"Choose the right" is a saying or

motto A motto (derived from the Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organisation. Mo ...

among members of

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian Christian church that considers itself to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ. The ...

(LDS Church) that is taught to children and used by members of the church as a reminder to make choices that will help an individual to live righteously. The phrase is taken from an LDS hymn "Choose the Right" by

Joseph L. Townsend Joseph L. Townsend (August 9, 1849 – April 1, 1942) was a writer of many Latter-day Saint hymns including "Choose the Right" and " Oh, What Songs of the Heart". Biography Townsend was born in Canton, Bradford County, Pennsylvania. He grew up ...

and

Henry A. Tuckett Henry A. Tuckett (1852–1918) was an American hymn writer and poet in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Tuckett was born in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. His parents Henry Tuckett and his wife Mary Mercy Wes ...

History

The letters CTR, a reference to this phrase, are incorporated into a shield logo designed by Joel Holbrook Izatt, (refer to Church Archives MS 21740 1997) Margery Cannon and Lurene Wilkinson who were Primary General Board members in the 1960s. In 1970, a church committee headed by

Naomi W. Randall Naomi Harriet Ward Randall (October 5, 1908 – May 17, 2001) was a Latter-day Saint songwriter and author and a leader in the Primary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). In 1957, Randall wrote the lyrics to "I Am a Ch ...

recommended that the shield be incorporated into official church material. Since then, both the phrase and symbol have been used in religious educational materials for LDS youth of

Primary Primary or primaries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels * Primary (band), from Australia * Primary (musician), hip hop musician and record producer from South Korea * Primary Music, Israeli record label Work ...

age.. The symbol is also used in LDS culture by members of all ages, both as a reminder of the motto, as well as an indicator of religious affiliation. The CTR initials, displayed on the shield and in other forms, can be seen mainly on CTR rings as well as other types of

jewelry Jewellery (British English, UK) or jewelry (American English, U.S.) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment, such as brooches, ring (jewellery), rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be at ...

tee shirt A tee is a stand used in sport to support and elevate a stationary ball prior to striking with a foot, club or bat. Tees are used extensively in golf, tee-ball, baseball, American football, and rugby. Etymology The word tee is derived from the ...

bookmark A bookmark is a thin marking tool, commonly made of card, leather, or fabric, used to keep track of a reader's progress in a book and allow the reader to easily return to where the previous reading session ended. Alternate materials for bo ...

s and

stationery Stationery refers to commercially manufactured writing materials, including cut paper, envelopes, writing implements, continuous form paper, and other office supplies. Stationery includes materials to be written on by hand (e.g., letter paper ...

. According to the

US Patent and Trademark Office The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is an agency in the U.S. Department of Commerce that serves as the national patent office and trademark registration authority for the United States. The USPTO's headquarters are in Alexa ...

, the LDS Church's stylized "CTR" abbreviation and shield with the CTR symbol are trademarked for use on

finger ring A ring is a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry. The term "ring" by itself always denotes jewellery worn on the finger; when worn as an ornament elsewhere, the body part is specified within the term, e.g., earrings, nec ...

jewelry by

Intellectual Reserve, Inc The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian Christian church that considers itself to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ. The chu ...

. The phrase "Choose the Right", however, is not

trademark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property consisting of a recognizable sign, design, or expression that identifies products or services from a particular source and distinguishes them from oth ...

ed in the United States and may be used by anyone for commercial purposes.

CTR ring

ring Ring may refer to: * Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry * To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell :(hence) to initiate a telephone connection Arts, entertainment and media Film and ...

with the letters "CTR" on is often worn by members of the LDS Church as a reminder of the "Choose the Right" motto, and as a symbol of their religious affiliation. CTR rings were introduced at the same time as the CTR shield in 1970 by Primary general president

LaVern W. Parmley LaVern Watts Parmley (January 1, 1900 – January 27, 1980) was the fifth general president of the Primary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Parmley was the first woman to be awarded the Silver Buffalo Award from the ...

after being recommended by a committee chaired by Naomi W. Randall. In connection with the children's

Sunday School A Sunday school is an educational institution, usually (but not always) Christian in character. Other religions including Buddhism, Islam, and Judaism have also organised Sunday schools in their temples and mosques, particularly in the West. S ...

program, each LDS child in this age group is given an adjustable ring with a green

escutcheon Escutcheon may refer to: * Escutcheon (heraldry), a shield or shield-shaped emblem, displaying a coat of arms * Escutcheon (furniture), a metal plate that surrounds a keyhole or lock cylinder on a door * (in medicine) the distribution of pubic ha ...

bearing the letters "CTR" in silver. Over the years CTR rings have become popular with both children and adults in the LDS Church. They are now available in a variety of designs in over 30 languages.

Notes

References

;Phrase * * ;Symbol and ring * * * * * * * "LDS Songs about CTR" History of CTR Rings

External links

*{{Commons category-inline, CTR rings
"Choose the Right"
'' Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints'' English phrases Primary (LDS Church) Slogans Young people and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ru:CTR (религия)

History

CTR ring

See also

Notes

References

External links