Protecting Family Against Pornography, Captain Moroni Style

I have lots of little boys and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't hit my knees and plead for them and their future as we prepare for the storm of filth that will soon over take these beautiful and innocent souls.

I am weak, I'm not very organized and I personally have not faced the challenges that they will face at least not in the degree that they will face them. I need help, prayer and faith to figure out how to help them and protect them. I know that tragically it is not a matter of "if" but "when" they will face this beast that is so accepted, and so common and not only readily accessible but unavoidable.

When I think of Captain Moroni I think of a brilliant man, a soldier, a gifted leader. He had the sole responsibility of protecting his people from utter destruction. Although I am not brilliant, or a soldier or a gifted leader like he was I am a protector and I can learn from the scriptures and what this man did to save and protect his people.

The things that he did were astounding to his enemy's. They had never seen anything like it. He not only built protections around his cities but he did so around his individual soldiers and he made sure they were nourished and taken care of. I will talk about 4 specific thoughts that I have had reading about Captain Moroni and how I can incorporate these things into protecting my family against pornography.

• He was forward thinking
• He created security features for his cities
• He protected his individual soldiers 
• He nourished them

He Was Forward Thinking
One of his most admirable characteristics is that he was FORWARD thinking. He planned and was very strategic. I am confident that he did not come up with these ideas, that had never been seen before in the land, on his own. I am pretty sure that he knelt in prayer and then pondered and thought about this a great deal. He didn't just spend a few minutes on the subject but I am sure that he spent days, weeks, months or even his childhood thinking "I should do it this way." We can also suppose he fasted. Alma said that he fasted and since they are in the same time frame, I am guessing that Moroni did too.

Mornoi anticipated the strengths and weaknesses of his warriors and armies and used this knowledge to his advantage. He anticipated the enemy. He knew where they would be, he knew also their strengths and weaknesses.

What I can take away from this is to do the same thing. Pray and fast fervently for not only protection but to be inspired about ways to protect. To be in tune. To know the strengths and weaknesses of my warriors as well as that of the enemy. I'm not saying to know what is out there. I don't want to know but I want to know where most kids are exposed, where the weak spots are and fortify accordingly.

In being forward thinking I need to pour over some of the literature of those who are experts on avoiding pornography and make sure I know all the angles of how to avoid it and fortify for it when it does come. I am sure that there are so many things I cannot anticipate on my own.

As Captain Moroni made a strategic plan and followed it we also cannot have success without a plan of protection. Without a plan of protection we are tossing our kids to the wolves. We have made a personal media plan that is specific to my family and may not apply to other families. I won't share it all here but it includes no friend sleep overs (a place where kids are often exposed), limiting mobile devices, not watching youtube with out a parent and limiting social media. Also we block ads or stay off of sites where ads are know to pop up.

He created security features for his cities
Moroni had unique methods that had not been done before in all the land. He had his people dig deep trenches, he put up great walls and he established watch towers around his strongholds. These cities were solid. Occasionally an arrow would get through but his strong holds were well thought out and fortified.

This is where our controls come in, filters, blockers. Yes they cannot keep everything out and a computer savvy person can easily get through them but they will protect against accidents. If someone wants to let them in they have to do so at the "entrance" just like in Moroni's cities. It has to be a decision and not an accident. There are plenty of free filters and blockers. Also putting computers and laptops in a public corner of the house and not leaving kids home alone with them or mobile devices. Also trying to avoid those late hours on the internet when others are in bed and having kiddos check in phones.

In creating strongholds we can't forget grandparents or other caretaker's homes. If our kids are playing on computers at the babysitters or another caretakers home we cannot be afraid to ask or establish rules. I would not let any of my babies roam in a place with out a gate at the top of the stairs or with knives laying around. It is okay to seek protection for our little ones even if it means offending others at times, although I think most people would not think twice about this and would be in fact grateful for the education. Netflix and hulu also have some surprising content and just because they are rated a lower rating does not mean that they can not contain certain things. I discovered that shows rated in different countries can have very different content.

He protected his individual soldiers
After all that we can do to protect our environments we need to continually be protecting our soldiers with the Armor of God. This lesson sounds familiar right? That is because someone smarter than me thought it up. The Armor of God analogy is used throughout the scriptures. Captain Moroni fortified his soldiers in away that again astonished his enemies. I can't imagine the work that it would take to make a metal breastplate, sword, helmet, shield...you have to get the metal, refine it, melt it, mold it and do it for each individual soldier. I am sure this is a process that took great planning, care and patience. For me I imagine every little family home evening, every family prayer, scripture study session or opportunity of teaching is like hammering away at a shield or helmet to try to mold or shape it. A patient process for both mother and child. There are times where we are sitting in family scripture study and I have to cover my smile because one child is upside down another is trying so hard to sit still and another is making random statements like how he is "More powerful then lava." We do try to have good behavior but not every lesson or session goes smoothly in fact few do but little by little the mold takes place.

Here is a great lesson and video produced by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to help us protect our individual soldiers. It is the best video that I have ever seen for children and pornography.

He nourished them
There is a part in this story of Moroni that is pretty great. It is the part where some of the armies write to Moroni telling him how they hadn't received food or supplies from the capital. Moroni gets angry and writes a pretty stern and direct letter to Pahoran, the chief judge. He basically tells Pahoran "I'm going to come get you if you don't give our guys some food!" I personally would not want to be on Moroni's black list. Pahoran writes back of course, probably quickly ( I know I would) and calms Moroni's doubts and together they create a plan to "cleanse the inner vessel first and then the outer" (which is a great story for another day). It is clear that Moroni feels very passionate about giving his soldiers enough food and supplies to help them have the energy that they need to protect themselves and those around them.

Now this is where we get personal, some of us as women think this is not our battle (Well that is not true women are also falling victim to this curse as well as men) but it is our battle. With our husbands, our sons and daughters we need to kneel down with them put our hands on the shoulders or cheeks and look them in the eyes and tell them that we love them. We need to tell them sincerely that they are not alone, that if they ever come across something that is not fit for them that we, as their mothers, will drop everything to talk about it. That we are here as a protector for them. That we will not get angry but that we will help them.

One day my sweetheart was sitting with one of the boys on the couch. He had been emailed a puzzle (which was probably from a hacker) and was trying to figure it out. They love puzzles. I was just a couple of feet away making dinner. When he completed the puzzle an image flashed on the screen. He closed the laptop quickly and both were stunned. My husband immediately got up from the couch and walked over to me and told me what had happened. The thought came into my mind to immediately show love and use it as an opportunity to point out to my son the example of his father and how he came right to me and told me. I talked about how it is our battle. We had a wonderful discussion about how this was the right thing to do and it provided this child with a tool to turn to when confronted with issue in the future. The love of his mom. In the end it was a great learning experience.

Each of my kids have gone through a phase where they have taken the Lord's name in vain. This is usually before they know it is wrong and we hear it so much in the world that it just happens. When this does occur we have a FHE lesson on how it isn't because the words "God" or "Lord" are bad it is just because they are super special. We don't use them except for at special times. I then use this example while introducing intimacy and avoiding pornography. You can see where I am going. There are things that are so special that we only use them in an appropriate way and we keep them special. Showing love in this subject helps them understand it more and helps them feel how important it is to us.

In teaching my children I have tried to not teach them that intimacy is yucky. My husband and I kiss and hug often. We sit by each other with our arms around each other when possible. We try not to disagree in front of the kids and we laugh. He tells me I am beautiful every day and does it in front of the kids and I never down him and he never downs me in front of the kids. Oh yes we have our fair share of off days but I was raised thankfully by parents that did this and it has spread into our family. We try to display healthy loving relationships that extend into our children and nourishes their souls and self worth. We try to nourish them now so that they know that they are excepted and that they are enough and that no matter what they do, I will always love them. There is nothing that they can do to undo that love.

At the end of this post I will share a link to a great video that teaches kids about what pornography is and why it is harmful.

Captain Moroni is awesome! The scriptures say something to the effect that if all men were like him then Hell would be shaken. I am grateful to be married to a man who is very much like Captain Moroni in his convictions and zeal for the gospel. I am grateful to learn from Captain Moroni in the scriptures and how he protected his people and how he was able to rally his troops, so to speak, so that they knew what was really at stake. Not only did he protect them but he was good at arming them, teaching them and inspiring them so that they could protect themselves.

Captain Moroni was forward thinking, fortified his cities, protected his soldiers and nourished them. It is my hope with all of my heart that I can help protect and prepare my children against the storm that is at the door so that they can stand tall and that their confidence can wax strong before the Lord. So that they can make it through this life, be happy and establish strong relationships which will last into the eternities. That they can be protected, Captain Moroni Style!

Other links:
You may also be interested in my "Guard at the door" post on protecting family from pornography.

For more info here is a great link http://www.fightthenewdrug.org/