Mormons on a Mission

Around this time of year seniors are starting to make their last summer plans. Some plan to work, go on trips, or even start college early. Most seniors though probably are not planning on leaving their family for two years, move to a foreign country and teach people about their religion. For seniors Jake Sweet and Zach Gallini that is exactly what they plan to do this summer. Their objective is to serve a mission for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, a dream they have had since they were little kids.

“I want to serve a mission not only because my family, my father has gone, my grandpa has gone, not only has it been a tradition, but it’s a big step in any member of our church’s life where you have the opportunity to share the message that we find very joyful and very happy,” Sweet said.

In order to serve a mission for two years money is definitely a concern. When all expenses are taken into account, (clothes, travel, food, housing, etc…) the cost comes out around $10,000. While their church does pay for some expenses, most of the money comes from the missionary’s own pocket.

“I want to pay for it out of my own money, so I have been saving for it since I first started earning money,” Gallini said.

A normal daily schedule for missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints consists of waking up at 6:30 a.m., scripture study for two hours, going out and teaching people for 11 hours, and finally returning to their housing quarters and going to bed at 10:30. Then the next day they wake up and do this all over again for two years.

“A missionaries sole purpose is to try and share our churches message, so we are always working and are out and about trying to see what we can do to spread that message,” Sweet said.

Usually when people mention “Mormon missionaries” an image of two guys, in white shirts and ties riding bikes pops into many people’s heads.This is not surprising because missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are required to follow a set of strict rules relating to groom and behavior.

“There are a bunch of specifications, and I am not entirely sure what they all are, but you do have to wear a white shirt and tie and you got to look all nice and you got to have your hair a certain length, I don’t think it can go past your ears,” Sweet said. “Also no piercings or tattoos or anything like that.”

In order to serve a mission, boys who are 18, and girls who are 19, that have graduated from high school, send in an application with medical forms and other things like that to church headquarters in Salt Lake City about three months before they want to leave for their mission, and then about six weeks after they turn in their papers they will receive their mission call. There mission call will tell them where they will be serving for the next year and a half to two years. Locations range from Salt Lake City, Utah to Novosibirsk, Russia, and the missionaries do not choose where they go.

“If I could choose I would love to go to Africa because it would be a cool experience and I would love to learn a new language,” Gallini said.

Missionaries leave their homes for 18 months to two years, and are only allowed to email their families once a week, and call/skype their families twice a year on Christmas and Mother’s Day. While many missionaries are excited to serve, this willingness and excitement does not come free of anxiety.

“I am extremely nervous from being away from my family and my comfortable life style, but I am also very excited,” Sweet said. “It will be challenging, but will be a very important time in my life where I can spend it doing something I enjoy.”