Today's Favorite Verse: Luke 21:34
"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares."
It was the word "surfeiting" that caught my attention. Jesus is speaking of the signs to precede His Second Coming. Being distracted while surfing the internet is definitively something I can relate to. I have to say the incessant doomscrolling is something I'm continually analyzing and metering my usage of. One thing that has helped me is having a playlist on YouTube of all my favorite hymns. When I catch myself endlessly scrolling for something to watch I stop and turn that on. It has really help me feel the spirit and bring peace to me. I have also found sometimes I need to just unplug and sit in silence.
"When you look around on this cruise ship called earth, you might see other people sitting in lounge chairs drinking, gambling in casinos, wearing clothing that is too revealing, scrolling endlessly on cell phones, and wasting too much time playing electronic games. But instead of wondering, “Why can’t I do that?,” you can remember that you are not an ordinary passenger. You are a member of the crew. You have responsibilities that passengers do not have. As Sister Ardeth Kapp once said, “You can’t be a life[guard] if you look like all the other swimmers on the beach."
(Bradley R. Wilcox, "O Youth of the Noble Birthright", Oct 2024 General Conference)
Recently, in a worldwide youth devotional, President Russell M. Nelson invited the youth to step back from the world, disengaging from social media by holding a seven-day fast. And just last evening, he made a similar invitation to the sisters as part of the women’s session of conference. He then asked the youth to notice any differences in how they feel, what they think, or even how they think. He then invited them “to do a thorough life assessment with the Lord … to ensure that your feet are firmly planted on the covenant path.” He encouraged them that if there were things in their lives that needed changing, “today is the perfect time to change.” (Russell M. Nelson, "Hope of Israel", Worldwide Youth Devotional, June 3, 2018 Conference Center, Salt Lake City, Utah)
(Jack N. Gerard, "Now is the Time", Oct 2018 General Conference)
"There are certain patterns of online engagement that predict negative outcomes: cyberbullying, sexting, and doomscrolling, for example. (”Doomscrolling,” by the way—for those of you who, like me, have never heard of it—refers to spending long periods of time on one’s phone or computer focusing on negative news stories. Apparently, for some, that habit is compulsive and somehow darkly comforting.) Passive uses of social media—that is, spending time reviewing social media content aimlessly—increases feelings of inferiority and negative comparison, while active or purposeful social media use (such as posting, commenting, and connecting) does not have the same negative associations."
(D. Todd Christofferson, "Trust in God", S&I Annual Broadcast, Jan 2024)
"The scriptures teach us to use judgment and be wise in all things. The internet can be used in a positive way or a destructive way.Both long-term members and those newly studying the gospel need to be intentional about what they view. Do not entertain immoral, dishonest, or unrighteous material. If you do, algorithms can lead you down a path that destroys faith and impairs your eternal progression. You can be acted upon positively or negatively. Seek righteousness and avoid dark internet rabbit holes and doomscrolling. Fill your life with positive, righteous ideas; be joyful; have fun but avoid foolishness. There is a difference. The thirteenth article of faith is a marvelous guide. Above all, immerse yourself regularly in the Book of Mormon, which will draw the Spirit into your life and help you discern truth from error."
(Quentin L. Cook, "Sacred Scriptures - the Foundations of Faith", Oct 2024 General Conference)
Day 4118
