If you're new here, read more about the More Good Foundation. We help members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormon church) share their beliefs on the Internet. Learn more about what Mormons believe or talk with Mormons at LDS.net.

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).

Tags: community, LDS.net, online forums, place to talk with other LDS members online

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.

Tags: helping less active Mormons, LDS.net, Online missionary work, online reactivation

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.

Tags: LDS.net, Online missionary work, prison chaplain, social network for Mormons

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.

Tags: accurate info about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, LDS.net, missionary work online, Mormon Church

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.”

Tags: answer questions about the Church online, baptisms through online missionary work, forum, LDS.net, Online missionary work

Pushka is 44 years old from England. She attended The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in her teens for about 5 years, but was never baptized. She has been a member of LDStalk since March 2003, after deciding that her life was not heading in the direction she wanted it to be. Her purpose was to make friends with people who had the high standards she would like to adhere to in her own life. Just after LDS.net launched, she started talking with the missionaries with a desire to become a member.  Pushka was baptized on February 16, 2008.

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.

Tags: baptism, conversion, LDS.net, Mormon Church, online missionary experiences, Pushka

Lytle, a Baptist Preacher, was baptized as a result of his discussions with faithful Mormons on a social networking site, LDS.net (ex19k). He is 36 years old from Cincinnati.  Lytle joined LDS.net on Dec 9, 2007.
Not long ago there was a middle aged Baptist Preacher was doings some soul searching. After his church closed, he started going to other churches. None seem to be a home. He went to a lot, but could not find one where the spirit was sending him. He even had a lesson with some young men from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He moved from his area and was looking for just a place to chat. This site popped up and he decided to give it a try–and to find out about this newfound desire to learn more about the faith.

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.

Tags: baptism, Baptists and Mormons, Elder Ballard's counsel, LDS.net, making difference online, Mormon beliefs, Mormon Church, Mormon voices online, New Media, Online missionary work, worldwide conversation