Follow-up training from stake conference on pornography

17 October 2017

Bishops and Branch Presidents…

Thank you for your support of our semi-annual stake conference sessions last weekend. We appreciate so much you setting the example for your ward/branch members.

Sadly, attendance was down significantly from previous stake conferences. The fact that most, if not all, students in our stake had Friday off from school (some even Thursday off) obviously had an affect as many families took advantage of the school time off and made family travel plans.

However, we feel strongly that President Christiansen’s masterful training on overcoming pornography presented in the Saturday evening Adult Session needs continuing and wider exposure.

We therefore ask you to consider repeating some of that training in your 5th Sunday presentation on October 29. If you feel strongly about another topic, we respect and support your decision. We ask, however, that some time soon you make a presentation, especially to the adults (parents) in your ward or branch, on the subject of overcoming pornography, if you haven’t done so already.

To help you in that effort, we have attached two documents:

1. A list of resources, including meetings and websites, to help address the plague of pornography (please note that the Church has dedicated an entire website to this issue at https://www.overcomingpornography.org/?lang=eng);

2. A written copy of President Christiansen’s message that he gave in the Adult Session of stake conference.

You will remember that we specifically asked all parents to show their children the video we watched in the Adult Session “What Should I Do When I See Pornography.” https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2015-08-001-what-should-i-do-when-i-see-pornography?lang=eng It’s significant that the Church did not title this video “…If I see pornography” but “…When I see pornography.” We further asked parents to use the video as a way to open a dialogue with their children on this important subject.

Please note that the video is NOT to be shown to children in group settings, such as a Primary class or a Primary Sharing Time, but in the home for parents and children to watch together.

We hope this is helpful as we continue to address this critical issue that is so destructive to marriages and families.

Gratefully,

The Stake Presidency

Counsel to a couple struggling in their marriage due to addictive behaviors

11 October 2017

Dear Brother and Sister (name)…

Thank you both for visiting with me. I have come to love and admire you both so much through our visits. What a blessing it is to have you in our stake!

You have both acknowledged to me personally of your struggles with what the scriptures describe as the “natural man.” We all face such a battle. The battle becomes intense when it reaches addiction level.

You both have suggested to me that you wrestle or have wrestled with addictive behaviors. 

I sent home with Sister (name) last night two copies of the Church’s “A Guide to Addiction Recovery and Healing.” Having gone through it myself, I can endorse it as a wonderful tool for helping all of us conquer the “natural man” inside of us by teaching us about the power of the Atonement and an understanding of how repentance works.

Will you please go through the manual together? My recommendation is that you go through a chapter a week. Take turns and read each paragraph out loud. Then when it instructs, individually write your true feelings in your own book in response to the questions posed.

Then please, at the end of each chapter, take time to review together or individually and make notes of the most important principles taught in each Step (chapter) and why they resonated with you.

As you work together in this common quest to draw close to the Lord and feel his guidance in your lives, I promise you that He will also begin to bring about his promise of “hearts knit together” (Mosiah 18:21) in a most miraculous way.

If this becomes too difficult to do together, please invite me to come to your home and allow me to facilitate a chapter or two with you.

Thank you for being so faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ. While you may feel guilty for putting on pretenses (a good face that all is well in your marriage), it is not for naught. Your desire to do so was not just to avoid shame, but was deeply rooted in a true love for the Savior and His gospel. He will now help you make what you felt was a distant celestial marriage a reality. I promise you that, if you will put forth a sincere effort through nurturing the seed of hope in your hearts, daily prayer (including before and after each lesson) and completing the 12 steps faithfully.

With love and admiration,

President Lewis

P.S. There are many helpful resources on www.lds.org including audio of Addiction Recovery Program classes. Just search on the Church’s website for “Addiction Recovery."