Mormon Missionaries
Summertime Jobs and Mormon Missions
Summer is the opportune time for many high school and college students to seek employment. Some need a job so that they can save money to help pay their school expenses. Some may have aspirations of making a sizable purchase such as an automobile or a new computer. And others may go to work to earn money to build a little nest egg in a checking or savings account to be used for future necessities.
Working for a Higher Purpose
Still, there are others who have an even higher purpose for joining the workforce. There are those who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who spend their summers working in order to earn money to help finance their upcoming full-time missions.
The money that they earn will go towards new suits or dresses, sturdy footwear, and mission accounts. The jobs that they perform could range from washing cars to mowing lawns to teaching music lessons to babysitting. No job is considered insignificant, and no earned wages are considered too small. These future missionaries realize that their labors are not in vain. Soon they will be working in the Lord’s vineyard in various parts of the world teaching His gospel, and performing labors of love for the people they will serve.
Mission Funds are Sacred Funds
An 18-year-old recent high school graduate from South Jordan, Utah, Cole Byrd, commented, “I know the money that I’m making will go toward finding people to teach the gospel in my mission.” Byrd, who has received his mission call to serve in the Chile Santiago South Mission, gets up early each morning, checks the operability of his lawn equipment, and then goes to work at various landscaping jobs. He never misses a day of work because he realizes that he is earning money to help support him in an even greater work that he will soon be a part of.
For the past two years, Vanessa Palmer, a graduate of BYU-Idaho, has been teaching kindergarten students at Columbia Elementary in West Jordan, Utah. She has lived on her own for the past five years, and one of the things that she has learned is how to budget and manage the money that she earns. She admits that she had not always planned to serve a mission, and leaving a promising career behind for 18 months as she goes to serve in the Idaho Boise Mission was not an easy decision, “But after much prayer, I just felt like I needed to go,” she said. She further commented, “I just know there is someone in the Boise mission that I need to teach and share the gospel with.”
For God and Country
Living in Annapolis, Maryland, the home of the United States Naval Academy, I have been blessed over the years to see young men and young women from my ward who have a desire to serve their country, place their careers on hold for 18 months to two years to willingly serve a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ. They have to make the decision to serve a mission prior to the start of third year of school, and once they make the decision, they do so realizing that once they leave the Academy, getting back in is not necessarily an easy process. However, that process has become somewhat easier over the years, as those in charge at the Naval Academy have witnessed the quality of young officers that are found in returned missionaries.
Cathryn DeLong, a Pennsylvania native, and a Midshipman at the United States Naval Academy for the past two years, will soon be leaving the Academy to serve an 18-month mission in the Russia Novosibirsk Mission. As a Midshipman, DeLong does not earn a large income, but she has stated that she is satisfied to know that the money that she does earn will help allow her to bring the saving message of the gospel of Jesus Christ to others. She also commented, “I’m excited to have this adventure. I will be meeting people in Russia and sharing the gospel with them.” She will spend a few weeks of naval training in Israel before reporting to the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in August 2014.
On the Lord’s Errand
Christ commanded His Apostles, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). As modern-day disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, many young men and women are anxiously engaged in preparing to answer the call to embark on the Lord’s errand wherever He needs them to go. Some may be at the start of a rewarding career, and some may already be well established in their career field. Nevertheless, each are willing to give of their time and service for the greater cause of bringing the world His Truth. With that higher purpose at the forefront, they know that the money that they earn from their labors during their summer employment will help enable them to do the work that the Lord has called them to do.
Seth Adam Smith: Your Life Isn’t For You
I have been a follower of Seth Adam Smith for several years, ever since I first discovered his videos on YouTube and was always, and am still, impressed with the high standard of videos that he produces. I am also blessed to experience Seth’s literary prowess and prolific writings. I am a fervid follower of Seth Adam Smith.com, The Alaskan Muse, and Forward Walking.com. If you have never visited any of these websites, I highly urge you to do so as you will find many articles of interest that are sure to enlighten you on many diverse subjects. Seth’s phenomenal articles can also be found on other social media network venues such as The Huffington Post and Deseret News.
On 2 November 2013, Seth published an article titled “Marriage Isn’t For You” which literally went viral overnight. The article received over 30 million views. The article was featured across all the major news networks and has been translated into some 20 different languages to include Spanish (El matrimonio no es para ti), Portuguese (O casamento não é para você), Russian (Брак не для Тебя), and French (Le Mariage n’est Pas Pour Vous), to name but a few. The article was also published as a hardcover book in May 2014 titled “Marriage Isn’t For You: It’s for the One You Love” and can be purchased from Amazon.com, Deseret Book, and other local book distributors. I purchased my copy from Barnes and Noble. Seth even did a book signing tour in Utah to promote the book.
Continuing with the overarching theme of the original blog post “Marriage Isn’t For You.” Seth has written and published an extraordinary new book which was released on Wednesday, 24 September 2014 titled “Your Life Isn’t For You: A Selfish Person’s Guide To Being Selfless.” The paperback edition can be purchased from Amazon.com. I recently received my copy of the book and found it to be so intriguing that once I started reading it, I did not want to put it down until after I had finished it. My critique of Seth’s excellent book is that it is definitely a MUST READ. In the book he has courageously shared some of his innermost, personal experiences and thoughts about a subject that many of us never take the time amid all the hustle and bustle in our lives to seriously consider , and that is the fact that our lives are not for us. My humble summation of what Seth writes in his new book is this: True living is not found in self-glorification or self-gratification, but rather in loosing ourselves in the service of others and realizing that our lives are best lived when we are willing to put our selfishness aside and view the lives of others as more important than our own.
Below is a video of a story which Seth wrote and shares in his book.
Elder David James Archuleta – Returned With Honor
“I am still David, but I feel so different. I am not afraid to show people who I am, and I’m not afraid of what I believe. I’m not afraid for people to know that.” – David Archuleta
For the past two years, David Archuleta has placed his music career on hold while he went to labor in the Lord’s vineyard as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often called the “Mormon” Church by the media and others) in the Chile Rancagua Mission. While serving his mission, he had the time to reflect upon his life and his personal relationship with his Heavenly Father. As he stated in his first post mission interview, serving a mission gave him an opportunity to forget about David Archuleta and focus on serving others.
Even in the mission field, the Lord blessed him to be able to use the musical talents that he has been given to bless the lives of others, especially those whom he taught the gospel of Jesus Christ. He also had the opportunity to take part in several firesides, including two Christmas firesides that were held on the Temple grounds of the Santiago Chile Temple.
Now that he is home, he is catching up with the events of the past two years while he was away, as well as, contemplating where his life will lead him. As he has mentioned, he realizes that the Lord has blessed him with a wonderful gift of music that is to be used to bless the lives of others. David has said, “I am still David, but I feel so different. I am not afraid to show people who I am, and I’m not afraid of what I believe. I’m not afraid for people to know that.”
And so, no matter where life may take him, we can rest assured that music will be a part of it. We will have to patiently wait and see what the future holds for this incredible young man, and how his missionary service will play a part in that future. Whether or not he will return to the stage as a performer, continue to record the music that so many people have come to love, or whether he will go in a totally different direction using his musical talents, is something that will be revealed with time. For now, he needs time to re-acquaint himself with family and loved ones, and to adjust to life as now a former honorable missionary. This author, however, is certain that whatever David Archuleta decides to do, he will most certainly excel.
On Sunday, 6 April 2014, KSL.com broadcast a 30-minute documentary on David, his mission, and his plans for the future titled “David Archuleta: Called to Serve.” You can watch the program in the playlist below.
| Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. Then said they unto him, what shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. – John 6:27-29 |
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Additional Resources:
Making of the David Archuleta: Home With Honor Drawing
David Archuleta 1st Interview Post Mission (04 April 2014)
David Archuleta sings “Be Still My Soul” to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Elder David Archuleta Returns Home From Church Mission
By now most of his fans, if not all, are aware that Elder David Archuleta has returned home to Utah after serving a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often called the “Mormon” Church by the media and others) in Chile.The exact location of where he served was never disclosed.
During his mission David taught the gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of Chile, and he was also given several opportunities to use his amazing vocal talents to share that message in song as well. One of those occasions was the 2013 Christmas concert that was held on the Santiago Chile Temple grounds in which he performed several musical numbers. You can watch the full concert in the video below. Prior to leaving on his mission, David sang with the Missionary Training Center (MTC) Choir during the second session of the 182nd Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 31 March 2012.
David left for his mission and entered the MTC on 28 March 2012. In a Vlog which he recorded before leaving for the MTC, he remarked,
“It’s a decision everyone knows about, but it’s a very personal thing. I wanted to keep it that way, so I hope you guys respect that,” the 22-year-old said. “I’ve been able to bring you guys on this journey so far, but I hope that you guys will respect that this will be more of a personal thing; that I’m trying to focus on something else now, not my career, not trying to do music.”
“I wouldn’t be here without all of you guys, doing what you do,” Archuleta said. “It just meant a lot to have been able to bring you guys — it’s more like you have brought me on this journey — and I appreciate being able to share everything I’ve learned and experience — with you guys — because of you guys.” [1]
Now, two years later, and at 23, David has returned home from his mission. We are sure that he is looking to spend some quality time with his family and loved ones before announcing what his plans are for the future. He released a short video on Monday, 24 March 2014, announcing to everyone that he is back. Those were definitely words that his fans have waited to hear.
Will David be returning to the music world and making more beautiful music for everyone to enjoy? We will just have to be patient and wait to see what he has planned. If he does return to music, and this author and many others around the world hope that he will, it will be interesting to see what impact his two-year mission will have on his career. No matter what his decision will be, this author believes that he will always be a shining example to those around him.
Welcome home Elder Archuleta, and thank you for your service and devotion in the mission field as you were on the Lord’s errand.
Josh Burton – Rising
“That’s what I want my music to do for others. If people can listen to my music and walk away better for having heard it, then I would consider myself a successful artist.” (Josh Burton, 1990-2013)
Elder Joshua Allen Burton was a dedicated pianist and composer from Cardston, Alberta, Canada. Burton, 23, began serving his two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called the “Mormon” Church by the media and others) in November 2011. He served in the Guatemala, Cobán mission.
He passed away on Monday evening, 22 July 2013, as a result of injuries he suffered when a truck he was riding in overturned on the way to a service activity on Saturday morning, 20 July 2013. In the accident he had broken his back and had undergone surgery that evening.
A June 3 post on his Facebook page read: “I’m confident that the experiences of my life here in Guatemala will someday show up in my music. I think that’s part of the life of an artist.” [1]
The World is in Need of More Missionaries
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| Mark 16:15-18: And he said unto them, go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. |
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Missionary Experience at Mexico MTC
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Mormon missionaries recently trained at the new Mexico Missionary Training Center (MTC) will put their newly acquired Spanish skills to use as they head to assigned missions in the United States and around the world.
David James Archuleta – I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus
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David James Archuleta, currently serving a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sings “I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus.”
Morsels Of Bread 