What Missionaries Who Work Online do

Okay, I've been asked a question about what online missionaries typically do when they're online.  When missionaries are online, they follow the rules that have been mandated for the special privilege of proselyting online.  It doesn't mean that they are better than those who are not privileged to be online missionaries, instead, they have more responsibilities.  As in with one of the scriptures: With greater light comes greater responsibilities.  The online missionaries have to focus primarily on reaching the people who have need of the restored gospel in this 21st century.

It depends on the missionary's style.  Some check the face book directly, some check their emails to ensure that they have received message before jumping online.  Some use the email to contact those who couldn't be contacted otherwise and set up appointments or share spiritual thoughts.  It's not to be used to contact families and friends except on p-day.  On face book, they have to post pictures that represent who missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint are.  They're not to post photos that can be detrimental to the missionary work.  Those who are on the missionary's face book are to be those who can benefit from the contact with full-time missionaries.  In some cases, a missionary's influence can extend far beyond his/her mission area and touch the lives of those outside their area and help the missionaries in the area be able to resolve any difficulties that may be encountered.

What we do is check to see if we have any messages from our investigators.  We follow up on them.  We do what we feel prompted to do.  We can set up an appointment with the investigator, resolve concerns if cannot be met in person, and we spread the gospel of Jesus Christ aboard.  We are to be representation of Jesus Christ and our conduct online reflects that.

Online missionary work is not to replace face-to-face discussion.  It's a tool to help the work move forward.  What I would normally do on face book is talk with people online and talk about how the gospel helps them, resolve them.  Because I'm Deaf, some of the time the only way to communicate with me more easily will be through various communications including online.  I find that I am able to establish a network that ranges far beyond the Rochester Mission Area and contact those in Texas, New Jersey, Virginia, California, and even those from places I've never been to.  It enables me to influence more people than I normally couldn't otherwise.  Being online is a privilege and a great responsibility.

There are some who prefer direct communication, the face book can be used to communicate with the said person directly even if the established appointment to see the person haven't come to pass.  We perform various duties while online.  We create notes for everybody to view, blogs so that people can learn more from them and be enlightened, and we contact them through chat and message.  We use it solely for missionary work and not to play with.

- Elder Abraham H. Nightingale of Rochester ASL Mission