YouTube Prep

I got so much out of the presentations last week on how to make an effective YouTube video. To sum up what I learned, here is a list of ingredients to make a delicious YouTube video (have we worn out the pun yet?...)

• Needs to provoke emotions and cause one to question
• Music needs to match the mood
• Interviews should be conducted in dark clothing with a light background
• There should be appropriate lighting
• One should cut out the unnecessary
• Scenes need to change every few seconds
• Movies are interesting when they focus on faces, smiles, hands
• They need to be funny
• Use the rule of thirds
• Use zooms and slow motion
• Animated fonts add to the interest
• Delivery needs to be creative
• Use lots of clips and change often
• Give one main message

Student Presentations

Last week, we had some interesting presentations on many facets of social media. Each student found an academic study and after giving the class a summary, applied it to sharing the gospel using the Internet. There were some really useful applications. I'm going summarize some of the things I learned during the presentations that occurred last Tuesday and Thursday.

The amount of Facebook use is astounding. Every day, the average user is on Facebook for 3.46 hours and logs on 4.19 times. Of all the 4 million Facebook users, half check their account every day. That means 2 million people check Facebook daily! This is a huge tool for connecting to A LOT of people in order to spread a message.

Obviously, there is a social need that is being met by Facebook. People feel that they connect with others and are identified by them. However, according to one presentation, the quality of relationships that are formed on the Internet are questionable. Not only are relationships on the Internet are of a poorer-quality than live relationships, Internet socialization negatively affects offline relationship. Her study found that an increase in social media use was related to an increase in depression, loneliness, and daily stress. This teaches that Facebook can reach many people, but its use should be to enhance sharing the gospel live and not replace it.

Another presentation addressed the use of Facebook profiles. It noted that people make judgments on people based on the content of their profile. In general, younger users have a more shocking or outgoing profile while older users have a more conservative approach. Many employers use Facebook to make decisions about jobs. Understanding this helps members of the church be more cautious about how they portray themselves on Facebook.

Another couple of presentations addressed social media use and political involvement. One illustrated that if Facebook is used to get information for events, the user is also more likely to be involved in politics. Social media can be used to spread political ideas. Most youth feel that they are conduits of news instead of receivers of news. This makes Facebook and other social media outlets for political activity. These sites are positively related to civic participation but not political participation or confidence.

YouTube videos were also the topic of several presentations including mine. Check mine out here. In general, we learned that popular YouTube videos are short and entertaining. Only 10% of YouTube users are uploading movies. Most are watching, so this gives those who upload videos an influence. YouTube search engines are based on the most viewed videos, so in order to have an impact, a video must be popular. This applies to any sort of YouTube video on Mormons.

Finally, we discussed the importance and use of Twitter. The article cited stated that Twitter can be cumbersome or useful depending on how one uses it. This article suggested using Twitter for learning purposes, not for useless information gathering. It can also be useful in sharing the gospel, especially during General Conference when church vocabulary is the biggest topic. The LDS website is the most visited during Conference because of social media tools like Twitter.

There was a lot to learn last week, and I got a bunch of applications to sharing the gospel online that will be useful as I continue my missionary efforts.

Offline Media

Perhaps the most memorable time that I gave away a Book of Mormon was when I was fourteen years old. I was flying home with my family from Chicago at the end of our summer vacation and I took a seat next to a man with a mid-western accent. I must've been inspired by some mutual activity on missionary work because I had been praying during the entire trip to have a chance to give away a Book of Mormon. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to do so. I scratched my mind trying to figure out a way to start a conversation until I noticed that he was reading a book on Native Americans. This was my in! I told him that I also had a book on Native Americans and that he could have it. As soon as I pulled out the Book of Mormon, he took one look, got a little flushed, said "No thank you!", and was silent for the rest of the trip. Luckily, even at the time it was more funny than devastating, but it was definitely the beginning of a series of experiences that taught me better ways to share the gospel offline. It was apparent to me at this young age that the Book of Mormon is a powerful way to share the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I also came to know other effective tools such as pass along cards and pamphlets that teach the doctrines of the restored gospel. I have learned since that awkward plane ride that giving away pass along cards, pamphlets, and even the Book of Mormon is best executed when coupled with friendship. After the establishment of a genuine relationship, an offering or invitation is better received and appreciated. Both offline and online, the gospel is most effectively preached this way.

Spencer and Carly

The discussions that took place on Thursday during the presentations given by Spencer and Carly were very thought-provoking. I was interested in the thought given between Chris and David about blogging. Chris mentioned on his blog that a loss of verbal cues through blogging and social media makes this form of communication ineffective. I agreed with his comment because I experienced this inability to effectively communicate last semester when I lived in Washington DC. Although I had every means to communicate with friends and family back home (email, chat, blogging, and skype), it still was just not sufficient to replace the experience of sitting in the same room talking. It almost became tantalizing because of how almost together we all were while never really being together. I can see, however, the benefits of having time to compose and edit thoughts as David mentioned. The ability to compose and compose some more over time is useful in that I can make sure that my thoughts are exactly as I want them before I share them publicly. It seems that any form of communication has its place, pros and cons included.

Problem

According to statistics, financial reports, and the swath of talks given by leaders of the LDS church, the problem with pornography permeates society and homes more than I have ever experienced firsthand. Anecdotal evidence from friends and newspapers has sufficiently frightened me into realizing the likelihood that pornography addictions most likely affects those close to me. I have been researching the effects of this addiction and have found that scientifically, pornography does exactly what Elder Oaks describes in his talk, Pornography. He states, “Pornography impairs one’s ability to enjoy a normal emotional, romantic, and spiritual relationship with a person of the opposite sex. It erodes the moral barriers that stand against inappropriate, abnormal, or illegal behavior. As conscience is desensitized, patrons of pornography are led to act out what they have witnessed, regardless of its effects on their life and the lives of others.” Obviously there could be nothing more tragic than this.

Podworld

I have a friend who is obsessed with podcasts. He tells me that he loves them because they are an effective way to learn simply by listening. The website Educational Podcasting lists some interesting ways that teachers can use podcasts to educate. Check out the list. I particularly liked the idea of being able to listen to a lecture several times while I am doing something else. I learn so much faster if I am exercising while studying. I can only imagine that listening to a class lecture during my morning workout would hugely increase my retention. I also loved the idea of podguides. This type of podcast contains a tour guide of museums, nature walks, cities, etc. This seems like a great way to enhance a field trip or family vacation.

For me, the best use of the gospel via podcast comes every six months when I download the General Conference to my ipod. Listening again to the voices of prophets brings added insight and inspiration. There are quite a other few LDS podcasts available online. These range from the official LDS.org website to Steven Kapp Perry's monthly podcast. The LDS voices podcast posts "The best LDS (Mormon) talks on the Web, updated each morning." I also love the BYU Broadcasting page with its wide range of devotional and conference addresses.

I had so much fun making my first podcast! It is kinda awesome (the literal meaning of the word) that my testimony will be heard by someone else on the Internet. I updated my gmail status with the fact that I had made a podcast, and I've had so many friends that have already mentioned something about it. Learning how to both receive and share the gospel through podcasting has opened my eyes to how I can more fully live the life of a member missionary.

I know we are posting info on using podcasts to share the gospel, but I just have to mention some awesome blogs I came across while searching. The bloggernacle is alive and well as many Mormons are gaining fame in the blogging world. An article from the Mormon Times section of the Deseret News talks about several very popular blogs made by Mormon women. I'll admit that as I started to look through them, I got sucked in too! The Rockstar Diaries and CJane's Guide to Provo were really fun. Just a little note.

Yum

The moment I linked to the Flickr home page and saw the gorgeous photos posted, I was hooked. I think I will have as much fun exploring other people's interesting pictures as I will uploading mine. I was impressed with the editing capabilities of Flickr. I uploaded some pictures that I took in Philadelphia. Once I fixed the colors and saturation, I was in awe at my photographic capabilities. ;) I am still a little wary about opening my photos to the public but I am excited to continue using this program to share my photos with my family and friends.

Although Delicious is an interesting idea, it wasn't very appealing to me at first because I don't really use bookmarks. However, I found an article on using Delicious for educational purposes. It mentioned that Delicious can be used for research. Once I started searching the tabs available, I saw how useful this could be for school. I looked up a research topic for a class and the most popular/user-friendly pages came up. I don't think I will use this very much as a social tool, but it is appealing to have such a useful research tool on hand. It also is appealing to have a reserve of my bookmarks on the web away from my desktop so I can use them at any computer.

I found a very good idea for using Flickr in the classroom. I am currently a Spanish teacher at the MTC and I have taught ESL to Spanish speakers in the past. When teaching people with different language backgrounds, using pictures instead of words is sometimes the only way to communicate information. The website I found shows that using Flickr photos in a sequence to tell a story is an effective way to teach. It is true! I found myself enthralled with the mini-stories introduced on this page and the lessons attached stuck with me. Check it out for some creative ideas: visual stories.

Converted to Christ

The stories of the seed of faith and the rod of iron found in the Book of Mormon represent the spiritual change necessary to qualify one to live with God forever. Alma teaches that everyone must plant within his or her heart the word of God. This insemination causes an enlargement of the soul, an illumination, an understanding, and a change of desires. The continual care of the growing faith brings forth fruit, described as white, pure, and satisfying. This fruit is a representation of the results of the Atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives (http://www.mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/basic-beliefs/heavenly-father-s-plan-of-happiness/the-atonement-of-jesus-christ). We become like the fruit: full of light, pure, and spiritually satisfied (see The Book of Mormon, Alma 32, p. 288).

Lehi's dream illustrates a similar analogy. The rod of iron is a symbol of the surety of the word of God. It is a steady guide to the tree of life which is brimming with a white, pure, satisfying fruit. Nephi teaches that this fruit is the love of God and the greatest joy the soul can experience. Several verses later, Nephi is brought to Jesus' day and sees Christ healing a multitude of afflicted people. Nephi saw the power of the Atonement heal every kind of infirmity. Both Nephi and Alma illustrate with their analogies that the word of God leads us to develop faith enough in the Savior to use His Atonement for salvation. This daily process of being saved includes receiving healing from experiences that cause us pain including inabilities, sins, offenses from others, and natural forces. We can only be healed, however, if we go to the tree and receive the fruit. We follow the words of God in order to experience the changes that are conducive to immediate and eternal joy.

Words lead to thoughts; thoughts lead to actions. As we influence our thoughts with good words, our actions are also directly influenced. The scriptures teach that the power of the Christ’s words is greater than any motivator for change, including physical force (Alma 31:5, http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/31). As we increase our understanding of God and His relationship with man, our faith in God's power increases. Our actions change as we act in accordance with what He commands, knowing that the results will benefit us. This change is called repentance. The missionary study guide Preach My Gospel states that repentance is "making the necessary changes to bring [our] live[s] into agreement with [the teachings of Christ]” (p. 2), a "change [of] thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors that are not in harmony with His will” (p. 63), and "a spiritual process that involves humility, confession, restitution, and turning away from sin” (p. 187). (See Preach my Gospel, http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,8057-1-4424-1,00.html). Our actions reflect this change of heart by our doing all that God commands us to do.

Alma sums this process of conversion in the fifth chapter of Alma. He teaches, "And according to his faith there was a mighty ^achange wrought in his heart. Behold I say unto you that this is all true. And behold, he ^apreached the word unto your fathers, and a mighty change was also wrought in their hearts, and they humbled themselves and put their ^btrust in the true and ^cliving God. And behold, they were faithful until the ^dend; therefore they were saved" (The Book of Mormon, Alma 5:12-13, p. 218, http://scriptures.lds.org/en/alma/5). We too can be saved as we apply the word of God into our lives, make sacred promises with God through His power, and continue faithful to the end of our lives. As we do this, we experience the change described by Alma and Lehi. We become clean, pure, and spiritually satisfied.

Each of us has the opportunity to help others experiences the sweetness of the fruit of Jesus Christ's Atonement as we share with them the word of God. Through the witness of modern prophets such as Joseph Smith, we understand that God gives us His words in our day as in ancient days. We can come to know that this is true by reading a book called the Book of Mormon. This book contains another witness of the reality of Jesus Christ as our Savior. As we read the Book of Mormon, we are given power to increase in our faith, repent, and take all of the necessary steps to return to live with God. Those who have received the Book of Mormon and know of its truth can share it with others in order to help them also receive the blessings of Jesus Christ in their lives. They too can feel the power of God helping them change through the Savior's power. We then become instruments in bringing others to Christ by inviting them to partake of His word and receive of His salvation.

Facebook

The first time I got on Facebook was after my mission. I remember feeling like a stalker going through the photos of some friends that I hadn't seen since high school. I felt like I was looking through the front window into the living room of their personal lives. Although I had been given permission in a sense, I still felt like I was invading the privacy of another person. It felt overwhelming to realize that everyone on the planet could potentially find my name, look at the picture of me in fourth grade with my pet turtle, and analyze all that I am based on what they see. Like Megan noted in her post, the self-promotion of social networking can seem so shallow. Now I realize that it can serve a bigger purpose than that. Just as easy as it is for someone to search my picture of me with my pet turtle, they can also see that I am a practicing member of the Church. They can see pictures of me with my family, living a chaste life, and serving others. They can see applications relating to General Conference or President Monson. This power to persuade through simply publishing who I am is a tool that I have not used to its full capability.

Last semester I was an intern in Washington DC and I became friends with some wonderful people. I gave several of them copies of the Book of Mormon and have since wondered how I would be able to stay in contact with them in case they have questions or concerns. Hello! Facebook! I am adding them tonight and I hope that we can continue our gospel conversation via the Internet. One of my friends said to me when I gave him a Book of Mormon, "You can come back out to DC when I get converted." I hope to take him up on that.

Wikipedia

I never really sat down and thought about how amazing Wiki sights really are. Anyone can come online and add their knowledge to the Wiki world. It is just as easy for a PhD in physics to add information on the speed of light as it is for a 14 year old boy to add his expertise on Star Wars. I recently explored the website for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and found that information on the Relief Society was not up to date. During the General Relief Society Meeting in September 2009, Sister Julie B. Beck announced that the Family, Home and Enrichment Meetings would now be called simply Relief Society Meetings. The Wikipedia page did not reflect this change, so I edited the page and added the reference to Sister Beck's talk.

Social Media

I feel like when I got back from serving an LDS mission, the entire social media world had exploded, and I was left clueless. Since then, I have successfully created my own blog, I log on to facebook occasionally, but I still don't completely know what it means to Twitter. I'll admit that in the past I have been skeptical of using social media, but I am coming to see how this tool can be used to share the gospel on a large scale. I'm here to learn!