While we often think of missionary work as proselyting full-time, there are many options available to members today with a desire to serve. Here are just four examples of unique service missions and missionary experiences recently highlighted by Church News that we have been inspired by:
- Elder Max Reynolds is a service missionary in Gilbert, Arizona. Elder Reynolds, who has autism, was also chosen to represent the state of Arizona at the Special Olympics USA Games this summer where he won a gold medal for the 100-yard butterfly event.
- Elder Alex Murphy has become what is believed to be the first service missionary for the Church from New Zealand. Although Elder Murphy has physical and mental disabilities, he teaches early morning seminary with his mother, volunteers as the Church’s Camp Tuhikaramea, and participates in groundskeeping work at the Hamilton New Zealand Temple.
- As part of an ancient tabernacle exhibit in northern Utah, Elder Nathan Hale completed “The Covenant Path”—a huge 8-foot by 20-foot mural of the connection between the covenants from the Old Testament and the restored gospel—while serving a Church service mission.
- Elder Caleb Wood is faithfully serving a Church service mission in Texas, and, despite his mobility and cognitive struggles due to complications from brain tumors, he was named “Volunteer of the Year” by D CEO Magazine for his work at the nonprofit organization Trusted World.
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Read five more stories of unique service missions and the missionaries who are serving them on Church News.
