Programs and Policies Newsletter

Fight Pornography. Since February 1 members of the Church in the United States and other interested citizens have been able to join in the fight against pornography with the help of a new law. The new legislation (39, J.S. Code 3010) protects families from receiving sexually oriented advertisements through the mails. It works like this: A person lists his name with the United States Postal Service, stating that he does not want to receive any sexually oriented advertisements through the mails. He may also list the names of any of his children under nineteen years of age who live with him or who are under his care, custody, or supervision. The postal service compiles a reference list of such names and makes the list available, at a fee, to mailers, who are prohibited from commercial solicitation of any of these names. Any mailer who sends a person on the reference list a sexually oriented advertisement subjects himself to both civil and criminal action by the U.S. government.

Hospital Home Teaching. The Military Relations Committee of the Church has announced a new home teaching program for all military and veterans hospitals. A brochure outlining this program is being distributed to Church leaders adjacent to these installations.

Lamanite Conference. The Social Services Department has announced the third all-Church Lamanite Youth Conference to be held April 23–25 in Salt Lake City. Students in the Indian placement program, seminary students, and university students from throughout the United States and Canada who have excelled in local and regional conference competitions have been invited to attend. A General Authority, yet to be announced, will be the keynote speaker at the three-day affair, which will include symposiums and sightseeing and a final competition for art, speech, and handicrafts.

Grooming for Missionaries. Bishops and stake presidents are requested to advise young men who may be considered for missions that the nature of the missionary calling requires of those who are called and those who serve in the field that they be clean shaven and that their hair be neatly trimmed. The photographs which are sent in with the missionary recommendations should reflect this clean-cut appearance, and stake presidents should take proper note of prospective missionaries’ appearance when they are set apart prior to reporting to the missionary home.

Church Magazines. The First Presidency desires that all servicemen receive the appropriate Church magazine or magazines. When he enters the service, each unmarried serviceman should be encouraged to subscribe to the New Era and/or the Ensign. If the serviceman does not elect to subscribe to any Church magazines, his family, priesthood quorum, or bishop should be encouraged to subscribe for him. It is hoped that married servicemen will subscribe on their own behalf, according to their family’s needs.

Copying Machines. Infrared copying machines may now be obtained with the usual Church participation, on the basis of one machine per meetinghouse library. This multipurpose copier will duplicate individual sheets, produce overhead transparencies, laminate materials, and produce spirit duplicator or mimeograph stencils. Materials to be used with this machine are available from the General Church Distribution Center. To purchase an infrared copier, the local building maintenance representative should complete form PB-19, obtain the signature of the bishop or stake president, and forward the form for approval to the Building Operations and Maintenance Department, 47 East South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111.