Intro:
Welcome everyone to the Provo 13th Stake online missionary thinking tank!
Welcome everyone to the Provo 13th Stake online missionary thinking tank!
Though many of us have some experience with communicating online with family, friends, and others around the world, we are all still pioneering the best practices to teach the gospel online. To successfully develop the best practices, it is best for us to keep a living record (Doctrine and Covenants 128:9).
To be clear, this 'thinking tank' is a means to share successful approaches and practices to share the gospel. This may include best approaches to blogging, messaging others on Facebook, finding investigators, working with online missionaries, sharing information concerning doctrine, and so on. What we must be careful of is that this blog does not become a 'rebuttal' guide to fight with others about their beliefs. We also must be careful that ultimately we rely on the promptings of the spirit when teaching the gospel online. (Doctrine and Covenants 18:20)
Using this Blog:
All things are to be done with wisdom and order. (Mosiah 4:27) We want to make sure that this blog is maintained, in a way, which it is easy to access and share information. When writing a post, be sure to use labels (which can be found on the right side of the screen when editing your blog script). Post titles and labels should be concise, yet descriptive. We encourage you to do your best, to have well thought out and organized posts. To maintain a clean and unified feeling, use the generic font and if you need to break down your post, break it down using organized subheadings (similar to what I have done in this post). Use this blog only for the intent to share a thought or ask a question concerning online missionary work. The comment section should not be used as a means to carry out a conversation, but should be specifically geared to addressing that particular blog post.
Three Things to Note:
There are three areas we would encourage you personally develop in your personal life to become extraordinary online missionaries.
1. Become Converted Doctrinal Scholars
The internet is a great instrument God has given us. Unfortunately many others have used their agency to put things online which are harmful to our spirits. Such websites not only include pornography and violence (to name a few), but also includes anti-lds literature. Just as we would be prepared to turn off a computer screen when pornography shows up, we too must be prepared to handle anti-lds material when it does show up. Though Shae and I will do as much as we can to answer any questions that arise, the best way to have a firm understanding of the gospel is to study the doctrine of the church. Doctrine is approved by the 1st Presidency and Quorum of the 12 Apostles. In short this would include—the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, the Official Declarations, Preach My Gospel, and The Family: A Proclamation to the World. Scripture should be studied on a daily basis with prayer. When teaching others we should refer them to these sources. Lds.org, Mormon.org, Mormonnewsroom.org, Mormonsandgays.org, Mormonchannel.org, and all other sites stemmed off of those are up for grabs to effectively teach gospel principles. To deal with anti-lds material, here is a great audio file that the church has produced which gives a lot of helpful insight—Michael Otterson - PublicAffairs
2. Teach with the Power of the Personal
Teaching the power of the personal should imply two things—that you are willing to open up and share personal experiences and be mindful of who you are speaking to. For example, often church produced material is place on a Facebook or Blog without any given context as to why you are sharing it. Though you are bound to receive a few likes, you are more likely to impact others if you share a story with others on how that church made material impacted you. If you then can convey that message in a way that it will relate to others and make them think, you will have succeeded as an online missionary. (See 'Reaching Many “Ones” in England' by Elder Bednar)
3. Live Worthy of the Spirit
Only those who strive daily to keep God's commandments will be able to lead others to Him. You cannot help someone walk a path that you are not currently on. If you are not on the path you should be, resolve such issues as quickly as possible and continue on your way. If you are not sure of the approach you should take in repenting, going to speak with your bishop is always a good means to resolve any issues.
We are happy and excited to be working along with you.
-Trevor and Shae
Using this Blog:
All things are to be done with wisdom and order. (Mosiah 4:27) We want to make sure that this blog is maintained, in a way, which it is easy to access and share information. When writing a post, be sure to use labels (which can be found on the right side of the screen when editing your blog script). Post titles and labels should be concise, yet descriptive. We encourage you to do your best, to have well thought out and organized posts. To maintain a clean and unified feeling, use the generic font and if you need to break down your post, break it down using organized subheadings (similar to what I have done in this post). Use this blog only for the intent to share a thought or ask a question concerning online missionary work. The comment section should not be used as a means to carry out a conversation, but should be specifically geared to addressing that particular blog post.
Three Things to Note:
There are three areas we would encourage you personally develop in your personal life to become extraordinary online missionaries.
1. Become Converted Doctrinal Scholars
The internet is a great instrument God has given us. Unfortunately many others have used their agency to put things online which are harmful to our spirits. Such websites not only include pornography and violence (to name a few), but also includes anti-lds literature. Just as we would be prepared to turn off a computer screen when pornography shows up, we too must be prepared to handle anti-lds material when it does show up. Though Shae and I will do as much as we can to answer any questions that arise, the best way to have a firm understanding of the gospel is to study the doctrine of the church. Doctrine is approved by the 1st Presidency and Quorum of the 12 Apostles. In short this would include—the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, the Official Declarations, Preach My Gospel, and The Family: A Proclamation to the World. Scripture should be studied on a daily basis with prayer. When teaching others we should refer them to these sources. Lds.org, Mormon.org, Mormonnewsroom.org, Mormonsandgays.org, Mormonchannel.org, and all other sites stemmed off of those are up for grabs to effectively teach gospel principles. To deal with anti-lds material, here is a great audio file that the church has produced which gives a lot of helpful insight—Michael Otterson - PublicAffairs
2. Teach with the Power of the Personal
Teaching the power of the personal should imply two things—that you are willing to open up and share personal experiences and be mindful of who you are speaking to. For example, often church produced material is place on a Facebook or Blog without any given context as to why you are sharing it. Though you are bound to receive a few likes, you are more likely to impact others if you share a story with others on how that church made material impacted you. If you then can convey that message in a way that it will relate to others and make them think, you will have succeeded as an online missionary. (See 'Reaching Many “Ones” in England' by Elder Bednar)
3. Live Worthy of the Spirit
Only those who strive daily to keep God's commandments will be able to lead others to Him. You cannot help someone walk a path that you are not currently on. If you are not on the path you should be, resolve such issues as quickly as possible and continue on your way. If you are not sure of the approach you should take in repenting, going to speak with your bishop is always a good means to resolve any issues.
We are happy and excited to be working along with you.
-Trevor and Shae
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