Missionary shoes. Google the phrase and you'll get sites like MissionShoe.com. They have a clever logo, a catchy slogan ("Helping you serve, one step at a time"), and a page of glowing testimonials ("I have worn them everyday since I got out of the MTC [Missionary Training Center] and they rock").
But for those local Latter-day Saints who have received their mission callings and who prefer a brick-and-mortar store for their footwear needs, there are shops like this one I photographed.
If you're wondering what exactly a "missionary shoe" is: it's black, pricey, nondescript, and ultra-sensible. It must stand up to two years (or one and a half for the ladies) of almost constant wear by a Mormon missionary going door-to-door in Boise or Buenas Aires or Bangkok. It has also been paired for time and all eternity to a matching shoe for the opposite foot. <---This is a joke. I think.
Only in Utah Valley.
2 comments:
This is a fun post, and I was surprised to find our website featured on your blog! See, we actually manufacture a shoe that is more like a tennis shoe inside with a dressy look on the outside, then test all our shoes across all types of climates and terrains. For example, this summer we put our shoes through a 140 mile hiking trek over 6 weeks, climbing mountain peaks as high as 13,600 ft. I believe that is what truly makes a "Missionary Shoe." -Thomas Scott - Owner Missionshoe.com
Thomas, I'm not sure how my obscure little blog came to your attention, but I'm glad you stopped by. Your shoes sound like winners, every bit as much as the person (you?) who wore them for 140-mile hikes. I wish you many more blister-free treks. Most of all, I wish you peace with God. May your journey bring you to a religion-free understanding of His lavish, no-strings-attached grace. "To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace..." (Ephesians 1).
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