Digital Only
7 Simple Ways to Use Technology for God’s Work of Salvation and Exaltation
In seven days, you can help change yourself and change the world.1
“Would you like to be a big part of the greatest challenge, the greatest cause, and the greatest work on the earth today?”2
On June 3, 2018, President Russell M. Nelson asked this question at a devotional inviting individuals to enlist in the Lord’s battalion, or in other words, to gather Israel.
“You were sent to earth at this precise time, the most crucial time in the history of the world, to help gather Israel,” President Nelson said. “There is nothing happening on this earth right now that is more important than that. ... This is the mission for which you were sent to earth.”3
Have you ever thought about how God has blessed us with technology to help us in this work?4 While there are many ways to do this, here are seven ideas you can try this week to get you started on a lifetime of participation in God’s work of salvation and exaltation. Keep in mind that these are simply ideas to help you practice. Prayerfully consider which of the following ideas and goals—and new ideas that come to you through revelation—would work best for you.
Day 1: Find Opportunities to Serve
Like Jesus Christ, we strive to serve others.
Through word of mouth, we can hear about different service opportunities to help friends, family, and neighbors. With the help of technology, we can find even more opportunities to assist our local community or people across the world.
Today, try to search for ways to share Christlike love through service. If possible, find a service activity to do today or sign up for an upcoming project. Invite friends, family, and your ward or branch to join in!
If you’re unsure where to start, JustServe.org might have some volunteer opportunities in your area.
Remember what President Russell M. Nelson taught: “Regardless of where we call home, members of the Church feel passionately about the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. Thus, our greatest joy comes as we help our brothers and sisters, no matter where we live in this wonderful world.
“Giving help to others—making a conscientious effort to care about others as much as or more than we care about ourselves—is our joy. Especially, I might add, when it is not convenient and when it takes us out of our comfort zone. Living that second great commandment is the key to becoming a true disciple of Jesus Christ.”5
Day 2: Preserve Family History
Using modern technology, we can preserve the history of ourselves and our ancestors!
Today, consider doing one of the following: digitize printed images, record and digitize family stories, start a digital journal, or take photos and videos of important memories.
FamilySearch.org is a great tool we can use to complete this activity. Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles described the FamilySearch website as holding “a collection of records, resources, and services easily accessible with personal computers and a variety of handheld devices, designed to help people discover and document their family history.”6
With FamilySearch.org, we can find temple work that needs to be done for our family or index data to help others find records about their ancestors.
The FamilySearch Memories and FamilySearch Tree apps can also help us in these efforts!
Day 3: Communicate with Friends and Family
Interaction with those we love can help them feel valued and happy. With technology, we can call, text, or direct-message friends and family, no matter how close or far away they are.
Today, take a moment to call or send a message to someone who needs your kindness, your gratitude, or maybe even an apology.
President Nelson said: “Today, I am asking us to interact with others in a higher, holier way. … ‘If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy’ [Articles of Faith 1:13] that we can say about another person ... that should be our standard of communication.”7
Day 4: Share and Invite
Social media can be a wonderful tool to communicate and share uplifting messages and the gospel to all children of God.
Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said: “Members of the Church stand as witnesses of God at all times, in all things, and in all places. Opportunities to do this in the digital universe using inspiring content of our own or sharing uplifting content prepared by others are endless. We testify when we love, share, and invite, even online. Your tweets, direct messages, and posts will take on a higher, holier purpose when you also use social media to show how the gospel of Jesus Christ shapes your life.”8
Today, we could try to share our testimony of Jesus Christ, an uplifting quote, or a recent talk from general conference that was inspiring. Edifying songs or paintings are also wonderful options to share.
Elder Bednar shared, “I exhort you to sweep the earth with messages filled with righteousness and truth—messages that are authentic, edifying, and praiseworthy—and literally to sweep the earth as with a flood.”9
Day 5: Develop Self-Reliance
To become self-reliant, sometimes we need help from outside sources.
Today, we can do one thing to develop our self-reliance. For example, we could consider strengthening our testimony about a specific topic or learning how to fix a small leak on a tire. We may choose to figure out how to cook a meal for a group or work on skills needed for a dream job. No matter what you pick, plan to start working on it, and think about how technology can help you.
Friends and family members can be great resources to learn something new. However, sometimes we do not have someone to turn to who could help. Though it is important to check if a website is reliable, we can find how-to videos or step-by-step instructions with a quick search.
As we try to develop self-reliance surrounding the gospel of Jesus Christ, we can read the scriptures; talks and devotionals; Come, Follow Me manuals; Church magazines; and more. All of these are available on ChurchofJesusChrist.org and the Gospel Library app. There are also features to take notes, highlight, or bookmark quotes and pages to help us. Then, we can fervently pray for the Spirit to testify of the truth of what we read and for personal revelation from God.
Elder Hugo E. Martinez of the Seventy has said: “Striving to be self-reliant is part of our work along the covenant path that leads us back to Heavenly Father and to His Son, Jesus Christ. It will strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ and joyfully bind us to Him through the covenants and ordinances of salvation and exaltation. Self-reliance is a doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ, not a program. It is a process that lasts a lifetime, not an event.”10 When used wisely, technology can help us in that lifetime pursuit of increasing self-reliance.
Day 6: Further Our Education
Today, we can try to learn something new. Choose a topic that is interesting and read an article, watch a video, or listen to a podcast. See if there are recent messages from prophets and apostles about that particular topic. Think about sharing this newfound information with someone else!
Ideas could include learning a new language or deepening understanding of a spiritual or academic topic.
President Nelson said, “Your education is ever important—to us, to you, and to God.”11
Other possibilities to further our education can involve enrolling in higher education. Many colleges and universities offer online courses for degrees. (BYU–Pathway Worldwide is a wonderful resource to earn an online degree at an affordable price!) Some websites may even offer free courses. As with increasing our self-reliance, we can turn to trusted websites to help us learn something new to engage in lifelong learning.
Day 7: Reflect
On the last day of this seven-day plan, pause and reflect. How have you grown and changed as you have focused on using technology as part of God’s work of salvation and exaltation? What have you learned about technology? During the times you use technology, how can it help you gather Israel?
Record your thoughts and ideas on paper or online to remember what you learned.
As we develop our ability to use media to further God’s work, we can become an example for others to follow.
Matthew 5:14–16 says:
“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
“Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Sharing the light of Jesus Christ is something we can do throughout our lives. Why not use the resources God has given us to further His work?