Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints missionaries focus on helping others
Mormon missionaries, serving the Victoria area, visit with the Rippa family Wednesday evening for prayer and faith sharing. Elder Justin Jager and Colton Tidwell discuss scripture and elaborate on the teachings of Joseph Smith. For more information on the missionaries or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, contact the Texas Houston South Mission at 281-565-7117.
Mission Victoria is what they call it, and their title, elder, is a bit deceiving for the youthful group of 20-something-year-old missionaries in town.
"Victoria is awesome," said Elder Johnathon Cobabe, a 19-year-old Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints missionary from Washington. He's been in the city for little more than a month teaching and training.
"Victoria is the best place in Texas, and dare I say the world," added Elder Dayton Law, his 20-year-old trainer, flashing a bright smile. Law gave up a cabinet-making business in Utah to become a missionary.
"This is the good life out here doing this kind of stuff," he said.
The two wear short-sleeved, white shirts and ties, the basic uniform for their line of work. They carry small knapsacks filled with Bibles and several copies of the Book of Mormon.
In regular clothes, you could probably mistake the former high school athletes for fraternity members or college freshman. But their purpose here is different.
Six missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teach in the Crossroads area, and about 150 in the Texas Houston South Mission, a region from Houston to the Crossroads area. The youths serve two-year assignments, mostly right after high school graduation and at their own expense.
"People think we get paid to do this," said Elder Colton Tidwell, 20, who's been in Victoria for a little more than a month. "They don't realize that we pay to do this."
Tidwell and his trainer Elder Justin Jager, 20, chatted about life as a missionary while knocking on doors and leaving tracts. The day is gorgeous, but most people respectfully decline to hear more.
"Hopefully, we don't get too many doors slammed," Tidwell said with a soft smile after ringing a doorbell.
"Knocking on doors we get that," Jager said. "A lot of people respect us, but a lot of times just those 30 seconds is not enough."
Door knocking is not the preferred way of meeting people, but when the going gets tough the missionaries hit the streets to drum up new interests. The process is worthwhile, they'll say, but often discouraging.
"There's just a lot of people that refuse to listen no matter what," Tidwell said. "You want to help them, but sometimes they just won't listen to you. That's just one of those things."
The four young men lead disciplined lives. They awaken at 6:30 a.m., prepare for their day with prayer and devotionals, then work from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. with sparse breaks between for lunch and dinner. They share everything and travel together everywhere.
"Missionary work is the only place where you can put two strangers together with one goal in mind," Law said. "To reap the success of your labor."
Life is simple as a missionary. The young men receive a $135 monthly stipend and a church-issued vehicle with limited mileage. They ride their bikes more when they're out of miles.
TV or computers with Internet are not allowed. E-mails and written letters only once a week, and phone calls to family twice a year at Christmas and Mothers Day. Girlfriends or friends are not allowed at their apartments. But the restrictions are purposeful and help keep them focused on their mission.
"Family's just an amazing thing. It's one of the greatest things that we have on this earth," Jagar said. "But having that constant contact with your family down here - that would be a distraction because we're not here to talk with our family, we're here to help others out."
Corbabe agreed. "We have eternity with our families," he said. "We have two years without them."
As for the future, the missionaries have the same plans as any other young men. They hope someday to have families, go to college. Law hopes eventually to return to his business, and Tidwell, a dirt bike he used to ride. For now, the sacrifices are well worth it.
"The scripture teaches us over and over again if we put God first, He's going to take care of us and bless us with the things that we need," Law said.
Cobabe added his thoughts. "It comes together no matter what, because it's God's will."
1 comment:
GOOD GOING VICTORIA MISSIONARIES!!!!! DAYTON!!!!
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