Church Members Share the Gospel Online

By Breanna Olaveson Church Magazines

Breanna Olaveson, “Church Members Share the Gospel Online,” Liahona, Dec. 2010, 74–76

Missionaries across the world have encountered a problem in recent years: after only a visit or two, an investigator who had shown real interest cuts off contact. Researchers have found that most of those investigators have one thing in common: they lose interest after finding negative, inaccurate information about the Church online.

Six years ago 80 percent of search engine results for the term "Mormon" in English were negative or inaccurate. Today the situation has improved. In some countries, Internet search results for "Mormon" are now up to 80 percent positive.

Why the significant change? In addition to official Church Web sites, unofficial Web sites sharing positive information about the Church are spreading across the Web. Individuals are using blogs to share their values, and gospel messages are making appearances on social networking sites.

In short, because of how members are using it, the Internet is also helping bring people to the full-time missionaries.

Many Church members have been inspired by the counsel of Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who said, "May I ask that you join the conversation by participating on the Internet to share the gospel and to explain in simple and clear terms the message of the Restoration."1

Here is a look at some of the ways members of the Church are using the Internet to spread the gospel in simple, yet meaningful ways.