The Temple, Great Missionary Opportunity Today

When I first heard of what HBO was doing, I was disheartened and saddened.

I love that so many people are trying to do the right thing by raising their voices about the situation.  I am not sure that if we are doing it the correct way.

Candice and I have had the opprotunity to share our beliefs with many people all over the world.  Invariably, the temple arises in those conversations.  Of course there is curiousity.  Of course there are misconceptions.

I just do not know if using grassroot efforts such as facebook and email to alert the world as to what is happening is the wisest solution.

This is what you and I see in emails:

HBO-airing of temple ceremony; please send e-mail to HBO to ask them not to air

and FaceBook:

(Insert friend's name here) has joined the group called Stop HBO from showing LDS temple ceremonies.

That sounds nice, but that is generally not what people see that do not share in our faith.

This is what they see on the emails:

HBO-airing of temple ceremony; please send e-mail to HBO to ask them not to air

and on FaceBook:

(My Mormon friend who never really talks about the temple, though I really would love to know more about it) has joined the group called Stop HBO from showing LDS temple ceremonies.

I have a friend at work who has a phenomenal saying:

"Starve the problem, feed the opportunity."

The more we protest, the greater the viewership.

I believe the key to this is dialogue, to use this as an opprotunity to share with others what we believe about the Plan of Salvation, where we came from, why we are here, and what we believe will happen to us when we pass on to the next life.

I would also encourage anyone who asks about it to not watch it out of respect for the sacred.

But just as we need context to understand the temple, so do others need context on why not watching it is the right thing to do.

What a great missionary opportunity!

I thought the Church's recent YouTube video was great.  I put another one together, adding a little bit more.

The title, as concerning as it may sound, is there to drive viewership.

Please feel free to share the video with as many people as possible.