Have you ever seen a Mormon Missionary?
A Mormon missionary- usually clean cut young men, walking or biking about. Frequently seen going door to door. Often found to be annoying.
Why would I want to talk about them? Simply this: they represent the fulfillment of my very paradigm and beliefs.
As an explanation, here is what each one does: they leave wherever they live for two years, to which they devote to teaching people about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the proper name of the Mormon Church). Many have the extra burden of learning an entirely new language within 8 weeks, as well as memorizing over 100 pages of text in said language (far less time if they are speaking their native language).
It comes down to 2 years of service- abandoning personal wishes for the betterment of others, not because it’s convenient, not because it’s lucrative, but because they wish to share knowledge, their beliefs. Many give up scholarships, leave girlfriends. Most pay for it out of their own pocket. Some have even sacrificed multimillion dollar contracts, just to serve people they don’t even know.
That is the pinnacle of charity, of selfless service. It does not matter if you hold the same beliefs as they- the principle holds that they are so beholden of knowledge, they will fling themselves to wild corners of the Earth for the chance to share it. (Wild doesn’t begin to describe it- drunks have an infamous obsession with missionaries, many live through hurricanes, earthquakes, and other such disasters, and there is the whole problem of moving from a first world nation to a 3rd world country, with the political ugliness and poverty thus associated). Knowledge is a valuable asset, and its spread in any form is a pearl of great price.
So, if a Mormon missionary comes to your doorstep, before getting irritable and slamming the door in their face, just remember what it means for them to be their at all.
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In other news, I’m almost finished with the Veil introductory arc of Provenance (it’s amazing what you can do in a day with minimal procrastination). I need to do a bit more revision, and the 3rd one needs a bit more to be actually complete. I can make the 4th one fairly quickly, and the Provenance introduction will be complete. And truth be told, I actually think the art is looking pretty good. Expect release to begin tomorrow.
