Salt Lake City, Utah, was founded in 1847 by a group of Mormons seeking refuge from religious persecution. 

People quickly flocked to this “New Jerusalem” either to join the Mormon community there or due to the California Gold Rush. 

Utah and Mormonism 

Today, Salt Lake City is the world capital of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Mormonism influences the social, economic, political, and cultural lives of people in Utah and surrounding states.

The religious landscape of Utah is far different than many South Carolinian college students have experienced — making it a perfect place for Palmetto Collective to send domestic missions. 

Palmetto Collective’s Mission

Palmetto Collective is a South Carolina Baptist Convention program that prepares college students to make disciples both internationally and locally. Taylor Anderson is a recent graduate who had the opportunity to take a domestic mission trip to the Salt Lake City area earlier this year.

“The trips with Palmetto Collective have two purposes,” Anderson shared. “First, they help you discern whether or not that lifestyle is what God is asking you to live; whether abroad or locally. Second, you have external, practical serving opportunities for the local believers and LDS community in Utah.” 

Pre-Gospel Landscape

“We didn’t feel like we were in the States,” Anderson recalled. “It was the first time I felt helpless sharing the Gospel. It was difficult to talk to someone about Jesus because they’re trained on how to lead conversations from a young age.”

The students returned from the trip with a renewed conviction to look inward at what they believe and why. “If I had been born in Utah, it would have been so hard to choose Jesus,” Anderson stated soberly. 

The Difference is Jesus

From an outside perspective, Mormonism and Christianity may share several key tenets of faith; however, Anderson emphasized that one major difference changes everything: “It’s all about Jesus. Mormons look at Jesus as a big brother figure. Someone who they believe they can become equal to.”

Forming Lasting Friendships

When she returned home, Anderson and her husband had a renewed passion for evangelism in their community. “There are 60 members of the LDS church who live five minutes from my house, and I’d never known that before. Wherever you live, there are most likely similar communities, and you can reach out to them online.” 

The Andersons used the LDS website to invite several local Mormon missionaries over to their home for dinner. “We figured they don’t live near their home, must be lonely, and might like to sit down for dinner.” Now, the Andersons have formed lasting friendships with members of the LDS church who are stationed in Greenville on mission. 

“They come over for dinner for hours. We get texts all the time, ‘Do you want to play pickleball? Can you make that dessert for dinner next time?’” laughed Anderson. “One of the guys recently moved away, and he texted us and said, ‘I miss you guys!’ It’s a genuine friendship.”