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When a Prophet Speaks, We Need to Act

“Speak Up for Truth and Goodness & Decency & Virtue”

(Ensign, 2004, pp. 3-6)

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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.”

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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How to make our home a sanctuary

1. Get rid of everything that is inappropriate

2. Regulate or turn off the television

3. Be an example to your children

4. Check everything that comes into your home

5. Include good music

6. Include good games

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Making home a sanctuary

7. Put a filter on the Internet8. 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

trial9. Know there is help available10. Support PTA White Ribbon Program

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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

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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

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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.”

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President Gordon B. Hinckleyabout 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.”

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CommunitiesWhat 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

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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.

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President Hinckley “Let our voices be heard”

• Not shrill voices

• Speak with conviction

• Well-written letters

• Quiet conversations

• Thank people

Ensign, Sept. 2004

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7-Eleven

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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

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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!

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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

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Store sign – Family Friendly

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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

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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)

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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)

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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.”

p. 26.

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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.”

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Bryant S. HinckleyChurch News April 2, 2006

• The Gospel is not doctrine in cold storage. “It is action, not diction.”

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When a Prophet Speaks,We Need to Act

“Speak Up for Truth and Goodness &

• Decency & Virtue”(Ensign, 2004, pp. 3-6)

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To find a copy of this talk go to

www.strengthenthefamily.net

It will be renamed

“Letting Your Voice Be Heard”