Duty to God App

I am currently serving as a young men's president and feel that it is necessary to have a duty to God app. In today's technical age, with super computers now in our hands, why not allow the young men the opportunity to take there duty to God books wherever they are. Also they could modify their progress.
What do you guys think?

Any smart phone that uses a web browser can use the LDS.org Duty to God website. I am certain they are working on responsive design to make the experience optimized for smaller screens.

While most smartphones should be able to access the site, it is Flash based, meaning it won't work correctly on iOS or Windows Phone platforms. Further, most young men (I have a 12 year old) aren't big browser users. They rely on apps. Is there any API or resource developers could use to build such an app?. I'd be interested in building one if none such exists.

There are two types of application development for such things. The first is done entirely in house by ICS employees. The second is done by community volunteers with project oversight by an ICS employee or team. For community development you must join the development community. There is an LDSTech Projects section of articles specifically for those wishing to contribute. I encourage you to visit the LDSTech Projects section of the wiki for further information. There is little chance that APIs will be released for independent development.

There haven't been many comments on this post in a while, and I wanted to see if anyone has an update. I have served with the Young Men since the inception of Fulfilling My Duty to God. I love the program (if it is appropriate to call it that). However, it definitely needs an app. The biggest challenge I have seen is that the young men don't bring their books each Sunday, no matter what the incentive, so it is hard to track their progress, and use the book in quorum meetings to set goals. I thought they'd bring it with their scriptures, but they also don't bring scriptures anymore. This is a new generation. They are minimalists, and they are paperless. They ALWAYS have their smartphones. I know you can access and track Duty to God online. I have done that. However, it is tedious to do from a phone. Also, I know you can find Duty to God in the Gospel Library, but it's not interactive. Here is why we need an app:

1) They can enter their profile once. Most of them don't know what an LDS ID is, how to get one, or if they have one. We can help them get one, but most don't know their membership number either (in order to get one). The website makes them enter this every time. With an app, they can enter it once.

2) They will have Duty to God with them wherever they go, including every Sunday in Church. It won't matter whether or not there is a wireless connection. Imagine how powerful that would be if they could use the interactive Duty to God while waiting for the bus, after sports practice, etc. Or on a mutual night if we want to tie in to Duty to God (for example right after doing service for Brother Jones). I wish I could say they would bring their booklet with them wherever they go, but this probably isn't realistic.

3) It would be great if an app could sync with the interactive version on LDS.org - the same way the Gospel Library app syncs. If they ever lose, break or change their phone, their goals and progress will be stored on the website

4) An app could be laid out in a way that would make it much more intuitive and easy to use without having to resize screens. The app could also have links to media that would help them learn more.

5) This app could even be integrated into the LDS Youth App (as could Personal Progress- I am not sure if there is an app for that).

I welcome your comments if there are additional "pros" or any "cons" I am not considering, or if you know where I can go to find more information on the progress of this topic.

OK a follow up to my last post, I just realized that by accessing Duty to God through the Gospel Library App, Young Men can now enter goals, track progress, write notes, etc. In other words the interactive App version of Duty to God already exists through the Gospel Library App, and it is very intuitive and works great!!!

How is this not done yet? Why is it being ignored? If you want to engage the young men, enter their world. Dont gave church be this backward place for them. Please get a mobile app together for Duty To God.

An application would be done at the request of the sponsoring department - in this case, Young Men. Even then it's subject to priorities and availability of limited resources as dictated by the Priesthood Department.

The decision-makers for this process do not visit the forums. It's not up to the developers or the community.

strawbobrob wrote:How is this not done yet?

As stated in previous posts, a version of this is already available.

From you smartphone or tablet, you can browse to dutytogod.lds.org and and enter individual goals, and track progress. This has been available in this format since at least 2011. The site could be a bit more mobile friendly, but I am sure this is in the works, because the whole of lds.org seems to be undergoing an ongoing, continual revamp to be more mobile friendly and user friendly in generally. It's only a matter of time.

More recently, the Duty to God pamphlet available through the Gospel Library app has gained functionality so that it too is now interactive, such that individual goals and progress can be entered and tracked. I wasn't able to verify if the stuff I typed into the Duty to God section of the Gospel library app synced with my login at dutytogod.lds.org or vice versa, but I'm sure that this (or some other solution) is in the works. The fact that Gospel Library even had this functionality added shows that this is not being ignored.

@eefisher "accessing Duty to God through the Gospel Library App" and @jbh001 I wasn't able to verify if the stuff I typed into the Duty to God section of the Gospel library app synced with my login at dutytogod.lds.org or vice versa

I have entered goals and thoughts on both the Duty to God in Gospel Library and on dutytogod.lds.org with success on both. However, I have not been able to see that either syncs with the other. I have entered similar goals on the same section, but each device retains it's own data.

I would like to see parent and leader access to the youth's progress in each section, while keeping the details of the individuals journal entries private unless shared through profile settings.