Internet Missionaries!


Melissa569
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Beefche-- I agree, I too fully support this. I’m sure the church leaders have already considered and discussed all the possible outcomes of internet missionary work, good or bad-- and they have decided to allow it.

Pam-- thank you for confirming that it is an official church activity, it seems you have looked into it. And thank you for the offering up other reasons why internet missionary work would be a great option for some people.

Bigfoot, aka Elder Wright--- I’m not a moderator on this site or anything, but I would like to welcome you here. Thank you very much for joining the conversation. I hope you will be back, if its allowed. I’m glad that you and others are confirming that this is indeed a legitimate project with the church. Now I need to point my uncle John ( he's been a member for over 30 years) toward your blog and facebook page! Lol. Maybe even this forum thread. I tried to explain to him 2 days ago that missionaries are now allowed on Facebook and blogs, and that members of my ward regularly get updates from our local missionary this way--- But he didn’t believe me! He insisted that all missionaries involved in online work were lying to people about the church‘s approval, and going against the regulations. “Probably doing it with cell phones” he said.

I kept insisting that I really thought it was legit, and that nobody would be able to get away with it otherwise. At least not for long. Even if many Bishops and MP’s don’t go online much, word would eventually travel back to them from members who DO go online a lot. My uncle still wouldn’t listen, lol. But maybe all this will help.

As far as risks and distractions go, I think that with online work, a missionary is just going to have to take it upon his/herself to avoid things that are not allowed. Just like they do in real life. If a bad advertisement / page pops up, or if someone tries to send you inappropriate messages-- you just do the same thing you would do if someone drove by you in a car on the street blasting unapproved music, or walked up to you and propositioned you innaprorpiately-- Just ignore it and keep doing what you're supposed to be doing. :)

Edited by Melissa569
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I don't like the idea of questioning a program that has been created by the Brethren. I'm sure many question the idea traditional Missionary work, of going door to door. I wouldn't talk to a pair of strangers about religion who knocked on my door. I wouldn't even open it. So I for one am impressed with these new ways of finding, rather, a way that others can find the Missionaries instead of the other way around.

While I understand the goals and intentions behind the program, I think there is a lot of value in questioning the execution of this project. The very fact that it is a pilot programs also implies that there are a lot of unanswered questions around this idea. I think it'd be a lot more valuable for all of us to find the appropriate forum in which to share our thoughts and criticisms so that any decisions with this program going forward might have the best possible input. Regardless, I think there are many things about this program that need to be questioned by both the general membership and the public.

Some issues that come to mind for me include content. I served a mission. I worked hard as a missionary. I had an incredible amount of fun as a missionary. Still, I can't think of anything more boring than reading a blog about the day-to-day life of a full time LDS missionary. After perusing some of the blogs, I've seen a few that reflect that.

Looking over several other blogs that were listed, I find that many of them have fallen victim to Mormon Mouth Syndrome. That is, they take a lot of words to say something very simple, and they usually repeat themselves a few times. I've not seen a whole lot of good writing yet, although I'm sure there are a handful of outstanding blogs. I just doubt that it's worth my time to sort through the drivel to find the good stuff.

Then there are the other handful that are trying desperately to be relevant, and the posts feel like wannnabe Conference talks. If this is supposed to be a medium in which we reach out and make our missionaries accessible, I don't think that's the way to go about doing it.

Quite honestly, I think this program is taking off in the wrong direction. It seems like it'd be much more interesting if there were 12 - 15 missionaries chosen from throughout the world to contribute to a single blog. That way, each missionary would need only post once a week and could share thoughts, experiences, day-to-day hum drum of missionary life, and there would be a well-balanced presentation of what our missionaries do and what their message is. Furthermore, by being so selective, you could filter out some of those with terrible spelling and grammar, or at least have the resources at CHQ to edit some of the posts for such problems.

If 12-15 missionaries isn't enough, there's no reason the Church couldn't open 2 or 3 such blogs and have 50 missionaries out of our 55,000 missionary force contributing. Hopefully I can find the right place to leave feedback because the current implementation is far less than impressive.

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Right now we're talking and going on about a program that none of us really have the full story on. What we have is mainly coming from a full time missionary who may or may not have a full understanding of what he is allowed or not allowed to do.

MGF has a meeting Wednesday with Elder Pearson who is over the missionary department. This whole internet missionary thing will be brought up so hopefully we'll have a better explanation and understanding of what the program is about.

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WAY TO GO BIG FOOT! I am all for internett mission! :bouncingclap:

I think the problem here is just that missionaries have too litte time to write and to get aquianted to the forums they write in... and they probaly should not read much of the stuff on the forums anyway. It is very wise to have a look at the forum first. If it is an LDS forum like this many come there and read in may parts of the forums.. so the forum where it seems to be most people is a good one to post. But copy and glue many quite a bit alike threads is not really mods favorite post as NO ONE else is allowed to do that either.

One has to be very careful in the non LDS forums as they ban a mormon for spaming faster than you can blink! There you need to be a bit sneeky (ask me). :itwasntme:

Internett misionaring is quite new... live and learn!

This will be great... Very nice blogs btw! We need to help to advotice them... we have blogging area too... would like more in the blogg than just the link to misionary blogs! I am not sure if I dare to say that some of those blogs could be copied on LDS.nets blogs :D

Needs more time to internett work... or one day in a week. I sit here all days and feel that I get nothign done in an hour.. sometimes not even in a day... need a kick!

Elder Holland rocks!

I think this will be just fantastic when we get it going! Going to post on my fb the link to the blogs! Maybe I should post it on my bloggs too... Norwegean Jesu Kristi Kirkke av Siste Dagers Hellige Finnish MORMONIT on defence in Finnish: Mormonipuolustajat oh and ofcourse the finnish part of this forum...moderated by soemones who can the language... :rolleyes:

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one of the reasons missionaries are sent away from home, prevented from wearing their "normal" clothes from before the mission, are given a specific haircut, and not allowed to bring all their gadgets, music, etc from home is to create a new environment. they are supposed to leave the world they came from behind and give 100% to the lord. they can go back to those things when they get home. their calls and such home are limited to help them stay focused and learn to rely on the lord. or at least this was my understanding. maybe i'm wrong.

one of my concerns, probably my biggest, is the attraction of the internet. i understand right now it's a trial program so only very select missionaries are doing it. but expand it; it's "working" so all missionaries are given this assignment. you have to assume with the way technology is right now any missionary in the field has already been online for about 5 yrs before the mission. they have "virtual" friends, communities, games, sites they visit, etc that are part of their daily life. most teens are accessing it from their phones so it really is part of their daily life. i can't count the number of posts i see about addictions to the internet; be it games, music, forums, chats, etc. so you take a ym away from his "normal" life to create a very specific environment and then give him permission to get online so many hours a day. if you have an online "life" then it's like being told you can go home for an hour every day. but it's not home to mom and dad, responsibility, and ppl that are looking out for you, it's that unrestricted entertainment/social part of your life. how strong would the desire be there to say "i used to go to this site all the time, let me go there and share about my blog"? now you are in the door, to go back to all kinds of conversations, etc like before. just seems like a huge distraction/accident waiting to happen. i'm not just talking about old habits coming back but also what new they are exposed to.

i don't have issues with blogs so much (if it's being kept to the appropriate time). they go in, post what they want, move on. that i could see some good from. for the family, local members, whoever that want to follow it. posting links to these blogs from mormon.org or even on lds.org so members can find them and follow them. i do worry a little about stupid ppl spamming those blogs with inappropriate comments or even porn (we get it here).

how many conversations take place on this forum would be distracting to the focus of a mission and maybe even the spirit? i'm not sure missionaries need to be part of that. they aren't "bad" but they aren't conducive to the atmosphere i thought missionaries were supposed to be living in. or what happens on fb. so let's say i friend "bigfoot" (why didn't you use elder soandso?) now he will get a news feed on everything i post and do as well as my getting his updates. i can tell you some of the friends i have don't use the best language, they don't post the best pics or music videos. yes i choose not to look further at those but i can't stop the initial exposure when i make that decision. it would be very distracting if i were trying to focus on a mission the way full time missionaries are supposed to (yes i say that having never actually served a full time mission). i would be uncomfortable knowing a full time missionary was getting updates from my fb. i don't post anything "bad" but it's not intended for someone that is trying to focus so much on serving the lord, that's not my intended audience. a time and a place.

what we do on this site, the way we share the gospel is very different and for a different audience than the typical full time missionary is intended to do. nothing wrong, just different. we need all kinds to make the world go round.

i must admit i would be more comfortable if the program were more of an approach of, 'we are letting some missionaries blog but we aren't sending them out into the cyber world. we ask members who are already there to follow their blogs, share them with friends and help to make the accurate information more accessible in general to the cyber world.' let others go to the forums and fb.

and maybe all this is just in my head and i'm over reacting. honestly i hope my concerns are proven an over reaction and unnecessary fuss.

well, the answer that I would give is this: I am not sure if you are a member or not, I am not sure if you have served a mission either. But I am on a mission and those evils of bad language, inappropriate comments, and even pornography, we see them almost on an everyday basis. It isn't just on the internet, it is in peoples homes, heard by people on the streets. we are constantly bombarded.

Also the whole thing about missionaries abusing the rights of being online. Those missionaries that would use the internet for bad, or misuse and abuse there time. They are probably already doing it, even without the calling to be an online missionary. even six months ago, if I wanted to go on the internet and goof off, not much would stop me if that was my mindset. But now it is approved for some missionaries and soon probably all, and those missionaries that will abuse it, they probably already are.

And it is as all things in our church, there will always be opposition and there will always be those who don't support it, but the work of the lord will move forward, and there is nothing, NOTHING, anyone can do to stop it. we just have to trust in the lord that the decisions are correct, and remember D & C 1:38 "whether by my voice or by the voice of my servants. it is the same" I have been privileged to receive this calling. I admit at first i wasn't to thrilled, I am a worker, just give me a book of mormon, and get out of the way, I skipped many a lunch breaks because i loved being out among my people. and at first i thought, now i have to stay cooped up in a room for an extra hour. I let go of my pride though, and when I did, the spirit bore witness to me that this is what I am suppose to do. This is from god, and a key to helping the work of the lord move forward.

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i'm not naive enough to think those things aren't out there or that those that want to break the rules won't find a way. i am also a firm believer in creating an environment of success. which means you decrease those distractions/temptations as much as possible.

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Mine, too, Dravin. I always referred to the people as "my" people. My ward, my leaders, etc. There is a connection a missionary feels to the people he/she serves that comes out in expressions such as "my."

I always had a irrational prejudice against being called by people in the ward their missionaries* so I didn't do it with the people I worked with, but you see it when Mission Presidents talking about their missionaries. I tended to talk about "the people" instead of using my. So I will miss the people of Spokane instead of I will miss my people. Though honestly I didn't gain a huge love for the people in my mission boundaries just the ones I worked with directly, I wonder if the fact that being in Spokane was all but the same as being back home (culture wise) is one of the causes of that.

* To many encounters with members getting all uppity when they didn't know a P-Day was moved and they thought we were breaking the rules (but we weren't) and going into a spiel about how, "If you were my missionaries..." It always grated on me, it wasn't an indication of loving possession but controlling possession and it soured the term for me.

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i use the term "my people" to refer to family. i've also heard it used culturally, "these are my people" another way of saying where i come from. that usage would be inclusive, referring to a group in which you are part.

though i have referred to chat as being mine.... but that might be the controlling possession usage of it. lol

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My people? :confused:

well, I was only referring to them like that because I love them so dearly, something you may not be able to understand if you are not a missionary. It is a bond, I love my people here and I manifest it because I serve them. I don't think you should be so nit picky, but either way I don't care. You all may not feel it yet, but this is truly what I am called and commissioned to do, you may find it weird that I am on forums and facebook and all, but it is a calling and I will magnify it. I will have you know that there are many on this site supporting me, I looked at the traffic sources of my blog which is very new by the way, and I have 10 new followers and over 554 views because of the posts I have made on this site. I feel that is very successful and that it is of great benefit to the lord.
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well, I was only referring to them like that because I love them so dearly, something you may not be able to understand if you are not a missionary. It is a bond, I love my people here and I manifest it because I serve them. I don't think you should be so nit picky, but either way I don't care. You all may not feel it yet, but this is truly what I am called and commissioned to do, you may find it weird that I am on forums and facebook and all, but it is a calling and I will magnify it. I will have you know that there are many on this site supporting me, I looked at the traffic sources of my blog which is very new by the way, and I have 10 new followers and over 554 views because of the posts I have made on this site. I feel that is very successful and that it is of great benefit to the lord.

Godspeed, Elder.

A word of advice: As much as you want to dispute things, you should only wish people well on the Internet. Never get defensive as a Missionary. Simply state what you know to be true, thank people for their input and move on. Everything you say on the 'Net will be here forever in the public domain. You want your calling to be remembered as one of love.

Stick to sharing the gospel. Going above that will do you no favors. You're on the Lord's time, Elder, and you'll be blessed. Just avoid being dragged down in the fights the Internet will try to create.

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I am an ONLINE missionary. The church is starting a pilot program with 100 missionaries in the nation. It has been introtuced into some missions but not all. Starting a Forum is different, but I will get used to it. I am an Online Missionary serving in the Santa Rosa, California Mission. Our purpose is like unto any other finding tool, even the World Wide Web. We are to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the Restored Gospel through Faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. My purpose is to "do what He wants done, and to Say what he wants said. To be a living modern witness in word and deed of the divinity of His latter-day work." How great is our calling? By using the Internet we have been able to expand the veriety of Missionary tools in which the Lord has provided for us. Please support us in this calling. I know it may be hard for few to understand, but please support what an Apostle has called us to do. We have been able to reach many people over the lines of technology, teach from many different states, and even countries. Our Heavenly Father Has blessed us with this oppertunity to share the gospel. Let us be worthy and willing to serve.

Check out my blog if you have any questions. Look me up on facebook as well. my blog is

Moderator edit: It has been mentioned that it is against site rules to include links to blogs within the body of your posts. You can include the link in your signature if you wish.

Elder Cameron Wright

Edited by Loudmouth_Mormon
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We had that problem two years ago with the Missionaries using facebook. Bad for them since the parent who found out printed the texts and complained to me about it. I sent it off to the Mission President.

According to the Mission President then they are allowed to email during P day. They are not allowed to Face Book.

Many missionaries I talked to had family or friends change the missionaries face book password when they left so they couldn't go on.

As for where they do it from, it's not hard to get to the Library, some corner stores or cafe's, or having access to a phone that allows it. Also as sad as it is many members allow it as well, not to mention non members.

I had two missionaries who after they transferred out I found had spent a couple of hours at an "investigators" home playing video games under the guise of fellow shipping by showing an "interest" in the "investigators" interests. Roughly 8 weeks averaging around 8 hours a week or 64 hours of game play with not one visit by the "prospective" person to church nor even one lesson taught!

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I understand where your are coming from. There are missionaries who do abuse the system, and it makes me upset to hear about those situations. I have no Intent to waist the Lords time, I am on his errand.

Please Check out The Churches new Mission BLOG.

Official Mormon Mission World

There are only few who are given this assignment as a pilot program. Please join with us in the pursuit to spread the word of the Lord Jesus Christ. We wouldn't be anywhere without the members and that is why I am here posting this news.

Check out my blog or find me on facebook. Please give me any feedback on what I could do better or common tips. I need more followers, because the more followers we have the more noticable we become on search engines.

Thanks for all you do.

Moderator edit: It has been mentioned that it is against site rules to include links to blogs within the body of your posts. You can include the link in your signature if you wish.

Edited by Loudmouth_Mormon
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I understand where your are coming from. There are missionaries who do abuse the system, and it makes me upset to hear about those situations. I have no Intent to waist the Lords time, I am on his errand.

Please Check out The Churches new Mission BLOG.

Official Mormon Mission World

There are only few who are given this assignment as a pilot program. Please join with us in the pursuit to spread the word of the Lord Jesus Christ. We wouldn't be anywhere without the members and that is why I am here posting this news.

Check out my blog or find me on facebook. Please give me any feedback on what I could do better or common tips. I need more followers, because the more followers we have the more noticable we become on search engines.

Thanks for all you do.

To bring the world His truth

Elder, one thing I feel deserves mentioning: if you keep appending the link to your blog on every post you make on this forum, this isn't going to help your blog's search engine ranking. In fact it will most likely have the opposite effect. Search engine algorithms are complicated things, and if there are a whole tonne of links pointing to the the same webpage from the same website, google especially will detect it as spam and lower the ranking for your blog (it's similar to a "google bomb", which google don't take to very kindly.).

I do suggest that you add the link sparingly. Contribute to the discussions by all means, but only add the link to your blog every now and then.

Edited by Mahone
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So are we now going to have all 18 Elders from the Santa Rosa Mission coming on to promote their blogs? Because that's really all this is. This will become like spam from the Santa Rosa California Mission. Plus the fact that it is against the site rules to post a link to a blog or personal website in the bodies of post messages.

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My concern is that I enjoy this site because it focuses on LDS but welcomes non members to feel like they can come on this site and express themselves, grow in understanding of what the LDS gospel is really about, and explain their points of view. Also to get an understanding of how different church members think about various things.

If we have 18-21 Full Time Missionaries going on the same sites all the time giving official church doctrine as representatives of the church then I worry that.

1 The site has always made it clear that information posted is the opinions of people not official church policy. With "Official" representatives this is going to create mixed messages for people who have no idea what an Elder is. What is official information and what is personal interpretation and from who.

2 If it was 1 or 2 Full Time Missionaries assigned to a particular site would be one thing but with 18-21 of them how fast are non members going to feel like they are being set up by the site. Instead of being a place to safely express views and offer a non threatening look into the LDS Gospel it becomes a recruiting site for the church.

Don't get me wrong, I was a Ward Mission Leader, I honestly respect the efforts of the Full Time Missionaries but as I am seeing in my Ward at Present when members get talk after talk about Missionary work then member participation disappears. I would hate to see that happen on this site.

Perhaps someone should see if the Mission can more regulate which Missionaries go to what sites on the Internet, otherwise it will be like an entire Mission going to the same houses over and over again.

As I said I support Missionary service and have helped bring people to the gospel but it is easy to push people away instead of bringing them closer to the Gospel if you do it wrong.

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Guest Elder_Bevan

I understand how you feel, I would like to point out that as far as I know only two missionaries are currently on this website. Me and my companion, I don't think you are going to see swarms of them on here if that is a concern. I would like to point this out, Missionaries have a calling, and there is great power in that calling. This sacred power helps alot of time in the conversion process which is why when people get baptized they must go through the missionaries. But we also know that we missionaries are nothing with out the members. So what we try to do, whether it be on the streets, in homes or on the internet is get the missionaries side by side with the members so they are both working together. that is what we are trying to do here. I promise we will not be pushy, we will just answer questions, and invite all to come unto christ.

Moderator edit: It has been mentioned that it is against site rules to include links to blogs within the body of your posts. You can include the link in your signature if you wish.

Edited by Mahone
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