My Letter to the Senator

8 April 2014

Orrin G. Hatch

United States Senator

104 Hart Senate Office Building 

Washington DC, 20510 

Dear Senator Hatch,  

As a young adult attending Brigham Young University, I have signed a contract to follow what is referred to as the “Honor Code.” This Honor Code is given to every student in attendance at BYU. This Honor Code causes us to strive for lives free of immorality (sexual intercourse before marriage), opposite sexes staying in our apartments past midnight, and modest dress and appearance, as well as other standards. 

Because of these high standards that us college students have accepted, it helps us to live pure and chaste lives, and to gain a testimony of the importance of these high standards. This also helps me— particularly as a woman— feel respect from the young men around me that I choose to associate with. However, in the media here in America, there is an uncomfortably large focus on sexualizing women in order to increase profits for producers, actors and actresses, and others in the film and television industry. It is, quite frankly, disgusting. In America, we focus so much on the outward appearance and high stimulation rather than focusing on the potential we have as future leaders in this country, even the world. I believe that the portrayal of women in the media is causing real women in the United States to not only feel self-conscious about their physical appearance, but to also feel that they are not able to accomplish the same things men are, especially in politics and throughout the country. 

I feel that in order to help diminish this sexualization of women in the media, we need to have more women portrayed as leaders in the community and the United States. In order to do this, I feel women should give more speeches, school assemblies, anything that will help us women see how we should be. The future of this country lies in its youth. I believe the focus on these great portrayals of women should focus on our schools to help young girls everywhere gain a personal desire to serve their country, rather than becoming Jessica Simpson. I thank you for your time in reading this letter and hope to hear a reply regarding at least one way you will step up and help make a difference in the lives of our young girls in the US. 

Sincerely, 

Natalie Savage

The Plague of Pornography

So I need to start this post with a warning. This is pretty graphic stuff in this article. If you can't handle hearing things about incest/rape/child porn, etc, then I would encourage you not to read it. But I just had to share this on here because this is EXACTLY the kind of stuff that I have had to deal with in my internship these last couple of months.

I am currently working with the Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) for my last semester of BYU. I have learned SO much more than I thought I would, and I'm not just talking about the job... The most I think I have learned about is the poisonous effect of pornography, drugs, and other addictions. These addictions effect families DAILY. I can't even believe how horrible the side-effects of these addictions are. Its just incredible to me of how many people struggle in these areas. What's more incredible (or maybe I should say awful), is how far some of these people will go to satisfy their addiction... from hurting others to losing their children.

The worst part of a pornography addiction specifically is at what ages children are becoming addicted to it.

Yes, CHILDREN.

This is essentially causing children to become "sexual predators" at ages as young as 12 or 13.

How on EARTH does this happen??!! How can we prevent this horrible plague from completely taking over our children's lives, let alone our own? I know personally that completely and fully relying on our Savior Jesus Christ and trying our best to follow the Gospel is the key to "spiritual protection" from pornography and other addictions. We can't let this get into our heads and our lives. We can't allow this to grow. We need to stop this. These are not just kids with mental disabilities that are getting into these addictions... These are children that have simply been shown horrific scenes of pornography at way too young of an age. I believe that they are victims, and that its up to US to save the next generation. That's why I am in this major. I want to save the next generation. I want to help them as much as I possibly can, even if it is just helping my own children. "Shall we not go on in so great a cause?" Joseph Smith said.

Anyways, enough of my ranting... If you would like to understand what I'm talkign about a little bit better (and what I have learned about these last couple of months), here is the link. Fight the New Drug

"Pray always, that you may come off conquerer; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work." D&C 10:5

I hope and pray that we can fight off the "new drug", that we can escape the hands of the servants of Satan through constant diligence and faith.

Once upon a hashtag

So this one time I served a mission from January 2012- June 2013. During this time I missed the whole "Instagram", "snapchat", "selfie Sunday", hashtag thing... and many more hip social media things. Literally missed all of it. I came back and had NO idea why people were putting a # sign in front of words with no spaces between them, and why also people would write whole sentences like #ilovemybestfriendsusan. I was like, "Did the space button on your iphone break or something?" I still don't really get why its cool to be honest. I've only used a "hashtag" a few times because I don't want to look stupid trying to use it haha. I get that when you use it, it links the same hashtag to others like it, like #hungergames and all of the pictures and videos that have that hashtag will all be linked to the same page. I just don't understand why people have strayed away from that and now its all the sudden its a way for people to try to be funny and clever. They definitely succeed...sometimes... but other times I honestly just think to myself, "I'm not even gonna bother trying to figure out what that says." Haha. Anyways. I hope I'm not offending anyone right now... just stating my opinion. But today I found this article about some SUPER funny hashtags that are super funny. Some are slightly inappropriate but for the most part they are pretty entertaining. Note to self: check your hashtag to make sure it looks/sounds right!!

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-not-to-twitter-7-hashtag-fails-to-learn-from/

Great Quote

So these past two weeks have been really tough on my... I recently broke up with my boyfriend (lame I know) that I had dated for about 7 months and had talked about marrying. My mother sent me this quote afterward that I absolutely LOVED and was a great reminder of why I ended the relationship with him... 

I had actually asked him if he and I could go on a break for awhile so we could both figure out if this was right or not. I realized during this time that he wasn't the best example and influence on me, or other people... I needed to feel like I was becoming a better person WITH him, but I was feeling like I was trying to pull him up to a higher level. I'm not saying that to be prideful. I just try to hold myself to a higher standard and can tend to hold other people to the same standard as me, which isn't fair... As a result I tend to judge people harshly without just accepting and loving them for who they are. However, in marriage you really do need to have someone that you feel "equally yoked" with; someone that has similar desires of improving, and actually does something about it. You're going to be together for a LONG time!! Anyways... this is definitely a new goal for me, to associate myself with people of good quality, that I would want to become more like, especially in a more romantic relationship. 

The Healer's Art

My brother showed me this devotional given by a women that I really just fell in love with. I've really needed these words recently in my life... Healing is hard, but it is necessary, and its especially necessary to pay attention and listen to those healing emotions you go with. Enjoy!


http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=197

She's just being Miley

So before I left for my mission in January 2012, Miley Cyrus was a pretty big deal in music. As we all know though, she's completely lost her marbles and has decided to focus her music around sex and drugs rather than the standards she used to have. I was on my mission when she buzzed off her hair and starting only wearing white booty shorts and cut-offs, so I kind of missed this whole transition she made.

I won't lie though... She's an amazingly talented girl.

I found this little "Backyard Sessions" video on YouTube just yesterday and absolutely fell in LOVE with the music she recorded in it. It made me so sad to think that she was SO incredibly talented, but it's covered up by the disgusting image she's decided to keep now. I think this is a great example of the kind of influence media can have on our lives. It can be positive, but it can definitely be negative if we allow it to be. Watch and enjoy!!

Cover of "Jolene" by Dolly Parton

Cover of "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome" by Bob Dylan 

New favorite song: All of Me

So this is one of my new favorite tunes, and I LOVED Lindsay's rendition of it. My claim to fame: She and I hung out a couple times years ago before my mission, and I absolutely NO idea that she was this talented. Kind of fun.

Social Media: is this the solution?

Coke's solution to the Social problem...

Could this really help? Haha...

Another Frozen post...

I'm definitely addicted to this show...


My brother found this hilarious video on Facebook and I almost died of laughter! (Okay, not literally... but I did laugh really hard). These two little girls sing "Let it Go" and its seriously the funniest thing! I don't know who these kids parents are but... I'm definitely doing this with my kids. Haha. Enjoy!

Addicted to Frozen...

Well, I'm sure many of you by now have seen Disney's newest animated film "Frozen"... It's an absolutely adorable movie, with such a great theme of what true love is and the importance of our families... The music just makes the movie that much better!

Anyways, I heard a new rendition of the famous song from Frozen "Let it Go" that is performed by 12 year old Lexi Walker (from Sandy, UT), and Alex Boye (a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir). It is absolutely INCREDIBLE! I just thought I would share it with you all on here. :) Enjoy! 

Just a few thoughts...

I've been thinking a lot recently about the importance of becoming a consecrated people-- becoming what God has intended for us to be. So often in the scriptures we read about how we are children of God, the Plan of Salvation centering on Jesus Christ, and the importance of striving constantly to be better, to improve more, and to be examples to others. In my room, I have a poem hanging up by Marriane Williamson that talks about how we are children of God, and what it is that we truly fear most. Here is the poem: 

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'who I am to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." 

Wow. I still get chills reading this quote! It is absolutely true. Every part of it is true. We truly our children of God who fear our potential to become like Him! This is why we don't allow ourselves to progress and become better. This is why we allow Satan to tempt us and persuade us to do wrong. Love this! 

The first post for my blog in SFL 358:


As we discussed the impact of media in advertising, I thought about one ad in particular that I thought I would show...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pp0EZD9DmU

This is a series of the Ameriquest commercials. These commercials are absolutely hilarious and definitely entertaining. This company has obviously taken the idea of the emotional and affective facet by implementing our senses of tension, awkwardness, and unease by displaying extremely uncomfortable moments that do not represent what is actually happening in the scene, following the logo "Don't judge too quickly". While these videos are definitely memorable, they do not give us any information pertaining to the company itself and its purpose. They also do not include the association facet. However, this commercial might influence those that watch it to look into Ameriquest as a mortgage company because they are so memorable. For me personally, I have no desire whatsoever to look into the company itself... but I wouldn't be opposed to watching these videos again for a good laugh! :)