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 By Jason Whitney
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| It is hard to imagine the difficulty that lies in wait for 20-year-old Jordan Clark: after a period of training, he and a companion, both dressed in coats and ties, will spread the message of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) door-to-door in Peru for a period of two years. Seven days a week, his day will begin by 6:30 a.m., and he will proselytize until after nine at night. He will wear casual clothes only on his day off, called Preparation Day. There will be no TV. Days will be limited to work and study. He will not be allowed to call home but will correspond with his family in writing. A mission like this one is a rite of passage for young Mormon men. In his University of Southern Virginia T-shirt, Jordan looks the part of a typical college student, but in his manner he exudes maturity beyond his years. His optimism appears to be something of an anachronism—a throwback to simpler times when very young men were trusted with great responsibility and could be counted on not to drop the ball. He seems ready to advance to the challenges of adulthood. During his years at Santa Ynez High School, Jordan did most of the things that other high school kids do. He was active in drama all four years there and once played the lead as Mortimer Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace. There were roughly a dozen other Mormon teenagers at SYVUHS at that time. Jordan says he was friends with all kinds of different people, but when he found himself at the parties on the weekends, he and his Mormon friends never drank alcohol or took drugs. He cannot think of a single LDS church member who smokes cigarettes. With certain rare exceptions, Mormons, out of respect for their own bodies, do not get tattoos or color their hair. They limit their bodily piercings to one per ear. According to Jordan, he and his friends learned to maintain their individuality in the face of overwhelming pressure to conform: “If someone stays true to their faith and doesn’t give in, they’re more noticeable and people learn to respect them. There’s a lot of misinformation about the Mormon Church,” remarks Jordan. “First off, we are Christians, and people seem to forget that.” Jordan s  ays the LDS congregation in the Valley has grown markedly in recent years, as Mormons, primarily from other parts of California, move here. Every Sunday, Jordan attends church at the LDS Solvang Ward in Janin Acres. The service lasts three hours. The first hour is called the Sacrament Meeting; that hour of worship includes two or three talks, akin to sermons, delivered by members of the church. Jordan, for example, recently gave a talk on the importance to young women of striving for a temple marriage with worthy men. The second hour is Sunday School. Members are separated into groups by age; in the congregation totaling about 160, there are about 50 kids under 18. The third hour is called Priesthood and Relief Society; men and women meet in separate quorums. Mormons place an enormous emphasis on family. Last year, while Jordan was studying in Virginia, he met his girlfriend, Jerian Isfeld, when he and other Mormon college kids were gathering together in a Family Home Evening group. He seems eager to begin a family of his own, and they intend to marry upon the completion of his mission. Jordan’s mission begins on May 10th at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah, where he will go through a three-week orientation of rigorous language learning and scripture study. He will then fly to the Peru Lima South Mission where he will receive six weeks of training in language and culture. He will also receive his first assignment and meet his mission companion. Every three to six months, the church will assign Jordan a new companion. As is usually the case, Jordan’s missionary work will be paid for by his parents, Joanne and Jack Clark. Those young men whose families lack the resources often find funding from other church members. The location and character of LDS missions vary widely; some do computer work at church headquarters, but others journey the world. Jordan’s father served a mission in Brazil in the late 1960s. Several years ago, Valley resident Robbie Guynn served on the Ivory Coast of Africa. Tyler Burton, who was a year ahead of Jordan at Santa Ynez High, is currently serving in Brazil, and Valley resident Nelson Nash returns from New Hampshire in June. One of the very small percentage of women take an assignment, Nikki Nichols from the Valley was sent to Budapest, Hungary. Jordan seems to understand the reality of the challenges he is going to face. He’s leaving behind his wife-to-be and is sure to miss her while he’s away. He will be in a region where water quality is very poor, and sickness could be a challenge. He has resolutely faced the prospect of day after day of rejection: “There’s going to be acceptance and rejection. You have to be knowledgeable. You can’t let it tear you down.” More than anything else, it’s a time commitment at a crucial stage of his life: “I’m putting off my life for two years to focus on missionary work. When I get back, I will have to start my life back up again.” Although his mission in Peru will undoubtedly change him deeply, as of now he intends to study American history and political science at the University of Southern Virginia when he returns and then to become a high school history teacher—and to one day run for public office. But for now, his mission is his mission. |
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Copyright 2006, Inside Santa Ynez Valley Magazine, All Rights Reserved |
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