Mormon Life - Technology tag

High-tech study Bible connects readers through smart phone QR codes

Thu, 24 May 2012 08:14:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Our take: People interested in connecting to the teachings of Bible professor and pastor Gene Getz can use their smart phones to view videos thanks to the Life Essentials Study Bible. By linking Biblical principles to expanded segments with additional information, the Life Essentials Study Bible lets readers scan QR codes with their smart phones to learn more from the 1,500 principles Getz has linked.

940 U.S. Census indexing finished for 6 states

Thu, 24 May 2012 08:08:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

1940 U.S. Census records from six states — Delaware, Colorado, Kansas, Oregon, Virginia and New Hampshire — are now indexed and searchable on familysearch.org.

Also, records for more than 20 states are at least 85 percent completed thanks to the efforts of more than 100,000 volunteers, according to a news release from FamilySearch.

Broadcasting to the world: Technology powers LDS Church connections

Thu, 24 May 2012 06:21:00 -0600

source: hjnews.townnews.com

Long before the days of YouTube and broadband Internet, the LDS Church was sharing video content with followers around the world using technology it says is still essential to spreading a global message.

The white satellite dishes tucked behind meetinghouses from Utah to Thailand help members stay connected with church leadership, attend training meetings and participate in firesides and the church’s biannual General Conference.

In its earliest days in the late 1970s, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ satellite broadcast system reached only a handful of congregations in the U.S., and beaming video to members in Europe and South America would have to wait at least another decade.

Bloggernacle Back Bench: Introducing two new Q&A tools

Tue, 22 May 2012 09:35:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Last week I saw a tweet fly by from @ldschurch: “A new online resource will help answer gospel questions about our faith and bring others to Christ.” I was intrigued. Clicking in, I found a page dedicated to “Answering Gospel Questions,” which includes some timely “Principles for Answering Gospel Questions” including this great counsel: "Be nice." And "Learn from each other." And even “Be comfortable not knowing all of the answers. If you don’t know the answer, it is OK to say so. Tell the person that you would like to follow up with them when you have had the chance to study more about their question.”

Ensign tablet app available, Liahona app being produced

Mon, 21 May 2012 10:09:00 -0600

source: news.lds.org

As part of an ongoing effort to share the prophetic word through a variety of channels, the Church is making available two prototype apps (one release and one update) that feature magazine content.

The LDS Liahona app is in production, while the LDS Ensign app is now available. Both apps are designed exclusively for tablets and will be available later this month.

Today in the Bloggernacle: New Mormon.org widget and temple news

Fri, 18 May 2012 07:22:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Mormon.org widget: I am pleased to present a new tool for bloggers and site developers: the Mormon.org widget, which lets you share Mormon.org content right on your blog or site! It’s easy to upload to your sidebar and is, as explained at the link, “a simple way to engage others in learning about (the church).” Watch my column next week for more information on this small but powerful new tool.

Addiction Recovery Program Site Added to LDS.org

Thu, 17 May 2012 12:22:00 -0600

source: news.lds.org

Throughout the world, members of the Church and others have found hope and healing through the Addiction Recovery Program (ARP), sponsored by LDS Family Services. Now, with the advent of http://arp.lds.org, the 12-step program’s message of recovery through the Atonement of Jesus Christ is accessible to more people than ever before.

The initial release of the site, launched last week in English (plans are in place for the site to be translated into other languages at a future date), includes information for people facing addictions, their loved ones, their leaders, and ARP volunteers, a structure somewhat similar to that of the Combating Pornography website the Church released in April 2010.

Explore Old Jerusalem on Google Maps Street View

Wed, 16 May 2012 09:10:00 -0600

source: mormonlifehacker.com

Mormon Life says: This is pretty cool. Many LDS people who’ve visited the Holy Land will tell you that it deepened their understanding of the the scriptures in a big way. Being able to walk the same places where Old and New Testament figures, including Christ himself, once walked, changes their perspective and appreciation for the culture, languages, traditions, and the events and people of those sacred books of scripture.

New resource helps members answer gospel questions

Thu, 10 May 2012 13:20:00 -0600

source: news.lds.org

Today, the Church launched a new online resource to help members better prepare to answer questions they may be asked about the gospel. Answering Gospel Questions is a new Study by Topic page on LDS.org that explains several basic principles members can use to answer questions about their faith.

Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has emphasized the need for “clear, simple statements that present those who are curious with the basics about the Church as it is today.”

Y grad aims to build a social network for LDS singles

Tue, 08 May 2012 12:46:00 -0600

source: heraldextra.com

Mormon Life says: The site allows people in the network to not only look for other singels, but to plan and host social events, find housemates or landlords, form groups around shared interests, get recommendations for dating activities in the city where they live, and more. It's hardly a new idea to use the Internet to help 20-something and 30-something single adult members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meet, date and marry. There are many sites that cater directly to single Latter-day Saints, and many more that have vanished into the online ether over the years.

BYU graduate Josh Hall isn't trying to create another LDS dating site -- Hall, 33, has a much larger ambition than that for the site he's preparing to launch, YSAcentral. He wants to create the ultimate site for LDS singles, the last one that he or anyone else will ever need or use to meet and mingle with like-minded LDS singles. (There's more info at YSAcentral.com.)

Friend Magazine Site Upgraded

Fri, 04 May 2012 09:54:00 -0600

source: ldsmediatalk.com

The Friend magazine (friend.lds.org) has updated its website with a new design and several resources for parents and teachers to help them teach the gospel to children.

LDS Maps Upgrade Helps Members Find Church Locations

Tue, 01 May 2012 15:12:00 -0600

source: news.lds.org

A new feature-packed version of LDS Maps includes a variety of new features to improve members’ experiences finding stake members, meetinghouses, temples, and other Church facilities.

Bloggernacle Back Bench: Amazing LDS apps

Tue, 01 May 2012 15:03:00 -0600

source: MormonTimes.com

I like apps. A lot. They are becoming more useful and prevalent in this time of mobile Internet usage. I am sometimes just blown away by their helpfulness in making my life run more smoothly. And in church settings, apps can help you study, teach lessons, keep children quiet and so much more. Here are a few new apps you need to know about.

Do you have the “LDS Gospel Library App” on your mobile phone or tablet? If not, this video will showcase exactly how much you are missing. It is such an amazing tool. In fact, as the video concludes, you can use it to make your own personal scripture study topical guide. Wow.

Churches use apps, websites and social networking to extend their reach

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 09:48:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Churches in America are stepping up their efforts to reach out to people by using ultra-modern tools that reflect the direction most Americans are already going. USA Today reports that believers have historically been early adopters of the latest technology to reach beyond the four walls of church buildings.

From the printing press to the radio and television to iPhone apps, religion is working to keep up with how people communicate. Some churches have even rejected a traditional brick-and-mortar type of centralized location, opting instead for Internet-only gatherings.

New youth website celebrates 100 years of Young Women Camp

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:15:00 -0600

source: news.lds.org

For Clarissa Johnson, a young woman in the Liberty Stake in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, camp was an exciting new adventure. She cooked, hiked, and swam during this weeklong activity. At the end of the camp, she wrote in her journal: “[And the girls went home] in the twilight sad and happy, sad to leave the camp and swimming, glad to be at home with loved ones, filled with joy and blissful memories, looking forward to the next year.”

The entry sounds like what any young woman today might say about camp, but Clarissa wrote her journal entry in 1912. Although much about Young Women camp has changed over the last 100 years, the same spirit Clarissa felt a century ago is still being felt by young women all over the world today.

Brand new LDS Church tech tools

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:49:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

I started saving cool tech blog posts about online resources from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the past week and was surprised to see the list grow longer and longer. So I’m pleased to announce some amazing new technology tools for leaders, members and even bedtime-going-children.

For members: Have you noticed the little “Church Websites” tab now on the LDS.org, Mormon.org, Newsroom and Mormon Channel sites? It opens, as Fernando Camillo at LDS Tech explains, to showcase “some of the major church websites in one single place. The link briefly explains the purpose of each website and has quick links from each page for faster navigation.” Cool! Go check it out.

Digital volunteerism critical to furthering the goals of the Church

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:08:00 -0600

source: ldschurchnews.com

When you think of volunteer work in the Church, images of members feeding the homeless, cleaning up yards, sewing quilts or serving at a Church welfare facility might come to mind. In contrast, the image of volunteers sitting in the comfort of their own home, or office, working on service projects might seem foreign, but it is the vineyard of the present and future.

Building the kingdom of God on earth is more than putting together brick and mortar. With advancements in technology, volunteers from around the world can work together on projects that further the goals of the Church. Bringing together volunteers and Church technology employees is not an easy task, but the Church has created a number of innovative ways to coordinate the work. On March 29 and 30 the Church held its third annual LDS Tech Conference in Riverton, Utah, to bring together Church technology specialists and volunteers.

1940s census images on FamilySearch for indexers

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 09:41:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Thousands of images from the 1940s census for Delaware, Kansas, Colorado, Virginia and Oregon have been published online at FamilySearch.org/1940census for indexing volunteers, according to a news release from FamilySearch.

{Poll} Technology Boundaries for Kids?

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:04:00 -0600

by Kaela Worthen
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: It seems we can't function in life without our various technological devices, but they carry a lot of dangers and responsibility as well. When and how much can kids handle?

Growing up, the most advanced technology I had was a Super Nintendo that my mother begrudgingly allowed us to have, only after realizing we were using our friends for their video games and constantly asking to go to Toys 'R' Us solely so we could play on the demo video game consoles.

Today, the world is a bit different, and my younger siblings who still live at home have iPod touches that connect to the Internet, handheld video game consoles that do the same, and a cell phone for the elder one. Again, my parents delayed as long as possible before finally relenting this past Christmas.

The traditional rules I grew up with--no computers in the bedroom, no TV on Sundays--become blurry when an mp3 player can be used as both. And the statistics of how much time kids spend on these devices are staggering. Where do the boundaries lie? What age do you think is appropriate for kids to have such devices, and what restrictions (if any) do you put on them?

Mormon Life - Technology tag

High-tech study Bible connects readers through smart phone QR codes

940 U.S. Census indexing finished for 6 states

Broadcasting to the world: Technology powers LDS Church connections

Bloggernacle Back Bench: Introducing two new Q&A tools

Ensign tablet app available, Liahona app being produced

Today in the Bloggernacle: New Mormon.org widget and temple news

Addiction Recovery Program Site Added to LDS.org

Explore Old Jerusalem on Google Maps Street View

New resource helps members answer gospel questions

Y grad aims to build a social network for LDS singles

SPONSORED: Visiting and home teaching made easy with new Web site 'LDSplan'

Friend Magazine Site Upgraded

LDS Maps Upgrade Helps Members Find Church Locations

Bloggernacle Back Bench: Amazing LDS apps

Churches use apps, websites and social networking to extend their reach

New youth website celebrates 100 years of Young Women Camp

Brand new LDS Church tech tools

Digital volunteerism critical to furthering the goals of the Church

1940s census images on FamilySearch for indexers

{Poll} Technology Boundaries for Kids?