Elder Bednar reiterates the value of social media as a way to share light and truth

In a video podcast released Sunday on a Spanish-speaking YouTube channel operated by Latter-day Saints, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints commented on a number of fresh questions arising about social media usage by people of faith, at a time when the subject has received heightened scrutiny.

Ten years ago this month, this same apostle encouraged members of the church at BYU Education Week to be proactive about sharing hopeful, positive messages online “filled with righteousness and truth — messages that are authentic, edifying and praiseworthy” — urging the audience “literally to sweep the earth as with a flood.”

Since then, many have sought to do just that. Donnie Sorensen said, “I’ve used my cancer journey to speak more of Christ.” And David Edward Garber describes a decade of his own efforts after hearing that earlier talk. “Sometimes I wonder if anyone is listening, or if I’m preaching to the choir more than to those who need it most, but I keep trying. It’s a tough crowd sometimes, though.”

Others have wondered if it’s wise to be on social media at all, after witnessing widening public alarm about the effects of this digital technology on teenagers, in particular. Has social media become toxic enough that we’d all be better off avoiding it entirely?

Elder Bednar was emphatic to the contrary. Rather than backing away from his earlier counsel, he reiterated the value of these tools if and when they are used proactively to share hopeful and uplifting messages. “More so now than ever, the light that will be associated with the messages that come from authentic disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ will become ever more attractive. In a world where people will use these tools to enhance the darkness the light will shine ever brighter.”

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” he cited from the apostle Paul for emphasis. “It’s who we are. It’s not Sunday only. It’s all day everywhere, all times, all places, all things.”

Not overlooking social media side effects

At the same time, Elder Bednar acknowledged in the interview with Giulianna Collato and Pepe Valle the importance of being “wary” to “not be seduced by the patterns that social media can introduce into our lives” — cautioning how excessive social media use “can condition us to adopt patterns in our lives that are contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

In particular, the apostle mentioned the very brief seconds an average viewer spends on any given online post before shifting their attention. “People become conditioned ‘nope, I don’t like this … nope, I’m not sticking with this … nope, I’m gonna go over here.’”

“And they are moving so quickly from thing to thing to thing” with “conclusion judgments” that are “so rapid” — a socialized habit that he pointed out “doesn’t work very well with ‘line upon line precept upon precept, here a little there a little’ and ‘wait upon the Lord.’”

Compared with scriptural examples of people like Nephi having transformative experiences after being persistent and patient, Elder Bednar said, “I wonder how many opportunities we miss because we only endure for point nine-tenths of a second and make an immediate judgment.”

Normal and natural

While online posts by someone like an apostle or the young women’s president get a lot of attention, Elder Bednar said, “what I love the most is ordinary unknown members of the church with very unprofessional, very authentic, short, simple messages of a bazillion different kinds.”

Reiterating the “normal and natural” way of sharing the gospel that Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf has encouraged , Elder Bednar spoke of the value of “simply describing what you did over the weekend which included going to church and perhaps teaching a Sunday school class. That’s very unusual to most of our friends who are not members of the church.”

For instance, he said someone might “simply highlight one aspect of a family home evening and it might be that a young child 6-, 7-years of age would be giving a lesson.” Brief commentary in the post, he said, might include “we were talking about prayer because in our home we believe prayer is important,” while asking the child “what was it like for you to give this lesson.”

“Now we all think that’s normal,” he said. “ That’s abnormal in a home to have a child taking the lead in providing some instruction. ... People would just be blown away to think that a 6-, 7-year-old kid could give a lesson.”

Prayerfully “consider the normal natural flow of your life” and “what’s something that they would be interested in posting and just sharing … about your life, about your family, about your children, that highlights the gospel in your social media posts.”

These kinds of natural elements of a distinctive lifestyle, he said, “will create a curiosity … some folks are going to find that pretty interesting.”

“Amen! Social media is most often a tool for constructing and validating identities that are not our own (fake)” Robbie wrote online in response to Elder Bednar’s post. “‘Normal and natural’ are hallmarks of truth and things real, which is what the world needs and will noticed and will be attracted to on a much deeper level than anything else on social media.”

Keep it simple…and don’t be afraid

“My invitation would be don’t make this harder than it is … don’t complicate it, keep it simple.”

For those who don’t feel familiar with the basics, he noted there are “plenty of sources where you can get some basic information” about how to get started. “Don’t be afraid to give it a go,” he said. “It’s a remarkable learning process” he said of his own experience — calling it “a delightful process to try something” online and “learn how to do it better.”

The apostle described being personally “surprised” to see how people react to different content, such as a “day in the life” video he did earlier this year. “What absolutely made me giggle,” he said, were the many who commented on a plastic bag he carried home at the end of the day.

“I have no (idea). I don’t remember what was in it,” he said, but people kept asking: “What do you have in the bag? Was he going to the store for his wife? Did he already have eggs in there? What was it?”

It’s “fun” to help people see “the normality of much of what we do” and “see behind the curtain a little bit,” he said. “It’s not a secret. It’s not mysterious. It’s really quite normal.”

Learning to use social media for good

None of this, of course, means appropriate cautions shouldn’t still be taken — especially when it comes to teenagers or those overcoming addictions.

But the apostle’s overall message is “this is not going away. This is the way the world works.” The Church of Jesus Christ began introducing digital devices for missionaries in 2013-2014. Part of what Elder Bednar said to missionaries at the time, he recalled, is “this is not just about doing your missionary work now. You need to learn how to use these tools for righteousness now, so that that will be your pattern throughout your entire life.”

“This is how the world communicates and you need to learn how to do it for righteousness.”

Professor Sarah M. Coyne, a Brigham Young University researcher who studies technology and the family, has explored very different ways of using social media, with strongly divergent consequences. “Social media can be used proactively in healthy ways that uplift and motivate,” she said. “And it can also be used in passive, lurking ways that lead to discouragement and isolation.”

Compared with the passive use of social media, which research shows can increase depressive symptoms by 33%, other research suggests that active use of social media can actually be positive for mental health, even decreasing mental illness symptoms by 15%.

According to experts, that entails being active online in focusing on proactive posting, rather than passively absorbing content. It means being purposeful and mindful of emotions. Coyne and others also emphasize the importance of limiting social comparisons and using social media “less as a show and more to connect with others.”

Proclaiming, not pressuring

Rather than overly focusing on how to “defend” truth, Elder Bednar emphasized “the responsibility to proclaim what we know.”

Twice the apostle cautioned against social media posts that are “in your face,” signaling “there’s something wrong with you if you don’t accept it as soon as I tell you.” He also reminded people twice that sharing the gospel need not be “overt” in the sense of “come have the missionaries come to your home.”

“Elder Bednar is 100 percent right, these things do not need to be forced as they are led by the Spirit who beckons,” Jonathan Blood wrote online, “and is not one who screams at others to get them to obey.”

“Live the gospel,” he said. When “it’s what we are striving to become. ... That becomes evident to anybody who sees us.”

“We are the gospel message,” Dauphin Manuarii summarized in response.

Not letting ‘that stuff bother you’

“If you are living the gospel there will be people who do not agree with what you believe and what you do and some of them will have a disposition to want to attack,” Elder Bednar said in response to a question about conflict on social media.

“You become a peacemaker when you don’t respond in kind,” noting that “if there’s an attack and a counterattack, it escalates.”

“How we respond is the first step in deescalating and trying to make it more calm and peaceful,” he said, suggesting value in honest curiosity, since in our “propensity to respond” he said, “many times ... we don’t know what we’re responding to.”

“Can you help me understand where you’re coming from with this?” he suggested asking. “It seems like you’re kind of attacking. Is this intended to be an attack?”

“The fact that you’re trying to clarify and understand where they’re coming from is the first step in peacemaking.”

After stepping away from social media entirely for a year or two, Spencer Merrell writes . “I made it a rule when I came back to social media that I’d only use it for positive engagement. No arguing, no contention, no recrimination.”

“It is a much healthier experience now. Sharing uplifting things feels more natural and normal.“

“It really doesn’t matter what you do, someone will find fault, be critical,” Elder Bednar conceded. “You’ll never be acknowledged, accepted or recognized by everyone.”

“The question is are you and I grounded enough to be able to receive that incoming flak and say ‘well this person clearly didn’t appreciate this post.’” The aim isn’t to simply to “please people” he underscored. “We’re just showing aspects of our lives and if they don’t like it there’s nothing I can do about it. I don’t control it.”

“If what you did was true ... then I don’t see how you let that stuff bother you.”

The unabridged interview is posted on the YouTube Channel “Mas Fe.”