The report “Many LDS faithful becoming ‘digital missionaries’” was posted on KSL.com.

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

By Carole Mikita
SALT LAKE CITY — Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have been sharing stories of faith and lifestyle on the blogosphere for awhile, now some are taking it one step further. They call themselves “digital missionaries” and hope to reach out to people who have questions about their church.

Alan Osmond says even as a singer, he was serving a musical mission for his faith. Now he’s a Latter-day Saint digital missionary.

Alan and his wife, Suzanne, are on InternetMTC.org. The site includes Janice Kapp Perry, the singing group One Clear Voice, and is operated by Gospel Ideals International with Strategic Partners, Scot and Maurine Proctor — the founders of Meridian Magazine.

“It’s a way for LDS people to share their testimonies with the world,” Alan says. “I get calls and e-mails from Tokyo and Hong Kong, Singapore … over in Wales they’re writing me because that’s where our ancestors are from, and England. And it’s just a matter of sitting down and sharing what you feel.”

“I think the nice thing for Alan is that he did not serve the traditional LDS mission because of performing — and they had some very strong answers that that was the thing that they were to do,” Suzanne said. “But at this point in his life, where he has MS and not able to be out performing and doing the things that he did before, he has this time to sit down and bear testimony and put the message out that he wanted to so badly so many years ago.”

On her segullah.org site, digital missionary Ashley Dickson of Massachusetts writes about becoming a ward missionary and the digital age. She is hoping to help people who have questions about faith find the answers.

As for Alan and Suzanne Osmond, they’re not just preaching the gospel on InternetMTC.org, they have their own website dedicated to exactly the same thing.

“We love genealogy, so we have a site on there, Osmond.org. We have a way on TheFamily.com to teach about the body, the mind, the soul and the family individuals. We have WhyIAmAMormon.com, and guess where it goes: right to our testimonies,” Alan said.

“For all those out there like us,” he continued, “Maybe you’re disabled, you’re homebound, or you’re old — get with it! Get on the Internet!”

These blogs and websites are not church sanctioned. In a statement, the LDS Church said, “The views expressed here or aggregated from websites or blogs, other than those owned or operated by the LDS Church, are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Church.”

Latter-day Saints say there are many ways, even endless possibilities to share beliefs online.

The Osmonds are expanding beyond family and faith websites. Suzanne says after raising eight sons, her next project is a blog called “Cooking for Boys.”

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