I have to remind myself that this is a habit that formed long before I owned my first smartphone over a decade ago. Even before my parents bought our first family computer (a Pentium 266 MHz running Windows 95). Television has been a fixture my entire life. I watched it daily growing up. I have been spending so much time staring at TVs, monitors, and displays of one kind or another for about forty years.

But for two years of my life, screen time was the exception, not the rule. From December of 2000 to December of 2002, I served as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Brazil Santa Maria Mission. During that time I was expected to refrain from watching TV and movies or listening to the radio. There were exceptions, of course, like church media or occasional holiday treats like watching The Prince of Egypt or a Disney animated film – with special permission from the mission president. But we did not own TVs or radios and definitely not computers. Our apartments were not furnished with them. We did listen to music, but only approved kinds – church music or classical, mostly. Smartphones didn't exist, and cell phones were rare and expensive – we used pay phones.

For the first year of my mission, I corresponded with my family via snail mail. It took two weeks for letters to be delivered. The second year, we used email. Once a week we would go to an internet cafe and pay probably too much money for thirty minutes of computer time to read and write emails. There was also a stretch of seven months when I served in the mission office as the financial secretary, and I used a computer often in that role for administrative purposes – we didn't have an Internet connection. But as a percentage of my total waking hours during those two years, screen time was drastically lower than the years before or since.

I don't think I was worse off for having missed TV shows, movies, and popular music that came out during my missionary years. Granted, I was committed to a work and ministry that accounted for most of my time. But I believe that screen time outside of the rare instances I described would have been too much of a distraction for me to be an effective missionary. It would have been too tempting a diversion. And I think it would have also negatively impacted me spiritually and made me less receptive to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit.

After my two years of full-time missionary service, I returned home. It was time to focus on school, my career, and starting a family. I didn't have to follow missionary standards and rules anymore. Some of them wouldn't apply to or make sense in post-missionary life.

But I have sometimes wondered: why shouldn't I continue to follow the media standards I followed as a missionary?

If I wouldn't have watched a certain movie or TV show as a missionary – even as a rare exception – do I need to watch it now? If a particular movie or TV show or song would have been too distracting or spirit-numbing to watch or listen to as a missionary, why would it be okay for me to watch or listen to it now? Should I not strive for the same level of spirituality? The same focus on Jesus Christ and His work?

I'm not planning to get rid of my TV, radio, or smartphone. They can do a tremendous amount of good when used properly and intentionally. But I am going to be much more careful about the media I choose to consume.

The Thirteenth Article of Faith states:

If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report, or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

When considering media to consume, I want to develop a habit of asking myself: “would it have been right for me to watch or listen to this as a missionary? Why or why not? If not, does it hold to the standard of being “virtuous, lovely, or of good report, or praiseworthy?” If I'm still in doubt, I will err on the side of avoiding it.

Another good litmus test is found in the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet, which provides the following guidance:

Seek that which uplifts, inspires, and invites the Spirit. As you make choices about what to watch, read, listen to, or participate in, think about how it makes you feel. Does it invite good thoughts? Stay away from anything that mocks sacred things or that is immoral. Don’t participate in anything that dulls your judgment or sensitivity to the Spirit, such as violence, alcohol, and harmful drugs. Have the courage to turn off a video or game, walk out of a movie or a dance, change your music, or turn away from anything that is not consistent with the Spirit.

I have already been trying to cut back drastically on the quantity of screen time in my life, but I need to also focus on the quality. This will not be an easy life change for me to make in a media-saturated society. I may have to give up some entertaining media I have cherished for decades. I will likely soon be out of touch with a lot of the popular shows and movies and won't be able to contribute to conversations about them. But I feel it's the right thing for me and I'm going to try it. In time, perhaps, I won't have the urge to stare at a screen for any reason or no reason at all.

Discuss...

#media #intentionism #LessConvenient #faith #ChurchOfJesusChrist

In this talk, President Nelson taught:

What does it mean to overcome the world? It means overcoming the temptation to care more about the things of this world than the things of God. It means trusting the doctrine of Christ more than the philosophies of men. It means delighting in truth, denouncing deception, and becoming “humble followers of Christ.” It means choosing to refrain from anything that drives the Spirit away. It means being willing to “give away” even our favorite sins.

Now, overcoming the world certainly does not mean becoming perfect in this life, nor does it mean that your problems will magically evaporate—because they won’t. And it does not mean that you won’t still make mistakes. But overcoming the world does mean that your resistance to sin will increase. Your heart will soften as your faith in Jesus Christ increases. Overcoming the world means growing to love God and His Beloved Son more than you love anyone or anything else.

This past weekend, in the April 2023 General Conference, Elder Evan A. Schmutz elaborated on what it means to trust the doctrine of Christ. This part in particular resonated with me in light of the changes I have been trying to make recently with respect to the quantity and quality of media I consume:

If we trust the doctrine of Christ, we will set aside the shiny things of the world so that we can focus on the Redeemer of the world. We will limit or eliminate time spent on social media, digital games, wasteful, excessive, or inappropriate entertainment, the allure of this world's treasures and vanities, and any other activities that give place to the false traditions and misguided philosophies of men. It is only in Christ we find truth and lasting fulfillment.

Countless times have I succumbed to “the allure of this world's treasures and vanities.” In the moment, they provide entertainment, distraction, even a sense of purpose or belonging. But not only are the world's treasures and vanities unfulfilling, they are fleeting.

Recreation and relaxation are important for our health. But if I am honest with myself, much of my video watching and video gaming screen time has been excessive. I think of just one of the video games I was addicted to in the past. I have spent the equivalent of more than three months of my life – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – playing this game. And aside from a few fun memories playing this game with my brothers, I have nothing in the real world to show for it. That's time I can never get back. Time I could have spent learning a new skill, developing a new talent, volunteering in the community, strengthening my relationships with family and friends, reading, writing, praying, studying, etc. And how many other video games have I been addicted to over the years! How many TV shows and movies have I binged! Collectively, I have lost years of time to these hollow pursuits.

I must change. I must be more moderate and intentional in how I use my time for entertainment, recreation, relaxation, and otherwise.

Because at the end of my mortal life, I don't want to be known and remembered for the world's treasures I accumulated or the world's vanities I pursued. That's not the kind of legacy I want to leave behind.

Discuss...

#faith #ChurchOfJesusChrist #life #media #intentionism #DigitalMinimalism

When a young Neil L. Anderson was preparing to serve his mission, he felt inadequate. He prayed: “Heavenly Father, how can I serve a mission when I know so little?” As he prayed, he had the impression: “You don’t know everything, but you know enough!”

Whenever I am struggling in body or in spirit, whenever I'm wrestling with confusion or doubts, I try to direct my thoughts to the plain and precious things I know about my faith, and how I came to know these things.

I know that I am a child of a living Heavenly Father. From a very young age, as I heard and sang the beloved song “I am a Child of God” at home and church, I came to know and understand that God loves me and knows me.

I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. He was sent by the Father to conquer sin and death. He died for us and he rose from the grave. He has made it possible for us to live with our Heavenly Father again some day. I have felt His love for me.

I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God and that the Church of Jesus Christ was restored to the earth through him. I know this because I have read the Book of Mormon, which was translated by him. Through study and prayer I have come to know that the Book of Mormon is a true volume of scripture, another testament of Jesus Christ. And if the Book of Mormon is true, then Joseph Smith is a true prophet who brought it forth by the power of God.

I know that the Priesthood – the power of God delegated to man – has been restored to the earth.

I know that we have a living prophet on the earth today – Russell M. Nelson – who holds this Priesthood authority and receives revelation from God for His people.

I know that temples are the House of the Lord. They are sacred places where we can perform holy ordinances and make covenants with God that bind us to Him and allow us to access His power when we try to faithfully honor and keep them. When I go to the temple, I feel the peace and love of God. I feel like whatever is going on in my life, everything is going to be alright.

I don't know everything. I have hope that one day I will, but until then, I can find strength and comfort in the things I know. And it is enough. Enough for me to stay in the church, keep the faith, and press forward.

Elder Anderson said:

Our spiritual journey is the process of a lifetime. We do not know everything in the beginning or even along the way. Our conversion comes step-by-step, line upon line. We first build a foundation of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We treasure the principles and ordinances of repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. We include a continuing commitment to prayer, a willingness to be obedient, and an ongoing witness of the Book of Mormon. (The Book of Mormon is powerful spiritual nourishment.)

We then remain steady and patient as we progress through mortality. At times, the Lord’s answer will be, “You don’t know everything, but you know enough”—enough to keep the commandments and to do what is right. Remember Nephi’s words: “I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.”

#faith #Christianity #ChurchOfJesusChrist

My favorite quote from this film is from Kris Kringle himself:

If you can’t accept anything on faith, then you are doomed to a life dominated by doubt.

This reminded me of a quote from Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf:

It’s natural to have questions—the acorn of honest inquiry has often sprouted and matured into a great oak of understanding. There are few members of the Church who, at one time or another, have not wrestled with serious or sensitive questions. One of the purposes of the Church is to nurture and cultivate the seed of faith—even in the sometimes sandy soil of doubt and uncertainty. Faith is to hope for things which are not seen but which are true.

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters—my dear friends—please, first doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith. We must never allow doubt to hold us prisoner and keep us from the divine love, peace, and gifts that come through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

At times I have grappled with doubt like everyone else, but I refuse to live a life dominated by it. I choose to have faith in something – in someone: Jesus Christ. I join with millions this Christmas season to celebrate His humble birth.

Merry Christmas!

#100DaysToOffload (No. 60) #faith #Christmas #Christianity #ChurchOfJesusChrist

It's currently open only to a small group of close friends and associates for a “closed beta” until I get this whole Mastodon Admin thing figured out. If there is any reasonable degree of success after a month or two, I might opening it up for more people to join.

But let me back up. Why did I name it “ZCMI” and who is it for? The original ZCMI – Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution – was a department store chain founded in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1868. It changed owners throughout the years and went defunct about 20 years ago. (Seriously, how many department store chains have died in the last couple decades? Remember Mervyn's? Fred Meyer? Montgomery Ward?).

The ZCMI in ZCMI.social stands for Zion's Cooperative Mastodon Instance! It's intended for members of my church – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – who are actively trying to live their faith. I envision it as as a safe space for church members to talk about their faith and interact with and support other members trying to walk the covenant path. The name of this new Mastodon instance is a way of honoring our past while looking forward to the future.

There is still a lot of work to do – a few of my colleagues and I are coming up with some community guidelines and refining the server rules (I mostly copied our existing rules from Fosstodon because I think they're a pretty great place to start).

Over the next month I'd like to try to get at least 30 or 40 people on there and actively using it and see where things go from there.

I'm excited!

Discuss...

#100DaysToOffload (No. 55) #tech #faith #ChurchOfJesusChrist #SocialMedia

Some misunderstand the promises of God to mean that obedience to Him yields specific outcomes on a fixed schedule. They might think, “If I diligently serve a full-time mission, God will bless me with a happy marriage and children” or “If I refrain from doing schoolwork on the Sabbath, God will bless me with good grades” or “If I pay tithing, God will bless me with that job I’ve been wanting.” If life doesn’t fall out precisely this way or according to an expected timetable, they may feel betrayed by God. But things are not so mechanical in the divine economy. We ought not to think of God’s plan as a cosmic vending machine where we (1) select a desired blessing, (2) insert the required sum of good works, and (3) the order is promptly delivered.

God will indeed honor His covenants and promises to each of us. We need not worry about that. The atoning power of Jesus Christ—who descended below all things and then ascended on high and who possesses all power in heaven and in earth—ensures that God can and will fulfill His promises. It is essential that we honor and obey His laws, but not every blessing predicated on obedience to law is shaped, designed, and timed according to our expectations. We do our best but must leave to Him the management of blessings, both temporal and spiritual.

(Emphasis mine)

I can't really add anything to this or to the rest of Elder Christofferson's talk, other than to say: I know this is true. None of us are exempt from trials and sorrow in this life, even when we're trying to live righteously. We must trust in God and in His purposes and timing.

#100DaysToOffload (No. 25) #Christianity #ChurchofJesusChrist #life

A few days ago I was listening to the General Conference talk by Elder Jonathan S. Schmitt who spoke about the many names of Jesus Christ.

He said:

Just as Jesus knows each of us by name, one way we can come to better know Jesus is by learning His many names. Like the names of Israel and Peter, many of Jesus’s names are titles that help us understand His mission, purpose, character, and attributes. As we come to know Jesus’s many names, we will come to better understand His divine mission and His selfless character. Knowing His many names also inspires us to become more like Him—to develop Christlike attributes that bring joy and purpose to our lives.

As I listened to this talk, my musical mind traveled back in time 20 years to my full-time missionary service in Brazil. It was there that I was first introduced to a recording of The Garden: An Allegorical Oratorio. With lyrics by Michael McLean and music by Bryce Neubert, it is beautiful and moving. There is no spoken word – the story is told completely through music. It's an allegory about Jesus Christ from the perspective of four objects in the Garden of Gethsemane, each with unique troubles:

• A seed that can't grow.
• A ram caught in a thicket.
• An olive tree that can't produce fruit.
• A millstone that has no feelings.

Each of them sings a song explaining their dire circumstances. And to make matters worse, there's a snake slithering around and quite happy about the sorry state of the garden.

Then a Gardener comes and brings hope. He tells the garden's beleaguered residents about someone who will come to help them. The song the Gardener sings is called The Man With Many Names. And it was this very song that began playing in my mind as Elder Schmitt spoke.

That evening I listened to the song for the first time in probably a decade or more, and it moved me just as much as it did the first time I heard it. I listened intently to the lyrics as I reflected on all of the beautiful talks and music about Jesus Christ I had heard during General Conference.

There is One who to this garden comes Like a most unusual rain Drink it in and never thirst again Living Water is His name

There is One who comes to find each one Who has lost his way again He will lead the way back to the fold The Good Shepherd is His name

There is One who when your crying's done Gives the gift you've never known He'll give fruit because He is the Vine And life, for He's the Living Stone

He is known by oh so many names And will be forever more Hope comes from the One with many names And He's not forgotten yours

No, He's not forgotten yours

I won't spoil the rest of the story for you (though you may already have an idea of how it ends), but it's well worth a listen if you can find a digital or physical copy (which I have discovered is sadly not easy to do these days).

I'm thankful for this divine blast from the past. Only God could have brought a memory made 20 years ago to the surface at the perfect moment. It reminded me that God is and has always been aware of and concerned about me and what I do with my life. As the song says, He hasn't forgotten my name. It reminded me of the powerful testimony of Jesus Christ I gained during my 2-year missionary service, and which has grown steadily since.

Discuss...

#100DaysToOffload (No. 18) #music #Christianity #ChurchofJesusChrist

Here's how I use technology to help fulfill my calling (responsibilities) as a High Councilor on an average Sunday, and other ways I use technology for church-related things outside of my calling.

For My Calling

I wake up to a 5am alarm on my iPhone SE 2016.

I quickly use my phone to check my personal email (iCloud), SMS text messages, and GroupMe for any communications that may have come in after I went to bed last night. Sometimes there are last minute meeting agenda changes or other things I need to know about before the day's activities.

Email, texts, and phone calls are the primary methods of communication I use for church-related communication. The GroupMe groups I participate in are maintained by members of the ward (church congregation) to which I am assigned as a High Councilor. These groups help facilitate communication amongst the various ward organizations. Each ward is different and might use different IM apps or just stick to regular texts to accomplish the same thing.

I go to my first meeting at 6am. Today it's Stake Council. For a while we were having these meetings via Zoom instead of in-person due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Church

I bring both my iPhone and ThinkPad T460 (currently running Windows 10) to my meetings. In general, I lean towards using my laptop instead of my phone when I can. Bigger screen, physical keyboard, etc. are always preferable. But a phone can always come in handy in a pinch.

I pull up the PDF copy of the meeting agenda that was emailed to me beforehand. I prefer taking notes by hand these days with a notebook and pen, but I have taken digital notes in the past using either the Apple Notes app or Microsoft OneNote.

The Church maintains several mobile apps (all proprietary and closed source, as far as I can tell). I may use the Gospel Library app (mobile) or the church website (laptop) to look up hymns, scriptures, handbooks, manuals, etc. I use the Member Tools app or the church website to look up organizational and contact info and send texts or emails to specific members or groups of members.

7am rolls around and I have another meeting – our monthly Stake Welfare and Self-Reliance committee meeting. I use my phone and laptop for the same sorts things in this meeting as the last one, just different kinds of materials, topics, and info being referenced.

I come home after those two meetings. After eating breakfast, I sit down with my laptop to follow up on some action items from the last meeting. I open Firefox to access my Google Drive and update the Google Docs draft for the flyer I created for an upcoming event I'm helping to organize. Next, I update the Google Form draft I created to track registrations for some free self-reliance classes my stake will be providing in February. I create a linked Google Sheet to track the form results and share it with a few people on the committee so they can see the registration information.

We have an orientation meeting every time we start the next round of self-reliance classes. The past couple orientation meetings have been done exclusively online via Google Meet. This next time we plan on doing the meeting in-person and broadcasting it via YouTube for those who are more comfortable participating online.

Other Church-Related Tech Uses

Outside of the responsibilities specific to my calling, I use technology in other ways related to church.

The Church website – churchofjesuschrist.org – is a phenomenal resource and repository of information. I use it for personal scripture and gospel study, paying tithing, keeping up on church news, and many other things.

The Church also produces a lot of excellent media and uses social media to share its message. There are general church accounts as well as individual church leader accounts. I currently follow the church's Facebook and YouTube accounts. Individual wards may also have their own unofficial Facebook groups to share information amongst the members.

Family history is very important to us. I use the church's FamilySearch website (familysearch.org) and mobile app, along with Ancestry, MyHeritage, and other services to find and learn about my ancestors.

I watch and listen to church-produced and sanctioned content via the Latter-day Saints Channel app.

There are other ways in which I use technology for church-related purposes, but I think these examples paint a pretty clear picture.

Doing Church Work with Proprietary vs Free Software

I understand, believe in, and support the principle of free software. I like to use and promote free software whenever I can.

I am also a member of and believe in the doctrines of a church that uses proprietary software to fulfill its purpose and carry out its mission, which is to help its members to:

• Live the gospel of Jesus Christ
• Care for those in need
• Invite all to receive the gospel
• Unite families for eternity

How do I reconcile these two beliefs? Simply put, the ends justify the means. We're talking about the work of salvation, here. Saving souls. Healing temporal and spiritual wounds. Building strong families. Developing disciples of Jesus Christ. These are all things of deep and eternal importance. In the grand scheme of eternity, it's not going to matter whether we used Zoom or Jitsi to have an administrative church meeting. It's not going to matter whether we used YouTube or PeerTube to publish a video with a message of healing and hope.

I will personally continue to try to use and advocate for free software alternatives as opportunities arise, but I'm not going to shut myself off from my church, my community, if those alternatives aren't adopted.

I believe the results of the work we are doing are more important and impactful for the good of humankind than the specific tools being used to do that work.

#100DaysToOffload No. 2 #ChurchofJesusChrist #tech

Topics of Focus

#faith – thoughts related to my religion #tech – self explanatory

Other Topics

#100DaysToOffload #accessories #AI #automobiles #Bandcamp #books #business #cassette #charity #Christianity #Christmas #ChurchOfJesusChrist #climate #community #compactDisc #contention #COVID19 #decentralization #DigitalMinimalism #economy #electronicMusic #EveryDayCarry #eWaste #family #FOSS (free-as-in-freedom and open source software) #friends #gratitude #haiku #health #hobbies #HomeOffice #humor #intentionism #internet #laptop #LessConvenient #libraryMusic #life #Linux #loneliness #media #meditation #mentalHealth #misc #movies #music #news #nostalgia #physicalMedia #planning #poetry #politics #privacy #prophets #retro #smartphones #SocialMedia #synthwave #travel #TV #Twitch #unity (not the game engine) #Utah #vaporwave #writing