Are Saints online paying attention to Elder Ballard's request? If so, how are we doing?

[justamere10]

It has been quite a few months now since Elder Ballard started actively encouraging members to participate in online discussions. Although no official calls for cyber missionaries have been extended (as far as I know) some Latter-day Saints are reporting that they feel they have been 'called' by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the gospel online.

Do you consider yourself to be a cyber missionary?

As you surf the web have you observed increased LDS cyber missionary activity in the last six or so months?

Do you have any positive suggestions that might be helpful for inexperienced LDS cyber missionaries who may be reading this thread?

Missionary work is highly organized in the real world. Is it your opinion that the church will eventually organize cyber missionary work as well?

Please feel free to discuss all things pertaining to cyber missionary work in this thread, thanks.

[Moksha]

I like it when we can give people from other walks of life, a feeling that we are regular people who are likeable. That is a very positive thing for the Church.

[Guest tomk]

It has been quite a few months now since Elder Ballard started actively encouraging members to participate in online discussions. Although no official calls for cyber missionaries have been extended (as far as I know) some Latter-day Saints are reporting that they feel they have been 'called' by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the gospel online.

Do you consider yourself to be a cyber missionary?

As you surf the web have you observed increased LDS cyber missionary activity in the last six or so months?

Do you have any positive suggestions that might be helpful for inexperienced LDS cyber missionaries who may be reading this thread?

Missionary work is highly organized in the real world. Is it your opinion that the church will eventually organize cyber missionary work as well?

Please feel free to discuss all things pertaining to cyber missionary work in this thread, thanks.

Sure, I consider myself to be a cyber missionary of sorts! Why not?

I haven't noticed an increase (or decrease) in cyber missionary activity. But then again, I didn't know I'd have to answer this question ( LOL ) so I forgot to take measurements. :)

As far as suggestions go -- teach by the Spirit. We can write the words, but only God can confirm them as true.

I don't think it's too unrealistic to imagine the LDS Church organizing a "cyber missionary" program of sorts. Just by virtue of being on the internet (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) I think they are doing amazing things to get the word out. People can investigate the Church online anonymously. For some, that may be a better way to go (for some things) than having missionaries show up at their door.

I am trying to do my part to share the Gospel with others. Look at the blogs in my signature!! It's unfortunate that I never get any feedback on it. But even if people are reading my blogs anonymously, that's okay. Every good seed that gets planted can then be nurtured by the Lord. :)

Tom

[justamere10]

Thank-you for your thoughtful response Tom, and thanks for being a founding member at www.LDS1.org. It's difficult to get a new board to the point where there are enough members that they take it away and enjoy coming back again and again to interact with new friends. But the church needs a huge number of LDS sites and blogs, especially those with the word "Mormon" in context several times near the top of the home page to overwhelm the anti-Mormon sites that often come up with a search of the word "Mormon."

I had a look at some of your blogs. Your devotion to the Savior and his work is evident. Yes you are a cyber missionary! :)

My personal opinion is that the best work LDS cyber missionaries can do is to help move potential investigators to those magnificent official LDS websites such as Mormon.org - Home and Jesus Christ, The Son of God

where the Holy Spirit can reach and teach them. I think every LDS blog and communication should contain a signature link to one of the church's official sites. Doing that alone would make one a cyber missionary in my opinion.

Don't forget that you can promote your own websites and blogs (even commercial sites) free at www.LDS1.org. That may help improve their ranking in the search engines.

But please get those Mormon.org - Home signature links in place....

Enjoy the weekend Tom.

Edited February 22, 2009 by justamere10

[lds9999]

I've tried to increase my efforts since Dec. 2007, first on Youtube and now with Greek websites about the Church. I personally think that is a major area where we could focus more--foreign languages. The percent of members who speak a language other than English is high--we should also be creating blogs, websites, etc. in those languages. Frankly, it's easier to get visitors to your blogs and websites in a foreign language than it is in English because there's less competition.

[lds9999]

My personal opinion is that the best work LDS cyber missionaries can do is to help move potential investigators to those magnificent official LDS websites such as Mormon.org - Home and Jesus Christ, The Son of God

where the Holy Spirit can reach and teach them.

I think we need to remember though that sending people there is only the first step. I think too often we are inclined to tell people to visit mormon.org and somehow believe that they will know what to do from there. It would be like the missionaries handing people a Book of Mormon or telling people where the local church is but then never following up.

In every case possible, continue the discussion through e-mail, PMs, etc. Help people find the specific answers they are looking for. Invite them to take specific actions like go to church, read the Book of Mormon, etc. Only then will we start to see online missionary work really take off.

[justamere10]

I think we need to remember though that sending people there is only the first step. I think too often we are inclined to tell people to visit mormon.org and somehow believe that they will know what to do from there. It would be like the missionaries handing people a Book of Mormon or telling people where the local church is but then never following up.

In every case possible, continue the discussion through e-mail, PMs, etc. Help people find the specific answers they are looking for. Invite them to take specific actions like go to church, read the Book of Mormon, etc. Only then will we start to see online missionary work really take off.

I agree that we should strike up a personal conversation with potential sincere investigators if we can, just as we would do in the real world.

However, I seem to have more confidence in Mormon.org - Home than you do. That can be the final step for an investigator. They can even have a live chat with an LDS missionary there, arrange for a copy of the Book of Mormon or the Bible to be delivered to their door by missionaries, ask written questions online, etc. in addition to having some of the most pressing questions answered. (Where did I come from, why am I hear, where am I going. Was Jesus Christ resurrected? etc.)

Thanks for contributing to this thread, no doubt you are a good cyber missionary.

[justamere10]

I've tried to increase my efforts since Dec. 2007, first on Youtube and now with Greek websites about the Church. I personally think that is a major area where we could focus more--foreign languages. The percent of members who speak a language other than English is high--we should also be creating blogs, websites, etc. in those languages. Frankly, it's easier to get visitors to your blogs and websites in a foreign language than it is in English because there's less competition.

Yes, there is enormous unfulfilled potential among returned missionaries to reach out online with the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every nation, kindred, tongue and people in their own language. I think that is one step the church would do well to officially organize.

Maya, a moderator on this board and on the Mormon Sites board www.ctr1.org also hangs around at www.LDS1.org where there is an international forum. She is translating sites and other info into Finnish and a few other Scandinavian languages I think, she's an excellent cyber missionary. She'd be interested in hearing from you at www.lds1.org I'm sure.

[Janice]

It has been quite a few months now since Elder Ballard started actively encouraging members to participate in online discussions. Although no official calls for cyber missionaries have been extended (as far as I know) some Latter-day Saints are reporting that they feel they have been 'called' by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the gospel online.

I did not know he asked members to do this! Can you show us the reference? (Would like to use in a talk or lesson, but would like the quote b4 doing so.)

[justamere10]

I did not know he asked members to do this! Can you show us the reference? (Would like to use in a talk or lesson, but would like the quote b4 doing so.)

There are links here:

Ask a Mormon - Book of Mormon Geography - Nephite Evidences • View topic - Assignment from Elder Ballard

An easy way to provide a brief intro to cyber missionary work is to simply say: "Go to LDS1.org." The www.lds1.org board is designed to provide an easy basic introduction to cyber missionary work for those who have time on their hands and would like to proclaim the gospel online but don't know how to do it.

[lds9999]

I agree that we should strike up a personal conversation with potential sincere investigators if we can, just as we would do in the real world.

However, I seem to have more confidence in Mormon.org - Home than you do. That can be the final step for an investigator. They can even have a live chat with an LDS missionary there, arrange for a copy of the Book of Mormon or the Bible to be delivered to their door by missionaries, ask written questions online, etc. in addition to having some of the most pressing questions answered. (Where did I come from, why am I hear, where am I going. Was Jesus Christ resurrected? etc.)

Thanks for contributing to this thread, no doubt you are a good cyber missionary.

I think mormon.org is terrific, but I do not think it's the "be-all end-all" that we sometimes make it out to be. President Hinckley talked about how one of the things people need is a "friend". I think every online investigator needs a friend that they can bounce questions off, get information from, and just get to know an active LDS member. There is a lot of groundwork that has to be laid before most people will request anything from mormon.org, visit a meetinghouse, or even do the live chat with missionaries on mormon.org.

If someone is interested in the Church, they can google Mormon and go to mormon.org. As online missionaries, we need to do more than that. I realize we all take varying approaches, but I'm fairly confident in saying that we haven't "cracked the case" yet with online missionary work.

[rockwoodchev]

I would like to chime in and give a perspective that you might not have thought about.

I would consider myself an prior very active member who is on his way out based on historical, doctrine, and policy matters in the church. I currently have a recommend, have a stake calling but would consider myself fairly inactive as far as belief goes, even though I attend my meetings about 50% of the time.

In looking around the internet for places to hang out, I seem to find 3 categories.

a. Places like here and Fair that are 100% pro-LDS.

b. A couple of middle of the ground spots.

c. Several ex-mo, never-mo places which are pretty harsh.

I must say that the one place that makes me feel the most uncomfortable is here. It seems that I find the most judgmental, 1-sided, and rudeness here. As a person who finds himself as the 1, when talking about the 99, this is not a very friendly place to come.

I'm actually wanting to find my way back. It would be great for me, and for my family. However, simple platitudes of "pray, pay, and obey" don't work for me. I am a deep thinker (or so I've been told), a reader of everything, and a questioner. I've been in your shoes, and now I'm in mine. If I know one thing, it is that while in the past I was able to say "I Know" or "This is a fact", those days are done.

My point is this, for a group of people who want to help people, and you need to realize that for every 1 post, there are probably 50 readers, that often your answers are very condescending and rude.

I've been banned twice here now for just asking questions. I think I've learned how not to phrase things, but when I listened to the conf talk where members were asked to be involved with blogs and forums, I wondered what the effect might be. I must say that so far, I don't think the 99 are doing much to help the 1. At least for me, I will come and lurk here every so often, but I find it tedious and so I leave.

[justamere10]

I would like to chime in and give a perspective that you might not have thought about.

I would consider myself an prior very active member who is on his way out based on historical, doctrine, and policy matters in the church. I currently have a recommend, have a stake calling but would consider myself fairly inactive as far as belief goes, even though I attend my meetings about 50% of the time.

In looking around the internet for places to hang out, I seem to find 3 categories.

a. Places like here and Fair that are 100% pro-LDS.

b. A couple of middle of the ground spots.

c. Several ex-mo, never-mo places which are pretty harsh.

I must say that the one place that makes me feel the most uncomfortable is here. It seems that I find the most judgmental, 1-sided, and rudeness here. As a person who finds himself as the 1, when talking about the 99, this is not a very friendly place to come.

I'm actually wanting to find my way back. It would be great for me, and for my family. However, simple platitudes of "pray, pay, and obey" don't work for me. I am a deep thinker (or so I've been told), a reader of everything, and a questioner. I've been in your shoes, and now I'm in mine. If I know one thing, it is that while in the past I was able to say "I Know" or "This is a fact", those days are done.

My point is this, for a group of people who want to help people, and you need to realize that for every 1 post, there are probably 50 readers, that often your answers are very condescending and rude.

I've been banned twice here now for just asking questions. I think I've learned how not to phrase things, but when I listened to the conf talk where members were asked to be involved with blogs and forums, I wondered what the effect might be. I must say that so far, I don't think the 99 are doing much to help the 1. At least for me, I will come and lurk here every so often, but I find it tedious and so I leave.

I appreciate your candor. Everyone has doubts and low points, some more serious than others. Ultimately life is a time of trial and testing during which we must learn to walk by faith, to keep God's commandments (as we did in our premortal life) without having Him visibly in our presence. We are told that we are even more blessed if we walk by faith rather than by knowledge.

Rudeness is inexcusable of course but I think your experience on boards such as this one derives from the fact that there are so many members here who really do KNOW for themselves because God told them so that Joseph Smith is His chosen prophet of the restoration. Everything flows from that testimony.

In my experience every one of the historical criticisms espoused by people whose purpose is to drag members away from their faith and their church is old and already responded to and refuted by faithful LDS scholars. There is nothing to fear, we stand on a solid foundation. God's church will not fall again, though even the very elect will be deceived by the miracles and teachings of Satan and his followers who consistently mingle small but potent lies in with the scriptures and historical truths.

But ok, why not take each one of those historical concerns that you have one at a time and let your brothers and sisters help you with them?

If you do not want to do that here, go to www.ctr1.org or the Ask a Mormon forum at www.lds1.org and we can continue our discussion there...

Edited February 24, 2009 by justamere10

[rayhale]

I think that the Church, as a whole, has been doing a good job at putting out the Gospel in various web sites. The Church has an official Youtube page at: YouTube - MormonMessages's Channel; the official church site: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is LARGE, as is the other official sites, like Mormon.org - Home; and Jesus Christ, The Son of God; ; they (as far as I could find) did not have a FAQ section, they just tell people the Church's basic beliefs. I think that we should answer what questions that we can, and also give out the web page of what is being asked like the 'mini' sites like the scriptures site: http://scriptures.lds.org.

I agree that we shouldn't just give out these sites, and say in effect, “good luck”, I think that there is nothing wrong in stating our opinions, as long as you make it clear, that it is just that, your OWN opinion.

[skippy740]

For me, I participate in a number of online forums (I've GOT to get a life!:)).

It's important to BE a person that people look up to - both online and in the "real" world. BE genuinely yourself. BE a disciple of Christ. BE someone worth looking up to and a leader in life.

When you're the RIGHT person, "your actions will speak so loudly that your words [just won't matter as much]." You will be an "attractive" person - meaning that your qualities will attract similar like-qualities in others and build each other up.

[YellowLight]

Rudeness is inexcusable of course but I think your experience on boards such as this one derives from the fact that there are so many members here who really do KNOW for themselves because God told them so that Joseph Smith is His chosen prophet of the restoration. Everything flows from that testimony.

As someone who was raised in the perfect Mormon family, served a mission, got married in the Temple, and served several callings fully, I can honestly cay that I once "KNEW" for myself that Joseph Smith was a prophet. If I did not "know" this, I would not have served a mission. At any rate, many people who leave or doubt the church once stood in your shoes.

In my experience every one of the historical criticisms espoused by people whose purpose is to drag members away from their faith and their church is old and already responded to and refuted by faithful LDS scholars. There is nothing to fear, we stand on a solid foundation. God's church will not fall again, though even the very elect will be deceived by the miracles and teachings of Satan and his followers who consistently mingle small but potent lies in with the scriptures and historical truths.

If criticisms are refuted by LDS scholars such as those on FAIR, the answers are typically the read, pray, or just don't worry about it. However, in the process of learning about the history of the church, I have been able to determine the anti-mormon agendas from learning through historical accuracy. There are things like "The God Makers" that is just so laughable and their intended audience is people who know nothing of the church. I stay away from that propaganda and other sites as they serve no purpose. At any rate, it is good to know that I am one of the elect since you think I have been deceived by Satan. :)

[justamere10]

As someone who was raised in the perfect Mormon family, served a mission, got married in the Temple, and served several callings fully, I can honestly cay that I once "KNEW" for myself that Joseph Smith was a prophet. If I did not "know" this, I would not have served a mission. At any rate, many people who leave or doubt the church once stood in your shoes.

Yes, that's the human condition, we are required to "endure to the end" which of course for everyone could be the next breath. Even Oliver Cowdery and others who had seen angels (Laman, Lemuel, etc. etc.) fell away at least for a time. Hopefully none of them denied the Holy Ghost, which would be much more damaging to eternal progress.

Sorry you lost your faith if that's what happened, I wish you the very best with your new purpose in life.

(I write on quite a few boards and have lost the context of this thread but I'm assuming that you were once a faithful member of the LDS Church then fell away from your beliefs?? If not, please ignore my remarks above.)

[talisyn]

Rockwoodchev, my experience has been polar opposite of yours on this site. After braving the Myspace religious forum (something I do now only if I want to fight with someone ) and this place Mormon Apologetics & Discussion Board -> LDS Dialogue & Discussion (filled with really really smart people, but they can't really take a joke ) I found LDS Mormon Network to be an oasis of peace and tranquility. Really really smart people here, but also kind and thoughtful even if some heated words get thrown in the political debates.

As for cyber-missionaries, we are to proclaim the gospel wherever we find ourselves. In this day and age that includes the internet. I hope we can do some good in the world today

[Guest missingsomething]

I never thought of myself as a cyber missionary -but I do bare my testimony and honestly try to help people understand when I can.

I think, as most people here have heard me say - I think online and in person that you will lead more to Christ if you do not have a judgemental tone - I think you lead more to Christ and the church when you criticize less and work on perfecting yourself. Example goes a lot further than words.

The most important thing I think, shy or not, is to go and introduce yourself to new members and guest. Nothing elaborate. Just a smile if nothing else!

EDIT--- While participating online is great - I think it also important to support new members in the branch/ward. A young girl in our ward (who is the only member in her family) is really a special girl. She hasnt learned all the "mormon ediquette" yet.... but she is living the best life she can among a family of non-members. This past week she told me she is thinking of quiting church until she gets out of school because she is tired of her YW leaders always tellng her everything she is not doing right. There is much to this -but my point is... in trying to convert someone we need to let the spirit guide us in what we do and what we say.

Edited May 3, 2009 by missingsomething