Elder M. Russell Ballard said, "Yours is the world of cyberspace, cell phones that capture video, video downloads and iTunes, social networks like Facebook, text messaging and blogs, hand-helds and podcasts.... How will you use these marvelous inventions? More to the point, how will you use them to further the work of the Lord?"
The Internet is filled with opportunities for you to be an online member missionary:
1. Participate in a forum like LDS.net —
LDS.net is a forum and social network where you can connect with both Mormons and non-Mormons to share your beliefs and testimony using photos, videos, blogs, forums, and chat. If you know a foreign language, you can participate in that language as well.
2. Be yourself on social networks like Facebook — If you use Facebook, you can share your testimony or favorite scripture on your Profile.You can also create Facebook events for ward activities or General Conference. Join Church-related groups. Change your status to reflect that you're preparing a lesson or going to a fireside. Post pictures of your mission or wedding. Be more transparent about your life and beliefs.
3. Post a video on a video sharing website like YouTube — "Broadcast Yourself." Join the ranks of Mormons who have shared their
testimonies and stories by video on YouTube, Google Video, and other video sharing sites. Mission stories, conversion stories, and your testimony of specific principles can be especially effective. Perhaps you could videotape your parents or grandparents and capture their stories too.
4. Support Mormon videos on YouTube — In addition to posting your own videos on YouTube, it's also helpful to rate and comment on other good YouTube videos.
5. Post mission and wedding photos on photo-sharing sites like Flickr —
Flickr is a photo sharing website. Why not share photos from your mission, your baptism, your wedding, or your family home evening at the park?
6. Answer a Question at Yahoo! Answers — At
Yahoo! Answers you'll find a variety of questions and answers. Search for questions about "Mormons" and answer a few of them.
7. Blog what you've learned and how you know —
Learn what a blog is, then start one. You can write what you learn in Church each week or in your daily scripture study, or explain how living the Gospel has blessed your life.
8. Comment on other blogs — Well-known blogs like
Mike Otterson's and
Jeff Lindsay's are great places to share your beliefs because persons of many faiths participate there. Click on "Comments," then participate in the discussion.
9. Comment on newspaper articles — Most newspapers' websites allow readers to make comments below each article. Find a newspaper article about the Church and then leave a comment. If the journalist reported accurately, say so. If other comments are misleading or inaccurate, say so. You can find lots of articles about the Church by searching
Google News.
10. Edit Wikipedia.org or MormonWiki.com —
Wikipedia is an online collaborative encyclopedia that rivals Britannica.
MormonWiki.com is its Mormon cousin. After signing up for a free account, you can edit or create articles immediately. If you speak a foreign language, even better! Both MormonWiki.com and Wikipedia are "editable" in a variety of languages.
11. Link to good websites — If you have a website or blog, create a link to your favorite talk at LDS.org as well as 3 other good websites.
12. Write in a foreign language — If you speak a language other than English, you can do the above things in your other language as well.
13. Be transparent — One member noted that by using the word "mormon" in her username, people in forums and chat rooms were more likely to ask her questions.
14. Write a book review for The Book of Mormon — Amazon.com and other booksellers allow you to rate and write reviews for any book. Why not rate and write about the
The Book of Mormon?
