Senior Missionaries and the Gospel

Elder Russell M. Nelson
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Liahona, Nov 2004, 79–82

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Word Count: 373

1.      Argument:   Senior sisters and senior couples should engage in missionary work.

2.      Audience:  Senior members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and their priesthood leaders such as Bishops.  The talk was addressed to the entire membership of the church, but the focus is on these seniors.   

3.      Goal:  To cause more senior couples and sisters to serve missions or engage in missionary work in other ways.

4.      How:

·        Pathos:   Elder Nelson uses several stories of specific senior missionary couples experiences in his talk.  These stories give examples of how the missionaries are serving and the difference they are making in people’s lives.  The audience will be familiar with the good feelings that service causes and will feel like the work is something they would like to participate in.  These stories all spoke of blessings the couples were receiving as a result of the work.  This further encourages the audience to serve.

·        Ethos:  Elder Nelson draws on the Prophets to back up his claims.  He uses examples of Joseph Smith, John Taylor, Brigham Young, and Wilford Woodruff serving missions despite difficulties.  He quotes Heber J Grant and Gordon B Hinckley to emphasize the importance of senior missionaries.  He also speaks of Jesus Christ, his mission and following his example.  The audience very greatly respects these leaders and will want to follow their examples and their teachings.

·        Typical:  By addressing several different life circumstances that seniors in the Church find themselves in, Elder Nelson is able to give suggestions to people of all kinds of how their barriers to a mission can be overcome.

·        Relevant:  This talk is relevant to the audience because many senior members of the Church that could be on missions aren’t.  It is also relevant to the rest of the younger Church membership because they will someday be in that position.

5.      Effective or Not:   I think the talk was effective.  Members of the Church are particularly receptive to teachings by prophets and Elder Nelson was good about including lots of these.  The audience also generally has a desire to participate in church service and showing how others are engaging in this service and being blessed for it will be especially appealing.

No Salt For You!

image via http://www.consumerfreedom.com/cartoons.cfm#cartoon136

Word Count: 401

1.      Argument:   New York City’s focus on health, particularly sodium intake, is ridiculous and untimely.

2.      Audience:  Americans who are interested in politics and following current political issues.   

3.      Goal:  To make the audience see how silly it is for New York to crack down on sodium intake at this time.

4.      How:

·        Ethos:   The audience will feel sympathy for the people standing in line waiting for soup at the soup kitchen.  The caption “No Salt For You” is in reference to the Soup Nazi made famous on Seinfeld.  Most of the audience will be familiar with his catch phrase “No soup for you!”  They will find this clever link amusing and appropriate.  The way the Health Commissioner makes him look kind of shady and high on himself.   This will cause the audience to view what he is saying as shady and pompous as well.

·        Logos:    The argument of the cartoon is very logical.  The audience will agree that the health commissioner telling a fellow American who is poor and hungry enough to be in line at the soup kitchen to not eat the soup due to the sodium level is outrageous.   The signs that are posted saying “financial meltdown worst since great depression” shows a much larger issue than salt that New York should be focusing on.

·        Accurate:  Some of the cartoon is accurate, like the financial meltdown and the long lines at the soup kitchen being important issues that need to be addressed.  The shady portrayal of the Health Commissioner may not be as accurate.  And also the fact that he is directing his efforts at the needy is not accurate.  He is working with large manufacturers to reduce salt in their products, not end consumers.

·        Relevant:  This is very relevant to the audience.  The sodium reduction legislation is happening currently and many Americans are experiencing the effects of the crumbling economy.

5.      Effective or Not:   I think the ad is very effective.  It shows the very real issue of job loss and the financial meltdown that most Americans have felt the effects of.  It then shows a representative of New York City not only ignoring this issue, but lecturing the people about a much more trivial effect of their extremely limited choices.  Although I do not think it is entirely accurate, the cartoon does a good job at making New York City look stupid.