Lesson 5

Introduction to Life Help: Protecting Ourselves against Pornography

This lesson will provide a model of how to have a meaningful and faith-building learning experience by using resources from the Life Help section of Gospel Library. Students will discuss how to protect themselves from pornography, a practice contrary to the Savior’s teachings and a pervasive problem throughout the world. Students will have the opportunity to practice the following pattern as they discuss this topic: (1) discuss the topic’s relevance, (2) deepen understanding, (3) articulate, and (4) reflect and record.

Suggestions for Teaching

Based on students’ needs, you could begin class with one of the following:

• A microtraining from appendix A

• A “What’s New?” discussion about news reports from the Newsroom (see handout 1 in appendix B)

• A discussion about today’s topic

Discuss the Topic’s Relevance

Share the following statement by a man named Jason (you will have the opportunity to share more of this story later in class):

“My addiction to pornography started at a very young age, when I was about 11 years old. It was first introduced to me by a family member who would show it to me whenever I went to his house. I continued my addiction for many years.”*

• How prevalent is pornography in our society?

• Why should someone be concerned about pornography if it is not a problem for them?

• In what ways can pornography impact those who view it and those they love?

Deepen Understanding

Invite students to go to the Pornography section in Life Help. Give them time to study and explore the resources in the Pornography section. Encourage students to select the subsection that most interests them: Help for Me, Help for Spouses, Help for Parents, or Support and Resources.

Invite students to review the following questions with a partner or in small groups and to then discuss the questions they find most interesting and relevant:

• What did you learn about the resources the Church provides on pornography? What did you find that impressed you the most?

• Did this material influence your perceptions of how the Church addresses pornography? If so, how?

• How can this material build faith in Jesus Christ and His restored Church?

• How could this material help individuals, married couples, or Church leaders?

• As you studied this material, what impressions or insights did you have, and how did they affect you?

Articulate

Do one of the activities found in handouts 3–5 in appendix B, or design an activity of your own.

Reflect and Record

Provide students time to ponder what they have learned and felt today. You could use the questions in handout 6, “Reflect and Record” (found in appendix B), to guide this activity.

You may want to share the conclusion of Jason’s recovery story to end class. Jason’s addiction lasted for years and caused many problems in his life, including two broken marriages and his being disfellowshipped from the Church for poor choices he made because of his addiction. But with the help of Jesus Christ, he has been able to overcome his addiction. He wrote of his experience:

“I felt empty. But my branch president was very in tune with the Spirit. He handed me the Addiction Recovery Program guide and expressed strong feelings that I needed to go to the ARP meetings. Going to the first meeting was hard. I felt alone and afraid. I drove by the location of the meeting several times before I decided to go in.

“When I finally went in to the meeting, I felt the Spirit for the first time in a long time. I realized I had felt so alone because I hadn’t experienced the warmth of the Spirit like this for much too long. I decided that I wanted to have my Savior back in my life. I knew it was going to be a difficult and hard journey, but one that I was willing to make because of the love I felt at that first meeting. I learned that I shouldn’t be afraid of going to the meetings, but that I should be afraid of the blessings and opportunities I would miss out on for not going. At the meetings, I only felt love and acceptance from those going through the same struggles, and I leaned on them for strength.

“The events that followed and things I experienced since then were so amazing it is hard to put to words. Others had told me that I would always be an addict and that I could not recover. But I felt the cleansing power of the Atonement, and I knew I would be able to overcome this addiction.

“My addiction had held me back because I didn’t feel good about myself, but today I am a worthy member of the Church, my career has taken off in a direction I have always dreamed of, I am remarried, and have since had a beautiful little girl.”

Consider bearing your testimony of the Savior’s power to heal and help us.

For Next Time

Share with students that in the next class we will be discussing what the Topics section in Gospel Library teaches about diversity and unity in the Church. Invite students to take some time during the week to explore this resource.

Note

• This story was originally from the Addiction Recovery Program website.