Mormonism in Pictures is a photo essay feature from MormonNewsroom.org depicting The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members around the world. Today we feature a photo essay from German Mormon Newsroom highlighting Mormon missionaries serving in Germany.
The missionary program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the faith’s prominent features. Mormon missionaries can be seen in hundreds of cities and in thousands of small towns all over the world; in Germany, from Flensburg to Kaufbeuren.
Missionaries do not assign themselves to their field of service, but rather they receive their missionary calling from Church headquarters. This photo essay provides insights and impressions from these dedicated missionaries who desire to serve their fellow man.
Missionary activity is voluntary. Every missionary pays for his or her mission with the exception of the cost of traveling to their area of service and when they depart for home after spending 18 months to two years. Serving others and teaching them about God is an honor.
Missionaries look at their calendars in order to plan their day of teaching and serving.
The primary task of the missionaries is to teach people the gospel of Jesus Christ. Here you see a family reading from the Book of Mormon. Latter-day Saints believe this book stands alongside the Holy Bible as witnesses of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
Missionaries visit members of the Church as well as those interested in hearing more about the worldwide faith. An important tenet of the Church is taken from the Book of Mormon: “Men are, that they might have joy.” (2 Nephi 2:25)
The Church advises its members to be prepared for emergencies. Here, a Latter-day Saint woman makes applesauce for her food storage.
The completed apple sauce is poured into glasses.
Mormons believe that families can endure beyond death. Doing research on one’s family helps a person to feel a bond with their ancestors. Church family history missionaries are located in many communities to assist all interested people.
FamilySearch.org is one of the most popular websites for searching a person’s family history. The website is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is accessible to everyone. Missionaries are trained to help in ancestral search.
A man shows a missionary images of his ancestors. During their mission, missionaries often develop friendships and they take time to listen and learn as much about the culture of their country's mission as well as the personal experiences and needs of others.
A sister missionary along with the Relief Society women crochet as part of their service; the products are later sent to the needy in Africa. Missionaries happily join in service projects and invite friends of the Church to participate with them.
Missionaries and local members of the Church are preparing a meal for a community event.
Music plays an important role in worship for Latter-day Saints. Here, a missionary plays his violin during a church service.
A missionary choir practices for a conference of the Church.
A missionary accompanies the congregation for the singing of hymns in a Berlin meetinghouse.
After retirement, many couples volunteer to serve a full-time Church mission for a period of six to 23 months. They contribute a lifetime of experience helping to make a difference in the lives of everyone they meet.
This missionary couple does many things from helping to clean this meetinghouse in Germany, which is used for Sunday worship services and other weekly activities to teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Missionaries and young people from a Berlin congregation create chalk pictures on the street depicting God’s plan of happiness.
Missionaries engage people on the street to talk about life’s most important questions.
Two missionaries help a woman pick berries in her garden.
Missionaries serve in many ways such as helping to weed a neighbor’s garden, doing yard work, cleaning a house or assisting in times of emergencies.
The first missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Germany was Briton James Howard in 1840. Today, Church membership in Germany is nearly 40,000.