"How great is the wisdom of God and the beauty of his creation.  But as we look at the world around us and see what man has done to it, we are tempted to believe that we can do nothing to change it, nothing to stop the violence, the pornography, the hate, the tragedy that from time t6o time bathes our small planet in the blood of world conflict.
Perhaps our best chance at changing the world lies in changing our own small world, in making havens of our homes, creating islands of peace and harmony, islands where love rules.
Making a haven of our home is not to isolate ourselves from the world, for all in the world is not bad, but to provide some guidance and protection.  It consists not in isolation but in insulation, in providing a barrier for our family against chaos and indecency.  It is an admission that we, as parents, cannot do everything but that we can do something; and whatever we can do, we should do.
This is not an easy task, this making havens of our homes. Our doors are open; our walls are thin. Minute by minute, day by day, the intrusions multiply, the unwanted influences increase.  But surrender is not the answer, nor defeat the outcome.
We who call ourselves fathers or mothers must place ourselves in charge.  We have not only the responsibilities of parenthood but also the rights--the right to decide what goes on in our household. what is watched on television, which videos are viewed, what language is spoken, what books are read.
We cannot, we must not, be bullied by the world. Let those who would live differently do so at their own expense, not ours,.  Let society preach what it wants. But we, we are in charge of our own.
Permissiveness, dishonesty,  obscenity, selfishness, the impure, and hatred--these are the enemies of happiness and shall be kept outside our walls.
Trust, discipline, refinement, humility, virtue, and love--these are the allies of happiness and should be harbored within.  They are the values that make this country rich.
Like the ancient castles and fortresses of medieval times with their moats and drawbridge, their towering walls and armaments--all to provide safety from wild beasts and human intruders--we, too can provide a place of refuge for our families in making homes of our houses and havens of our homes."

J. Spencer Kinard
July 6, 1986
The Spoken Word, Temple Square, Salt Lake City, Utah  KSL TV and Radio