The following is excerpted from the Church Newsroom. To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
On May 3, 2009, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles delivered a speech from Brigham Young University–Idaho, titled “Things as They Really Are.” He said then, “I raise an apostolic voice of warning about the potentially stifling, suffocating, suppressing, and constraining impact of some kinds of cyberspace interactions and experiences upon our souls.”
Fifteen years later, during a Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults on Sunday, November 3, 2024, Elder Bednar shared “Things as They Really Are 2.0” from the same campus in Rexburg, Idaho, offering apostolic guidance for living the gospel in a new technological context.
He reminded listeners that “neither digital innovations nor rapid change in and of themselves are good or evil,” but must be placed in their proper context of the eternal plan of happiness.
Each innovation has potential for both “limitless perils and untold possibilities,” Elder Bednar said, quoting President David O. McKay.
He then posed the same two questions to young adults that he addressed in his original speech:
- Does the use of various technologies and media invite or impede the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost in your life?
- Does the time you spend using various technologies and media enlarge or restrict your capacity to live, to love, and to serve in meaningful ways?
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
Corey D.November 5, 2024
Great talk. I was at my brothers house some months ago, he shared a story that I'm pretty sure is fairly common place anymore especially with the youth and young adults. My niece happened to be visiting from out of state, her mom, my sister-in-law was at the computer preparing a lesson for Relief Society, she said something about being short on time and frustrated preparing the lesson, my niece walks over, says to her mom, "what's the subject for the lesson" ? She told her, my niece then says, let me sit at the computer, she pulls up some AI program or bot, types in a few things, lesson pops up, she sends it to the printer, hands it to her mom, total time, about 5 min. Pretty sure anyone under 30 that's how most lessons and talks are being prepared anymore.