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On A Mission For The Cause

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By SARAH ROTHWELL, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 2, 2008

Updated: 01/31/2008 06:12 pm

TEMPLE TERRACE - Eric Sorenson and Jared Christopherson walk the streets of Temple Terrace with confidence.

Without hesitation, they knock on strangers' doors to spread the message of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They aren't discouraged by slammed doors and dismissive attitudes.

The men are happy to be among 150 missionaries serving the church in Florida.

"We're doing something that's more important than school or work," said Christopherson, a Wyoming native. "We get to forget about ourselves and do what God wants us to do, to help others come to Christ."

Missionaries are divided into two groups: married couples and singles. Singles, such as Sorenson, 21, and Christopherson, 21, are generally between the ages of 19 and 25. They begin their days at 6:30 a.m., even on the weekends. They start their mornings with prayer and Bible study then go out into the community to serve. They go door to door, work on community service projects and share their message wherever possible.

Missionaries report back to the Florida Tampa Mission office at 13153 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Suite 109.

Kent Colton, a retired educator and chief executive officer from the Washington area, is president of the Florida Tampa Mission. He and his wife are joined by five other married couples who watch over the young missionaries in the area. They work in the office, teach, offer guidance and provide help when needed.

Colton remembers his first mission.

"I went to Australia," he said. "It was a marvelous experience. I left with a better sense of what I wanted to accomplish in life and who I wanted to be."

The decision to become a missionary is not made lightly. It is an important step and requires dedication. Single male missionaries make a two-year commitment to the church. Single females make an 18-month commitment.

The experience is worth the sacrifice, they say.

"This mission didn't put my life on hold," said Sorenson, a Utah native. "I've learned more in the past 20 months here than I could learn in a job or in school at home. I've learned how to help people and how to lead people."

Missionaries are required to follow several rules. For starters, there's no dating. The dress code is strict. Men wear white shirts, neckties and dress pants. Girls wear skirts that reach below the knee and conservative tops. Rather than using their first names, the men are referred to as "Elder" and the women are referred to as "Sister." In addition, the missionaries follow a strict schedule. Aside from hourlong lunch and dinner breaks, their only time off is Monday afternoons.

Missionaries always travel in pairs. At the start of their service, they are assigned a companion with whom to live and work. Sorenson and Christopherson are companions serving Temple Terrace. Their friends Kahler Nield, 20, and Josh Key, 21, also serve the area.

Since beginning their missions, the men consider themselves spiritually stronger.

Sorenson said he is more outgoing about his faith. He has learned how to communicate better. He also has affected others' lives.

"I used to work on the USF campus, and I met a guy who really wanted to learn about the church," he said. "After just a short time, he decided to be baptized. He was 19. To see him become actively involved was the best experience I've had. He's now preparing to go on a mission."

Nield, an Idaho native, and Key, who previously owned a landscaping company in Illinois, have had similar experiences.

"When I was in Winter Haven, I met a young couple who were church members but hadn't embraced the faith," Key said. "I helped them rekindle the fire of the Gospel. To see them grow as a family was excellent."

The missionaries admit that not everyone is open to learning about the church. More often than not, the missionaries don't get past introductions. Still, they continue on, eager to meet the next new face. No matter what the response, they remain positive. They aren't interested in pressuring people to change their minds, only in sharing their point of view. They believe the message stands alone.

"I feel confident in what we have to say," Nield said. "I have no doubt it can help people. I've seen it help people."

He remembered one man in particular.

"I worked with a man who was addicted to marijuana," Nield said. "He didn't have a job or a home. The Gospel changed his life. He was able to break the habit and get back on his feet."

When it comes to approaching strangers, female missionaries are equally as confident.

"I don't feel like I have to convince people of anything. It's an invitation," said Aubrey Wilkinson, 22.

Wilkinson's companion, Jacque Mohlman, 22, agreed.

"My first day in Tampa, we went door to door," Mohlman said. "It's never bothered me. I've always been outgoing."

Wilkinson and Mohlman, both from Utah, serve the Carrollwood area.

Mohlman initially struggled with the decision to become a missionary.

"I was in a relationship, and I had to decide whether I wanted to get married or go on a mission," she said. "I knew if I was going to do a mission, the time was now. I had to put aside my personal fears and frustrations."

Wilkinson smiles when talking about her experiences.

"It's been amazing," she said. "I've seen the greatest joys in my life."

Wilkinson and Mohlman spend countless hours together praying and studying Scripture.

"There's a higher power working with us every day," Mohlman said. "I've only been here two weeks, but I can already see the changes in me. I feel this complete desire to go out and help bring light into people's lives."

Unlike Mohlman, many of the single missionaries in Tampa are nearing the end of their stay.

Soon, Sorenson plans to go to college and study business. Christopherson wants to attend the University of Wyoming. When his mission ends next winter, Nield plans to major in civil engineering at Utah State.

"I feel like I have a good foundation now," Nield said. "I'll take that with me to school."

Sarah Rothwell can be reached at (813) 865-4845 or srothwell@tampatrib.com.

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