W2 Child & Family Advocacy

 Israel, Israel God is Calling

• What do you think Elder Holland meant by “in this our dispensation, we would become mature enough to stop running. We would become mature enough to plant our feet and our families in every nation, kindred, tongue, and people permanently?"

"It's easy to be righteous when things are calm...smooth... the test is when there is pressure, fatigue, anger, fear, or the possibility of real transgression." This takes maturity to come to this conclusion.

• At what metaphorical doors do you have a tendency to “check your religion?" In other words, are there social or virtual situations where you justify not doing what you know you should? Why do you think you do this?

I tend to "check my religion" at work or parties. I admit that I do it at home a little and with family and friends occasionally. "For the establishment of Zion, you NEVER check your religion at the door!.... No true disciple of Christ can check his religion at the door."

• What is the connection between standing as a witness of the family unit and the covenant “to stand as [a witness] of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in?"

Well, God's whole plan of happiness is shaped around the family unit. It is hard to stand up for truth and righteousness when you are not acting as a witness of God in all things. 

• What threats to children and families did Elder Holland mention? Have these issues increased, decreased, changed, or all of the above since he gave this talk in 2012?

Pride, neglect, pornography, etc. are all threats to the family and yes, they have increased and will continue to increase.

• What character attributes did Elder Holland expound on that will make you more effective child and family advocate? (See if you can identify them and write them down)

"This church can never dumb down it's doctrine....it is only the high ground of revealed truth that gives us any footing on which to lift another..."

• What messages and calls did you feel like were for you personally in Elder Holland’s address? What are you going to do about it?

 George MacDonald once said, in such situations “we are not bound to say all that we [believe], but we are bound not even to look [like] what we do not [believe].”

"...the Savior makes it clear that in some situations we have to judge, we are under obligation to judge—as when He said, “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine.”¹⁷ That sounds like a judgment to me. The alternative is to surrender to the moral relativism of a deconstructionist, postmodern world which, pushed far enough, posits that ultimately nothing is eternally true or especially sacred and, therefore, no one position on any given issue matters more than any other. And that simply is not true."

Dallin H. Oaks said we are to make intermediate judgements not final judgements (aka fixed mindset vs growth mindset)

“Well, we don’t believe we should live or behave in such and such a way, but why do we have to make other people do the same? Don’t they have their free agency? Aren’t we being self-righteous and judgmental, forcing our beliefs on others, demanding that they act in a certain way?” In those situations you are going to have to explain sensitively why some principles are defended and some sins opposed wherever they are found because the issues and the laws involved are not just social or political but eternal in their consequence. 

But to make the point, let me use the example of a lesser law. It is a little like a teenager saying, “Now that I can drive, I know I am supposed to stop at a red light, but do we really have to be judgmental and try to get everyone else to stop at red lights? Does everyone have to do what we do? Don’t others have their agency? Must they behave as we do?” You then have to explain why, yes, we do hope all will stop at a red light."

Two Great Commandments. Then ponder and write down your responses to the following questions:

President Nelson reminded all of us that “our commission as Apostles is to teach nothing but truth. That commission does not give [Apostles] the authority to modify divine law.”¹⁰

• What connections did you make between President Oaks' and Elder Holland's talk?

Elder Oaks and Elder Holland both spoke of the obeying God's laws.

• Who has come to your mind this week as we've learned and discussed Christlike character? What are you going to do about it?

Every single person that I have met has qualities that I admire and try to apply to my life and every single person has weakness that I try to stay away from and keep out of my life. So I will not be shaping my life on the men and women that I see because they are imperfect and will always let me down but Christ will not. Therefore, whatever Christlike character I achieve in my life will come from following Christ's direct example.

The Paradox of Love and Law by Elder Oaks: 

D&C 130: 20-21 explains why God asks us to obey His commandments

• Is it possible to love someone unconditionally and completely while not condoning and promoting every thought and feeling they have?

I didn't realize until I watched that last video that I am guilty of seperating the commandments to love and obey the law. I agreed with the couple to an extent. I would not have been as rude but I would not have wanted to look at pictures of her wife. I still would have tipped her if she did her job well. 

GOALS:

Read The Character Christ (to Dad)

Optional Reading

Links to an external site.

Saving Your LifeLinks to an external site. by Elder D. Todd Christofferson.

Which Way Do You Face?Links to an external site. by Elder Lynn G. Robbins