Leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in America have allowed cameras in its UK churches for the first time for a new Channel 4 documentary.
Meet The Mormons will follow a young British Mormon, who’s pledged 2 years of his life to convert people in Leeds.
Produced and directed by Lynn Alleway for CTVC, the programme features 20-year-old Josh Field, for whom this journey is part of the church’s right of passage. Based in Salt Lake City in Utah, the church’s leader is Thomas S Monson – believed, by followers to be a living prophet who receives revelations directly from God – and each year he sends around 70,000 young people to spread the gospel and recruit members.
Like the others, Josh, will be provided with accommodation, travel and £29 a week for food and haircuts. But rather than a job, this is viewed as a right of passage and as soon as this training begins, he’s banned from seeing family and friends.
The programme will examine how he copes with the strict measures put in place to keep him away from temptation, which even includes a hug with a girl.
It will also look at some of the more controversial factors, such as the belief that Jesus went to America after his resurrection; baptism for dead people; and the special underwear worn to “protect them from temptation and evil.”
It was commissioned by Anna Miralis, and Emma Loach and Wendy Robbins are the executive producers.
