Pornography

"Let us all improve our personal behavior and redouble our efforts to protect our love ones and our environment from the onslaught of pornography."

Dallin H. Oaks
"Pornography" April 2005 General Conference

"Pornographic or erotic stories and pictures are worse than filthy or polluted food. The body has defenses to rid itself of unwholesome food. With a few fatal exceptions, bad food will only make you sick but do no permanent harm. In contrast, a person who feasts upon filthy stories or pornographic or erotic pictures and literature records them in this marvelous retrieval system we call a brain. The brain won’t vomit back filth. Once recorded, it will always remain subject to recall, flashing its perverted images across your mind and drawing you away from the wholesome things in life.”

Dallin H. Oaks
"Pornography" April 2005 General Conference


"Today we have a rebirth of ancient Sodom and Gomorrah. From seldom-read pages in dusty Bibles they come forth as real cities in a real world, depicting a real malady—pernicious permissiveness.

We have the capacity and the responsibility to stand as a bulwark between all we hold dear and the fatal contamination of the pornography beetle. "

President Thomas S. Monson
"Pornography-the Deadly Carrier"
October 1979 General Conference


" Pornography is rampant and is absolutely, totally, completely destructive. "

Elder M. Russell Ballard
"When Shall These Things Be"
March 12, 1996 BYU Devotional


"Immodest dress also tarnishes the sacredness of the human body. Many rationalizations have been put forth to justify immodest fashion and pornography. Some vigorously assert that no law can be adopted to prevent such expression and then argue that it can’t be wrong because there is no law against it."

Elder D Todd Christofferson
"A Sense of the Sacred"
November 7, 2004


"Whatever the rationalizations, you will often find that the real motivation underlying immodesty is someone’s desire to profit from titillation, someone’s lust for money. The body is a temple of God, and pornography and revealing clothes are evidence that money changers are again desecrating the temple."

Elder D. Todd Christofferson
"A Sense of the Sacred"
November 7, 2004

"There is the matter of pornography. It has become almost a pornographic world. Now, you leave it alone! If you have any, destroy it! And if you know somebody that has it, help them destroy it! And do not look at it, not ever! It is destructive, and it will take you on a path that is not consistent with who you are and what you can decide. Do not watch it, not ever!"

Elder Boyd K. Packer
"The Instrument of Your Mind and the Foundation of Your..."
February 2, 2003 CES Fireside


"You live in a day when the scourge of pornography is sweeping across the world. It is hard to escape it. Pornography is focused on that part of your nature through which you have the power to beget life."

Elder Boyd K. Packer
"Truths Most Worth Knowing"
November 6, 2011 CES Devotional



"We live in a time unlike any other. Scientific achievement allows medical care, transportation, comfort, and convenience never imagined by generations who preceded us. The earth is flooded with information and technology, enhancing family history work and the sharing of the gospel but also the proliferation of pornography, virtual violence, and other “evils and designs [that] exist in the hearts of conspiring men” (D&C 89:4). In much of the world, we live in a time of strong attachment to material possessions."

Elder Neil L. Andersen
"The Book of Mormon: Strengthening Our Faith in Jesus Christ"
October 2011 Ensign


"I recently had an insightful conversation with a 15-year-old Aaronic Priesthood holder. He helped me understand how easy it is in this Internet age for young people to almost inadvertently be exposed to impure and even pornographic images. He pointed out that for most principles the Church teaches, there is at least some recognition in society at large that violating these principles can have devastating effects on health and well-being. He mentioned cigarette smoking, drug use, and alcohol consumption by young people. But he noted that there is no corresponding outcry or even a significant warning from society at large about pornography or immorality."

Elder Quenten L. Cook
"Can You Feel So Now?"
October 2012 General Conference


"In our day the dreadful influence of pornography is like unto a plague sweeping across the world, infecting one here and one there, relentlessly trying to invade every home, most frequently through the husband and father. The effect of this plague can be, unfortunately often is, spiritually fatal. Lucifer seeks to disrupt “the great plan of redemption,” ¹¹ “the great plan of happiness.” ¹²

Pornography will always repel the Spirit of Christ and will interrupt the communications between our Heavenly Father and His children and disrupt the tender relationship between husband and wife."

Elder Boyd K. Packer

"Cleansing the Inner Vessel"

October 2010 General Conference


"We also need focus to avoid what is harmful. The abundant information and images accessible on the Internet call for sharp focus and control to avoid accessing the pornography that is an increasing scourge in our society. As the Deseret News noted in a recent editorial, “Images that used to be hidden in out-of-the-way store counters now are as close as a mouse click” (“Staying ahead of Pornography,” 21–22 Feb. 2001, A12). The Internet has made pornography accessible almost without effort and often without leaving the privacy of one’s home or room. The Internet has also facilitated the predatory activities of adults who use its anonymity and accessibility to stalk children for evil purposes. Parents and youth, beware!"

Elder Dallin H. Oaks
"Focus and Priorities"
April 2001 General Conference


"With this priesthood comes a great obligation to be worthy of it. We cannot indulge in unclean thoughts. We must not partake of pornography. We must never be guilty of abuse of any kind. We must rise up above such things. “Rise up, O men of God!” and put these things behind you, and the Lord will be your guide and stay."

President Gordon B. Hinkley
"Rise Up, O Men of God"
April 2006 General Conference



"As an example of things to avoid, consider the terrible consequences of partaking of anything that can be addictive. This includes not only tobacco and the alcohol that enslaved my friend’s husband but also the avalanche of pornographic material that assaults our senses on the Internet and in the popular entertainment, including movies and videos. Where does sampling this garbage lead? Church leaders and professionals alike affirm that it leads to the destruction of earthly and eternal family relationships—and sometimes even to prison sentences for abusive behavior. Get mixed up with this garbage and it will lead you to the landfill—the dumping ground of temporal dreams and eternal destinies."

Elder Dallin H. Oaks
"Where Will It Lead?"
November 9, 2004 BYU Devotional



"Marriage is both a commandment and an exalting principle of the gospel.¹² Because it is ordained of God, the intimate physical expressions of married love are sacred. Yet all too commonly, these divine gifts are desecrated. If a couple allows lewd language or pornography to corrupt their intimacy, they offend their Creator while they degrade and diminish their own divine gifts. True happiness is predicated upon personal purity."

Elder Russell M. Nelson
"Nurturing Marriage"
April 2006 General Conference

Obedience

"In today’s society, the difference between right and wrong is being obscured by loud, seductive voices calling for no restraints in human conduct. They advocate absolute freedom without regard to consequences. I state unequivocally that such behavior is the high road to personal destruction."

Elder James E. Faust
"Obedience: The Path to Freedom"  
April 1999 General Conference


"There is no need for you or for me, in this enlightened age when the fulness of the gospel has been restored, to sail uncharted seas or to travel unmarked roads in search of truth. A loving Heavenly Father has plotted our course and provided an unfailing guide—even obedience. A knowledge of truth and the answers to our greatest questions come to us as we are obedient to the commandments of God."

President Thomas S. Monson
"Obedience Brings Blessings"
April 2013 General Conference


"Obedience brings peace in decision making. If we have firmly made up our minds to follow the commandments, we will not have to redecide which path to take when temptation comes our way. That is how obedience brings spiritual safety."

Elder James E. Faust
"Obedience: The Path to Freedom"
April 1999 General Conference


"Freedom and liberty are precious gifts that come to us when we are obedient to the laws of God and the whisperings of the Spirit."

Elder James E. Faust

"Obedience: The Path to Freedom"

April 1999 General Conference


"We learn obedience throughout our lives. Beginning when we are very young, those responsible for our care set forth guidelines and rules to ensure our safety. Life would be simpler for all of us if we would obey such rules completely. Many of us, however, learn through experience the wisdom of being obedient."

President Thomas S. Monson
"Obedience Brings Blessings" 
April 2013 General Conference

"God reveals to His prophets that there are moral absolutes. Sin will always be sin. Disobedience to the Lord’s commandments will always deprive us of His blessings. The world changes constantly and dramatically, but God, His commandments, and promised blessings do not change. They are immutable and unchanging. Men and women receive their agency as a gift from God, but their liberty and, in turn, their eternal happiness come from obedience to His laws."

Elder L. Tom Perry
"Obedience to Law is Liberty"
April 2013 General Confernce


"Be obedient to the prophetic teachings Christ would have you follow. Don’t rationalize away future happiness by taking shortcuts instead of applying sound gospel principles. Remember: little things lead to big things. Seemingly insignificant indiscretions or neglect can lead to big problems. More importantly, simple, consistent, good habits lead to a life full of bountiful blessings."

Elder Richard G. Scott
"For Peace at Home"
April 2013 General Conference


"I have learned a truth that has been repeated so frequently in my life that I have come to know it as an absolute law. It defines the way obedience and service relate to the power of God. When we obey the commandments of the Lord and serve His children unselfishly, the natural consequence is power from God—power to do more than we can do by ourselves. Our insights, our talents, our abilities are expanded because we receive strength and power from the Lord. His power is a fundamental component to establishing a home filled with peace."

Elder Richard G. Scott
"For Peace at Home"
April 2013 General Conference


"Character is woven patiently from threads of applied principle, doctrine, and obedience."

Elder Richard G. Scott
"The Transforming Power of Faith and Character"
October 2010 General Conference


"Listen to a prophet’s voice and obey. There is safety in following the living prophet."

Elder Robert D. Hales
"Hear the Prophet's Voice and Obey"
April 1995 General Conference


"Our spiritual safety lies in turning to the clear voice of our living prophet. If we listen to his voice and obey his counsel, we will be able to live as Christ would have us live and endure to the end so that one day we, along with our families, will return back into the presence of our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ."

Elder Robert D. Hales
"Hear the Prophet's Voice and Obey"
April 1995 General Conference

Raising Righteous Children

"In these last days it is essential—even critical—that parents and children listen to and learn from one another."
Elder M. Russell Ballard 
"Mothers and Daughters"
April 2010 General Conference

"And so, my dear young women, with all my heart I urge you not to look to contemporary culture for your role models and mentors. Please look to your faithful mothers for a pattern to follow. Model yourselves afterthem, not after celebrities whose standards are not the Lord’s standards and whose values may not reflect an eternal perspective. Look to your mother. Learn from her strengths, her courage, and her faithfulness. Listen to her. She may not be a whiz at texting; she may not even have a Facebook page. But when it comes to matters of the heart and the things of the Lord, she has a wealth of knowledge."

Elder M. Russell Ballard
"Mothers and Daughters"
April 2010 General Conference

"When Satan wants to disrupt the work of the Lord, he doesn't poison the world’s peanut butter supply, thus bringing the Church’s missionary system to its collective knees. He doesn't send a plague of laryngitis to afflict the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He doesn't legislate against green Jell-O or casseroles. When Satan truly wants to disrupt the work of the Lord, he attempts to confuse gender and attacks God’s plan for His spirit children. He works to drive a wedge of disharmony between a father and a mother. He entices children to be disobedient to their parents. He makes family home evening and family prayer inconvenient. He suggests family scripture study is impractical and not doable. That’s all it takes, because Satan knows that the surest and most effective way to disrupt the Lord’s work is to diminish the effectiveness of the family and the sanctity of the home."

Elder M. Russel Ballard
"The Sacred Responsibilities of Families"
August 19, 2003 Church Education Week Devotional


"Parents need to be consistent and loving, taking into account each child’s unique nature and disposition; setting appropriate limits to acceptable behavior, including modest dress, clean language, and dignified appearance; and then allowing each child his or her needed autonomy. Children are better prepared for the inevitable day when they leave home if parents “teach them correct principles and they [learn to] govern themselves”"

Elder M. Russell Ballard
"The Sacred Responsibilites of Families"
August 19, 2003 Church Education Week Devotional


"Parents, let’s listen and know what is important in the lives of our children. If we fail to listen, if we don’t try to understand their point of view, how can we expect them to come to us for guidance in making important decisions?"

Elder M. Russell Ballard
"The Sacred Responsibilites of Familes"
August 19,2003 Church Education Week Devotional

"As our families counsel together with the understanding that we are the family of God, we come to know that He loves us. We are precious to Him. He cares. He wants to help us. He wants to give us the support and help that we need in times of crisis. Much of that support and strength comes through counseling with one another ."

Elder M. Russell Ballard
"The Sacred Resposibilites of Families"
August 19, 2003 Church Education Week Devotional


I love this talk from Elder Ballard.  I know I used it a lot for quotes, but I feel like this talk is meant for me.  I feel very strongly about the roles of a father and a mother.  I have very traditional views on the way the family should be organized.  I love this talk because it supports the traditional family and gives us a little advice on how we can strengthen our family and teach our children.

“We have the responsibility to stand strong with a shield of faith against the fiery darts of the adversary. We are role models to the world, protecting God-given, inalienable rights and freedoms. We stand in defense of our homes and our families. … How will you resist [Satan’s] aggressive tactics? Put on the whole armor of God.”

Elder Robert D. Hales

"Stand Strong in Holy Places"

April 2013 General Conference

“Remember, heaven is filled with those who have this in common: They are forgiven. And they forgive.”

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"The Merciful Obtain Mercy"

May 2012 Ensign

“Just as honest toil gives rest its sweetness, wholesome recreation is the friend and steadying companion of work. Music, literature, art, dance, drama, athletics—all can provide entertainment to enrich one’s life and further consecrate it. At the same time, it hardly needs to be said that much of what passes for entertainment today is coarse, degrading, violent, mind-numbing, and time wasting. Ironically, it sometimes takes hard work to find wholesome leisure. When entertainment turns from virtue to vice, it becomes a destroyer of the consecrated life.”

Elder D. Todd Christofferson

Reflections on a Consecrated Life"

November 2010 Ensign

"The depth of the love of parents for their children cannot be measured. It is like no other relationship. It exceeds concern for life itself. The love of a parent for a child is continuous and transcends heartbreak and disappointment. All parents hope and pray that their children will make wise decisions. Children who are obedient and responsible bring to their parents unending pride and satisfaction."

President James E. Faust
"Dear Are the Sheep that Have Wandered"
April 2003 General Conference


"Satan’s pervasive snares are increasing, and raising children is becoming harder because of this. Therefore, parents need to do the very best they can and to enlist the help that Church service and activity can provide. If parents misbehave and stray even temporarily, some of their children may be prone to take license from that example."

President James E. Faust
"Dear Are the Sheep that Have Wandered"
April 2003 General Conference

"Parents must bring light and truth into their homes by one family prayer, one scripture study session, one family home evening, one book read aloud, one song, and one family meal at a time. They know that the influence of righteous, conscientious, persistent, daily parenting is among the most powerful and sustaining forces for good in the world. The health of any society, the happiness of its people, their prosperity, and their peace all find common roots in the teaching of children in the home."

Elder L. Tom Perry
"Mother's Teaching Children in the Home"
April 2010 General Conference