FIND YOUR VOICE

​

• Gain, and encourage your children to gain, a personal testimony of gospel doctrine, the Prophet and Apostles, and The Family: A Proclamation to the World.  Study the Proclamation paragraph by paragraph.  Ask what truths are taught, why certain words were used, how it answers the questions and issues of our day, why God feels the way He does, the role of these different components in the Plan of Salvation.  Ponder, discuss and role play how to share these truths with others.  Don’t forget to be respectful of other’s sincere beliefs in the process of sharing God’s truths.

 

• Learn how the spirit works – how to have it, how to hear it, and how to act upon it.

 

• Order your life to have the spirit.  Then pray and watch for opportunities to teach others.  Walk through the doors He places before you and allow the spirit to guide your conversations.

 

• Be informed.  Know about issues that are affecting the family.  Begin by picking one that sticks out to you the most.  Learn the research and science.  Even learn what the other side is saying about it.  Then learn how to articulate the issue.  Feel comfortable talking about it and defending your position.  It takes study and practice. The more you know the easier it becomes.  Once you feel comfortable with one issue, add another.

 

• Have dinner table discussions on family and social issues.  Help discussions of this nature become comfortable with your family so you can all learn how to share talking points with friends or those around you of all ages.

 

• Be brave.  Pray for courage and understanding on how to speak boldly and without apology, yet always with civility and respect, about the value and importance of family, faith and freedom and their related issues that affect our personal lives and societies.  Have faith God will help you, then open your mouth.  Watch for the one on one opportunities to share.

 

• Seek out trusted pro-family groups and subscribe to their emails, news alerts, and educational materials to stay updated on issues, research and talking points.

​​

​

MARRIAGE

​

• Strengthen your own marriage.  Pray to see your spouse as God sees them.  Kneel together in prayer and thank God for one thing your spouse has done that day.  Try not to be rote or redundant in your compliments.

 

• Show you love and value your spouse.  Hold hands in public.  Help others see marriage as a good, enjoyable thing.  Speak kindly and complimentarily about your spouse to others.  Leave love notes in the car, laundry room, refrigerator, on the bathroom mirror, etc.  Let him/her know they are appreciated.  Tell your children how much you love your spouse.

 

• Share with your children and others the valuable and important role your spouse plays in your family.  Help them see your admiration for each other.  

 

• Take time for your relationship. Go on dates. Find things you both enjoy.  Step out of your comfort zone and learn a new sport, art, etc. that your spouse loves. Read a book together. Find common interests and things you can do together.

 

• Strengthen your own marriage.  Pray to see your spouse as God sees them.  Kneel together in prayer and thank God for one thing your spouse has done that day.  Try not to be rote or redundant in your compliments.

 

• Greet your spouse’s arrival home by taking time out of what you are doing to give him/her a hug and/or kiss. 

 

• Take time to have conversations together.  Share about your day.  Share what you are excited about, dream about, hope for. Share your concerns and challenges together.  Be each other’s best friend.  That means be present and listen. Seek to understand where they are coming from before seeking to be understood

​

• Seek to understand how your spouse feels loved.  It may be different from how you feel love. Then act to strengthen your relationship by showing it in a way that your spouse recognizes.  

 

• If you both are watching out for your each other’s needs then your own needs will be met.

​​

​

FAMILY

​

• President Harold B. Lee said, “The most important of the Lord’s work you will ever do will be the work you do within the walls of your own home.”  Don’t ever feel you are not doing enough for God’s army if you are ”simply a Mom.”  So were the mothers of the Stripling Warriors.  The work you do with your family will affect generations.  Here are ideas.

 

• Get the doctrine of the Family Proclamation into the hearts of your children.  Discuss and study them as suggested in “Find Your Voice.”

 

• Help them see the value and importance of everybody’s role.  Discuss how you can strengthen and support each other in your roles.  Understand why each role is vital to your family.  

 

• Discuss the important role of temples for our families.  Do family history work or indexing as a family for Family Home Evening or on Sunday.  Do family temple trips.  Go to the temple alone and with your spouse.  This shows your children the value you place in the temple.  It visually shares you believe what your are teaching.  Temple attendance will also help bring a peace and spirit, an increased ability to face relational or life challenges within your family.

 

• Teach children to respect procreation.  Help them see its God-like nature.  Teach them to value virtue and the law of chastity.  Teach them the importance and value of abstinence before marriage and complete fidelity within marriage.

 

• Seek opportunities for service, work, or wholesome recreational activities to strengthen your family relationships.

 

• Do your Come Follow Me individual and  family study.  When discussing the scriptures and questions, think about how these teachings also apply to the family related issues in our day.

 

• Talk to your family about how dangerous and addictive pornography is.  Teach them it destroys our ability to show true love and of it’s damaging physical consequences. Understand the research.  Help them know what they might feel and how to respond when images appear on their phones, computers, or if a friend shares them with them.  Help them know those are powerful emotions and you understand.  If one of your family members has developed a problem with pornography, love them!  Don’t condemn them, but don’t condone the behavior either.  Be calm and get them any help they may need.  There are resources, even online, from the Church or trusted groups that may help. Seek help from the Lord and Bishop.

 

• Teach your children they are sons and daughters of God.  We learn it in Primary, repeat it each week in Young Women’s, the Relief Society theme says it, and it’s repeated in the Proclamation on the Family.  What does that mean?  How can we better understand that message? What does that message offer us that can help us as we endure the challenges of life? How does it help us understand our individual worth? 

 

• Hold Family Home Evening and gospel/scripture study to understand the doctrine, why it’s important, gain a testimony, and deepen conversion.  Spiritual experiences will strengthen your family’s bond.  Learn how these truths answer todays issues.

 

• Teach them where to find truth. Teach about the Spirit.  How to have it, hear it, and act upon it.  Teach them the spirit can teach us the truth about ALL things.  Teach them how blessed we are to have Apostles and Prophets to help us discern truth.  Teach them there are safety and blessings in following their words.  Teach them to pray and gain their own testimony of what the leaders have spoken.  Teach them the value and importance of religious freedom.

 

• Discuss with your children what you see or hear on television shows, in movies, plays, books, media or other forms of entertainment.  Pres. Kimball has taught that much of what we read, watch, listen to, etc. is designed to lead us astray. Help them recognize when those hidden agendas are popping up.

 

• Share your joy and love in being a mother or father.  Share your confidence and respect for your family members.  Strengthen and build each other. Help each other see the value in maintaining your family and religious morals and values.

​

​

SCHOOLS

​

• Ask your children what they learned today.  Have conversations about anything that seemed uncomfortable or hard that day.  Have children record classroom conversations on their phones if they feel it is wrong and share it with you. If a discussion was had in a class that was uncomfortable or didn’t align with curriculum, go speak with the teacher or principal.

 

• Attend PTA and School Board Meetings when open to the public.  When it is opened for comments, don’t be afraid to voice your opinions.

 

• Be aware of what is being taught in your child’s classrooms. What are the lessons/curriculum? Are Comprehensive Sex Education Programs in place? Look at your child’s textbooks, assigned reading and assignments. Speak up if you need to.

 

• Be pro-active.  Offer to be a part of the School or District Curriculum Review Board and preview books before they are purchased.  It is your right to be involved.

 

• Begin today by reviewing the content of textbooks and associated curriculums used by your children.  Know what is being taught.  You can shortcut this by going to the index of most texts and looking under the listings of: Family, Families, Family Life, Religion, Belief,  Sexuality, Homosexuality, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, etc.  Keep a list of “Acceptable” and “Unacceptable” text books.  Include problematic quotes from the textbooks, curriculum or assigned reading books.

 

• After your initial review or as a team with other parents, contact other like-minded parents and let them know your concerns.  Together go to the District and ask to see copies of the textbooks that are being used in all courses – including any sex education courses.  Begin a systematic review of textbooks.  This is a big project. Divide the workload among your like-minded friends.

 

• Go directly to the School Board members and request a meeting to explain the unacceptable nature of text books being used.  Ask what their plan of action is going to be to correct the problem. 
  States’ statutes and laws can be researched to verify if certain materials should or could be precluded from being taught in the school.  Chances are there are laws that will support your parental rights in this area.

​

​

CITY OR STATE INVOLVEMENT
 

• Be aware of what is happening around you. Monitor the actions of elected officials by following local/state newspaper and media.  

 

• Watch for any type of ordinance that deals with non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI).  Be prepared to address all the nuances of these ordinances with a goal to treat everyone fairly while, first and foremost, protecting religious freedom.

 

• Watch for ordinances that would support the ratification of any UN Treaty (CEDAW, CRC, CRPD – Disabilities treaty, etc.)

 

• When you see a problem, show up and speak up. 

  • Attending town halls and city council meetings is a great way to get your views considered, influence others and make a difference.​

  • Be bold and call the office of an elected official.  Speak to the official if possible, and if not, to the aide who handles the issue about which you are concerned.  If the issue directly impacts you, share your concern.  Be clear about the action you desire them to take.  Always remember to be polite and civil.

 

• Donate.  Pro-family organizations are not funded nearly as well as many other organizations whose motives negatively impact the family. Many times the work is self-funded.  Find a cause, project or organization you like. Donations of any kind are always very appreciated.

 

• When election season comes, vote! Encourage others to vote.  Make sure your voter registration information is accurate.  Know what identification you will need to take with you to the polls.  Find out information about your state elections  https://www.fairelectionscenter.org/state-specific-resources

​​

• Voting involves make a choice with long term consequences.  Read up about any issues on the ballot and consider where it will lead and how they will impact your family and community.  Also consider the issues individual candidates support and/or want to implement through policy.  Policy implemented by the winning candidate will have a longer lasting impact on your family and society than any grievances with the individual candidate's personality.  Elect like-minded individuals to office.

​​

• Follow what is going on in your state legislature.  Find your state legislative website.  Read about bills. Follow their progress.  Call or email your state and federal legislators and let them know how you feel about a bill and how you would like them to vote.  https://www.congress.gov/state-legislature-websites

 

• Run for office yourself.  Start with local offices and work your way up. 

​

​