Category Archives: lds.org

Add your profile to Mormon.org

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I haven’t been this excited about something the church has done in a long time.  Don’t get me wrong.  I love the blessings of being involved in church activity each week, especially as I watch the young single adults grow and develop (I serve in the Bishopric of a YSA ward).  But for me, this is probably the single most exciting development I have seen come from Salt Lake City in many years.

I’m talking about the new Mormon.org, a complete redesign of the companion website to lds.org, the two main websites of the Mormon church.  Since I make a living with computers in IT support, I have been watching the church embrace and use technology for my entire adult life.  In the early nineties I wondered for a long time when the church would finally get a website.  When they did, it took me a while to not think that it was just a little bit behind the times even when it was new.  I felt the same way when Mormon.org first came out.  But with release 4.0 of the site, I confess that I am just blown away.  Why?  Because of the interactive element.

The church has embraced social media in a big way.  I confess that I am a little shocked at the amount of openness and trust that is exhibited in allowing members of the church to create their own profiles on the site.  It’s especially progressive that links to FaceBook, Twitter and blogs are not only allowed but encouraged.  The Brethren are putting a lot of faith in the members of the church to show the world who Mormons really are.  The profile and links are reviewed but they are left totally up to the members to maintain – warts and all.  It is an awesome way to share the gospel.

If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to add your profile to the new Mormon.org.  It’s a simple process and takes just a few minutes.  All you need is an account on LDS Account.  Most members of the church have already done that as they participate in the new Family Search or access their ward and stake websites.  I can’t think of a better way to share our beliefs with the world and help dispel all the misconceptions that are still out there, especially on the Internet.

If you are a regular reader of this blog, come be my friend on Facebook.  That’s where I do most of my online social interaction these days.  It’s just so much quicker to share my life with family and friends there.  I’m glad that I spent several years writing essays on Latter-day Commentary because I wanted a place to explain in depth how I feel about the church and the powerful doctrine.  But you may have noticed that my essays have become few and far between.  Social media is not just for the young.  I have reconnected on Facebook with 500 friends from school, work, church and life.

What an amazing thing that the church has done.  I think we’re going to hear a lot more about this.  Now go create your profile on the new Mormon.org.

Powerful new LDS Church website on Jesus Christ

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I have been meaning to comment on the new church website on the Savior. In a word, I am impressed. No, that word seems too common and almost worldly. From a web design point of view, I am impressed by the style, the content, the layout, the colors and the functionality. They are first class. But for me, the right word to describe the overall web site, including it’s purpose, is powerful.

The website makes a bold statement to the world. The church and the web design team have not been hesitant over the years in proclaiming the message of the restoration. The church website on Joseph Smith has long been a great wealth of information about the prophet who ushered in this dispensation. Recently, the web team added great websites on President Hinckley and President Monson that are virtual testaments to these great men.

This website on the Savior stands out to me in a class by itself. It is obvious that the designers worked long and hard to make the site simple yet powerful. It is not overwhelming on the surface and yet it is deep. The doctrines taught and the testimonies shared all serve to emphasize one purpose to the world: Mormons are Christians in every sense of the word. We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ (2 Ne 25:26).

One of the greatest things about it is the accompanying tie-in to the special March 2008 issue of the Ensign, which is also all about the Savior. You will find some of the same articles both on the website and in the Ensign. I loved reading President Hinckley’s testimony of the Savior. I know I have heard and read it before, but in this format, it will always to be his last testimony to me. With the Ensign was delivered a special memorial supplement on President Hinckley.

Update: A video overview of this special issue of the Ensign has now been placed online.

President Eyring’s article is a wonderful invitation to come unto Christ. Elder Nelson’s article focuses on faith in the Savior while teaching of our divine natures. President Packer’s article is chalk full of doctrine and teaches clearly just who the Savior really is. Elder Holland’s article focuses on the atonement and includes one of my favorite stories – Elder Orson F. Whitney’s dream of the Savior in the Garden of Gethsemane. Each article is a witness of Jesus Christ.

Taking advantage of multimedia and explaining why the church created this new website, you can even watch a video of Elder Nelson that proves that the church focus on using the Internet to share the gospel is intentional, determined, will continue and probably intensify. If you have not been to lds.org lately, I highly recommend you make a visit. There are links to other online videos with more apostolic testimonies, and the always great video, Finding Faith in Christ.

How can the world not get the message? Mormons are Christians! Make no mistake about it. Those who disagree have either not seriously investigated the claims for themselves or are intentionally denying facts just to argue against us. Well, we know that there must needs be opposition in all things. There are way too many anti-Mormon websites out there. I, for one, want my blog to clearly show that I am a Mormon who believes in and testifies of Jesus Christ.

What did you think of the new church website on Jesus Christ? Have you visited it?