While missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are serving in South Carolina, they are also experiencing a piece of American history.
On Tuesday, Moultrie News, a local weekly newspaper, featured how the missionaries are serving the community by helping with the upkeep of USS Yorktown, an aircraft carrier utilized during World War II.
The USS Yorktown is also known for bringing back the Apollo 8 Astronauts after their first orbit of the moon. The aircraft carrier resides in Charleston Harbor and missionaries enjoy the opportunity to serve.
“It’s a special opportunity to come to the USS Yorktown,” Elder David Hjorth told Moultrie News. “We help care for the ship and get to talk with a lot of people and show we truly care.”
The missionaries help supplement the ship’s janitorial staff. When the aircraft carrier was in use, nearly 2,500 sailors worked to keep it clean. Now, there is a crew of only seven janitors. Larry Murray, the executive director of Patriots Point Development Authority, said the missionaries' assistance is a blessing and their example is encouraging others to serve as well.
“The efforts by the missionaries have been recognized by our guests and staff,” Murray told Moultrie News. “And since they began volunteering, other organizations have reached out to offer their help and support too.”
