Mormons | Faces of Faith

Elder Jacob Moncur and Elder Stephen Williams, Mormon Missionaries
One of our favorite shoots for the 'Faces of Faith' photo essay for Honolulu Magazine was meeting up with two young Mormon missionaries on the North Shore in the little town of Laie. Both boys are originally from Utah, and while on their mission for two years in Hawaii, they work six days a week, 6:30am to 9pm bouncing from appointments for teaching, doing community service projects, studying the holy scriptures, and knocking on doors to preach the gospel to everyone they meet. The schedule is meant to be all-consuming. "The point, Moncur explains, is to separate from their familiar world of home, friends and family. " Things like talking to our family distracts us from the things we really need to do,” Williams says, “so we only talk to them on Mother’s Day and Christmas. We get to email once a week and that’s it.”

Elder Stephen Williams (L) and Elder Jacob Moncur sit inside a meeting room at the Laie Church of Latter Day Saints.


Elder Moncur and Elder Williams in front of a Jesus Christ statue in space at the Laie Hawaii Temple Visitor's Center.




Everywhere the Elders go, they bring along the Book of Mormon. Inside a portrait of Joseph Smith, original founder of the Latter Day Saints.

Elder Moncur and Williams on their daily ritual of knocking on neighbors doors in hopes of teaching new converts about Jesus Christ and Mormonism.