CES Fireside for Young Adults: Elder Rasband

by Larry Richman on March 18, 2010

Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Presidency of the Seventy spoke at a CES fireside for young adults on Sunday, March 7.

Video archives are now available on the broadcast page.

Before long, the transcript and audio will also be posted on the Institute page.

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Mormon Channel: Mormon Identity

by Larry Richman on March 17, 2010


Mormon Identity is a weekly, half-hour talk radio program on the Mormon Channel (radio.lds.org) featuring discussions on Church subjects important to Latter-day Saints throughout the world. The 22 episodes explain the Mormon viewpoint to those outside of the faith. Mormon Identity is hosted by Robert L. Millet, Professor of Religious Education at Brigham Young University.

See previous posts about other great programs on the Mormon Channel.

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Family History Library Classes Now Online

by Larry Richman on March 16, 2010

The FamilySearch Family History Library is now making its popular classes available at FamilySearch.org, where you can access them for free anytime you want.

There are 23 Family History Library classes available online for beginners and experienced researchers, with subjects ranging from European research to United States military records. The classes vary in length from 6-58 minutes, with most lasting about 25 minutes.

To access the classes, go to FamilySearch.org, and click “Free Online Classes” in the center of the page.

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Digital Detachment

by Larry Richman on March 15, 2010

Have you read the article “Digital Detachment and Personal Revelation” by Elder Scott D. Whiting in the March Ensign? Elder Whiting says that the need to constantly be attached to our digital devices hinders us from building a relationship with our Heavenly Father.

He mentions that technological advancements can be both good and bad. Modern technology, when purely and judiciously used, can help us hasten the work of the Lord and spread the gospel. But an overreliance on technology can be a problem. “Being constantly ‘plugged in’ can drown out the quiet whisperings and subtle impressions of the Holy Spirit, breaking our personal connection with God and making it difficult, if not impossible, to receive personal revelation.”

Later in the article, he said “While modern technological advancements can enhance the work of the Lord and bless us and our families, we must be careful not to fall victim to their destructive side. We must not only avoid the base and degrading content some sources contain, but we must also recognize when electronic distractions keep us from quieter, more significant uses of our time. We must guard against becoming so attached to digital devices that we become detached from God.”

What suggestions do you have for using technology wisely? One family I know decided that their children were spending too much time texting–even staying up late at night sending thousands of text messages. So the family decided that the cell phones would go on the kitchen counter at 9:00pm each night.

What family rules have you instituted that help?

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Reflections of Christ in Russian

March 15, 2010

Here’s a great success story.
We told you previously about the site Reflections of Christ (ReflectionsofChrist.org) that testifies of the Savior, as well as the sequel Another Testament of Christ (AnotherTestamentofChrist.com)
Missionaries serving in the Moscow West Mission knocked on a door and asked the family if they could share a video with them about Jesus Christ. They [...]

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Community-Sourced Translation

March 15, 2010

The Church is trying an experiment with community-sourced (i.e. crowdsourcing) translation as a way to do routine translation work more quickly and at less cost.
If you or someone you know speaks Spanish or Portuguese (plus English) and would like to volunteer for this pilot program, please contact Michael Eckerdt for details.
This is volunteer work (no [...]

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Healing from Depression Through Jesus Christ

March 13, 2010

This is an informative video about depression. The video is based on a 55-minute talk by Carrie Wrigley from the 2005 BYU Education Week.
We encourage you to view it, rate it, and share it with your friends and family. The popularity and success of this video may determine how many other videos like [...]

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Sharing News About the Church Online

March 13, 2010

A recent poll by the Pew Forum shows that the Internet is now the third-highest platform for receiving news coverage. So, what can members of the Church do to help shape public perceptions, conversations, and media-talk news about the LDS Church online? Here are some suggestions adapted from a blog by the More Good Foundation:

Bookmark your local and [...]

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New Videos for Youth

March 12, 2010

Youth.lds.org is featuring new videos with inspiring stories about LDS youth. Meet a young woman from Texas who is a world champion at horse reining, and then get to know two young women from Missouri who wanted to change the world and did something about it.
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E-reader Devices for Reading Books

March 11, 2010

Thinking about buying an e-reader device? Which one should you buy? Kindle? Sony Reader? Or do you wait and get Apple’s new iPad? I’ve just spent 3 days attending sessions at the Publishing Business Conference in New York City about e-readers and the future of publishing. (See my posts about the current status and the future [...]

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Mormon Channel: Questions and Answers

March 10, 2010

The Mormon Channel has a great series of programs called Questions and Answers. The 13 episodes produced to date pose a series of questions about gospel topics, and provide answers from General Conference audio clips, the Church’s Web site, and other publications from the current and previous First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
This is [...]

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Internet Filtering and Accountability Programs

March 9, 2010

Many have asked me for a list of good Internet filters and accountability programs. You can read Internet Filter and Parental Control Software Reviews, Top Ten Reviews, and Free Internet Filter Reviews.
Everyone has their favorites, but here’s my short list of filters:

K9 Web Protection (free)
x3watch.com (free and paid versions)
OpenDNS (free and paid versions)
Content Watch (offers a 25% discount to [...]

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Connect Safely

March 8, 2010

ConnectSafely (ConnectSafely.org) is a Web site for parents, teens, and educators interested in using the social Web safely. The social Web is a big part of young people’s lives, and this site is for learning about the safe, civil use of it. It has forums and social-media safety tips for teens and parents, the latest [...]

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Mormon Channel: History of Hymns

March 5, 2010

History of Hymns is an interesting program on the Mormon Channel (radio.lds.org) that investigates the inception and the evolution of the hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The episodes talk about the history and the progression of the music and the text. So far, they have produced espisodes about 20 of [...]

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New Senior Missionary Web Site

March 4, 2010

Through full-time and Church-service missions, seniors can serve and bless others in many ways. Visit the redesigned senior missionary Web site to learn about opportunities, watch videos of missionary experiences, review frequently asked questions, and learn how to apply.
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