Ideas on how to share the Gospel online - Best idea gets "Standing for Something"

[Heather]

We wanted to run a friendly little competition for the best idea on "How to Share the Gospel Online." The person with the most "Thanks" (honor code system please) will receive a copy of "Standing for Something" by Gordon B Hinckley.


Rules:
Only one idea per post
You can submit multiple ideas
You can "Thank" as many ideas as you like, but you can not make another account to "Thank" with
Competition will go until Saturday September 6th at 1pm MST.

[Kirajo]

This isn't a very "original" idea, but I've become big into blogging on blogspot.com. All my friends and family read it and when I meet someone knew it's easy to just say " Hey, check out my blog." Mine isn't especially made for gospel thoughts or ideas but it shows a peak into my LDS lifestyle. I've met a few others on this site that have blogs and one has one where she does only write spiritual and gospel oriented ideas, thoughts and activities.

I think it's effective because when people hear about our religion, it's easy for them to focus on rumors, wierd stories, goofy teachings, ect., rather than seeing the kind of people and their way of life that keeps them genuenly happy. Blogs can promote family centered lives and you can add links onto your page that will take viewers to places such as lds.net, lds.org, ect., and I've found that people actually DO use the links you put on your page whether it be from boredom or curiosity.

So there's my idea!
PS-Blogs don't have to be intrucive in any way you are not required to give any information you don't want out in the open.

[ldsmissionary]

Originally Posted by Kirajo

This isn't a very "original" idea, but I've become big into blogging on blogspot.com. All my friends and family read it and when I meet someone knew it's easy to just say " Hey, check out my blog." Mine isn't especially made for gospel thoughts or ideas but it shows a peak into my LDS lifestyle. I've met a few others on this site that have blogs and one has one where she does only write spiritual and gospel oriented ideas, thoughts and activities.

I think it's effective because when people hear about our religion, it's easy for them to focus on rumors, wierd stories, goofy teachings, ect., rather than seeing the kind of people and their way of life that keeps them genuenly happy. Blogs can promote family centered lives and you can add links onto your page that will take viewers to places such as lds.net, lds.org, ect., and I've found that people actually DO use the links you put on your page whether it be from boredom or curiosity.

So there's my idea!
PS-Blogs don't have to be intrucive in any way you are not required to give any information you don't want out in the open.

Some good stuff here. Blogs are powerful, that's for certain.

I already have the book 'Standing for Something', so I probably won't qualify, but I think it's important that you emphasize the 'SHARE'.

Share your happiness. Demonstrate the potential for good that you see in people. Focus less on the technicalities of Mormonism (e.g. trying to explain every gosh darn thing) and place your focus on moving forward and building relationships.

Build and share bridges. Find the commonality that exists between everyone and their desires to do good. Share your bridges. After you've built a few, get them out there. Let people know that Mormons really are approachable folks. Each bridge is an opportunity to connect with someone else to do good.

Share true honesty. Critics of the LDS faith love to catch Mormons in a quick snare. Be honest with the facts, and demonstrate that doing good transcends the speedbumps. Remember those bridges? Point the nay sayers to your bridges and let them know you're ready to contribute something positive to the world - with them - whenever they're ready. It's not always about which church you go to and how many facts you know.

Share your best self. Be eager to welcome new friends and new ideas to your stash of talents. Sometimes more is better, and the more resources you have to make something good happen, the better the chances are that something good WILL happen.

Advertise all of you, not just the LDS church. Some people are incredibly comfortable where they are, and they don't like being pushed into a free seminar on why they should change. Instead, let those folks advertise FOR YOU, by telling all of their friends what an incredibly powerful tool for good that you are, without all of the pushiness. People love hanging around positive folks who don't have an agenda to change them.

On your social networking sites, keep some really fantastic quotes - positive quotes - neutral quotes - quotes that let people know that you're all about doing good and coordinating things to produce even more good. Those folks who advertise for you will love pointing people in your direction when it comes time to bring more good together.

DO SOMETHING for crying out loud. Don't just be a good person waiting for someone else to put together a project, find something that you're passionate about, and that you're really fired up to tackle, and TACKLE IT! The 'INTERWEB' is an incredibly powerful tool to make things happen. Sure, grab your friends who are LDS to help you, but branch out to other folks online. Let them know you're passionate about XYZ (world hunger, pajamas for orphans, microloans for impoverished entrepreneurs) and that you want to make something happen. People love to help other people who have a great cause.

Be a great cause for good. Really do it. Invite new ideas and new people into your online circle and support the folks who have great causes. Put yourself out there to help make those causes even more effective. Your help online might just be what somebody else's 'great cause' needs to be GREAT.

Are you tech savvy? Volunteer online to help organizations who are trying to do a lot of good. There are all kinds of wonderful causes available online that need contributions from tech savvy folks. Put yourself out there. Be incredibly generous with your online talents and time. And point those good folks to yourself. To your blog. To your causes. Your contributions equal free advertising for yourself. And certainly folks who want to know more about what makes you motivated.

Share your motivations online. Let people know what inspires you. What gets you ticking. What fuels your fire for good. Be subtle about the religious aspects but be powerful about the passionate parts of your flame. Your family. Your desire to do good.

And, well, I'm a realist. But I have a powerful background in e-commerce and marketing strategies. I know that 'sharing the gospel' means you want to get folks interested in Mormonism. I can only advocate that you stay completely honest and genuine with folks' concerns. I've learned that if you behave in such a way that makes people want to be more like you (e.g. Christ? That was his marketing strategy to his followers) then ultimately those behaviors - what you're DOING - will motivate questions about why you're doing them. Market your behavior first, and the religion questions will come on their own.

Kinda strange coming from an ex-Mormon, right? But we're all capable of putting together an incredible amount of good. Sharing the gospel online should be no exception.

[ldsmissionary]

People search the internet because they're looking for information.

It's likely that you know something that someone else wants to know. They want to learn. Use that as an opportunity.

Create a website that provides your expert information on something that you already do for a living, perhaps you're an expert hobbiest, or maybe it's time to start that website to help your favorite causes and charities. It's likely that you're an expert at something. Even making cookies. I love cookies.

Your website, filled with information-rich material, will point folks in your direction via the search engines.

And it's a lot easier than you might think. And can even be free. Maybe you can hook up with a tech savvy individual to build a site for you. Google's blogger is free and easy.

Your contribution to the internet will open up opportunities for people to find you, and at the same time, allow you that fulfillment of sharing what you already know, helping out a fellow hobbiest, or introducing your expert information to a curious audience.

Perhaps I'm searching the magic 'googly monster' for information on spackling my walls to fill in those pesky picture holes. Suddenly, I'm directed to a site dedicated to spackling and suddenly, my spackling dreams come true. I find great information and pictures on how to do what I want to do, and then, wouldn't you know it, I find links to great charities, a link that tells me about the webmaster and his motivations, and shucks, I might even find a link or two that point me in the direction of Mormonism.

Subtle and rewarding.

[ldsmissionary]

Here's another powerful 'interweb' idea.

Think of catchy, positive, and fun site names. Remember that you can branch out from the 'dot com' protocol into 'dot info', 'dot net', 'dot org', etc.

For example, I just checked "www.beyourbestself.net" and it's open for the taking. And guess what that site might be about? Bettering yourself? Building self-esteem? Helping great causes?

And think of the subtle direction you could implement to help introduce people to Mormonism.

Here's another open for the taking. "www.iLove2help.org"

Imagine the possibilities with that site.

[Connie]

I'm kinda new to this whole sharing the gospel online thing. I get feeling discouraged about it sometimes and for various reasons:
1. It's hard to know if anyone is reading any of your testimonies or blogs or what kind of people they are, if your just "preaching to the choir" or if your really helping anyone.
2. It can be discouraging when the truths you attempt to convey are dismissed or spurned by others, fellow Latter-Day Saints or otherwise, who happen to have that particular "pet sin" (we all have at least one) or who are just here for the "social network."
3. There's still a lot of truth that I don't understand and it can be hard to convey meaning without someone misunderstanding.

So my idea comes from Doctrine and Covenants 18:15: "And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!"

We should persevere and hope and pray that our testimonies or blogs or whatever are "striking a chord" or "planting a seed of truth" with someone (and not just ticking off people with "pet sins" or who are here for the "social club"). And realize that even if we are able to help just one person, it will be worth it.

[a-train]

Log on to www.ldstalk.com.

-a-train

[pam]

Originally Posted by a-train

Log on to www.ldstalk.com.

-a-train

Or what we now give out LDS Mormon Network

Both will take you to the same place..but now the latter is what we give out.

[Heather]

Thanks to everyone who participated. I'll keep this thread open for others to share their ideas too.

[alkymisten]

I would like to get around to putting some talks on Youtube. I have 3 wedding talks, a funeral talk, a mothers day talk and a Christmas sermon (all in Danish) that I have used at church here in Odense Denmark. I could then put in the links to the talks in relegious discussion forums here in Denmark.