{15} Things as They Really Are Flooding the Earth

At the beginning of the semester, we read two talks by Elder David A. Bednar. Both the talks were applicable to our course, as out emphasis is New Media, and Bednar's talks were focused on the use of media in our lives as well as in a gospel sense. The earlier talk, "Things as They Really Are", he warns of the dangers of living virtual lives. He warns of the effects on our souls, and how our internet choices can change us. I especially love this quote from the talk.

"The devil has no power over us only as we permit him; the moment we revolt at anything which comes from God, the devil takes power.”

The talk is significantly contrasted from his subsequent talk, labled " To Sweep the Earth As With a Flood". In this address, he begins by noting how lucky we are to have so many media tools at our disposal. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Lds Tools, and many more. We have so many ways to spread the gospel, and we have been warned previously by Elder Bednar the dangers of poor media choices. I appreciate the order that he presented his ideas in. Instead of encouraging the use of social media to futher the gospel, and letting us all run wild with the internet, he first gives us the apostolic warning before encouraging us to be member missionaries. I have seen the power of spreading the gospel by means of new media, and I am thankful for the gentle push given to us by the apostles.