The Gift

First off, I want to say how amazing technology is. Today I received an email from the First Presidency on how they are going to send newsletter to our emails. So awesome.

Second, I love this video.

He truly is the Gift.

A Letter to Stephenie Meyer

1 December 2014

Dear Stephenie Meyer,

First, I would like to briefly introduce myself to you. My name is Kristi. I am a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Currently, I am in my last semester at Brigham Young University, majoring in Family Life Studies.

You may be wondering why I am writing you and I will explain why. When I was in high school, I read your first three books, Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse. At first I liked your books, but after thinking about them, I have no idea why I liked them. No offense to you, but something about them has always bothered me, like there was some underlying factor that I just couldn’t see, until recently.

Currently I am taking a class called Media, Family, and Human Development. We have learned a lot about how much media influences people, especially adolescents. In literature, adolescents are exposed to about 30.23 acts of aggression, after reading one hour verses 18.46 acts of aggression when watching one hour of television. Most adolescent literature shows acts of verbal or relational aggression, although the male characters tend to be more physically aggressive. Typically, this aggression is NOT justified and there are never any consequences for them. By the time a child graduates elementary school, they will have seen 8,000 murders and 100,000 other acts of violence. The effect of media violence on subsequent aggression is just as strong as the effect that smoking has on lung cancer. Over 1,000 studies, including a longitudinal study spanning over 22 years, show a link between media violence and aggression. Overall, media violence influences physical aggression, aggressive thoughts, aggressive feelings, physiological arousal, prosocial behavior, empathy, nightmares, relational aggression, racism, fear, depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and sleep disturbances. All of that information is very overwhelming in seeing how violence in media can affect one’s soul.

In the For Strength of Youth (2001), it says, “Depictions of violence often glamorize vicious behavior. They offend the Spirit and make you less able to respond to others in a sensitive, caring way. They contradict the Savior’s message of love for one another.” In the 2003 Ensign, Brad J. Bushman said, “Similarly, the Spirit is offended when we pollute our minds with harmful, violent material, whether or not such material causes us to commit violent acts. Consuming violent media makes it more difficult to keep ourselves “unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). It is troubling that so many people consider it entertaining to view violence […].” Violent media desensitizes, makes us unware in feeling.

Your books contain quite a bit of violence as there are numerous fights between the vampires and werewolves. I can see why it is there because of your plotline, yet at the same time, it puts a reality to all these statistics and warnings. It is one of the many sources that lead to this desensitization. It does not uplift or invite the spirit into one’s life. It is a source of chaos and confusion.

Another source of confusion that hurts people’s souls is pornography. Many people describe along the lines of “printed or visual material containing the explicit description or display of sexual organs or activity, intended to stimulate erotic rather than aesthetic or emotional feelings” (Google’s definition). My Media class defined it as “two people having sex (seeing and implying), two people in bed together (after the fact), frontal shot of man, woman takes off top, woman takes off top in a non-sexual context, rear shot of a person, passionate kissing, and heavy petting. This I total agree with. Pornography is more than what many define. There are many things out there that can sexually arouse a person. This is what I label as pornography. For children and adolescents, this can led to lasting impressions, harming their sexual development, leading to an earlier onset of sexual intercourse, and more risky sex. For marriage, it can lead to decrease sexual desire, women feeling objectified, divorce, and dissatisfaction with partner (in affection, appearance, sexual curiosity, and sexual performance). Also, sexual deviancy, sexual perpetration, decreased intimacy, acceptance of rape myths, behavioral aggression, and sexual aggression can be results of it. Sex and pornography are rampant in the media.

The For Strength of Youth (2011) says, “Pornography in all forms is especially dangerous and addictive. […] Use of pornography is a serious sin and can lead to other sexual transgression. Avoid pornography at all costs. It is a poison that weakens your self-control, destroys your feelings of self-wroth, and changes the way you see others. It causes you to lose the guidance of the Spirit and can damage your ability to have a normal relationship with others, especially your future spouse. It limits your ability to feel true love. If you encounter pornography, turn away from it immediately.”

According to the Google definition, you book does not contain pornography. But if you look at it in the sense that there are parts that are sexually arousing with the romantic scenes of passion, it does contain pornography. This is just another set lens, a way of thinking, a way of looking.

Twilight’s summary says, “The lovers find themselves balanced precariously on the point of a knifed-between desire and danger. Deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight captures the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires.” This is not in line with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Mosiah 3:19 reads, “For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yield to the enticing of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord.” Satisfying our desires is satisfying our natural man.

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ, I believe we should uphold to what we believe in. We shouldn’t satisfy the desires of the world, but listen and uphold the word of God in all that we do. As Alma preached to his people, we need to “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places” (Mosiah 18:9).

I really do not mean to be offensive in this letter, but as everybody knows you are a member of the church, I feel like you should be upholding those standards so others may have an accurate view of the Church. I as a fellow member of the Church, I do not appreciate reading about moony, love sick couples. I would not want my daughters to read and learn from Bella’s example. This is not how we should act. Yes, we have emotions and sometimes they are hard to deal with, but we can overcome our trials and heart breaks. That is where the atonement of Christ comes in. I know there are many others in the world today who do not believe in Christ or His atonement, but that does not mean we cannot profess our belief in Him and of His redeeming power. We should teach our children correct principles (Doctrine & Covenants 93: 42). When we have power in the media, we should use it for good and write, speak good things. We should have messages of peace and charity (Moroni 7:47), not of hatred and violence. This is my belief. This is my message.

Thank you for taking your time to read. Like I said, I don’t mean to be offense, just giving a hand of admonishment.  

Sincerely,

Kristi

A BYU Student

A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Saints

List of research articles:

• Malmuth et al., 2000; Kim & Hunter, 1993; Sheppard et la., 1988
• Manning, 2006
• Witherspoon, 2009
• Huesmann et al., 2012
• Coyne & Archer, 2004
• Bushman & Anderson, 2001

• Bushman & Anderson, 2001
• Strasburger, 2009
• Huesmann, et al., 2003
• Anderson et al., 2010; Coyne et al., 2008; Krahe & Moller, 2010

Upcoming Cinderella Movie!

Two of my roommates and I are SO excited for the new Cinderella movie that is coming out in March! Right near my birthday. It's our plan to go watch it in celebration of my birth! It looks cute!

The Season of Giving

I know I already posted this, but it's still my favorite and now it's really Christmas time. :) Remember it's the season of giving - and that season lasts all year long.

Common Sense Media

All of a sudden I am obsessed using the website Dr. Coyne showed us today. There have been times when I wanted to know WHY a certain movie was rated the way it was. Often I would find little descriptions, which were helpful, but I always wanted more. There also have been times where I wanted to know what a book was like, whether it was "Kristi - Rated" or not. When Dr. Coyne showed us the website https://www.commonsensemedia.org/ I was enthralled and immediately looked it up to see what it was like. 

It gives you the rating for positive messages, positive role models, violence, sex, language, consumerism, and drinking/drugs/smoking. With each of these rating, it will give you a description of what entails under that category. Then it will give you more detail about the story, whether it's good, ect. I think whoever undertook this project was a genius as there are so many uncertainties in the media we have today. 

I remember in High School my English teacher gave us an extra credit assignment to go see a movie at the movie theaters. The movie was PG13 and sometimes, even those movies are a bit too much for me. So I tried looking up why it was PG13. Somehow I stumbled upon the small font that said there was nudity and sexual scenes in it. 

Anyways, the moral of the story is, I think it is important to censor what we watch, read, ect. Content is important to understand before embarking into media, to know whether it is appropriate for your children and yourself.

The Meaning Behind Holidays.

In my household of ten girls, there are several who have already started celebrating Christmas. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas, but why forget the celebrations of Thanksgiving? From November 1st 3 of my roommates started listening to Christmas music. I remember one morning last week in particular. It was 9 in the morning. I heard Christmas music being blasted and girls and guys singing (yes, I think there were men in our house at that time...seemed unusually odd to me since that doesn't happen often). Then a few days later, on Saturday, I went to our upstairs living room and found a Christmas tree all decorated! And other Christmas decorations surrounding the room! It was cute, but where have the decorations and celebrations of Thanksgiving gone? Last night, I was talking to some of my other roommates and friends about traditions for Thanksgiving. Only one of us had Thanksgiving traditions. I am grateful for the way she was raised in remembering the purpose behind Thanksgiving, as they read the story of the Pilgrims. In thinking about this tradition, it has made me realize how commercialized all of our holidays have become. Forget why we do it! Remember the cute decorations and the gifts you'll be getting for Christmas! I wonder if one reason why we like starting Christmas so soon is due to the fact of being busy ALL the time that it gives us more time to fit it into the little bits of time we have. We are such a busy people. Too busy at times. Do we give enough time and attention to the things that are really important? But I am becoming distracted from the topic at hand! Anyways, I think it is more important to remember the reason we celebrate the holidays and stop focusing so much on the materialist parts of the holiday. And to give everyone their equal share! I'm all about equality.

...Although, I should admit, I have listened to some Christmas music...instrumental music. But I am also remember my songs of Thanksgiving...which they aren't much. And why not? ...

The Hope of God's Light

Here is a powerful conversion story about God's light of hope:

I just love his story. Very touching!

Anne of Green Gables

Anne is one of many heroines of young girls idealize. The last two weekends, my roommates have watched the Anne of Green Gables movies. My roommates and I just love Anne. She is a unique, spunky, individual who stands up for being herself. She is the model for being herself and not fear what everyone else thinks. Some else she teaches that she learns over the course of her life is: "Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?" Overall, Anne is one of my favorites, a story where good morals can be learned.

LOVE - "What Shall I Give?"

I am totally in love with this music every since I saw this Mormon Message. And it is such a beautiful message! I know it's not Christmas time, like the video shows, but it is the season of (Thanks)giving! So watch and feel the spirit of giving as you view this beautiful video!

"I am a Child of God."

President Dieter F. Utchdorf said:

“When we sing the song “I Am a Child of God,” the lyrics penetrate our hearts. Pondering this truth—that we are children of heavenly parents—fills us with a sense of origin, purpose, and destiny.

It is good to remember that you are always a child of God. This knowledge will carry you through the most difficult times in your life and will inspire you to accomplish remarkable things. However, it is also important to remember that being a daughter [and son] of eternal parents is not a distinction you earned or you will ever lose. You will always and forever remain a daughter [and son] of God. Your Heavenly Father has high aspirations for you, but your divine origin alone does not guarantee you a divine inheritance. God sent you here to prepare for a future greater than anything you can imagine.

The promised blessings of God to the faithful are glorious and inspiring. Among them are “thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths.” And it takes more than a spiritual birth certificate or a “Child of God Membership Card” to qualify for these incomprehensible blessings.

But how do we attain them?

The Savior has answered this question in our time:

“Except ye abide my law ye cannot attain to this glory.

“For strait is the gate, and narrow the way that leadeth unto the exaltation. …

“… Receive ye, therefore, my law.”

For this reason, we speak of walking the path of discipleship.

We speak of obedience to God’s commandments.

We speak of living the gospel joyfully, with all our heart, might, mind, and soul.”

I love this. President Uchtdorf simply states that if we are to live up to our heritage as sons and daughters of God that we will be obedient and faithful to His commandments. I was pondering the other day how I can better show my faithfulness to God. It’s by following with my whole heart, might, mind, and soul. I would like to remind each of you to ponder more deeply what it means to be a child of God and how you can live up to your potential.

(*I was asked to give the spiritual thought at FHE tonight and this is what I am going to share. So I decided to share with all of you as well! Hope you enjoy. Especially the video!)

Disney Favorites from my Childhood

After talking about the "ideal Disney Princess" today in class, I thought about why I liked my favorite 3 Disney movies from my childhood.

My brothers and mom exclaim that when I was 3 I watched the 101 Dalmatians over 101 times. I think I loved 101 Dalmatians so much was because of the moral behind it: The parents loved their children so much that they took whatever means to find them. Not only did they have great love for their own children, but for the other 82 Dalmatian puppies that Cruella De'Vil was about to kill. They saved all of them and took them under their wings as their own.Here's a clip from the end of the movie:

The 2nd movie I absolutely loved from my childhood was Pocahontas. I think I like her so much because of the courage she has to stand up for what was right. A new people had come into their land. Both groups of people were afraid of each other. They hated one another for their differences. But, Pocahontas and John Smith were humble and willing to learn from each other. Pocahontas created a peace between the two races because of her love and acceptance. Like her father says in the clip below, "she has wisdom beyond her years."

My last favorite Disney movie was Mulan. It came out when I was about 8 years old. It was a favorite among many girls my age. I think I loved this one so much because Mulan is not your typical princess. She too was brave and courageous. She was strained to act a certain way, but she could not help herself. She loved her father greatly and did not want to see him die in battle. So what did she do? She disguised herself as a man to do something different, to break out of the chains the public had placed on her, all to save her father's life. Her life was of little importance to herself. She knew she could die if someone found out. But she went forth and tried hard to fit in and to be strong. And in the end, she saved China. She was the bravest of all the warriors.In the scene below, I love the impact the music has with Mulan's actions.

Hope you enjoyed the insight to my childhood Disney life!

Skype

One media form I am grateful for is Skype. Without it, I wouldn't be able to see my family who lives far away. The first time I really used Skype was on my mission and it was nice to use it so I could actually see my family as I spoke to them. Now, I use Skype to talk to my missionary brother twice a year, my brothers and their families in other states, and my parents who now live in Korea. I am grateful for this wonderful, useful tool that is part of the technological advances in the media that allows me to see family who is far away.

Cell Phones

Interesting story. So if any of you have read about my previous posts about how we sometimes use our cell phones too much, well, guess what? I was putting my thoughts into actions unconciously by leaving my cell phone at home! Actually, it was kind of weird. Within the last ten years or so, we have gotten so use to carrying our cell phones with us everywhere! Fifteen years ago this was a phenomenon! Now, it's a natural part of life. A couple years ago, there was a guy in my ward who didn't own a cell phone! Now that seemed weird, but fifteen years ago, that was the norm. So interesting to see how time and history has changed over the years. And moral of my personal story, I kind of liked not having my cell phone on me, but at the same time I felt kind of bare. Reminds me of when I went into the MTC. For those three weeks being cell phoneless, I kept feeling phantom vibrates. The things media does to us. :) ha.

Happy Clip!

As I was studying, doing homework I had iTunes playing and this song came on! It just made me happy. :) It's pretty and calming. And I LOVE the title, What Makes You Beautiful. The Piano Guys are amazing as always! Definitely became one of my favorites as I came home back from my mission. Enjoy their awesomeness!

A Media called Learning Suite Messages

I am a TA (Teaching Assistant) for a class. Most of my communication I do with my students if via Learning Suite Messages. This week there was a problem with the test my students were taking at the Testing Center. I messaged all my students on how the problem had been fixed. I received the greatest, funniest message about the error.

My student said, "OH BLESS YOU. I thought I had a serious learning disability, thank you!!" I love people! This message made me laugh right out loud! Funniest thank you I have received about the test.

Hope you enjoyed this random media message for the week!

My Story Matters

One good use of media is being able to spread the word about various wonderful things! Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to intern with the non-profit organization called My Story Matters.

My Story Matters is committed to giving the gift of story (another source of media!) to individuals in need by publishing uplifting, inspiring, and motivational stories of faith, courage, and talent for individuals who could not otherwise do so for themselves. 

Even with this said you are probably still wondering exactly what My Story Matters entails. My Story Matters creates "custom happiness" through writing individual's lives. They will interview an individual, collect pictures from their life, and create a storybook out of it! Why? To help uplift and inspire the individual to see how truly amazing their life is!

My Story Matters has 3 different series. The Fighter Series who are dedicated to young children battling cancer. The Angel Series dedicated to young children who have passed on from this life. And the Gift Series which entails a broad spectrum of stories.

I loved my time with My Story Matters. They motivated me to do greater things with my life. I am constantly supporting their cause whenever I can.

If you likewise have desire to help them, visit their website at: mystorymatters.org . Or even better (with the help of media :) you can donate to their cause at: http://loveutgiveut.razoo.com/story/Mystorymatters?referral_code=share . Or even better yet, when you are shopping on Amazon, use smile.amazon.com and pick My Story Matters as your charity, then Amazon will donate some of their proceeds to them!

Be a Rescuer

Yesterday in my SFL 460 class we watched a video clip about families living in cars because they didn't have enough money to live anywhere else. This clip was powerful to me as it showed me another side of life I had not entirely ever considered before. Afterwards my teacher discussed being "rescuers" and reaching out to those within our reach. This is a goal I gained this summer. This summer I came to realize the passion I have for serving others. Thank you media for teaching me another aspect of life I hadn't know about. I know have a vision, a desire to do good and to help those young teenagers to succeed in life. Hopefully one day we will see my vision to come to pass. But for now, enjoy watching the video clip:

Texting vs. Interpersonal Development

Imagine yourself sitting in a room full of friends. First, ask yourself, why are you there? For me the answer is to have real interpersonal experiences of development. (Interpersonal refers to relating to relationships or communication between people.)

Then imagine one of your friends pulling out their phone. I bet many of you have experienced this. I did, just last night. When this happens, what comes to your mind? Maybe I am unusual, but this is what comes to my mind: Why? What is more important than the people you are surrounded by, in person? I know there are some cases where it is necessary, but there have been far too many times when it was not necessary.

According to CNN, "The number of text messages sent monthly in the U.S. exploded from 14 billion in 2000 to 188 billion in 2010." What does this say about our society? It shows how often we cheat ourselves of interpersonal experiences.

Looking at my own life, I can see how the impact of having face-to-face interaction makes on my interpersonal development. The scenario I presented with you earlier that happened to me last night is interesting to think about. The same friend who pulled out their phone last night is the same friend I spent an hour and half with a few nights ago. That night I really appreciated. We spent that hour and half communicating with one another - getting to know each other better. This was a good experience for me. I felt my interpersonal skills developing as I spent that time with them.


Sherry Turkle, a leading psychologist researcher looking into the effects of texting on interpersonal development stated "that having a conversation with another person teaches [people] to ... to think and reason and self-reflect. 'That particular skill is a bedrock of development.'"

I agree with her 100%. My interpersonal development increases and I grow more confident when I am able to communicate face-to-face with others.

CNN continued by saying, "Part of the appeal of texting in ... situations is that it's less painful — but the pain is the point. 'The complexity and messiness of human communication gets shortchanged,' Turkle says. 'Those things are what lead to better relationships.' ... Habitual texters may not only cheat their existing relationships, they can also limit their ability to form future ones since they don't get to practice the art of interpreting nonverbal visual cues." 

When I am in social situation, I rarely pull out my cell phone to check. I strive to give myself opportunities to have interpersonal development. So my plea to you, is consider those moments you desire to pull out your phone. Is it necessary? Will it diminish your opportunities to develop? Or for others to develop? Ask yourself those questions. Make sure you are not limiting yourself or anyone else from these valuable learning experiences.

Quotes from CNN and Turkle were found at: http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/31/tech/mobile/problem-text-messaging-oms/.

Media about the Book of Mormon

If you have read earlier, postings or know who I am, you will know that I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We have something called Mormon Messages and I love them. They are so inspiring and bring the Spirit closer into my life. Here is a recent one I watched about the Book of Mormon, which is another testimony of Jesus Christ and His teachings.

I likewise believe and testify of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. It is a book that has brought me great peace and delight. I know it is truth.

Today I read a mother's Facebook message of her daughter's weekly email as she is serving her mission in Puerto Rico. The daughter said this about the Book of Mormon, "I know this is the truth, and I know that you can know it's the truth too."

If you haven't yet, I encourage you to experiment and try to read the Book of Mormon. As you can see, there are many of us who believe in it's words and truthfulness.

Songs that Enter the Mind because of Childhood

Often when people are getting to know you, they ask, "What music do you like to listen too?"

I never liked this question because unlike most people, my answer was always different. Growing up, music was never a priority to me. If I did listen to music, I loved listening to Disney soundtracks. I also had a lot of church music that my mom would buy for me for my birthday or for Christmas. I did enjoy listening to that music as well, since it was positive, inspiring, and uplifting.

As I am moving into adulthood, I have realized how good it was to listen to that type of music. Often when a song comes to my mind, it is either a Disney song or a church song. They are uplifting songs. Not ones that I wish would get out of my head.

Music can be a positive influence or a negative influence. I am grateful for my mom and for her influence on my good music choices. I don't think she has any idea how she affected me in this way, but I am grateful for the good, positive music I was brought up with.

Songs that come to my mind:
"Dancing bears, painted wings, things I almost remember. And a song, someone sings, Once Upon a December." ~Anastasia

"I see my mother knelling, with my family each day. I hear words she whipsers as bows her head to pray. Her plead to the Father quiets all my fears. And I am thankful, Love is spoken here." ~From the Primary Songbook for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

"I am child of God, heaven blessed. I have grown and truth and righteousness, I will never let my faith grow dim, I will testify of him."

"Rain drops on roses and whiskers on kitten. [...] These are a few of my favorite things. When the dog bites, when bee stings, when I am feeling sad, I simply remember my favorite things. And then I don't feel so bad."  ~The Sound of Music

Be Yourself :-)

If I were a song, which one would I be? ... First song that comes to mind is Let it Go, played by Alex Boye.

Let's Listen to it:

Why did I choose this song in particular? Well, let me tell you why. 

Lexi Walker, singing as Elsa, says: 

Couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I tried! 

Don't let them in, don't let them see 

Be the good girl you always have to be 

Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know 

Well, now they know!

Applying this to my own life, this is what I see: 

Don't let them in, don't let them see your true self

Be the serious girl you always have to be

Be responsible, mature, and sensible

Well, now they know you are also silly, funny, sweet, and endearing

So, together, Elsa and I sing:

Let it go, let it go
And I'll rise like the break of dawn
Let it go, let it go
That perfect girl is gone!

Here I stand
In the light of day
Let the storm rage on,
The cold never bothered me anyway! 

So hopefully that all made sense. But basically, I need to let the continuous serious side of me go and be my true funny, intelligent, silly, responsible, quirky, mature side come all out as one person and not be ashamed or hide parts of me. I need to BE MYSELF, like Genie says. :-) 

Darkness or Wholesome, Which Stage Will You Pick

Yesterday, the song As Sisters in Zion/We'll Bring the World His Truth came into my mind. What had brought it into my mind? The fact I had listened to it earlier in the car. Media has a big impact on our minds. It can affect our virtue. In Preach My Gospel, a manual for missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, says this about virtue:

"Your mind is like a stage in a theater; in the theater of your mind, however, only one actor can be on stage at a time. If the stage is left bare, thoughts of darkness and sin often enter the stage to tempt. But these thoughts have no power if the stage of your mind is occupied by wholesome thoughts, such as a memorized hymn or verse of scripture that you can call upon in a moment of temptation. By controlling the stage of your mind, you can successfully resist persistent urges to yield to temptation and indulge in sin. You can become pure and virtuous."

Singing As Sisters in Zion/We'll Bring the World His Truth was a wholesome thought. It brought me joy in thinking how I, a young person, can make a difference in the world! The lyrics say, "And we will be the Lord's missionaries / To bring the world his truth." 

Be Where You Are When You Are There

I love what Elder Randall L. Ridd said, "Each click has meaning. [...] See beyond the moment." Further in his talk, he discusses how "it is far more important to be fully charged spiritually." The misuse of echnology takes us away from the things that are of most importance: family and friends relationships, spiritual growth, the opportunity to serve, ect.

Sister Chieko N. Okazaki said in her book called Being Enough, "If we are ever to enjoy life, now is the time—not tomorrow, nor next year, nor in some future life after we have died. The best preparation for a better life next year is a full, complete, harmonious, joyous life this year." In order to complete and have this "harmonious, joyous life this year," we must put down our electronics and enjoy the here and now.

Elder Ridd said, "'Be where you are when you are there.' When you are driving, drive. When you are in class, focus on the lesson. When you are with your friends, give them the gift of your attention."

Why do we spend so much of our attention on things that are not of worth? Spend quality with your friends and family. Set your electronic devices aside and enjoy life to the fullest.

Questions that Excited my Spirit to Deepen My Testimony in Christ

Before taking SFL 358 (Media, Family, & Human Development), I never realized what various types of things were labeled as "media." This weekend, I had an AMAZING experience with a good media.

I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Once a month the church has what they call a CES Devotional. The devotional just consists of a church leader speaking, giving a talk to the young single adults of the church. Yesterday, Sunday, we had Elder D. Todd Christofferson spoke. My roommates and friends and I watched it on our T.V. I had a great experience with it.

Before he spoke though, the choir sang a musical number called Be Still My Soul. It was beautiful. I have heard that song and loved that songs many times before, but yesterday as they sang the question hit me, "What does 'be still my soul' mean?" I began writing my answer down. Then Elder Christofferson spoke. He quoted the scripture from Luke 9:20 that says, "Whom say ye that I am?" In the process of this devotional, I became enlightened with questions. Who do I say that Christ is? Do I show my love to Christ? Where do I spend most of my time? What do I love most? How can I take up His cross daily? The questions just kept coming. Previously I didn't like asking questions. I thought some questions were ridiculous and unnecessary, but yesterday they became enlightening to me! They were soul provoking. Questions that excited my spirit to deepen my testimony in Christ. I have finally come to the conclusion that questions are good and necessary for helping each of us deepen our testimonies in Christ.

So the moral of the story is, questions can be used for good. And good media can be simple and powerful tools of deepening people's testimonies in Christ.

For further reading on my weekend's journey of spiritual enlightenment visit: http://lifeasitshouldbedone.blogspot.com/