On Wednesday evening, January 15, 2014, President and I traveled to Antwerpen to met with Bro. Geens from the Gent Branch regarding the successful Facebook project he has been piloting in the branch.
We also had Diedrik Lenders, who is the Technical PR person for the Church over the Netherlands, attend the meeting. Our purpose was to start moving this successful Facebook project into the four stakes serving the Dutch speaking members of the church. We, President Robinson and I, have been aware that Bro. Geens is highly successful with his project and many people are learning about the church and are asking to be visited and taught by the missionaries. Gent Branch has had baptisms from this project. This project has really only been going for about 4 months, however, we have seen great potential in its use in missionary work.
Sister Robinson, President Robinson, Bro. Lenders, Bro. Geens
Bro. Lenders is now going to work with the four Stake Presidents and will begin moving on the Facebook Project throughout the Belgium Netherlands Mission. We have approval from the Church for the official Facebook Page. Exciting things are starting to happen. We will continue doing missionary work the way we always have done, except now we will begin to have the assistance of every member of the church in the Belgium Netherlands Mission working on the Facebook Project which has been proven to result in referrals, investigators, baptisms and new members. The new members found through the Facebook Project are so grateful to have found the Church because they were aware they were missing something in their life and didn't know where to find what they were missing. Through this Facebook Project, members can share the gospel as never before with greater success.
It fits perfectly with what
Elder L. Tom Perry spoke about in Hastening of the Work.
When I was a young missionary, we were able to speak with contacts on the street and knock on doors to share the gospel. The world has changed since that time. Now, many people are involved in the busyness of their lives. They hurry here and there, and they are often less willing to allow complete strangers to enter their homes, uninvited, to share a message of the restored gospel. Their main point of contact with others, even with close friends, is often via the Internet.
The very nature of missionary work, therefore, must change if the Lord is to accomplish His work of gathering Israel “from the four corners of the earth” (2 Nephi 21:12).
Just as missionaries must adapt to a changing world, members must also change the way they think about missionary work. In saying this, I wish to make it clear that what we, as members, are asked to do has not changed; but the way in which we fulfill our responsibility to share the gospel must adapt to a changing world.
Our Personal Testimony: The Lord is in the work. He is opening doors, inspiring members, and preparing people to find the Gospel. This IS
Hastening the Work of Salvation.
NOTE: Yes, we decided to meet at Bryce Canyon, Utah. What a treat it was for us to walk into the conference room, in a business building in Antwerpen and see this wall mural. President and I knew immediately where this was, as it is about a two hour drive from our home in Utah. Bro. Geens laughed and said we were the first people who knew the location of this photo.
Most people ask him if it is the Grand Canyon. So, throughout the entire
meeting, President and I feel very much 'at home'.
Just look at the bright blue sky and fluffy white clouds.
Funny thing, but I helped to fellowship Brother Geens while he was investigating the church via facebook. His wife found me 20 years after serving a mission in Belgium and they both asked me questions about the gospel. He surely knows the value of facebook in finding people and helping them understand the gospel. Good man and great family.
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