Author: Our Turtle House

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The Blessings of Boundaries

Phones. Tablets. Laptops. Desktops.

We live in a technological world where everything is seemingly “smart”: watches, tvs, thermostats, dishwashers…even our fridges have apps on their doors!

If someone wants to be on the internet, they can easily find a way to be on the internet.

What a blessing!

Think of all the benefits of this modern technology. Communication has increased! We have access to unlimited knowledge! Uplifting media, like scriptures and videos and motivational talks, are literally at our fingertips!

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we are pro-wisdom, pro-communication, pro-self-control and we believe that Heavenly Father has placed all of these tools on the earth for our benefit and growth but, like the scriptures say, “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.” (Luke 12:48)

As parents, some of the “much required” involves helping to set healthy boundaries for the “much is given” technology. Our children might fight us and many of them might even try to push the boundaries to reflect what is popular among their peers. However, it is vital for us to help them understand the blessings that can come from setting and maintaining healthy technological boundaries.

Hank Smith has created THREE videos to help you teach your children the blessing of boundaries. Click on the following images to watch or listen to the following episodes on your Our Turtle House App today!

How do you raise healthy kids in a tech-obsessed world? Hank shares some of the resources he and his kids use to make technology a family blessing in stead of a burden. (How to Navigate Raising Kids in a Tech World: Pt 1, Hank Smith, Hank Helps)
The scriptures have many examples of Christ showing us how to set healthy boundaries in order to protect us through our lives. Hank Smith teaches us how to use them in the modern-days. (Setting Healthy Boundaries, Hank Smith, Hank Helps)
"Life is too short to not use the BLOCK function!" In this episode, Hank continues the discussion on how to raise healthy kids in a tech-obsessed world. (How to Navigate Raising Kinds in a Tech World: Part 2, Hank Smith, Hank Helps)
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Preparing For Spiritual Battles

Today we are in a battle unlike any other battle.

This is a battle where only the strongest will survive.

We must prepare ourselves with the most durable armor, the most powerful weapons, and with the most indestructible shields that the enemy can only dream of!

We are in a war with the most vicious, power-hungry enemy that has ever existed. We do not know when he will attack, where he will attack, or what weapons of mass destruction he has hiding within his reach. We do not know how many warriors he will bring with him or what his plan of attack might be, so we. must. be. ready.

Sound a little “doom and gloom”? Perhaps. But these ARE the last days and the enemy IS fighting with everything he’s got to destroy us.

Ours is a spiritual battle. The enemy? The same enemy that attempted to destroy Adam and Eve. The same enemy that attempted to destroy Moses. The same enemy that attempted to destroy Mary Magdelene and Joseph Smith and a myriad of other souls who, like you, had an important role to play on this earth.

Satan. The enemy of all things.

Luckily, we have a loving Father in Heaven who gave us, and continues to give us, all the tools we need to fight this enemy.

A sword of truth. A breastplate of righteousness. A shield of faith. And so many other pieces of “spiritual armor” (Ephesians 6) that will protect us from the fiery darts of the adversary.

President N. Eldon Tanner once said:

“Examine your armor. Is there an unguarded or unprotected place? Determine now to add whatever part is missing. … Through the great principle of repentance you can turn your life about and begin now clothing yourself with the armor of God through study, prayer, and a determination to serve God and keep his commandments.”
President N. Eldon Tanner, “‘Put on the Whole Armor of God,’” Ensign, May 1979.

We found some other ways to prepare yourself for the spiritual battle that might lie ahead. Click on the following images to watch or listen to the following episodes on your Our Turtle House App today!

Just like the Nephites of the Book of Mormon, we, too, must prepare ourselves for war against our enemy. However, ours is a spiritual battle and we must be prepared with our armor and our weapons to fight against the evil enemy of our day. (Preparing for Spiritual War!, Meg Johnson, Armor Up: Daily Devotional)
With light illuminating our way through rocky shores, you can have confidence the Atonement is working in your life and you’ll be able to recognize the ‘sirens’ trying to lead you into danger. Hank Smith delivers a powerful full-length talk. (Sirens & Spiritual Lighthouses, Hank Smith, Turtle Talks)
Do you or someone you know struggle with a pornography addiction? Hank Smith has a very frank discussion about his “prescription” for taking down the disease of a porn addiction. This content may not be appropriate for all ages. Listener discretion is advised. (How to Face Pornography, Hank Smith, Hank’s Helps)
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Supporting the LGBTQ+ Community

Lesbian. Gay. Bisexual. Transgender. Queer.

More and more members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are beginning to take off their masks and “come out of the closet” as dual members of the LGBTQ+ community.

While many may see this as a controversial subject among our societies, same-sex attraction is one that really needs to be talked about more openly and we, at Our Turtle House, embrace those souls who are courageously willing to speak openly with us, helping us see the world from their points of view.

Please watch or listen to the following episodes to learn how you, too, can better support the LGBTQ+ community in your area. Click the images to listen on your Our Turtle House App!

What is it like to “wait on the Lord” as a gay member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints? Former BYU Mascot, Charlie Bird, helps us see through the lens of a gay man’s perspective. (Waiting on the Lord, Charlie Bird, Digital Firesides)
Ben Schilaty and Charlie Bird talk about their perspective on “coming out”, how to apply the atonement in from a gay’s perspective, and learning to live and love unconditionally just like the Savior did. (Questions From the Closet, Ben Schilaty & Charlie Bird, Doing Good Podcast)
The very best ways to support the LGBTQ+ in your community might not be as difficult as you may think! Break the stigma and your fellow members more unconditionally with these simple tips. (Best Ways to Show Support to The LGBTQ+ Community, Tom Christofferson, Doing Good Podcast)
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Top 4 Episodes for Building Self-Esteem

In a world full of filters and edits and openly-shared opinions, it’s hard to remember that who we are…is good enough.

It’s easy to get caught up in comparing ourselves to what we see on our handheld screens; to begin to equate our worth with the amount of heart emojis we get on a post or how our body changes from one picture to the next.

Then we begin to think we are not enough…and then we begin to believe it.

BUT…

You deserve to know that who you are RIGHT NOW is enough.  You deserve to know that you are powerful. You deserve to know that you are loved, and that you have an important purpose that already exists within you.

Simply because you are you.

And simply because Heavenly Father created you.

And those two facts combined make you one of the most amazing beings that has ever existed.

We want you to think that, believe that, and to know that.

As an effort to help you remember, we found some episodes from the Our Turtle House App that we really believe will be helpful for you. Click the following images to watch.

We all have times that we feel like we are not good enough or that we aren't achieving successes in the way that we want to and it's easy to slip into the trap of comparing. Here's a short 3-minute video to teach you how to avoid the comparison trap. (The Comparison Trap, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Armor Up: Daily Devotional)
True “beauty” is so much more than what you may see in the mirror. In this full-length , Meg Johnson shares that we all can experience a “spiritual makeover” that will transform into something more beautiful than we can even imagine. (More than a Mirror: Keys to a Spiritual Makeover by Meg Johnson, Turtle Talks)
How does someone find hope and confidence in the future when they cannot even find hope and confidence in today? Singer/songwriter Hilary Weeks teaches us little ways that we can look forward in faith. (Hope & Confidence in the Future, Hilary Weeks, Digital Firesides)