service projects but in the small ways we have to serve others. This service should not always be a public thing but can be if it’s necessary for the service to occur or involves the help of others. One of the best examples of service in my life is my wife. She tirelessly serves our family every day as she raises our son and does countless other acts. When she does acts of service for me, it inspires me to do better and helps me feel the love that she shares.
Parenting
Thomas S. Monson, “As parents, we should remember that our lives may be the book from the family library which the children most treasure. Are our examples worthy of emulation? Do we live in such a way that a son or a daughter may say, ‘I want to follow my dad,’ or ‘I want to be like my mother’? Unlike the book on the library shelf, the covers of which shield its contents, our lives cannot be closed. Parents, we truly are an open book in the library of learning of our homes.” (“Dedication Day,” Ensign, Nov. 2000, 65.)
Thomas S. Monson, “If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly. (“Finding Joy in the Journey”, General Conference, October 2008)
Thomas S. Monson, “To you who are parents, I say, show love to your children. You know you love them, but make certain they know it as well. They are so precious. Let them know. Call upon our Heavenly Father for help as you care for their needs each day and as you deal with the challenges which inevitably come with parenthood. You need more than your own wisdom in rearing them.” (“Abundantly Blessed,” General Conference, April 2008.)
Thomas S. Monson, “We are all spirit children of our Heavenly Father and, as such, are brothers and sisters. As we keep this truth in mind, loving all of God’s children will become easier.” (“Love-the Essence of the Gospel”, General Conference, April 2014)
Thomas S. Monson, “Stresses in our lives come regardless of our circumstances. We must deal with them the best we can. But we should not let them get in the way of what is most important—and what is most important almost always involves the people around us. Often we assume that they must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know.” (“Finding Joy in the Journey” General Conference, October 2008)
Jeffrey R. Holland, “God will send aid to no one more readily than he will send it to a child – and to the parent of a child.” (“A Prayer for the Children”, Ensign, May 2003
Jeffrey R. Holland, “Brothers and sisters, our children take their flight into the future with our thrust and with our aim. And even as we anxiously watch that arrow in flight and know all the evils that can deflect it’s course after it has left our hand, nevertheless we take courage in remembering that the most important mortal factor in determining that arrow’s destination will be the stability, strength, and unwavering certainty of the holder of the bow.” (“A Prayer for the Children”, Ensign, May 2003)
Russell M. Nelson, “Stellar spirits are often housed in imperfect bodies.The gift of such a body can actually strengthen a family as parents and siblings willingly build their lives around that child born with special needs. (”Decisions for Eternity”, General Conference, October 2013)
Tom Perry, “Lessons taught in the home by goodly parents are becoming increasingly important in today’s world, where the influence of the adversary is so widespread” (“Becoming Goodly Parents”, General Conference, October 2012)
Boyd K. Packer, “Keep the fire of your testimony of the restored gospel and your witness of our redeemer burning so brightly that our children can warm their hands by the fire of your faith.” (“The Golden Years”, Ensign, May 2003)
David S. Baxter, “You are striving to raise your children in righteousness and truth, knowing that while you cannot change the past, you can shape the future.” (“Faith, Fortitude, Fulfillment: A Message to Single Parents”, General Conference, April 2012)
Position Statement:
One of the biggest blessings in life is being a parent. One of the biggest sources of work, pain and frustration is being a parent. Growing up in foster care I didn’t have the same set of “parents” raising me. In fact I lived in a dozen different homes during that time. I made a goal to never do that to my children. As the words of the prophets show, parenting is a sacred role. It is important to me to support my son and to bring him up in the Gospel and teach him all that I can. Seeing his innocent face reminds me of why I work hard to support and raise him the best that I can. All parents should take this sacred duty seriously.
Internet addiction
David A. Bednar, “Sadly, some young men and young women in the Church today ignore “things as they really are” and neglect eternal relationships for digital distractions, diversions, and detours that have no lasting value.” (“Things as They Really Are,” Ensign June 2010”)
David A. Bednar, “I raise an apostolic voice of warning about the potentially stifling, suffocating, suppressing, and constraining impact of some kinds of cyberspace interactions and experiences upon our souls.” (“Things as They Really Are,” Ensign June 2010”)
Robert D. Hales, “Today I speak to all whose freedom to choose has been diminished by the effects of ill-advised choices of the past. I speak specifically of choices that have led to excessive debt and addictions to food, drugs, pornography, and other patterns of thought and action that diminish one’s sense of self-worth. All of these excesses affect us individually and undermine our family relationships” (“Becoming Provident Providers Temporally and Spiritually”, General Conference, April 2009)
Robert D. Hales, We must remember that the adversary knows us extremely well. He knows where, when, and how to tempt us. If we are obedient to the promptings of the Holy Ghost, we can learn to recognize the adversary’s enticements. (“Becoming Provident Providers Temporally and Spiritually”, General Conference, April 2009)
Russell Ballard, “Like the fly fisherman who knows that trout are driven by hunger, Lucifer knows our “hunger,” or weaknesses, and tempts us with counterfeit lures which, if taken, can cause us to be yanked from the stream of life into his unmerciful influence. (“O That Cunning Plan of the Evil One,” General Conference, October 2010)
Russell Ballard, “And unlike a fly fisherman who catches and releases the fish unharmed back into the water, Lucifer will not voluntarily let go. His goal is to make his victims as miserable as he is.” (“O That Cunning Plan of the Evil One,” General Conference, October 2010)
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Addictions often begin subtly. Addictions are thin threads of repeated action that weave themselves into thick bonds of habit. Negative habits have the potential to become consuming addictions.” (“Are You Sleeping through the Restoration?”, General Conference, April 2014)
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Always remember, with the Savior’s help, you can break free from addiction. It may be a long, difficult path, but the Lord will not give up on you. He loves you. Jesus Christ suffered the Atonement to help you change, to free you from the captivity of sin.” (“Are You Sleeping through the Restoration?”, General Conference, April 2014)
Burke Peterson, “Part of the tragedy I speak of is that many men and boys do not recognize they are trapped or soon will be. Unfortunately, I fear even some within the sound of my voice have an addiction and do not realize it.” (“Touch Not the Evil Gift, Nor the Unclean Thing,” General Conference, October 2003)
Burke Peterson, “They see this as a form of entertainment that serves as a relief from the troubles of the day. In point of fact and in reality, it is only relieving them of their spirituality and their capacity to draw on the powers of heaven in times of need.” (“Touch Not the Evil Gift, Nor the Unclean Thing,” General Conference, October 2003)
Position Statement:
I’ve sadly known many people that have fallen under the chains of various addictions. My own biological father was an alcoholic and drug addict. Today we have many other addictions that are not so obvious but can be equally damaging to families and relationships. One of these is addiction to the internet and virtual worlds. I have literally known people that had their marriages destroyed by unhealthy relationships created while playing, “World of Warcraft.” Families can be ignored by parents busy on Facebook as opposed to living life. Like many things in life the use of the internet can be positive but when taken to extremes can be quite negative.
Spiritual influence of media
Russel Ballard, “Because of its sheer size, media today presents vast and sharply contrasting options. Opposite from its harmful and permissive side, media offers much that is positive and productive. Television offers history channels, discovery channels, education channels. One can still find movies and TV comedies and dramas that entertain and uplift and accurately depict the consequences of right and wrong.” (“Let Our Voices Be Heard,” General Conference, October 2003.)
Russel Ballard, “The Internet can be a fabulous tool of information and communication, and there is an unlimited supply of good music in the world. Thus our biggest challenge is to choose wisely what we listen to and what we watch.” (“Let Our Voices Be Heard,” General Conference, October 2003.)
Dallin H. Oaks, “Through the miracle of sacred music, the Spirit of the Lord descended upon us, and we were made ready for gospel instruction and worship.” (“Worship through Music,” Ensign, November 1994.)
Dallin H. Oaks, “We who have “felt to sing the song of redeeming love” (Alma 5:26) need to keep singing that we may draw ever closer to him who has inspired sacred music and commanded that it be used to worship him.” (“Worship through Music,” Ensign, November 1994.)
Dallin H. Oaks, “Of course it is good to view wholesome entertainment or to obtain interesting information. But not everything of that sort is worth the portion of our life we give to obtain it. Some things are better, and others are best.” (“Good, Better, Best,” General Conference, October 2007)
Todd Christofferson, “Music, literature, art, dance, drama, athletics—all can provide entertainment to enrich one’s life and further consecrate it. At the same time, it hardly needs to be said that much of what passes for entertainment today is coarse, degrading, violent, mind-numbing, and time wasting.” (“Reflections on a Consecrated Life,” General Conference, October 2010)
Todd Christofferson, “When entertainment turns from virtue to vice, it becomes a destroyer of the consecrated life.” (“Reflections on a Consecrated Life,” General Conference, October 2010)
Boyd K. Packer, “Parental hypocrisy can make children cynical and unbelieving of what they are taught at home. For instance, when parents attend movies they forbid their children to see, parental credibility is diminished. If children are expected to be honest, parents must be honest. If children are expected to be virtuous, parents must be virtuous. If you expect your children to be honorable, you must be honorable.” (“Ye Are the Temple of God,” General Conference, October 2000)
Joe J. Christensen, “It is very unreasonable to suppose that exposure to profanity, nudity, sex, and violence has no negative effects on us. We can’t roll around in the mud without getting dirty.” (“The Savior Is Counting on You,” General Conference, October 1996)
Joe J. Christensen, “The Lord and his living prophets are counting on you to avoid the trash that surrounds you in the media. When anyone chooses to ignore or defiantly go against the counsel of the living prophet, he is on very shaky ground.” (“The Savior Is Counting on You,” General Conference, October 1996)
Position Statement:
The media we view read and listen to can have a very real impact on us. I’m not excusing anyones actions as a sort of brainwashing but it impacts us in other ways. As I have read depressing novels, I’ve noticed my spirit’s drop and a feeling of depression come on me. Media can impact us in subtle ways. It’s not just something for youth to watch out for. As adults we shouldn’t suddenly feel comfortable watching violent movies or other inappropriate media with profane words. The attitudes and thoughts portrayed in the media can slip into our vocabulary and into other parts of our lives. In addition we should be good examples to our children and not hypocrites that preach, “Do as I say, not as I do.”
Application Project:
For my application project I decided to concentrate on the principle of service. I decided to work on this by performing two service projects and by performing daily small acts of service. The two service projects involved picking up trash in my local park. I simply organized on my neighborhood Facebook page for some of us to meet up there. Often times I feel many neighbors have a negative feeling towards others in the neighborhood. By involving myself and others in service we showed our love to them and I believe we made a positive impact. It wasn’t just cleaning up stuff, it was showing that people cared about others in the neighborhood. This project will become an ongoing thing into the future.
The other way I worked to perform service for others was by performing a small act of service daily. I recorded this in a service log. At first I wasn’t perfect at doing this but as I continued with the habit, I became better at performing a small act of service daily. The act’s were never large but they helped me think of others and helped bring a feeling of love for everyone in my life, even those I don’t like much. Some of the people I helped weren’t the favorite people in my life but I made sure to do something to help change that feeling. Maybe I will never really like them but I need to work on building that Christ like love to everyone. It was easy to serve someone like my wife but the others were a challenge that I worked on.
Who is Paul Darr?
Paul Darr has lived in California, Oregon, Colorado, and currently lives in San Antonio, Texas. Paul is also an Army Veteran, who has deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. On the political spectrum Paul is a Libertarian that advocates fiscal responsibility and social tolerance. Paul is currently employed as an IT Manager and is a father of a handsome boy and beautiful daughter. In his free time Paul enjoys reading, using and modifying open source software, gaming, and several other geeky pursuits.