Soccer Player Interrupts Career for Mormon Mission

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil 25 June 2007 Lohran Saldanha Queiroz’s father, Milton (also known as Tita), is a professional soccer player who has played in five countries, won many titles and been a member of the Brazil national team. It was not a surprise that his son Lohran was playing in elite competitions at the age of 12 and by 17 was in the junior soccer league — a fast track to professional recruitment.

The decision to go on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints posed a dilemma for Lohran. Junior-league soccer players are expected to move straight into the professional league, so a two-year interruption at age 19 is unthinkable.

While reading a Church magazine for youth, Lohran stumbled across an article on Chris Obzansky, a skater who interrupted his career to be a full-time missionary, forfeiting the opportunity to compete in the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Never looking back, Lohran decided to go on a mission at age 19.

His mission ended in September 2006, and he is now a playing soccer for a team in Rio de Janeiro. He believes he will be blessed with more opportunities to continue his soccer career.

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