If you’re judging by their Instagram account alone, the Saratoga Springs 12th Samoan Ward seems to be having fun all the time. This joyful ward uses social media to bring its members closer to Jesus Christ while creating a feeling of unity and belonging.
Lena Utai spearheads the ward’s social media efforts and has some thoughts on how wards everywhere can “share the goodness of Christ online” while simultaneously strengthening their ward community.
Creating Community Through Instagram
When it comes to the content on their ward’s Instagram account, Lena says, “We’re sharing faith-building experiences—uplifting stories and moments with our ward in hopes of creating inclusivity.”
The content they create includes the following:
- Videos showing how their ward activities bring them closer to Christ
- Youth participating in social media trends that can be related to the gospel
- Members and missionaries sharing their testimonies of the Savior
Originally, the ward’s social media was intended to engage with the ward’s younger people. Now, the youth are often the ones reaching out to Lena with content ideas.
“It gives youth a great place to bridge fun and the gospel,” she says of social media. “The gospel isn’t rigid. It’s joyful. It’s cheerful.”
Ward Social Media Pages as a Missionary Tool
Aside from bringing their ward closer together, the Instagram account has also been a great missionary tool.
“People see how joyful we are, how happy we are, how we are choosing … to follow Christ,” Lena shares. “When you see people that are happy, it gets you curious as to what it is that they’re doing.”
The ward’s videos have reached far and wide, across the globe. Sometimes this manifests as people interested in learning about the gospel, but other times, people reach out, wondering how to create similar engagement in their own wards.
Making the Most of Your Ward’s Social Media Page
Many wards encourage their members to use social media as a gathering place, but it can be hard to know where to start. Although every ward is different, Lena has a few tips.
- Make a plan. “Decide what you want your message to be,” Lena says. Her ward’s social media page is specifically focused on how their activities bring them closer to Christ, often drawing that spiritual connection in the post’s caption. Your platform could focus on this or something else, like the importance of temples, how different auxiliaries work together, or serving the community outside the ward.
- Involve ward members. Don’t create all the content yourself. “Allow people to be involved,” Lena says. She recommends asking them to share how they view their own journey with Christ so others can be lifted by their testimony.
- Share the gospel. Use your ward’s social media as a missionary tool. Lena asks departing and returning missionaries to share their experiences on the ward’s Instagram account so that other youth can see how missions make a difference. You could create content directly for people who are exploring the gospel or simply share how your ward is living a joyful, Christ-centered life.
- Remember, social media isn’t limited to young people. “The oldest member in our ward is one of our best followers on our ward page,” Lena says. “[Social media] is a way to unite people of different ages and help them learn from one another.”
Whatever you choose to share, consistency is key. Lena says: “Repetitive goodness online helps to strengthen our faith, encourages positive choices, and [helps] our members internalize gospel principles over time.”
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