Mormon youth today are bombarded with hundreds of digital voices: e-mails, texts, cell phone calls, media, digital entertainment, Facebook and Twitter. A lot of the content out in the digital void is not worthy of attention.
To assist LDS youth to rise above the world, the Church launched a brand-new version of the youth.lds.org website. Designed for youth, parents and youth leaders, the faith-promoting site is full of safe and interesting content.
Elder Shayne M. Bowen of the Seventy and executive director for the site said, "With so much harmful media in the world and on the Internet, the free music downloads and videos provide youth with a wholesome alternative."
Since its launch two months ago, the youth site has garnered more than 350,000 page views. It features videos, free music downloads, words from the prophets, dedicated pages for each of the "For the Strength of Youth" standards, and Personal Progress and Duty to God applications. Elaine S. Dalton, general Young Women president, said, "On the youth website, young women can see that they aren't alone in standing for truth and righteousness. Here they can see examples of other youth who are living the standards in 'For the Strength of Youth' and making a difference in the world."
Here is a brief description of some of the features found on the site:
Videos: The Church will create at least two new youth-oriented messages every month. "From Every Nation" videos on the site feature youth from around the world applying the principles of the gospel in their lives. "Mormon Messages for Youth" feature messages from Church leaders. Also, the site is home to the "For the Strength of Youth Media Resources," which support the year's Mutual theme.
Music downloads: One of the most popular areas on the site is music downloads which offers free LDS music from LDS artists, seminary videos, general conferences and Church publications. Additional titles will be added as time goes on. There have been 11,000 downloads since the launch.
Standards pages: A new feature to the site is a separate page devoted to each of the standards found in "For the Strength of Youth." Topics are covered in detail with videos, Mormonads, testimonies from youth, answers to questions and Church articles — a great resource for leaders and parents.
Question and answer center: Concerning gospel topics and Church standards, here youth can see a variety of questions on different topics with answers from Church leaders and publications. Youth can even submit a question to be answered in the future on the site.
Interactive features: A new feature lets youth interact with the site by making comments about the content, sharing their testimonies or sharing an experience about how the gospel has affected their lives.
Mobile app: A brand-new app for the website allows youth to take uplifting content with them on their phone or digital device. Mobile content can easily be shared with friends and family. To get the app, go to the Apple iTunes store and type "LDS youth" in the search bar.
Not only for youth, the site is an excellent resource for parents and youth leaders. The part that receives the most traffic is the Personal Progress tracker, but the site offers much more. Parents can direct youth to articles or videos that deal with the gospel in new ways. Leaders can discuss topics with support from the Church and youth around the world.
David L. Beck, general Young Men president, said, "The youth website is a wonderful resource for youth, for their leaders and for parents.
"As young men learn about the standards of the Church and the doctrines of the gospel through the resources on this site, they will be inspired to act on what they have learned.
"The website also makes it easy for them to share the articles and videos with their friends, and it allows them to share the experiences they are having. We encourage all of the youth, leaders, and parents to come to this website often and use the resources you find here to strengthen each other in living the gospel."
Making correct media choices can be difficult, but the Church has made it easier by creating a website that is full of inspiring content.
In the July 2008 issue of the Ensign, Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve gave this counsel: "Make sure that the choices you make in the use of new media are choices that expand your mind, increase opportunities and feed your soul."
