Here is a 3-minute video demonstrating Woopra on MormonWiki.com:

This strikes me as the online equivalent of the store clerk who asks, “Can I help you find anything?” You usually answer, “No, I’m just looking around.”

Elder Cook has touted privacy as one of the great benefits of learning about the gospel online:

“There are a lot of people today who would like to know more about our faith but they are concerned about having their privacy invaded. They want to look at things in their own time and in their own way. They do not want to feel like they have any pressure…. We feel that the Internet and the privacy that it affords people is a wonderful way to do that….” (Internet to find, Missionaries to Teach)

I suspect that most people will prefer not to be interrupted while searching for information about the Church. However, I wonder if a small handful of people would appreciate being offered some help?

As part of their ongoing research to assist the foundation in facilitating online conversations about Mormons–our faith and our lives–these students shared information about ways other students can use the New Media to engage in the conversation on the Internet.

We appreciate their efforts to help us and help others participate in increasing the dialog about who we are on the Web.

To join the conversation, or for more information, please contact us at email@moregoodfoundation.org or visit our websites (Click on tab, “Our Sites”).

Ashley & Brett at More Good Foundation Booth at BYU

Ashley Chats with BYU Student at More Good Foundation Booth (It's Halloween!)

Kate and Karen at More Good Foundation Booth at BYU

As stated on the site, the site developers hope specifically to:

Share

We want to share with you some of the technologies that we currently employ at the Church and provide you the opportunity to comment and contribute to technical issues, challenges, and problems we encounter.  We want to give you visibility into how we approach and accomplish this important technical work for the Church.  We want to share with you the fulfilling experience of working for the Church as well as showing you different career paths that are available.

Engage

We want to engage you as a technology community in meaningful and helpful dialog around the various technology products that we develop.  We recognize that there is a lot of specialized technical talent within the membership of the Church that can provide needed and valuable input on the various technical challenges that we face.

Enlist

We want to enlist your help in testing the various products and services that we produce.  Your feedback will be critical to the effective deployment of these products, and your support and productive use of them will be our measure of success.

Encourage

We want to encourage you to participate in the discussions around the different solutions, products, and technical documents that we provide.  We want you to share your expertise and ideas about the different technology challenges that we face.  The broad depth of your experience, and the innovation of your ideas will  help us to create better products benefiting the membership of the Church.

Projects already posted on tech.lds.org include maps.lds.org which leverages several different data management technologies; the Internet Mission Office System; and scaling Nagios to span multiple Church servers.

Pass this on to those you know who would like to be involved in the site or in testing products and offering feedback to those involved.

Due to the efforts of the Church and many Church members, people looking for information about Mormonism can now expect to find a wide variety of stories, testimonies, and experiences from Mormons living their faith.

And there’s still more to do.

My husband & I wish to express our heartfelt & deepest appreciation for the help of the Mormon volunteers who helped get our driveway cleared of debris caused by Hurricane IKE.  They did a fantastic job!  They were Heaven Sent!  We live at [  ],  Bacliff, TX.  I did not get to thank them personally but I do hope you can let them know how appreciative we are of their help!

My husband had just gotten out of the hospital & we needed help desperately!  Please pray for all the people in our community & all those affected by Hurricane IKE!  FEMA is doing nothing for us except providing ratty hotel rooms & many people have lost their homes and have no furniture, appliances, etc.!  You just do not know the desperate situation unless you are personally affected!  This place looks like a few bombs were dropped on it!

Please express our sincere appreciation for your volunteers help!  May GOD bless you all!

Gloria

What a great tribute to those Helping Hands and the Savior’s plan to help the poor and the needy worldwide.

We’ve responded to Gloria’s note, including a copy of the World Report in our response, and an offer to connect her with Stake leaders in her area who can assess her further needs and reconnect her with the missionaries or members who assisted her.

Carlos, a visitor to Mormonismo.net, has been led to the waters of baptism in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes referred to as the “Mormon” Church).  He shares his witness of the truth below:

Quisiera agradecer a la iglesia por permitirme conocer la verdad por medio delos misioneros sud, ya que antes de ceptar a Jesucristo en mi vida y mejorar como individuo y progresaren mi vida espiritual, yo era musulman y tenia un sincero anhelo de conocerla verdad y a pesar de todo no sabia como pensaba de Muhammad ( salalahu alehi wa salam ) ahora se que criterio tiene la iglesia sud de muhammad (saws), agradezco mucho a mi padre Celestial por permitirme conocer la verdad restaurada del evangelio y la plenitud de la verdad por medio de nuestro amadisimo profeta Joseph Smith ya que en una oportunidad el se comparo al profeta ismaelita, sse con todo mi corazon que este evangelio es verdadero y no tengo la menor duda de ello y lo dejo en el sagrado nombre de Jesucristo nuestro salvador AMEN”

Translation: I would like to thank the Church for allowing me to know the truth through the LDS missionaries, because before I accepted Jesus Christ in my life and become a better individual and progress spiritually I was a Muslim and had a sincere desire to know the truth.  Above all I didn’t know what to think about Muhammad. . . . Now I know what criteria the LDS Church has with respect to Muhammad, I thank my Heavenly Father very much for allowing me to know the restored truth and gospel and the fullness of the truth through our beloved prophet Joseph Smith given that in one opportunity he was compared to the Ishmaelite prophet.  I know with all my heart that this gospel is true and I don’t have the slightest doubt, and I leave this in the sacred name of Jesus Christ our Savior, amen.

As an individual investigating the church over the past few months, I can only encourage Mormons to speak confidently and openly about their faith. Of course, one shouldn’t be too pushy or self-righteous when doing this because that can make others uncomfortable. I, personally, am grateful for the many postings on the various websites and weblogs because they are so personal. It speaks much for your church that it and its members are willing to make available to the general public so much information. When I view the websites of other religions, many are very confusing in their content or organization. Some have little information available online. I admire so much the personal testimonies of the Mormons. In fact, they are what have moved me to accept the missionaries invitation to be baptized in the church (Rick).

A Mormon (member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) joined LDS.net and shares her positive experience online in a social network opening up the world to Mormons, and Mormons to the world, in discussions of faith:

I have met some great people on LDS.net, it’s nice to be able to find a place where I can talk with other members while staying anonymous.  I was looking for a blogging site that was LDS and found yours.  I had no expectations when I came there so you might say that my expectations have been surpassed.  I love how the people on there support each other.  I can’t think of anything that you could add since it seems to have everything I look for.

I appreciate the fact that there are sites like this on the internet.  Thank you so much for making this possible (Debra).

A visitor to an LDS social networking site, LDS.net, where Mormons share their voices and faith transparently, explains what she experienced as a result of her associations with other site members:

I stumbled into the LDSTalk chat room 7 1/2 years ago. I had been inactive for over 12 years and did not have any LDS friends. I wanted a place to chat with LDS people, in a non threatening way to try and “ease” back into the church. Ben always gave me great advice and encouragement as I started going back to church. Another person I met in the chat room was Giggles. She has been by my side through the good times, bad times, and every step of the way as I became active and was with me in March when I went through the Temple to receive my endowments. I would certainly consider her friendship and influence in my life a positive and thinking about it now, would say that I owe you a debt of gratitude Heather for providing us a chat room to meet in. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Mormonchurch.com is an unofficial interactive question/answer website about Mormon life and beliefs.  The website is called “Mormonchurch.com” since friends of other faiths frequently use those terms when they Google Mormons. (The correct name of the church is actually The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.)

A Muslim woman, after visiting the website, shared her gratitude for the tenor and approach Mormons maintain on the site. She had read a post by Brian Haiglud on how Mormons view Mohammud:

Thank you so much for that. As a Muslim, it is a beautiful thing when people of one faith acknowledge another’s faith without bashing, but rather, with understanding, and I am very happy that instead of finding in other sites anti-Islamic thoughts, here you depicted a positive image, and I do believe we can all live in brotherhood, with both our similarities and differences. We are all God’s creatures, and to Him we shall all return, and it is best when we show Him that we all did our best to maintain peace with one another. As Islam teaches us, God had said He ‘created you from a single pair of a male and a female and made you unto nations and tribes [not so that you may despise each other but) SO THAT YOU MAY KNOW EACH OTHER.’  (Sally)

Bueno soy cristiano catolico Romano saven ustedes los admiro mucho ya que son la unica iglesia junto con la ortodoxia que no habla mal de la nuestra de hecho nos respetan sin ofenderlos,verdaderamente ustedes son dignos de llamarlos hermanos pues bien si un hermano sud desea Hablar conmigo mi msn es … que Jesus les bendiga amen ¡Ave maria purisima! GLORIA AL PADRE HIJO Y AL EPSIRITU SANTO COMO ERA UNO EN EL PRINCIPO POR LOS SIGLOS DE SiGLOS AMEN”

Translation: Well, I’m a Roman Catholic Christian.  You know, I admire you very much since you’re the only church along with the orthodox that doesn’t speak ill of ours; in fact you respect us without offense.  Truly you are worthy to be called brothers, so if any brother wishes to talk to me my msn is ……may Jesus bless you amen.  Hail Mary! GLORY TO THE FATHER THE SON AND THE HOLY GHOST AS THEY WERE ONE FROM THE BEGINNING OF TIME, AMEN. Pablo

Ceeboo, one of the members of LDS.net–a global social networking community–sent this note to one of the moderators, Pam:

I do sincerely appreciate the ability that we have in this forum to share opposing beliefs while still lending each other the respect, dignity, and Christian tone that seems to be very much alive. I thank you (as well as many others) for that. IMHO, the opportunity that exists to learn, appreciate, and share our different views represent a tremendous platform that WE ALL can gain from as well as be humbled by. I think this forum is filled (you certainly included) with several awesome people who respect and do their very best to contribute under the umbrella of love and Christianity. This is the main reason I have stayed and am now senior member (Ceeboo, LDS.net).

A chaplain from Seattle joined LDS.net because of an incident of religious bigotry on the school board in his area.  The board intended to keep a Mormon from participation, and defamed members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.   After being applauded and writing a letter about it, he decided to look on the Internet to find out about the Church. LDS Talk was at the top of the search engine listings, and he joined that social networking site.

That was two years ago.  This summer he and his family took a vacation to Utah.  It was great to meet with him and other members of the site at The Olive Garden in Sandy.  This chaplain has been a strong advocate of respect for Mormons and their beliefs.  He’s very Pro LDS, and helps other investigators find the correct answers to their questions, turning them away from anti-Mormon sources.

Tytto (LDS.net) - Baptized March 17, 2008.

Tytto was curious about Mormons, members of The Church of Jesus Christ.of Latter-day Saints, and began to resesarch the faith online. Initial search results led led her to an anti-Mormon forum. However, she felt mislead by the information she was receiving and sought out other Mormon sites, which in turn led her to LDS.net–a social networking site that enables worldwide discussions on faith and other topics.

Through the friends she made on LDS.net site, Tytto decided to contact Mormon Missionaries. She gained a testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ as it has been restored through the prophet Joseph Smith, and decided to be baptized on March 17, 2008.

Derick is 36 years old, and hails from Indiana. He joined LDS.net, a social networking site for friends of all faiths to learn about Mormons, on December 15, 2007.  He visited the site because  he was curious about Mormonism; he had a string of questions about our faith and lives. After a few days of having his questions answered by the members of the site, he asked which book he should start reading to learn more about our doctrines. He was encouraged by Mormon members of the site to read The Book of Mormon, and was led to the 800 number through which he could call and request a free copy, and, as well, to the online version.

Derick started reading The Book of Mormon online and  to frequently ask questions in the LDS.net forums. He was a good way through this second witness of Jesus Christ, as well as through thee Gospel Principle Units before he actually called to request his own copy on January 9, 2008. While anxiously waiting for his copy to arrive, he called the local missionaries on January 22nd, and he was then baptized on March 8th. He received the Aaronic Priesthood on March 16th. Derick has been contacted by The Ensign and his story is to be published in the near future.

Derick’s comments on his own online experience follow:

Out of all the billion web sites on the net, I was led to LDS.net to discover the wonderful truth about the Church [of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints] and the amazing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”   I did discover the truth about the Church and I’m still discovering more and more about the church using LDS.net along with actually going to services.

“If it was not for LDS.net I would not have called the church, missionaries, and been baptized.”   To be honest, I sure needed the support from LDS..net to build up my courage to visit the missionaries and go to services the first time.  I was nervous and had not done anything like that since I was a kid.”

A member of the McDoodle family came to LDS.net based on an interest in the Church in October of 2007. Before her baptism, on December 2, 2008, she posted asking for advice on how to help her 9 year old son understand and be ready for baptism at the same time. She is one of many who have used the online forums to seek advice in overcoming her fear of emailing the missionaries. Talking with them, then, accelerated her spiritual progress.

Among the comments from visitors to this widely-viewed YouTube video clip, taken from his address in General Conference (Mormon Semiannual meeting), is the following:

I must say, what Holland is saying here makes incredible sense and something about this video really strikes a cord with me in a way that nothing else ever has. I’ve been to many churches and have heard many sermons, and if they all use the Bible I can’t see how they all come out so different. If this Book of Mormon is indeed an addition to his word, then God sure knows what he’s doing to correct where we’ve been going wrong with Christianity.

Since I first registered as a member of the site, back in 2003 when half my online time was spent drunkenly chatting to strangers and acting in a way that was not good for my health or my spirit, this was the one message board/chat room that was like an escape from the world…it was the one site where I had to watch my manners and my words, and generally behave myself…and it helped me immensely. The people I’ve met thru this site have been with me throughout my troubles with my daughter’s surgery and my struggle with alcohol and have seen me turn the corner to where I am now trying to live life more healthily and with a little more compassion for the world at large. It takes me a while to feel completely comfortable with new people I meet, now that I’m not drunk all the time, and this is one of the only sites which has accepted me and not made me feel that I must impress everyone in order to be accepted. I can be myself, the real me, not the alcohol influenced me of the past decade or so. I’m really thankful for my experiences on this site, and for the widening of my Spiritual Education (Pushka)

Pushka’s conversations with her Mormon friends on LDS.net created a space for her to re-assess her life and enter the waters of baptism in The Church of Jesus Chrsit of Latter-day Saints.  Thanks to all who contributed to those conversations and Pushka’s progress.

He stumbled into the chat room and met with some really nice people. They answered all of his questions. Encouraged him with prayers. Pretty soon he found out about what he needed to do and was baptized. Through the months that followed a lot of things happened in his life. He thought about not only leaving the church but also the site. When he told his new found friends they did not belittle him nor scorn him for thinking of leaving the church. On the contrary, they simply said that he needed to do what’s best. Not many people would do that with someone’s faith.  [Some also said], ”Please stay.” They kept him in their prayers.

And he finally figured out what was missing in his life. . . the Church. When he told his friends online and in real life, [what he discovered], they rejoiced in his decision. Now. . . you might think that this is just another site. No. .to some of the people this site is more like a home. A home of not just people getting together and having a good time, but a group of people that band together in time of need. For Prayer. Learning. Studying. And also for questions. No matter how trivial. Of people helping other people. . .not many chat rooms can say that, nor forums.

I leave you with this. The young man was me, and through the encouragement of this site I did come through a lot with all your prayers and not giving up on me. I want to thank you all personally for that. Each and every person on this moderator staff means the world to me. I want you all to know that. This site is very special to me in so many ways. From the deepest part of my heart I love every one of you in Christ.

If you’re wondering if you can really make a difference by coming off the bleachers and entering the field, we hope to settle it in your mind and heart that your voice is needed.

Let me share with you comments made in an on-the-street survey of random individuals approached by a Public Relations firm eleven years ago to find out what they knew about us as a Church and people. As you read these remarks, I’d invite you to ask yourself: “Do I have anything to say on these issues?” “Would I not eagerly respond to questions like these if I could?” If the answer is, as I imagine it will be, a resounding “Yes,” then I invite you to begin to participate in the online conversation about us on the Internet. For ways to do that, please contact us at email(at)moregoodfoundation(dot)org or km(at)moregood.com. We’ll show you how you can help.

“You know, on family issues and stuff like that; they have good values, it seems like.”

“As a minority, I don’t know of any minorities or blacks that are Mormons. Maybe because I haven’t been around.”

“I might be wrong, but I believe it was a religion originated in probably the 1800s by someone on the East Coast. I thought they uncovered some written material and developed a religion around that.”

“The first thing that comes to mind is that they are allowed to have multiple wives.”

“They give a certain percentage of what they earn to the Church right off the top. I think it is called, ‘tithy’”

“I don’t know about Latter-day Saints, but I was very much interested in the Mormons, and I liked the fact that they were very close and supportive of each other.”

“Very strict, rather conservative in their outlook, and very patriarchal as far as the church structure is concerned.”

“Up until recently, they practiced bigamy.”

“I know a bit. I mean, joseph Smith was the town drunk. Had a vision…. He wnet out West, took the whole thing with him. They lynched him there because they thought he was nuts… They’re really rich; I mean, they know what they’re doing. They live a nice clean life….”

“Something was found in a cave, I believe, by Mr. Smith.

“Caring, open.”

“I know that they’re based in Utah. I know that they have very strict guidelines, that there are not a lot of female priests. I know that Brigham Young University is sort of breeding ground for Mormons.”

As you can see, these interviews–conducted in New York, Washington D.C. and Chicago–reveal much fiction and misunderstanding in the public mind, mixed with a few accurate observations about our morality and lifestyle.

If you feel stirred by these comments, I’d invite you to follow the nudge to participate in sharing your voice online.