Two years ago, I launched a social network called LDS Online, an LDS community for sharing ideas and collaborating on ways to provide accurate and positive information about the Church on blogs and Web sites. Although it has grown to over 800 members, it has lived its useful life.

As I close down LDS Online, I recommend that people go to LDS.net, the premier LDS site for blogging, chatting, sharing testimonies, and participating in groups and forums. If any of you have added an LDS Online badge to your sites, I recommend you remove it and instead link to LDS.net.

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Mormon Entrepreneur is a bi-monthly online magazine that covers the Latter-day Saint business world.

I just enjoyed reading their latest issue on Family History entrepreneurs. It features Alan Eaton (OneGreatFamily.com), Janet Hovorka (Generation Maps), John Vilburn (Ohana Software), Paul Allen (FamilyLink.com), and Russ Wilding (Footnote.com). 

Learn about about OneGreatFamily’s latest project OneClickTempleTrip.com. Ask yourself, “Would I do Family History work if it took only one click to find a family member that I could take to the temple?”

I especially enjoyed reading about Paul Allen and his efforts with Ancestry.com, MyFamily.com, Provo Labs, Infobase Media Corp (LDSAudio.com), WorldVitalRecords.com, and FamilyLink.com.

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Facebook now has over 350 million users–45 million more than the number of people in the USA.

Facebook also announced it will enhance privacy controls to let users determine who gets to see pictures, comments, videos, and other material in profiles. In coming weeks, Facebook members will be asked to review and update personal privacy settings where you can set content to be available to only your friends, friends of your friends, or everyone. We’ve posted articles on this blog previously about how to use Facebook effectively.

There are now nearly 164,000 fans of the official Church page on Facebook.

Other official Church pages on Facebook are listed below. Become fans of these pages to get additional information and advanced notice of new content.

• LDS Newsroom (facebook.com/LDSNewsroom)
• Liahona magazine (facebook.com/liahona.magazine)
• Ensign magazine (facebook.com/ensign.magazine)
• New Era magazine (facebook.com/newera.magazine)
• Friend magazine (facebook.com/friend.magazine)
• Mormon Channel (facebook.com/mormonchannel)
• Mormon Messages (facebook.com/mormonmessages)

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The mission of a new Web site, FollowTheProphet.net, is to make it easier to follow the words and deeds of God’s living prophet, as he travels the world meeting with members of the Church, speaking at conferences and devotionals, visiting Church historical sites, attending cultural events, dedicating temples, and even in his daily encounters with people.

FollowTheProphet.net aims to give better access to the activities of the prophet.  When he speaks, they write about it with links to his words.  When he visits locations, they let you know.  When he meets with the Saints, they post about it.  They will help you “follow the prophet.”  You can follow the prophet on Twitter, RSS feed, by e-mail, or Facebook.  Note that they only post about the prophet’s activities after he has visited a location, unless it is a scheduled event, so there is no security concern for the prophet.

The site was created by Bryce Haymond (editor at TempleStudy.com, a Web site dedicated to sustaining and defending the LDS temple through scholarship and learning) and his brother Brad Haymond. They hope that this new Web site will enable you to feel more engaged with what the Prophet is doing and saying as the Lord’s prophet on the earth. Learn more about the launch.

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See the Church’s Web site Missionary Service Opportunities (servicemission.ldschurch.org) to see a listing of the current part-time mission service and volunteer opportunities that are available in the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

There are many opportunities for members to give their time to the Lord through work-related service. Service missionaries live at home and serve between 8 and 32 hours per week.

Check back to LDS Media Talk often to learn about other Church Web sites.

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MormonTabernacleChoir.org is the official site of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It contains all the latest information on events, tickets, and recordings related to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the Temple Square Chorale, the Orchestra at Temple Square, the Bells on Temple Square, and the Organs on Temple Square.

While visiting the site, be sure to check out the following:

• Sign up for the Choir’s weekly e-newsletter.
• Find links to the latest on-line stories about the Choir.
• Look for Choir music on a searchable database and buy or download Choir recordings.
• Biographies of Choir leaders, music directors, and staff.
• Ticket information about upcoming concerts.
• Detailed calendars with upcoming activities.
• Audition information for the Choir and other other music groups mentioned above.
• A video press kit with interviews of Choir leaders, members of the Choir and Orchestra, and key staff.
• Links to the Newsroom with press releases, downloadable high resolution photos for press use, and other background information for both media and individuals.
• Information about the Choir’s Music and the Spoken Word broadcast and links to the Music and the Spoken Word site for streaming of the broadcast.
• Detailed information about Choir recordings including latest release information, a full listing of all choir recordings with a searchable database by album title and song title with links to purchase CDs and downloads.
• Frequently asked questions and answers.
• Contact us information.

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If you’re going to be in the DC area this Christmas or have friends who will be, check out the Festival of Lights. Click on one of the share buttons on the web page to invite your friends or link to it from your blogs!

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For nearly a decade, the Newsroom Web site has provided journalists, and the public at large, with news and information about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Read about the progression of the Newsroom site from 2000 to today in an article on the Newsroom Blog.

At the end of the article, they invite your suggestions to improve the LDS Church Newsroom site.

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This week, we’re proud to launch an updated look for the branding of LDSMediaTalk.com, thanks to the design efforts of Jared Fitch.

The LDS Media Talk blog shares ideas with LDS parents and youth who are interested in learning how to use technology and new media to strengthen families and build The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I began the blog on July 5, 2006 as ldsWebguy.com.

It was later rebranded LDSMediaTalk.com on June 10, 2008 when additional authors joined the blog. This was the header design by Gilbert Lee.

Thanks to all you loyal readers (around 8,000 unique visitors each month) from 119 countries.

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I have set up a page with handouts about Church Web sites that you are welcomed to use with your ward or friends. Two useful handouts are:

• How to Use the Ward Web Site
• Official LDS Church Web Sites

There is also a more complete list of  LDS Church Web sites on this blog.

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