The life of a Latter-day Saint

CORRECTION: A previous version misattributed a photo credit.

While most 18-year-olds begin college, sleep in, and hang out with friends, missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have a different introduction to adult life.

Latter-day Saint missionaries will find themselves in a brand new home, away from family and ready to serve others in a new community. 

On their missions, Latter-day Saint missionaries speak to members of a community about their religion and attempt to get them to join their church. 

_{Latter-day Saint missionary Thomas Monroe speaking with a student at LBCC’s Liberal Arts Campus on March 3. (Liam Hollon)}

“There were times growing up where I kind of fell off from what my parents were trying to teach me and trying to instill in me. I spent some time away from the faith. During this time, I felt like I was not as happy, so I made my way back and I started to feel that joy that comes through the gospel,” missionary Thomas Monroe said. 

According to Monroe, their morning begins at 6:30 a.m., when they exercise and get themselves ready for the day. Following this, they study scripture and read from the Bible and the Book of Mormon individually, as well as with their assigned companion. They then discuss with one another their plan for the day. 

“We kind of go through where we’re gonna be the most effective and what times would be best to find young adults, especially for us because we’re part of a young adult congregation,” Latter-day Saint missionary Garrett Bruce said.

_{Latter-day saint missionary Garrett Bruce speaks with a LBCC student at Long Beach City College on March 3. (Liam Hollon)}

The Institute of Religion – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is within walking distance from Long Beach City College, makes the campus a key area for the missionaries to speak to young adults and students. 

“With students, I just like to get to know something that people are looking forward to, what brings people help and even a struggle they are facing right now and ultimately being able to connect that back to how Jesus Christ can help them,” Monroe said. 

Talking to as many students as they do in a day, not all are going to be receptive to their teachings, which leads to many rejections. 

“We receive a lot of rejection, a lot of scorn and a lot of laughs being missionaries, but in the same way, I’m grateful to feel a small part of what the savior did when he was on earth,” Bruce said.  

One of the major shifts the Latter-day Saint missionaries face is the relocation process to a brand new state, or even country. The mission is two years where they live and speak with members of the community about their faith.

Bruce initially served in a mission in Barranquilla, Colombia, where he had to learn Spanish in order to teach and speak with locals. 

“I was 18, I had just graduated from high school, I had almost no experience living away from family, and then all of a sudden I was living in a different country,” Bruce said. “When I was in Colombia, it took some time getting used to life as a Colombian, but I am very grateful that I did it.”

Latter-day Saint missionaries go on this two-year journey, leaving behind some of the things that distract them from furthering their learning of faith. 

“Coming into the mission and having everything worldly stripped from you forces you to rely more on God and to come closer to him,” Monroe said. 

“With things like TV and movies, they don’t really help us to fulfill our purpose and are really just a distraction, so when we cut those things out, we can focus on Jesus Christ and helping others,” Bruce said. 

_{Latter-day Saint missionaries Ethan Haughawout, left, Thomas Monroe, middle, and Garrett Bruce, right, at a Rossmoor park pickleball court on March 2. (Alyssa Redrup)}

Monday’s are the only day of the week when Latter-day Saint missionaries are not seeking to speak to members of the community. On these days, they’ll run errands, call family, and socialize with other members of the church at the park. 

“We call our families one time a week on Mondays, so that is like our time to decompress from everything and just relax a bit,” Monroe said.

Latter-day Saint missionary Ethan Haughawout, who’s been on his mission for over a year, has lost a majority of contact with his brother, who is serving a mission in Brazil. 

“I definitely miss my older brother, who’s just 14 months apart from me. We shared a room our whole lives, we played baseball and tennis together growing up, we did everything,” Haughawout said. 

Haughawout also credits their faith with bringing them closer together over the years. 

“I remember we had a pretty big fight after church one day, and we ended up hugging it out 4 minutes later because we were just like, there’s no point to this and contention is just not of god,” Haughawout said.

Following their missions, Monroe and Bruce plan on going to college, starting their careers and building a family. 

“I plan on going to school and working when I get back home. I’m planning on studying to become an orthodontist,” Bruce said. 

_{Latter-day Saint missionaries Thomas Monroe, left, and Garrett Bruce, right, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on March 15. (Liam Hollon)}

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Los Alamitos holds worship services at 10:00 a.m. as well as 11:30 a.m. on Sundays and holds multiple events throughout the week.