When a Prophet Speaks,
We Need to Act
“Speak Up for Truth and Goodness &
Decency & Virtue”
(Ensign, 2004, pp. 3-6)
1
God Speaks Through His
Prophets
D&C 1:38
“whether by mine own voice or by
the voice of my servants, it is the
same.”
2
President Gordon B. Hinckley
tells us there is a problem we need to
deal with
1. Take care of yourself
2. Take care of your family
3. Take care of your community
3
President Thomas S. Monson
“What is placed in the child’s brain
during the first six years of life is
probably there to stay . . . . If you put
misinformation into his brain during (this
period), it is extremely difficult to erase
it.”
Ensign 2004, p. 4
4
Judith Reisman, author, lecturer
• In 3/10 of a second a child sees a sexual
image in a store
• The child had NO choice
• The parent had NO choice
• The image stays in the mind of the child
5
Elder 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”
• Ensign, May, 2005
6
Elder Russell M. Ballard
• “Let our voices be heard. . . . The time has
come when members of the Church need to
speak out and join with the many other
concerned people in opposition to the
offensive, destructive, and mean-spirited
media influence. . .”
• October Conference, 2003
7
President Gordon G. Hinckley
has a solution
• “The home is the cradle of virtue”
• Let your children experience good books, music,
etc.
• “Fathers and mothers are needed who will rise and
stand upon their feet to make of their homes
sanctuaries. . . .”
Sept. Ensign, 2004 & Teachings Hinckley, p. 200.
8
How to make our home a
sanctuary
1.
2.
3.
4.
Get rid of everything that is inappropriate
Regulate or turn off the television
Be an example to your children
Check everything that comes into your
home
5. Include good music
6. Include good games
9
Making home a sanctuary
7. Put a filter on the Internet
8. Go to strengthenthefamily.net –
Scroll to the bottom of the home page -- Click on
Content Watch –
Click on Family,
Click on Content Cleanup & download the free
trial
9. Know there is help available
10. Support PTA White Ribbon Program
10
Making home a sanctuary
11. Keep the Internet in a public area
12. Teach your children “Crash and Tell”
13. Keep your children and youth out of chat
rooms
14. Beware: cell phones with Internet access
15. Help children/youth know how to handle
potential situations
11
Making home a sanctuary
16. Teach the quickness of addiction
17. Teach why your home needs to be a
sanctuary
18. Teach your children “We’ll Stay Clean”
web: HeartriseMusic.com
19.Teach your family to listen to the Spirit
20. Know that the library is not a safe place
12
Here is the Prophet’s advice
Sept. 2004 Ensign
“The situation is far from hopeless. . . . I am satisfied
that there is no need to stand still and let the filth
and violence overwhelm us . . . . The tide, high
and menacing as it is, can be turned back if . . .
(the good people) will add their strength to the
strength of the few who are now effectively
working.” “I believe the challenge to oppose this
evil is one from which members of the Church. . .,
as citizens, cannot shrink.”
13
President Gordon B. Hinckley
about your community
• “Begins with a few earnest voices”
• “Not . . . shouting defiantly or shaking fists”
• “We are not likely to get that which we do
not speak up for.”
14
Communities
What might we speak up for?
1. Encourage senators and representatives to
pass a Marriage Amendment
2. Pass legislation to relegate cable choice
3. Help the abortion issue
15
What about your community?
• You can request covers on magazines that
are inappropriate for children.
• You can ask television programmers to not
show specific commercials.
• You can ask television programmers to not
show certain shows.
• You can ask news broadcasters to be more
aware of children as they air the news.
16
President Hinckley
“Let our voices be heard”
•
•
•
•
•
Not shrill voices
Speak with conviction
Well-written letters
Quiet conversations
Thank people
Ensign, Sept. 2004
17
7-Eleven
18
Walgreens
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Common Cents
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Bountiful example
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Power of One
Power of Focus
Power of being Polite
Power of a Soft Answer
Power of Using Education
Power of Building Relationships
Power of a Community Standard
21
Developing a Community
Standard
•
•
•
•
•
Educate one city council member
Have a child-appropriate resolution
Pass the resolution as a City Council
Focus on two stores at a time
Make polite requests for covers
The managers listen to the customers!
22
Examples of how to make
requests to store managers:
• Verbally make a request at the service
desk
• Fill out comment cards
• Take comment cards home
• Circle the money spent on the receipt
and leave a note
• Ask checker to call the manager
23
Store sign – Family Friendly
24
Shopko
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President Gordon B. Hinckley
•
•
•
•
•
•
“Let our voices be heard.”
“Speak with conviction.”
“Have quiet conversations.”
“Well written letters”
Approach those who enact laws.
Express gratitude for that which is good.
Ensign, September, 2004
26
President Gordon B. Hinckley
“I think the Lord would say to us,
‘Rise, and stand upon thy feet,
and speak up for truth and
goodness and decency and
virtue.’” (Ensign Sept. 2004)
27
President Gordon B. Hinckley
• “Strength to do battle begins with enlisting
the strength of God. . . . Let our voices be
heard. . . As we strive, we shall discover
that legions of good men and women will
join with us. Let us begin now.”
(Ensign, September, 2004)
28
Teachings (Manual, 2005)
President David O. McKay
Mission of the church . . .
– 1. Help people become Christlike p. 22
– 2. Transform society p. 22. Priesthood
and auxiliaries are designed to help
accomplish the Church’s mission p. 23
“Right-thinking, upright men and women
everywhere are desirous of eliminating
from our communities evil elements that
are constantly disintegrating society.” 29
President David O. McKay
“Let us here and now express gratitude for
the Church of Jesus Christ with quorums
and auxiliaries specially organized to
combat these evils.”
30
Bryant S. Hinckley
Church News April 2, 2006
• The Gospel is not doctrine in cold storage.
“It is action, not diction.”
31
When a Prophet Speaks,
We Need to Act
“Speak Up for Truth and Goodness &
• Decency & Virtue”
(Ensign, 2004, pp. 3-6)
32
To find a copy of this talk go to
www.strengthenthefamily.net
It will be renamed
“Letting Your Voice Be Heard”
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