The Choice Generation
by Randall L. Ridd
We are surrounded by technology. Everywhere you go, it is there. Technology is good, but it can also be bad. This talk was a great reminder for for my houseful of teenagers to use the internet for good.
Elder Randall, speaking to the young men specifically, refers to the youth of today as the "choice generation" because "never before in history have individuals been blessed with so many choices."
"YOU WERE CHOSEN TO PARTICIPATE IN HIS WORK AT THIS TIME BECAUSE HE TRUSTS YOU TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES."
"More Choices mean more opportunities; more opportunities mean more potential to do good and , unfortunately, evil. I believe God sent you here at this time because he trusts you to successfully discern among the mind-boggling choices available."
THE INTERNET
"You are growing up with one of the greatest tools for good in the history of man: the Internet. With it comes an elaborate buffet of choices. . .With one click of a button you can access whatever your heart desires. That's the key-what does your heart desire? What do you gravitate toward? Where will your desires lead?"
"As you surf the Internet, you leave tracks-what you communicate, where you have been, how long you have been there, and the kinds of things that interest you. In this way, the Internet creates a cyber profile for you-in a sense, your "cyber book of life". As in life, the Internet will give you more and more of what you seek. If your desires are pure, the Internet can magnify them, making it even easier to engage in worthy pursuits. But the opposite is also true.
"Every day the world seeks to influence your desires, enticing you to buy something, click on something, play something, read or watch something."
This makes me thing of my two littlest girls. They are allowed 45 minutes of "play-time" either on the computer or on the iPad. Lately, they have been in to watching YouTube videos of a woman making things out of play-dough. One video, leads to another video, and so on. They can spend their whole 45-minutes clicking from video to video watching this woman make her creations. These videos have definitely influenced them. They now spend most of their free-time making play-dough creations, and commentating as they go.
"If you are not proactive in educating your desires, the world will do it for you. . .Ultimately, the choice is yours. You have AGENCY. It is the power to not only act on your desires but also to refine, purify, and elevate your desires."
Agency is your power to become.
""Each choice takes you closer to or further from what you are meant to become; each click has meaning. Always ask yourself, 'Where will this choice lead?' Develop the ability to see beyond the moment?
Educate your desires and Guide your use of technology by:
1. Knowing Who You Really Are
"Remember who you really are. . .This will inspire you to make correct choices as you use the Interest and throughout your life."
2. Plug In to THE Source of Power
I love the cell phone analogy Brother Ridd uses to teach this principle- so creative! This will make a great object lesson and discussion for FHE tomorrow. He says:
". . .If you don't regularly recharge your cell phone, it is useless, and you feel lost and out of touch. You wouldn't think of going a single day without charging your battery.
He's so right. Every night before going to bed, the first thing everyone does is plug their electronics (cell phones, iPads, iPods, what have you) in.
"As important as it is to leave home every day with a full charge on your cell phone, it is far more important to be fully charge spiritually. Every time you plugin your phone, use it as a reminder to ask yourself if you have plugged in to the most important source of spiritual power-prayer and scripture study, which will charge you with inspiration through the Holy Ghost."
His cell phone analogy continues:
"Many of us immediately stop whatever we are doing to read a text message-should we not place even more importance on messages from the Lord?
As soon as we receive a prompting, we should give it the same attention we give our phones, and immediately stop what we are doing to listen and obey.
"Owning a Smartphone does not make you smart, but using it wisely can. . .don't do dumb things with your smartphone. You all know what I mean."
"The divine purposes of technology is to hasten the work of salvation. As members of the choice generation, you understand technology. (I'm amazed that even a one-year old knows how to turn on a phone and navigate through it's apps.)Use it to accelerate your progress toward perfection. . .you have the power through the Internet and social media to reach beyond borders and influence the whole world.
In April 2012, KSL did a segment about sharing the gospel through social media that aired between Conference Sessions. You can watch it HERE. It is amazing!!!
Elder Ballard also taught a lot about this in his CES Broadcast HERE.
I made these reminder tags for my kids to put on their chargers. Just left click on the tag you want, right click and save as. Print them out on card stock (these are already the size you need, so print them as is), punch a hole in the top, thread with ribbon, or twine, and cut along the dotted line being careful not to slice through the edges. Feed the charger through the dotted line opening, and tie onto the cord.
Next Week's Talk:
by Quentin L. Cook
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