Gospel Technology
Throughout history God has used divine instruments to further His purposes. For example, the Urim and Thummim aided the translation of God’s word, and the Liahona provided Lehi and his family with direction as they journeyed to the promised land (See 1 Nephi 16:10).
For our days, information technology can be a divine instrument. President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) proclaimed, “I believe that the Lord is anxious to put into our hands inventions of which we laymen have hardly had a glimpse.” 1
The Church’s UK Digital Team has introduced a new section on the UK Church website called Gospel Technology. This section focuses on the use of technology in our gospel-oriented lives. It can be found at UK.ChurchofJesusChrist.org/gospel-technology.
Articles provide guidance on the use of the technology in three areas, each aligned to the Europe Area Plan:
Following the prophet is about following his teachings, to improve ourselves, better provide for our families, and to minister to and serve others. One of the goals from the Area Plan for this is to “be continually mindful of the rising generation.”
We discuss the safe use of technology within the home, how parents can understand how to steer their own and their children’s use of social media, how to better use technology in their daily lives, and how to make effective use of Come Follow Me resources.
‘Inviting people’ considers ways of sharing highlights of the gospel with others. One of the goals from the Area Plan for this is to “share online Church messages with family and friends.”
We discuss how easy it is to use technology to share the gospel far and wide and to reach many more people. We also share examples of what some have done to inspire others and include a list of resources of things that can be shared.
‘Take an ancestor to the house of the Lord’ is the goal of our family history endeavours. One of the goals from the Area Plan for this is to “take family names to the house of the Lord and help others to do so.”
Many would like to get started on family history, but the task can seem overwhelming with so much to do—where to start can seem difficult. When asking someone for help, we may have been given an explanation that we did not understand. We discuss in this section how to get started with family history and include useful tips and links to make this achievable and encouraging.