15 Useful Websites for those Investigating the Mormon Church

By AllAboutMormons.com Webmaster - 11/30/2008

If I were thinking about joining the LDS (“Mormon”) Church, I would like to know how to get in touch with Church members. After AllAboutMormons.com, which is clearly the best Mormon site on the Internet, here's some other sites I'm sure I'd find useful:
  1. Did you know that you can request a visit from Mormon missionaries online? These missionaries can visit you in your own home to teach you more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You can also request a visit by calling 1-888-537-7700 in the United States.
  2. If you'd prefer not to invite Mormon missionaries over to your house, you can chat with a missionary online. 
  3. If you'd like to meet a ton of Mormons and see how they worship, consider visiting a Mormon chapel some Sunday to attend one of our worship services. You can easily find the address of the chapel nearest your house online. There are free classes for children, teenagers, and adults
Keep in mind that Mormonism is more than just a religion. It's a lifestyle with a unique culture. A number of sites on the Internet can help you better understand Mormon culture.
  1. MormonTimes.com is a website run by The Deseret News, a newspaper based in Salt Lake City, Utah. MormonTimes collects news stories about Mormonism from all around the world. I especially enjoy the “Mormon Media Observer” articles in which genuine Mormons critique the way the Church is portrayed in the popular media. It's a great way to get a feel for Mormon culture. The Church itself also has an online newsroom full of the latest Mormon news from around the globe. 
  2. You might be surprised to learn that the “Mormon” church has an official YouTube channel! This channel talks a lot about the Church's international aid efforts, as well as other cultural issues. 
  3. Mormons are really into Music. The Church has an official music website. You can hear more sophisticated versions of these hymns elsewhere on the Internet for free. 
  4. Service to others is also a major part of Mormon culture. You can learn about the church's extensive humanitarian program online.
If I were investigating Mormonism, I would also like to learn all about the teachings of the Church. Here's some excellent sites, other than AllAboutMormons.com (the best one), that also teach Mormon doctrine:
  1. You can familiarize yourself with Mormon scriptures by reading them online. The Old and New Testaments are important books of scripture. Also, Mormons use other books of scripture, including the Book of Mormon, the Pearl of Great Price, and Doctrine and Covenants. If you're unfamiliar with the Book of Mormon, I recommend the following chapters: Alma 32 and 3 Nephi 11.
  2. The Church holds a worldwide General Conference twice a year. All the sermons preached at these conferences, seen literally by millions of Mormons worldwide, are available online for reading, listening, or watching. 
  3. The Church publishes various magazines every month. No need to subscribe; the magazines are available for free online. These magazines cover a lot of the basics of Mormon doctrine and are an easy read.
  4. Mormon.org is the church's official website for those investigating and does a great job of explaining basic gospel principles. Another site is devoted exclusively to Mormon teachings about Jesus Christ. Another site describes the life and teachings of Joseph Smith, the man who Mormons believe restored Christ's ancient gospel in our modern days. 
  5. The Church has also created an excellent website about Mormon history.
There is a lot of misinformation about Mormons in popular culture and on the Internet. Some people dislike Mormons and try to tear down their faith by exaggerating or misrepresenting Mormon beliefs and history. If I were investigating the Church and came across some of those misrepresentations, I would want to hear the Mormon side of the story.
  1. The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR) is perhaps the premier source of information about anti-Mormon claims on the Internet. Their wiki is a phenomenal resource. I could spend hours reading through the vast Table of Contents. 
  2. Jeff Lindsey, a member of the Church from Wisconsin, has done great work in responding to some of the claims made by anti-Mormons. 
  3. The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship (formally the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies) is also a great resource, though the research done by that institute goes far beyond addressing anti-Mormon claims. Also, many of the articles are written for a scholarly audience and are not as easy to read as the articles by FAIR or Jeff Lindsey.
Hope this list helps! Good luck with your research!

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