Rites of passage A weekly photo column

In a living room in Cottage Grove, faith unites people from different cultures. Three young Mormons left their homes in the western United States to come to Minnesota, learn to speak Hmong and serve the Twin Cities Hmong community. "When I began my mission I didn't even know who Hmong people were, let along speak their language," said Mark Hill, 24, at right on the couch. "It's a very humbling experience to have the opportunity to serve a community that's gone through so much." Hill saved up his combat pay from two tours of duty in Iraq to fund his mission; Adam Forsyth, 19, and Seth Meyers, 20, also paid their way here. From left, Forsyth, Meyers and Hill prayed with Kao and Kia Ly, who also are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Lys' 2 1/2-year-old grandson, Ben, listened in. After a year of spending time together, Kao Ly said, the young men are "exactly like us."