Posted on 06/17/2009 10:08:42 AM PDT by delacoert
c. 2009 Salt Lake Tribune PROVO, Utah -- Tyson Boardman sits before the computer screen at the LDS Missionary Training Center, discussing Mormonism with Jason and Travis in two Internet conversations at the same time.
Why do people say Mormons aren't Christian? What does it mean to be baptized for the dead? How do Mormons view Jesus? Why do you have a prophet?
Answering these and many other Mormon-related queries is Boardman's full-time assignment as a two-year missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and he loves it.
"I've had questions from Canada, England and every part of the U.S.," Boardman said. "It's been an amazing experience. Every day it's something new."
The 20-year-old from Oak City, Utah, has been at this computer terminal in the area known as the Missionary Training Center's Referral Center for nearly a year, chatting with interested strangers from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days a week.
Boardman is part of a pilot program that calls on Mormon missionaries to attract new converts to the faith via the virtual world, rather than the traditional, face-to-face approach.
The portal into this world is www.mormon.org, a Web site the church established in 2001 primarily aimed at curious outsiders -- a complement to www.lds.org, which is mostly for members and the news media.
People find their way to mormon.org from various Internet sites, from literature the church puts out or from one of its many television ads. On its home page, people can explore sections marked "Basic Beliefs," "Worship With Us," "Our Stories" and "Ask Your Questions -- chat now."
The online missionaries draw on Mormon scripture, speeches by church authorities and other official publications to provide answers to the questions posed. If a person is interested, the missionary can lead him or her through a whole series of doctrinal discussions, follow up at a future time and even set a baptism date.
To date, between 20 and 25 baptisms have come directly from the online contact.
Church officials added the chatting feature in 2006, and now every missionary who is trained at the MTC takes a turn in the Referral Center for a total of 12 hours online during the three-to-nine-week stay. By the beginning of last year, missionaries were engaged in about 100 chats a day, with conversations lasting from five to 50 minutes.
Now the number is closer to 500 a day at one of the 38 stations in the center. So far, the service is only available in English, but the MTC is gearing up to launch a Spanish chat.
The plan is to meet the demand, said Daniel Ware, manager of the Referral Center.
"The point is to get to know them, find out what questions are relevant to them personally and then teach them. Many people would love to investigate the church but are not ready to have missionaries come to their house."
This way they can preserve their anonymity, added Richard Heaton, who oversees operations at the MTC, which houses and trains 1,500 Mormon missionaries every year.
It's also an excellent chance for missionaries to practice their proselytizing skills, Heaton said. "It brings a reality to the training.
It's a wonderful practice for the field."
There is, he said, a certain kind of experience that can't happen online.
"In every case, local missionaries have to get involved," Heaton said. "But they do love to let us know."
Boardman was the first of a handful of missionaries specifically called to the Referral Center who would not have been able to serve a mission otherwise for health reasons.
He enjoys the range of questions he has faced. One woman came to mormon.org after the professor in her "cult" class at a Christian college offered a fairly harsh critique of Mormonism and she wondered whether it was true.
He helped clarify Mormon beliefs, Boardman said. "Most anti-Mormons who come to the site are pretty sincere. We let them know that arguing is not the purpose of the site and then we try to ignore them."
Emily Hardy from Farmington, Utah, and Kristen Kiriyama from American Fork, Utah, were in training for their missions in Romania.
They were taking their turn at an online station.
"Some people are lonely, but most are just looking," Hardy said. "We work with them from wherever they are."
Rafe Gandola of San Diego returned to the MTC to serve some of his time in the online world after an injury in the field. Gandola was goofing around with his companion in Helsinki, Finland, and fractured his leg.
"One day I'm out in snow talking to people, seeking converts. Two days later, I'm chatting online with people seeking us," Gandola said.
"That's been a real treat."
WTH?
Why are they (lds) so desperate?
They figure because people fall for all sorts of other scams on the Internet, that they have a shot too.
People are anti-mormon religion, not anti-mormon with regard to persons. When we “argue” re: LDS religion it has nothing to do with personalities, we argue the facts that the LDS church claim to be Christian.
don’t be decieved by the wolf in sheep’s clothing, don’t be decieved by lies. The only way to salvation is belief in Jesus the son of God, not through good works. Remember the devil himself can appear as an angel of light.
Totally cool. This is called freedom of religion and thought. No one is forced to connect with the LDS Missionaries. Ain’t America grand? Yahoo for the LDS Missionaries. Loving this news. Thank you.
“Why are they so desperate?”
Because they have to prop up the massive numbers of those who leave after they have figured out the scam.
Don’t all religions have on-line missions? Why do you call this so “desperate”?
Do you only quote scriptures that support your beliefs? How about these... James 2: 20 & 26...
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
• • •
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Yes. The internet is wonder both for giving and getting information. Anyone curious enough to explore a topic, and then enter a forum or chat room for two way communication is bound to find the truth.
Churches are in the Truth business and must respond to credibility crisis.
That just means you can’t have faith if it isn’t born out by works.
Certainly has nothing to do with performing rites and rituals in the Temple, abstaining from coffee or paying 10% of your gross income. Do you place your faith in Jesus Christ or is your faith placed in your own obedience?
Let those with ears, hear.
[mormons reach out online...]
My beloved,
It is my pleasure to contact you for a celestial business venture which I intend to
establish in your country.Though I have not met with you before but I believe,
one has to risk confiding in someone to succeed sometimes in life - and score
a planet in the hereafter.
There is this amount of FIFTEEN Million US Dollars which the Temple in Salt Lake City deposited
with a security company which our prophet (bless his toes) wanted to use to purchase shopping
centers, ranches, etc. before he was kidnapped and killed by unknown FLDS Apostates.
I do not have any other hope rather than this funds which is why I contacted you.
Now I have decided to invest these money in spreading the restored good news of our
new “branch” of Chrisianity. Please do not show this email to anyone else. Their jealousy
will cause them to accuse us of the Arian Heresy. This shall be our secret. Indeed! I have
many secrets to share once you commit yourself to our “business venture”.
I want you to help us claim and receive this godhood, of which I write. I promise these
funds will be sent to you through diplomatic means to your address to avoid any traces
of the funds and to enable you plan for the investment in your Country.
I will like to invest part of the money into these three investment in your Country but,
if there is any other business that is better than my suggestion, I will be very glad to follow
your advice.
1). Real estate? The lying prophet liked real estate.
2). The transport industry - perhaps a bicycle manufacturing facility.
3). Five star hotels - such as the Marriott - a fine mormon institution.
If you can be of an assistance to me, I will be pleased to offer to you YOUR
own planet, eternal godess wives to populate it and, of course godhood.
Of the total fund while the balance will be invested by you. I need your
understanding and honesty to this project, I assure you to always be your brother.
I await your soonest response.
Respectfully yours,
Elder Byron Smith (screen name Eldog B)
Ummm, no. Can't remember the last time I was a Buddist missionary on line.
The standard response to those verses in James is that Saving Faith produces the fruit of good works.
But that Faith + Works is not a * prerequisite * for Salvation. Rather that the outcome of true saving faith is going to be good works.
Agency - as in free agency - and we all have it and thank God for it. You seem to think all Mormons are idiots. To some the Gospel is nonsense. And we Mormons are a peculiar people - I’ll grant you that.
(I used to be an anti Mormon, too.)
Ping
Ummm, well, I’m sure all the religions have online out-reach programs whether you know of them or not.
When I was a kid these two missionaries came to my house like every other day. Acted like they were my best friends played video games with me. The day was baptized— never saw ‘em again.
:)
I guess it using the term “looking for new converts”,
makes them look desperate.
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