Cyberspace Missionary Work

“Why bother with all this internet stuff. It just soaks up my time and offers danger around every corner. It's evil.”

Have you heard someone say this (I have!) and maybe even thought so yourself? Then you are missing the fact that the internet can be a powerful tool for the Lord's work.

Ever since the now famous talk by Elder Ballard urging participation in internet conversations more and more good information about the church is being published by ordinary members like you and me. You can join in too. Start a blog or comment and share your testimony on other blogs. He said, 

Gradually, accurate and positive information is rising to the top of lists generated by various search engines. Those seeking information are more likely to encounter accurate information today than at any time since the Internet began, even though we still have a long way to go.

So let me pose a question. What are you prepared to do about it? If you are a member of the Church, what is your responsibility during this period of unusual attention and debate? Interest has continued at a high level and probably will for some time. If a national conversation is going on about the Church, are you going to be an active participant or a silent observer?

(Get the full transcript here.)

Here are a couple ideas of how others are doing it and how you can get involved.

All About Mormons
Strives to answer questions posed by investigators and less-active members, hoping to “dispel some of the many misconceptions about the church and its members.”

Site author/administrator Jacob Durrant explains: “When someone buys a car, they usually want to read the manual and other specs provided by the manufacturer. That’s why there will always be a role for official church websites like mormon.org. However, when buying a car, many people also talk with friends who already own the same car. That’s why it’s so important that we as members voice our opinions, ideas and feelings on the Internet. We can serve as important ‘non-authoritative sources.’” And Durrant is quick to link to the authoritative sources throughout the site.

It is offered in Portuguese, Spanish and Italian so it can reach a wider audience.

You can volunteer to help with this site.

Mission Musings
A blog by Elder and Sister Watts, serving in the Hill Cumorah Visitors Sites area. They have provided a three-part virtual tour of  “The Book of Mormon Historic Publication Site” in Palmyra.  Part 1 - Floor One | Part 2 - The Pressroom | Part 3 -The Bindery .

Share what you know and are experiencing as a member of the church and a woman in the gospel.

ldsWebGuy
Need help understanding how to use the web to build The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Here’s a blog by Larry Richman, director of Internet and project coordination for the church’s Curriculum Department.

Typical topics include wise use of the Web and other media; ideas for using new technology to build families, strengthen faith in Jesus Christ, and share the message of His restored gospel; tips on creating great Web sites and blogs; using social networks; how to keep your family safe on the Internet; how to use other kinds of media in productive ways.

Get some good tips here.

New mobile apps available
Get the LDS Library and the Mormon Channel on the Android, Blackberry, iPhone, iPod, iPad, and webOS at Tech.LDS.org.

Share this link with husbands and friends. Share a video from the Mormon Channel with a friend over lunch or during a conversation about the church.

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I’ve published these links on our Other Church Websites page, as a reference for the future.

Reference:
Cyberspace Missionary Work

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