'Two Years in God's Mormon Army' an Exciting Tour of Duty

LAGUNA BEACH, CA--(Marketwire - Jun 22, 2012) - Mission work for young men in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not easy, and that's kind of the point, says Ross H. Palfreyman, a Mormon author of "Two Years in God's Mormon Army" (www.mormonarmy.net).

The book follows his story -- one of a typical missionary who served in Thailand during the 1973 Thai Revolution, and makes the case that a Mormon Mission can be the single most adventurous and influential event in a young man's life.

"This is a life-changing adventure that is not all fun and games," he says. "In high school I was an average student, but after the mission I became an A-student in college. Missionary work in the LDS Church follows in the admonition of Jesus when he says, 'If you want to find your life, lose it in the service of other people.'"

This book is written for the thousands of people who have questions about Mormon missions, Palfreyman says. It is meant to give insights into what all Mormon Missionaries really do. In addition to proselytizing, many Mormons help dig water wells in Africa or help farmers in Cambodia, he adds.

Currently, there are roughly 55,000 Mormon missionaries throughout the world, and 12 to 15 percent of them are women, although emphasis on missions are placed more on young men, he says.

"I laughed out loud sitting on my patio as I read, and I also felt shivers as experiences from the book reminded me of my own," wrote reviewer Sko Oyang, who also served as a Mormon missionary. "Palfreyman's peek into his service in Thailand in the '70s is an entertaining read that gives insight into the two years that shape many young Mormon lives."

About Ross H. Palfreyman

Ross H. Palfreyman is a Laguna Beach, Calif., lawyer who began his mission work in 1973 in Thailand, during the Vietnam War and the Thai Revolution of '73. Two years of trying to convince devout Buddhists that they'd be better off as Mormons was trying enough, he also was threatened at gunpoint and fended off parasites and rabid dogs during his "indentured servitude." He initially wrote about his experiences for his six children. Palfreyman's youngest son returns from his mission in Mexico in August.