Since 1830 one million members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have volunteered for full-time missionary service. Almost all of these have served 18 months or longer, and many have traveled to foreign lands, many of them learning a second language.
Each missionary is unique, with his or her own story to tell. Together they comprise a rich mosaic of personalities, backgrounds, cultures and experiences — blended with a common desire to serve God and their fellow human beings.
The following profiles of missionaries provide a glimpse into that mosaic:
SYDNEY, Australia — Following his required national service obligation in Singapore, Choo Su Jian declined a government scholarship to Oxford University in order to go on a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
ROCHESTER, New York — Anton Rets did not realize the impact a Knoxville, Tennessee, family’s faith would have on his life while he lived in their home as a 16-year-old exchange student from Perm, Russia. Now age 27, he is a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
TUCSON, Arizona — Losing both of his legs when he was 6 as a result of being hit by a truck has never stopped Kacey McCallister from pursuing his goals, so the decision to go on a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was an easy one to make.
SOLO, Indonesia — Puji Purwanti wanted to demonstrate her commitment to her new faith, but doing so led to a loss of business as she refused to sell her baked goods on Sunday.
GOA, India — Jordan Matthew Barr and Benjamin Ajay Kwame Reichert had never met prior to their mission, but their assignment to India would take them both back to the country they were born in and where they would discover the parallels of their background.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — Lohran Saldanha Queiroz’s father, Milton (also known as Tita), is a professional soccer player who has played in five countries, won many titles and been a member of the Brazil national team. It was not a surprise that his son Lohran was playing in elite competitions at the age of 12 and by 17 was in the junior soccer league — a fast track to professional recruitment.