Area Leadership Message
Cultivating Wholesome Media Habits and Protection from Pornography
Advancement in social media and technology has turned the world into a global village. Information is available everywhere. With the click of a mouse, people can gain access to the digital version of materials they need on mobile devices. Elder David A. Bednar taught: “an important aspect of the fullness that is available to us in this special season is a miraculous progression of innovations and inventions that have enabled and accelerated the work of salvation”.1
Consider how the advancement in media technology has contributed positively to the spread of the gospel on earth.
First, members and missionaries are now able to share the gospel using digital copies of the Book of Mormon (a thing which was not possible only a few years ago) to teach people in real time about Jesus Christ and His gospel (see Habakkuk 2:14). This is in fulfillment of President Ezra Taft Benson’s (1899–1994) invitation in October 1988 to flood the earth with the Book of Mormon.2
Second, acceleration in temple and family history work has been made possible by the availability of advanced tools used in accessing needed information. Elder Bednar said “all of these advancements are part of the Lord hastening His work in the latter days”3.
Lastly, the voices of living prophets are now available to every Church member instantly through the Gospel Library. Never has the world been so blessed at any time with an abundance information as it has in this dispensation.
However, with increased access to information through the use of advanced media technology comes accountability. We need to be responsible in how we use media. Lucifer is increasingly attempting to infiltrate our hearts and homes by enticing us to access content that can destroy us. Pornography and other forms of destructive content are examples of how he tries to get us to lower our standards. An experience related by President Boyd K. Packer (1924–2015) several years ago helps us understand the adversary’s tactics.
While on an African safari, President Packer and his group “stopped at a water hole to watch the animals as they came to drink.”
Because of a drought, water was scarce. Much of it lay in puddles made by elephant tracks on soft mud.
“The antelope, particularly, were very nervous. They would approach the mud hole, only to turn and run away in a great fright. I could see there were no lions about and asked the guide why they didn’t drink. His answer, and this is the lesson, was ‘Crocodiles’. . . .
“‘Nonsense,’ I said. ‘There are no crocodiles out there’ . . .
“He could tell I did not believe him and determined, I suppose, to teach me a lesson. We drove to another location where the car was on an embankment above the muddy hole where we could look down. ‘There,’ he said. ‘See for yourself.’
“I couldn’t see anything except the mud, a little water, and the nervous animals in the distance. Then all at once, ‘I saw it!—a large crocodile, settled in the mud, waiting for some unsuspecting animal to get thirsty enough to come for a drink’. . . .
“I could see for myself, that there were no crocodiles. I was so sure of myself I think I might have walked out just to see what was there. Such an arrogant approach could have been fatal! But [the guide] was patient enough to teach me”.4
Like President Packer noted, most times because we do not see the dangers before us, we assume such dangers do not exist. The world we live in today is filled with spiritual crocodiles not just the physically big gray lizards that bite and tear apart our bodies but ones that can destroy us spiritually. Spiritual crocodiles always lay camouflaged in unsuspecting places like the internet, in social media, movies, and music. We need to cultivate appropriate attitudes and habits. It takes effort to be selective in our choice and use of media to protect our hearts and homes from pornography.
When we intentionally plan out the time we spend on media, we will have a positive experience.
President Russell M. Nelson has invited us to spend our time to gather Israel.
“Anytime you do anything that helps anyone—on either side of the veil—take a step toward making covenants with God and receiving their essential baptismal and temple ordinances, you are helping to gather Israel.”5
What sort of things should you and I be willing to give up, to engage in this noble cause? President Nelson further invited us to pray about it.
“As you pray about this sacrifice of time, you will be guided to know both what you can give up . . . and what you can do instead to help gather Israel.”6
Certainly, we can cultivate good habits when we spend more time:
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Studying the scriptures, and words of the prophets more intently.
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Doing simple acts of member-missionary work, including daily acts of service.
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Posting scriptures or other spiritual messages on social media.
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Studying general conference talks because they are super important.
Additionally, the Church has published a helpful resource titled Safeguards for Using Technology. This resource is available on the Gospel Library app and is intended to help every member cultivate good media habits and avoid pornography.7 I encourage all to study it and incorporate the principles taught into their daily practices.
As other commandments of God, cultivating wholesome media habits allows us to show what is in our hearts. It also gives us the privilege to demonstrate to our Father in Heaven how much we love and honor the physical body He has provided for us. As we strive to cultivate wholesome media habits, we can be guided by President Russell M. Nelson’s invitation to remember that you are a child of God, you are a child of the covenant, and you are a disciple of Jesus Christ.8