Missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are young, disciplined and polite, according to a feature in today's New York Times.
In keeping with the Mormon moment, missionaries serving in Uganda were observed and asked about their day-to-day life and their goals, during their mission and after it.
"At 8 a.m. they are at their desks for an hour of personal scripture study. They then study with one another for an hour. By 10 a.m. they are out the door, visiting homes of families they already work with or scouring the streets for new recruits. Sometimes it is 9 p.m. before they return home, where they pray, compile the day’s results, cook dinner and switch off the lights by 10:30," reported the Times.
"I have learned more about myself in the last 20 months than I could if I was back home. You begin to understand what really matters in your life," said one Elder Lee.
The Times covers the rules and restrictions of missionary life, the challenges inherent in leaving for a mission, and the ways Mormons stand out from other missionaries in Uganda.
"Unlike other Christian missionaries in Kampala, Ugandans say, Mormons never ask for money. They are polite, not pushy. They volunteer to help local members or anyone curious about joining, even digging ditches or hauling bricks," reporter Josh Kron wrote.
EMAIL: lmarostica@desnews.com