image via mormonchannel.org

To Sweep the Earth as With a Flood

Today at education week, Elder David A. Bednar, of the quorum of the twelve apostles, shared a powerful TED-talk-like speech about how social media is the means by which we can flood the earth with truth. He used examples of what the Church has done to use social media to flood the earth with truth and light. He also used examples of what some lay-members are doing to use social media.

Here are some of the examples he used:

  1. The #BecauseOfHim Campaign had over 5 million views on the Youtube video as well as the video posted on mormon.org along with the hundreds of thousands of conversations started online as a result.
  2. I Pray When was another video that had great impact with the #didyouthinktopray hashtag.
  3. BofM365 instagram account
  4. The Church’s official Instagram account was launched
  5. The #ldsconf hashtag

He also announced (as the 6th example) a new full-length film about Mormons called “Meet the Mormons” that can be used to be shared with millions of people through social media after its initial release in theaters October 10, 2014.

Here is the trailer:

Then he shared 4 guidelines for sharing the gospel using social media:

  1. Be Authentic and Consistent
    1. “Anonymity on the Internet is not the license to be inauthentic.” (Direct Quote)
    2. “Who will people decide you are if all they know is on your social media page?” (Direct Quote)
  2. Edify and Uplift
    1. Only share things that lift and edify others.
  3. Respect Intellectual Property
    1. Don’t use content that is not yours without permission.
    2. Click here to find images, video and other content that the Church has given permission for all to use freely.
  4. Be Wise and Vigilant
    1. Only say it or post it, if you want the entire world to have access to it for all time. Once it is on the internet, it will be there forever.

He ended by using the powerful scripture in Moses 7:62 which he said was what he sees as the vision of what we as members of the Church can do using the Internet and social media to sweep the earth as with a flood of righteousness and truth.

To watch the video of the entire speech click the video below: