Mormons expand Finnish-speaking community outreach through social media in Finland

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as Mormons, have established numerous Finnish-speaking event groups on Facebook. Timo Koponen, a spokesperson for the church, noted that while there isn’t a formal focus on social media outreach in Finland, young members are engaging in missionary work in ways they see fit.

Facebook hosts groups like “Tampere Events,” managed entirely by foreign Mormon missionaries. Koponen mentioned that while he isn’t familiar with specific groups, there are many created by active missionaries. Similar groups also exist for events in cities such as Espoo, Helsinki, Turku, Oulu, Rovaniemi, Kerava, and Vantaa.

Kim Östman, a researcher at Åbo Akademi, stated that transitioning to social media is not unusual for religious groups, as many are proactive in adopting available technology. A significant shift in Mormon missionary practices began in the early 2010s with limited trials, evolving into widespread use of social media by the decade’s end, further accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previously, Mormons were restricted from using social media during their missions, but now it is encouraged. Celeste Burns and Kaitlyn Dawson, American missionaries currently in Oulu, manage the “Events in Oulu” group and emphasize the variety of gatherings aimed at community engagement.

While the events are not explicitly labeled as church-related, Koponen highlighted the importance of clarification to avoid misunderstanding about their intentions. Young missionaries, supported by the church, assert that while they encounter some inappropriate messages online, they have access to professional support if needed.