Ruth Smith left June 2 to serve as a missionary for the LDS Church.

George and Susan Sintay, longtime John Day residents, have been busy serving as a missionary couple at Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Tours at Temple Square are given in more than 20 languages – the Sintays give English-speaking tours. They meet with visitors from all over the world.

“We are busy and loving our opportunity to serve,” Susan said. “Our choice to serve was prompted by having so many blessings over the years from our membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

The Sintays have been on their mission for about a month and will return in April of 2009.

Another longtime John Day resident, Ruth Smith, left on June 2 to be a missionary for the LDS Church. She will be serving in Macon, Ga., for 18 months.

Many locals know her as one of the People Mover dispatchers and “the little lady at the fruit stand,” she said.

Smith looks forward to “sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and giving lots of love.”