The lovely Marie Osmond is one, so are Olympian wrestler Rulon Gardner and snowboarder Torah Bright. Even Killers lead singer Brandon Flowers is a member.
If you haven't figured it out yet, they all belong to of The Church of Latter-day Saints (Mormons to you and me), an often criticized, sometimes-misunderstood religious group. With over 12 million members and growing, it is one of the most powerful religious sects in the world, and although their numbers may be plenty, many of their customs and traditions seem so out of touch from everyday society that the religion has become a constant target for scrutiny and skeptics.
One of those traditional practices is the idea of fulfilling what is often referred to as a mission. As a right of passage, young men and women between the ages of 19 and 25 are chosen by the church and sent abroad alone on a powerful mission to educate others about religion and the book of Mormon.