Missionary work and social media.

[poptart]

Heard on a thread earlier that missionaries use social media a lot more for missionary work.  As someone who does not have an active Facebook/Twitter/Instagram presence tied to his name, how exactly does this work?  I mean, do they just friend/follow other friends of members?  Doesn't this leave out those who don't use it or are they not a target demographic?

[Amulek]

7 minutes ago, poptart said:

Heard on a thread earlier that missionaries use social media a lot more for missionary work.  As someone who does not have an active Facebook/Twitter/Instagram presence tied to his name, how exactly does this work?  I mean, do they just friend/follow other friends of members?  Doesn't this leave out those who don't use it or are they not a target demographic?

I wouldn't know. I'm still waiting for all of those platforms to turn into the next MySpace, so I can move on to being behind the times on something newer and cooler.

 

[Duncan]

They have a these groups called "Finding Christ in...." So say, "Finding Christ in New Haven, Conn." or "Finding Christ in Leicester" so they would invite members and nonmembers there to ask question's post quotations, photos etc. it acts like a hub for local information, inspiration. They make a TON of videos and they are posted also and members are sometimes invited to be interviewed or share something about the Church etc.  They have other ways of doing social media also but these groups to me anyways are the main aspect they focus on. So, hopefully something comes from it.

[poptart]

1 minute ago, Amulek said:

I wouldn't know. I'm still waiting for all of those platforms to turn into the next MySpace, so I can move on to being behind the times on something newer and cooler.

 

After Facebook let anyone with a pulse join likes of me went to discord, Reddit etc.   People do really dumb things on social media then freak out about privacy for them and their kids.  I'd say people shouldn't be idiots but then I wouldn't have that many people to laugh at.

[poptart]

1 hour ago, Duncan said:

They have a these groups called "Finding Christ in...." So say, "Finding Christ in New Haven, Conn." or "Finding Christ in Leicester" so they would invite members and nonmembers there to ask question's post quotations, photos etc. it acts like a hub for local information, inspiration. They make a TON of videos and they are posted also and members are sometimes invited to be interviewed or share something about the Church etc.  They have other ways of doing social media also but these groups to me anyways are the main aspect they focus on. So, hopefully something comes from it.

Kind of like how Bishop Barron did a few ama on Reddit?

Dawned on me I should expand on that a bit.  Bishop Barron did two ama on Reddit plus some really neat interviews with people like jordan Peterson.  While I was sceptical it really is amazing just how good of a job he's done at putting himself out there in the culture.   One reason why I asked here, anymore people really are online, both social media and elsewhere.  I have to wonder if LDS missionaries do the same. Post Richard Dawkins many of us have our own judgements and learnings about things, outside of our own worlds/spheres of influence the likes of me really don't bother with things outside us.  Makes sense LDS missionaries would stick with the interested but that is a bit of a departure from what their missionary habits were, at least what I've seen of it.  That and to be fair people are just plain awful anymore, way missionaries get treated makes me sick.  While most middle class kids are doing things like partying and spreading covid your kids are out there spending their time and money doing something they believe in and will benefit them down  the road.

Edited June 2, 2021 by poptart

[Duncan]

2 hours ago, poptart said:

Kind of like how Bishop Barron did a few ama on Reddit?

Dawned on me I should expand on that a bit.  Bishop Barron did two ama on Reddit plus some really neat interviews with people like jordan Peterson.  While I was sceptical it really is amazing just how good of a job he's done at putting himself out there in the culture.   One reason why I asked here, anymore people really are online, both social media and elsewhere.  I have to wonder if LDS missionaries do the same. Post Richard Dawkins many of us have our own judgements and learnings about things, outside of our own worlds/spheres of influence the likes of me really don't bother with things outside us.  Makes sense LDS missionaries would stick with the interested but that is a bit of a departure from what their missionary habits were, at least what I've seen of it.  That and to be fair people are just plain awful anymore, way missionaries get treated makes me sick.  While most middle class kids are doing things like partying and spreading covid your kids are out there spending their time and money doing something they believe in and will benefit them down  the road.

kind of, I haven't seen anyways, missionaries doing reddit though and you would be hard pressed to find a missionary who knows who Ross Baron or Jordan Peterson even are. It's just a for local stuff and people.

[poptart]

17 minutes ago, Duncan said:

kind of, I haven't seen anyways, missionaries doing reddit though and you would be hard pressed to find a missionary who knows who Ross Baron or Jordan Peterson even are. It's just a for local stuff and people.

Bishop Barron is a mental giant, he's a bishop after all.  I respect what he's doing, it's very much what the apostles and saints did, meeting people in their spaces.  From what I've seen of the LDS missionary program with things like every member a missionary they do have their own approach.  Thing is, with what orgs like the Catholic Church is doing, they're not only making fans they're getting "street credit".  While other Christian orgs are now being seen by a lot of people as a bunch of entitled, racist Wasps there's a ton of Catholic orgs out there trying to fight that misconception.  One popular one of Mormons is preppy white people.  I know it isn't true, a lot of LDS are Polynesian, Asian etc.  Thing is, in this country because of politics and entitlement, well, here we are.  One big reason why I hold off whenever I think about how some people want to vote for politicans that are all for bringing religion in this country to heel, Catholic Charities.  LDS charities too for that matter. 

The Return of Paganism - YouTube

Look at the comments, Bishop Barron builds bridges.  Something I notice with guys like this, it's the "Christian faithful" who at times give him the hardest times.  Reminds me of how Jesus was hated by his own kind and treated better by the Romans.

Edited June 2, 2021 by poptart

[Teancum]

2 hours ago, poptart said:

Heard on a thread earlier that missionaries use social media a lot more for missionary work.  As someone who does not have an active Facebook/Twitter/Instagram presence tied to his name, how exactly does this work?  I mean, do they just friend/follow other friends of members?  Doesn't this leave out those who don't use it or are they not a target demographic?

I get invites from the local full time missionaries to be Facebook Friends with them all the time.

[poptart]

2 minutes ago, Teancum said:

I get invites from the local full time missionaries to be Facebook Friends with them all the time.

Are you LDS/inactive?  I have no active social media tied to my name, I keep to myself IRL.  If you have a facebook with LDS family and friends big surprise.  

[Teancum]

2 minutes ago, poptart said:

Are you LDS/inactive?  I have no active social media tied to my name, I keep to myself IRL.  If you have a facebook with LDS family and friends big surprise.  

Yes.  LDS.  Not active.  Lots of LDS friends. Next invite I get I am going to message the Elder and invite him and his companions to a nice breakfast at a local diner.

[poptart]

7 minutes ago, Teancum said:

Yes.  LDS.  Not active.  Lots of LDS friends. Next invite I get I am going to message the Elder and invite him and his companions to a nice breakfast at a local diner.

Well, there you go.  Unlike other communities from what i've seen the LDS do reach out.  I'd be grateful for it, sure they'd likely want you to become active again but if you were ever in a bind they'd be there for you.  You are very, very lucky.  Wish I had that.

[LoudmouthMormon]

17 hours ago, poptart said:

Heard on a thread earlier that missionaries use social media a lot more for missionary work.  As someone who does not have an active Facebook/Twitter/Instagram presence tied to his name, how exactly does this work?  I mean, do they just friend/follow other friends of members? 

Missionaries in my area have numerous facebook pages and do different things. 

- I've accepted friend requests from half a dozen missionaries in the last year, most of them never post on facebook and I never hear from them again.

- The groups are named something like "The Church of Jesus Christ in X county", and they post periodic videos where the missionaries interview members, or proselytize, or members talk about blessings of the church.  Stuff like that.  Here: https://www.facebook.com/ChurchofJesusChristinEasternColorado  It's ok to click the link even if you don't "do social media".

- We had to lock up and hide my ward's broadcast equipment because the goofy missionaries kept grabbing it without permission or training, and broke stuff.   Bored kids are bored kids, whether they're on the Lord's errand or not.

 

Quote

Doesn't this leave out those who don't use it or are they not a target demographic?

I've never understood such notions.  Every time a missionary knocks on a door, the entire population of the human race, all umpteen billion of us, are "left out" of that conversation.  COVID has restricted what missionaries are able to do face to face, but as those restrictions go away, the missionaries are going back to being out in the communities.  And it's not like they haven't been doing what they can with all the tools open to them.

[Islander]

On 6/2/2021 at 2:41 PM, poptart said:

Heard on a thread earlier that missionaries use social media a lot more for missionary work.  As someone who does not have an active Facebook/Twitter/Instagram presence tied to his name, how exactly does this work?  I mean, do they just friend/follow other friends of members?  Doesn't this leave out those who don't use it or are they not a target demographic?

Social media is just that....social media. It doesn't translate into anything other that "likes". I work with the Elders on a daily basis and no significant activity has ever come from a social media "contact" other than a random questions, in the last 2 years. The environmental clutter and the extent of available contradictory "sources" renders the effort rather unproductive. They tend to post about their daily activities and spiritual journey. They receive encouragement and support from their "friends" but that is about it. Most established social media platforms are in decline and the new entrants are interested in the bizarre and shock value. The last convert baptism in my current ward was 3 years ago and it was not related to any social media contact.

Edited June 8, 2021 by Islander

[Hamba Tuhan]

As I've mentioned on other threads, our mission reached a new record for convert baptisms back in October, and the number of converts has remained in that range in the months since. A large part of this has been people first contacted through social media, according to our zone leaders. The Facebook pages (which are all I know) are open to the public, so when members like a post, it places it into the news feeds of their friends. Members also share posts and even contribute to them. The most recent convert in our stake, for example, has already recorded a video that went up on our stake Facebook page, with the help of the full-time missionaries.

[Esrom]

There's a lot of good musical offerings by missionaries on social media.  Some are average, but a few are amazing imo.  Music is powerful so I think it's a great development.