Farr West/Plain City – It’s Saturday morning and seven friends and their moms are eating breakfast together at Jeremiah's in Ogden. It may not seem like a very special event, but for these friends and moms, it’s a fun time to be able to catch up with one another and reflect on all the fun memories they’ve had together. So what makes this group so special? All seven young men played soccer together out at Fremont High School as well as all serving missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was during this time while they were out serving their missions around the world that their mothers decided to get together once a month to have breakfast with each other. As the boys started returning home, the tradition continued and is still going on.
So where all did these young men serve their missions? Some stayed state-side in areas such as Minnesota or California, while others went to different countries including Germany, the Philippines, and the Dominican Republic. No matter where they served though, all of them shared the same message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Dakota Louth, who served in California, says how much fun everyone has getting together, especially since they’ve been playing soccer together for 10 years. “We are all different in our lifestyles and characteristics, but we have fun and will always be friends,” he said.
Kevin Mead, who served in Minnesota, says he enjoys getting together with this group of friends because he always has someone to rely on and “knowing our friendships will always be long lasting because of all the fun we have had and everything we’ve been through together.” All of them agreed that it’s fun reminiscing about the various soccer tournaments they’ve been to over the years as well as sharing similar experiences they had while serving their missions, even though they were in different areas.
It’s this comradery that has helped these guys get through some tough times together, both on and off the soccer field. Back in 2009, they were playing for a team with an amazing coach named Cody. Unfortunately, Cody passed away from cancer when he was 25. During this time, all the boys on his team rallied around to support and comfort each other. During each of their missionary farewell talks, each young man mentioned how much of an influence Cody was in their life and how grateful they were and are for the friendships they have with each other. These young men also helped comfort one of their own when he lost his father. By having a strong faith in Jesus Christ, each young man was able to help others out, which is why they all decided to serve missions.
For one mom, she said it was always nice to get together with the other moms while their sons were on their missions because she could lean on them for support. “We all knew what each other was going through, so we could help each other out,” she said. “It’s was always fun getting together and hearing about the experiences all the boys were having around the world, and it’s still fun to hear what they have to say about them now that they are home.” Even though each of these young men will be going in different directions throughout their lives, it’s nice to know that they can always rely on each other and remain lifelong friends, both on and off the field.
