By Kristina Schroeder
Negative propaganda against the LDS church is prevalent all over the Internet, whether it”s being looked for or not.
Positive information is rare to come by, and investigators worldwide are tripping on this stumbling block.
Well, Nathan Gwilliamson is sick of it, and so is the rest of the More Good Foundation. They started something that will redefine investigator”s online search – mormontestimonies.org.
“Right now when people take missionary discussions or otherwise become interested in the LDS faith, Google has become the number one source for information,” said Gwilliamson, president of the More Good Foundation and a BYU student. “Unfortunately, Google is filled with a lot of deceiving and disparaging information. Our goal is to fill the Internet with light on topics about the LDS faith, so people will feel the good information instead of the bad.”
The More Good Foundation has developed numerous positive LDS Web sites, including Mormontestimonies.org and Mormonwiki.com, both of which are open to the public and participation is encouraged.
Mormontestimonies.org was designed so members of the church can log on and upload their testimonies for the world to see, Gwilliamson said.
Whether it”s just the written version, or a video-bearing testimony, it”s an opportunity for church members” knowledge of the Gospel to touch investigators – most likely investigators that never would have been touched if not for this site, said Richard Miller, executive vice president of the foundation.
“I really believe the Internet is a tool God”s given us to share the gospel,” Miller said. “It could be possible that the gospel goes into China and the Middle East via the Internet before missionaries get there.”
Members are encouraged to upload their testimonies, and those who speak other languages are asked to write and record testimony in that language as well.
The success of the Web site rides on the contributions of members of the church. The More Good Foundation is simply asking that people share what they already know with others, Miller said.
“My testimony grows as I study scriptures and the words of modern prophets,” reads the testimony of Amy Gordon, a member of the BYU 184th Ward. “We can assume all of the amazing blessings we have on Earth are chance or luck, or we can choose to see the signs the Lord has given us: that he lives, that he loves us, that he has never and will never forsake us!”
Mormonwiki.com is a Wikipedia-type site on which members of the church can upload articles about religious subjects.
It”s already fairly popular, but can always use more contributions, Miller said.
For more information, visit mormontestimonies.org or mormonwiki.com.
