My Story as a Latter-day Saint Influencer

A “Latter-day Saint influencer” is the last thing I ever thought I’d call myself, yet here we are. But what does that really mean? What do I actually do? From writer, to blogger, to Latter-day Saint influencer, and everything in between, I’m sharing it all. This week my ol’ blog turns 8 years old, so I figured it was the perfect time to finally write up a post that will hopefully answer some questions I often get about how I got started, why I do this, and what it’s like.

My Story

One of the questions I get asked the most is how and when did I get started with all this. The answer probably won’t be what you’re expecting, but if I had to pinpoint it, I would say it all started with my miscarriage in 2010.

I was a young mom of 3, and of course mourning over my loss. As a way to deal with my emotions, I wrote all about it. Kind of like my own therapy. I never intended to do anything with that piece of writing. It was just for me. But something deep down told me to submit it to the Ensign magazine. I had never done anything like that before. But I did it. And honestly never thought about it again.

One year later, I received an email saying that the Church wanted to publish it. I was shocked! My article about my miscarriage was published 9 months after that in the June 2013 Ensign magazine. It’s called “I Will Not Forget Thee.“

That whole situation gave me the confidence to keep writing and keep submitting. Soon, I was hired as a contract writer for various websites owned by Deseret Media. I mostly wrote about marriage and family. But deep down, I wanted to write about the gospel: my testimony, Church culture, tips in living the gospel of Jesus Christ. But I wasn’t allowed to. So, I decided to start my own personal blog where I could publish anything I wanted. And I made a goal to write one article every week.

Every week for 8 years now.

Was spending so much time online really worth it? This is something I used to ask myself a lot. Surely I could be doing more productive things with my life, right? Well, there’s a few important people that might say otherwise, but it was Elder Ballard that inspired me to start it all in the first place when he said, “Now, may I ask that you join the conversation by participating on the Internet to share the gospel and to explain in simple and clear terms the message of the Restoration.”

What powerful tools the internet, blogs, and social media can be in spreading light, goodness, and the gospel to the world. And you can be a part of it!

My writing has changed a lot over the years, but my goal has remained the same: to share a little more light and a little more goodness online every single day.

FAQ’s

How do you feel about being a Latter-day Saint influencer?

The word influencer can have a negative connotation, but I love it! Sister Neill F. Marriott said, “Our small acts of faith and service are how most of us can continue in God and eventually bring eternal light and glory to our family, our friends, and our associates. You truly carry a circle of influence with you!”

How to get started when you feel like you’re being called to it?

Don’t ignore that calling. Pick a platform and post something. Anything! Get as specific as you can about what you want to share. What do you feel called to share? Share from your heart and you can’t go wrong.

Does the Church pay you?

Nope! And I can testify that the Church doesn’t pay any influencers to share the gospel online.

How did you get started?

See story above ^

How do you deal with other social media platforms encouraging to leave our faith?

I share why I stay and why I love it. The only way to fight darkness is with light. And we need you!

How do you handle the critical and and rude comments?

I remember that it’s not about me. It’s about them. If someone has a sincere comment, it’s usually respectful. If not, delete and block!

How do you know what to post and how much to share?

The more I do it, the more ideas I get! I also pray about it. God wants me to share goodness online so I know He will help me!

What does your family think about it? Has anyone given you a hard time?

This is a unique job. I get why family or friends could feel weird bringing it up or give someone a hard time about it. I know some influencers with family who won’t even acknowledge what they do. Luckily, my immediate family is my biggest support!

If you made it this far, thanks for reading. What else do you want to know?