Two young Mormons from Utah are in Williams Lake to help people in various ways through their two-year mission service.
Ryan Reynolds and Colton Woody, both 20, are volunteering their time by doing various deeds, from chopping wood and mowing lawns to helping out at the Salvation Army soup kitchen.
Reynolds, who is from Holiday, Utah — which is just outside of Salt Lake — arrived in Williams Lake at the end of June.
Woody, who is from Morgan, Utah, arrived in Williams Lake on Aug. 1.
Both have been in Canada for more than a year, visiting various cities and communities.
Reynolds says young missionaries, when they turn 19, have the option of leaving home for two years to go on missions.
“We talk to people about the church a little bit and help people with yard work, like chopping wood, and offer our service,” Reynolds says.
“We knock on doors and talk to people about Jesus Christ and things like that.”
Dave Shoults, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, says the missionaries save up enough of their own money so they can go on a mission for two years.
Reynolds says he has been saving up “ever since I was a little kid” and really started saving up a couple of summers before going on the mission. Once finished, he plans to go back to Utah, where he will play football at Brigham Young University.
Woody says he saved up money by mowing lawns and doing some catering jobs.
When he completes his two years of mission work, he will also go home to Utah and attend school.
“We’re here to help serve the community in any way we can, whether it be by teaching people about our church and our beliefs or by doing some service,” Woody says.
Reynolds has about a month left in Williams Lake, while Woody will be in the city for the next two to three months.
After, other missionaries will come.
Shoults says Mormons fully believe in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon, which, he says, many people don’t realize.
If anyone needs help or would like to discuss the faith principles with them Reynolds and Woody can be reached at www.mormon.org or by calling 250-303-0446.