Navigating the Modern Field: How to Be an Internet Missionary in the 21st Century

Brother, Sister, if you’ve been in the field—whether that field was a mission field in a foreign land or just your living room during a missionary discussion—you know that the assignment is never truly finished. The work is eternal, and the opposition, well, the opposition is always evolving.

Lately, the conversation around the Church has felt... different. It feels less like the clear, definable opposition of previous generations, and more like a kind of subtle, deep-seated skepticism that gets weaponized right inside our own doctrines. It’s challenging, and honestly, it can feel overwhelming. Like standing in a spiritual fog.

It’s easy to feel discouraged, to think that the old methods—the flyers, the tracting, the highly visible signs of our faith—aren’t enough anymore. But the Spirit never abandons us, and neither does the mission field.

The New Frontier of Opposition

The video I wanted to share with you today, featuring insights from Cardon Ellis, really drives home a critical point: the nature of anti-Mormonism has fundamentally changed. It’s no longer just the loud, interdenominational protests we sometimes dealt with decades ago. Today, the challenge is often far more sophisticated—it's about exploiting the very doctrines and inclusive culture that make the Gospel so beautiful and welcoming.

The core challenge, as the video explains, is recognizing when worldviews are being 'weaponized' and how to ethically counter that without falling into the trap of fundamentalist finger-wagging. This isn't about becoming defensive; it's about becoming spiritually and intellectually equipped. It’s about being a disciple who is deeply rooted in the foundational principles of the restored gospel.

Being an Internet missionary means we have to be masters of this new environment. It means knowing how to guide someone through the hard questions—the kind of questions that don't come with a clear 'No,' but rather with a complex, seemingly knowledgeable 'But what if?'

A Disciple's Toolkit for the Modern World

So, how do we answer these questions? The answer, as always, points back to the center: Christ. We can't combat ideological warfare with mere facts; we combat it with the pure, unshakeable testimony of the Savior.

If you are preparing for a mission, or if you are simply a lifelong disciple serving in your own home, remember that preparation is a muscle. The more you train it, the stronger it gets. This means moving beyond reciting doctrines and truly *living* the Spirit. It means being able to articulate the core truths of the Restoration in a way that is approachable, understandable, and even enjoyable—just like Jeff Bors’s writing style mentioned in the video.

A few quick tips for strengthening your mission prep skills:

• Deepen your 'Why': Don't just know *what* we believe; know *why* we believe it. Root your answers in scripture and in the personal experience of the Spirit.
• Practice Listening: An investigator's hardest questions are often framed as genuine concerns, not attacks. Listen to the underlying fear or confusion, and meet that with empathy and love.
• Utilize Your Tools: For those of us who are already doing the work, I highly recommend diving into the resources available through LivingBook. The Social Scripture Study layer, for example, is a powerful way to see how others are connecting verses to modern life.

Your Call to Action: Keep Learning, Keep Sharing

The biggest danger, I think, is spiritual complacency—getting comfortable and assuming that because we are doctrinally sound, we are immune to the cultural winds. We are not. We are disciples, and discipleship means constant vigilance, constant learning, and constant sharing.

If you want to dive deeper into the intellectual challenges of the modern field, I strongly recommend picking up The Antichrist Playbook. It's a phenomenal resource for both young men and parents who want to equip their families to understand the current cultural landscape.

And remember, the Church has built incredible tools for us to continue the work right where we are. If you are looking for a study group to help you sharpen your understanding of the scriptures, check out the Book Clubs or Bible Study Groups in HolyPlaces. If you need help thinking through a difficult question you anticipate from an investigator, don't forget about Davee. He's ready to walk you through the AI Investigator role, helping you structure a compassionate and doctrinally sound answer.

We are all Internet missionaries, all the time. Let's be prepared, let's be Christlike, and let's help the stick of Joseph continue its sacred work.