For Your Own Good

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

We'd like to share this note from the Mormon Messages page:

The Book of Mormon: What the Broadway Musical Misses

You may have heard about the Broadway musical, The Book of Mormon. You probably already know that reviewers have said that it isn't exactly a family friendly play. Here is the Church's response to the play:

The production may attempt to entertain audiences for an evening, but The Book of Mormon as a volume of scripture will change people's lives forever by bringing them closer to Christ.

—Official Church Statement on the Book of Mormon Musical

Experience tells us that years after The Book of Mormon play has faded from the spotlight on Broadway stages and elsewhere, the volume of scripture will continue to quietly strengthen families and promote Christian values.


Share The Book of Mormon

The recent interest in The Book of Mormon gives us a great opportunity to share our beliefs. Mormon.org has a page about the Book of Mormon that describes very clearly what the purpose of the book is. Here are some ways you can share the page, including a video that introduces The Book of Mormon and an opportunity for visitors to request a copy.


• If you have access to a blog or web page, you can describe how The Book of Mormon has influenced your life and include a link to http://mormon.org/book-of-mormon so that people who read your web page can learn more about The Book of Mormon.


• You can embed the video directly into your website or blog as well. Once you've played the video you will see the link to copy the code to your clipboard. Simply paste that code in the appropriate spot on your website or blog.


• You can also visit the Mormon.org Book of Mormon page and "Share" it using your Facebook account. Doing so will allow your Facebook friends to recognize your interest in The Book of Mormon.


The Gospel of Jesus Christ will continue to go forth into the world, and the Internet is becoming a powerful tool for spreading the word. You can help others learn more about The Book of Mormon by sharing your testimony and truthful information through your blog or website, or by sending them an e-mail message containing links to official Church sources.

Send feedback to: mormonmessages@ldschurch.org


Our mailing address is:
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
50 East North Temple St.
Salt Lake City, UT84150


Don't forget to checkout our Free Download Friday from our Positive Music and Downloads.

To see the Neighborhood News for Friday, 12 August, please click here.

We welcome your comments. Post by clicking the link below.

Learn to Be Tactful

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

Matthew 15:11 

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

On occasion we open our mouths out of turn or say something which may surprise or offend people.

In Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s renowned talk ‘The Tongue of Angels,’ he says:

“Husbands, you have been entrusted with the most sacred gift God can give you—a wife, a daughter of God, the mother of your children who has voluntarily given herself to you for love and joyful companionship. … Today, I speak against verbal and emotional abuse of anyone against anyone, but especially of husbands against wives. Brethren, these things ought not to be.

“In that same spirit we speak to the sisters as well, for the sin of verbal abuse knows no gender. Wives, what of the unbridled tongue in your mouth, of the power for good or ill in your words? … Sisters, there is no place in that magnificent spirit of yours for acerbic or abrasive expression of any kind, including gossip or backbiting or catty remarks.

“May I expand this counsel to make it a full family matter. … Be constructive in your comments to a child—always. Never tell them, even in whimsy, that they are fat or dumb or lazy or homely. Praise each child individually for what that child is, and help him or her escape our culture’s obsession with comparing, competing, and never feeling we are 'enough.'

“In all of this, I suppose it goes without saying that negative speaking so often flows from negative thinking, including negative thinking about ourselves. We see our own faults, we speak—or at least think—critically of ourselves, and before long that is how we see everyone and everything. No sunshine, no roses, no promise of hope or happiness. Before long we and everybody around us are miserable.”

If we are in the process of perfecting ourselves, training (or muzzling) our tongues may be something we should work at.

We welcome your comments, wish you a great weekend, and remind you to take advantage of our Free Download Friday.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Friday 27 May, click here.

Home Therapy

Welcome to the Neighborhood News


http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

 Have you ever thought how it would be to live in a tent? Not just use one while ‘roughing’ it, but really use it all the time, because that’s all you have.

In these times, not many people do that anymore. After all, this is the 21st century and most people are used to living in buildings. There are, however, some individuals that still use tents. Even in our modern world, in this wonderful country of ours, some people don’t have a home. Have you seen the Extreme Makeover Home Edition show on TV, where they go and surprise families with the news they’re getting a new home? One of those families was living in a trailer and tents.

I’ve been reading David Wooley’s Promised Land books, and he is so good at explaining the culture of Nephi’s times. At some point, when the family leaves their ancestral home, escaping into the dessert, they pack a lot onto their camels. Their ‘tent’ was very spacious, with room enough (partitions) for all the members of the family. Even if they had to live in the dessert for a long time, they had all that they needed to make their father’s tent a home.

I remember reading about Rachel and Leah in the Old Testament, and that each one had her own tent. Of course, the children lived in their mother’s tent, and I’m sure that tent was home for them.

I know that even the humblest home or trailer has the minimum amenities needed for us to live somewhat comfortably. But are we making that place a home for our children? What are our priorities?

I think we should focus on what we’ve been taught for so many years:

1- Family prayer

2- Family Home Evening

3- Family scripture study

No matter where we live or our circumstances, where we call home should be a place of refuge for our loved ones. Somewhere our children want to rush to and feel protected, loved and at peace.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Wednesday, 23 February, please click  here.

Get Involved

Welcome to the Neighborhood News


http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/



In the 1971 Ensign, George Durrant wrote the following:

“Parents who harbor a dream for their children’s destiny know that the Lord’s family home evening program is like a gift from heaven. It is not something that we have to do. It is something that we get to do.

“Most parents have similar aspirations for their children. Why then have some parents made home evenings part of family life while others have not? Is family home evening, for some, just another burden added to an already overburdened life? Do some fathers feel that they aren’t equipped educationally or spiritually to teach their children? Have some tried and been discouraged by the restless or the rowdy resistance of their children?”  Source

A few years ago I read an article in the Ensign that changed my perspective on this subject. Haven’t you ever felt like ‘great, it’s Monday again. What to do’?

In this article, the author said that her outlook on Family Home Evening had changed when she realized that it was her own personal calling, one that she wasn’t going to get released from any time soon. So she started planning and preparing her lessons just like the ones for Primary. It made the whole experience with her family a lot better.

What are your thoughts on the subject?

Don't forget to take advantage of our Free Download Friday, here.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Friday, 28 January, please click here.