Mission from God Mormon missionaries share message By ROBIN MICHENER NATHAN The Times------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------Robin Michener Nathan The Times Sisters Lacey Rasmussen and Beatrice Sopoaga chat with congregants before services begin in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Riverside Drive on Oct. 29. The Gainesville area has three LDS congregations, one Hispanic, with approximately 1,000 members in all.To view more photos, click here.Sisters Beatrice Sopoaga, 22, and Lacey Rasmussen, 21, are making their way around Hall County, knocking on doors and asking to talk about God.The two missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spend their highly structured days studying, praying and walking as they attempt to spread their message to the community. Both have previously served around Georgia, but say they enjoy their time in Gainesville."It's very diverse," said Sopoaga, who is from Sa'a Apu, Samoa. "There is a lot of the country and a lot of the city. It is its own little culture and people are very sincere."Missionaries are assigned to one area for their entire stay, 18 months for women and 24 months for men. Rasmussen, from Highland, Utah, is an exception. She serves primarily in Nauvoo, Ill., at a church historic site as a tour guide. When the site closed for the winter, she came to Georgia."They have been warmly received," said Randall Browning, the mission president for the Georgia Atlanta North Mission. "Gainesville is a wonderful community. There are a lot of people of faith."Sopoaga and Rasmussen follow strict guidelines. They call home only twice a year, watch no TV and do not listen to the radio. They wake every morning at 6:30 a.m. to exercise and study before going out into the community at 10 a.m. They knock on doors or follow up with people until 5 p.m. They stop for lunch and for dinner with a member of the LDS church. Other than breaks for food, all day every day is spent trying to think of ways to bring their message to people."The Lord helps us say and do things for other people," Rasmussen said.According to Browning, the Mormon Church is the fastest growing in the world. Much of credit goes to 53,000 LDS missionaries assigned to the 342 mission areas. "A lot of life's lessons are learned while they do the work," he said.The young people learn budgeting, how to live and work with a companion and a stronger sense of self-discipline. In addition, they grow in their own faith."Hearing other peoples' concern about religion really opens your mind to further questions and understanding of faith and the Gospel," Rasmussen said. "Learning from others and their concerns lets me reevaluate what I know and learn and grow."Both women have been encouraged to serve missions by their families. One of Rasmussen's brothers served a mission, and missionaries converted Sopoaga's parents in the '70s."They were given the invitation and the opportunity to learn and to know for themselves," Sopoaga said. "So, I came to share it with others."The sisters expect to stay in Gainesville until early 2007.Originally published Sunday, December 3, 2006
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