SIERRA VISTA — Ethan Kiefer left Jan. 23 for Pachuca, Mexico, to serve a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Kiefer decided to go on a mission, “(Because) I believe in the Savior’s message. I want to serve like He did, going out and giving my whole heart to His gospel and His people.”
He added, “I want to show Heavenly Father that I can be an instrument in His hands. It is also important to me that I give people the opportunity to hear His message as it is incredibly important to me, and I believe it’s powerful. It can change lives, make families stronger, and link people together. It is the most important message the world has to offer.”
One of the ways in which Kiefer has prepared for his mission is by volunteering in the Tucson Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ.
He noted, “Recently I’ve had the opportunity to serve in the temple. It’s given me insight on my role in bringing people to Christ. I have gained a gradual increase of knowledge through (this) experience serving in the temple.”
His parents, William and Jasmine Kiefer, expressed their feelings about Ethan’s mission. “We’re very excited for Ethan to go on a mission and share the gospel. We can’t wait to hear about the amazing experiences he will have and the wonderful people he will meet and love on his mission. We strongly believe that there is nothing he could do over the next two years that is more important than taking this time to serve the Lord by serving the people of Pachuca, Mexico. We are thrilled that he will have the opportunity to serve in Mexico where he has ancestry from both sides of his family. We know that this experience will provide a foundation for him to continue serving for the remainder of his life.”
Kiefer’s father went on a mission to Recife, Brazil. Before leaving on his mission, William taught Jasmine about the church. She joined the church about a month before he went on his mission. They were married in the Juarez, Mexico, temple six months after he completed his missionary service.
Ethan’s twin sister, Madison, said, “I will miss Ethan, but I am very proud he decided to serve a mission.
His 15-year-old sister, Sophie, exclaimed, “Ethan is going to be an awesome missionary!”
The Kiefer family moved to Sierra Vista five months ago from New Mexico, where Kiefer graduated from the University of New Mexico, where they had a dual college and high school program. He graduated early from high school and then a year later went to college in Houston and earned an associate’s degree in liberal arts. He is a blacksmith, likes to lift weights and is an avid hiker. He served four semesters on the UNM Gallup student senate.
Kiefer opined, “I’m excited for my mission. I have a foundation in the Spanish language and so I’m not too worried about learning it. When it comes to leaving family and friends it’s hard, but I believe I’m doing something that’s really important and in the grand scheme of things two years isn’t that long.”
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