Elder Mangelson
From Elk Grove, California
Through being able to use Facebook and blogs, I've been able to do a few things.
1) Teach people in my past areas,
2) Find new investigators in my current area,
3) Have daily contact with my investigators.
I've been able to find that as we truly apply the principles of teaching and finding online success has come.
Elder Richey
From Camdenton, Missouri
My dad's girlfriend made a comment on her wall about how she wanted to quit smoking and I mentioned the stop-smoking workshop that the church offers. She replied simply, "Thanks." About a week later I asked her if she would like to learn about it and she replied that she had approached some missionaries that visit her condominum. She is now taking the stop-smoking workshop.
Since February I have been talking with a girl I went to grade school with, off and on. She and I were good friends growing up. Just recently she has asked me about what I do as a missionary. I took the opportunity to teach about the Book of Mormon and about the temple. I bore testimony of how our families could be together forever. She asked if she could hear more. I asked if she would like to take the lessons from missionaries where she is living and now she is meeting with the missionaries.
Since February I have been talking with a girl I went to grade school with, off and on. She and I were good friends growing up. Just recently she has asked me about what I do as a missionary. I took the opportunity to teach about the Book of Mormon and about the temple. I bore testimony of how our families could be together forever. She asked if she could hear more. I asked if she would like to take the lessons from missionaries where she is living and now she is meeting with the missionaries.
Sister Davidson
From LaPalma, California
When I first found out that online proselyting was part of my mission.. let's just say I was more than a bit skeptical. I thought "How is this really going to help missionary work?" I just didn't see how it would be effective.
Well now I have a change of heart.
Labor day my companion and I were out to get groceries in Red Lodge when we saw a bunch of booths, art/festivities. We wondered, what's going on here? But then we realized, it's Labor day. (We missionaries sometimes forget holiday's exist.)
Our curiosity lead to browsing around, which we found to be quite a good contacting experience! We talked to so many people about who we were and what we do, and people were generally accepting/interested. We ended up giving a few people our number on Mormon.org cards and inviting them to learn. But the best part of this day was a man named Adolfo. Adolfo is from Peru and speaks broken English. We got to know him a bit and he said he would love to come to our church on Sunday, but he was leaving in a few weeks to go home to Peru since his green card was out. I said "Oh, cool where do you live in Peru? He replied "Lima".
Well now I have a change of heart.
Labor day my companion and I were out to get groceries in Red Lodge when we saw a bunch of booths, art/festivities. We wondered, what's going on here? But then we realized, it's Labor day. (We missionaries sometimes forget holiday's exist.)
Our curiosity lead to browsing around, which we found to be quite a good contacting experience! We talked to so many people about who we were and what we do, and people were generally accepting/interested. We ended up giving a few people our number on Mormon.org cards and inviting them to learn. But the best part of this day was a man named Adolfo. Adolfo is from Peru and speaks broken English. We got to know him a bit and he said he would love to come to our church on Sunday, but he was leaving in a few weeks to go home to Peru since his green card was out. I said "Oh, cool where do you live in Peru? He replied "Lima".
Then it clicked in my head. My friend Gabe is leaving to Lima, Peru on her mission next month! So I told him about her and gave him my Facebook page. Later, I told Gabe on Facebook and now they are friends and will be able to connect with each other when they both make it back to Peru!
This all became possible because of the amazing ability the Internet has to connect people. Who knows if Jefferson will ever accept the gospel or not? But he will definitely be given the opportunity, even when he goes home to Peru.
Elder Mower
From Orem,UT
In one of my past areas we had a family that we worked with. The Grandfather was active and the grandma was not, and their granddaughter lived with them. One of the first weeks I was there we went over and challenged her to take the lessons, she agreed to it. When we went through lesson one we asked here some questions and here grandma would jump in and say that she did not like to ask or be asked direct questions because she felt very intimidated. When the lesson was coming to an end we committed her to be baptized, and she agreed. But when she said she would the grandfather got really excited and the grandmother got very protective. And from that night on we were never able to teach the granddaughter directly. I was later moved to a place that had the opportunity for me to get online a lot more. One of the first people I started talking to was this girl. As I talked to her I asked her if she had any questions that she was unable to ask missionaries in the pasted. That is when she started to open up and talk to me. She asked why every one pushed the topic of baptism so much? I was able to teach and explain. She said I do want to be with my family and friends forever. I then challenged her to meet with the Elders in the area now, and she said she would and that she was excited. This was the first thing I ever really experienced though the online teaching and it was truly a testimony builder.
Elder Hineman
From Lehi,AZ
One of our most progressing investigators is a single parent of three young kids. He had been a call-in referral from the office the first week Elder Adams and I had been together. He had met with missionaries before in Wyoming but had lost contact when he moved to Billings. Ever since then, he says his life has gone to pot. We made great progress with him right off and he hasn't missed a week of church. Our last meeting with him we were helping him commit to be baptized. The first day with Elder Butler here, I got this message from him on Facebook:.
How you doing Elder Hineman? I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. I did not say a prayer when I went to bed so I asked the Heavenly Father what I should do. I'm not sure why but I went in my kitchen and got a drink and looked for my Book of Mormon to do some reading. It must be in my truch. So I grabbed the pamphlet you and Elder Adams gave me on the gospel of Jesus Christ and read it. I read it all the way to the end and I believe I am ready to endure to the end. I was reading the back and there is a place where it says prepare to be baptized on and then it's blank. So I thought I would fill that in. The date I put was 7/ 21/ 2011. Is that date possible? On page 14 of the pamphlet it says that after I become a member of the church I can and will continue to grow and learn what I need to know to live a better life following Heavenly Fathers path to eternal life. I'm sure I will make mistakes but as long as I strive to not do them anymore and repent and keep learning I believe I will be ok.
Currently we are helping this man overcome a smoking addiction but he will have a baptismal date set soon! Then he will be able to become a faithful member of the church! Facebook is a great tool to allow us to keep in better contact with our investigators. This is a great example of that.
Sister Teerlink
Email from her parents: I wanted to share with you the blessing that you are in someones life right now. She told me yesterday how much she loves talking to you on facebook. She has been struggling with the gospel lately so I know any extra influence she can receive will be a blessing to her and a strength to her testimony. I have always wondered about the missionaries and the use of these modern day forms of communication but I am seeing how rich a blessing it is and how much it touches others lives. Really, why should I question the church leaders and their great wisdom they know what they are doing. I think the thoughts and ideas that you share are reaching more people than you will ever know. Keep up the good work I know this is exactly what you are supposed to be doing and you are in the right place.
Elder Sims
Served from 2009-11
"We were able to contact a non-member in our area recently who we had tried to meet with and have productive and progressive visits with. It wasn't until she started communicating with us through Facebook that she really opened up and expressed her concerns and asked questions about what we were sharing."
Elder Lanham
From Orem,UT
Served from 2009-11
"In one of my last areas I was able to re-activate a struggling family in the ward. As the normal process of missionary work goes I was transferred out of that area and my contact with them was somewhat limited. Through Facebook I've been able to re-connect with that family and help them through a lot of their struggles. I know that it has been a great blessing in their lives to be in contact with missionaries in so many ways."
Elder Unga
From Mesa,AZ
Served from 2008-10
"In my old area there is a less-active youth who has considered the opportunity of serving a mission. I've now been able to contact him through Facebook and that has been extremely helpful in encouraging him to make the right choice and serve a mission. He's expressed many times that my opinion and counsel is the only one that he trusts. Because of the obvious distance between the two of us, our contact has been significantly limited; however, through this new program we've been able to re-establish that connection. I believe that Facebook has been extremely helpful in allowing us to find and talk to less-actives and investigators in our old areas."
