Mormon missionary in Sweden inspires Jens Lekman to begin his “mission”

Swedish singer-songwriter Jens Lekman opens up his latest album, with the song “To Know Your Mission”.

The song is based on an experience that Lekman had when he was approached by a Mormon missionary in Gothenburg when he was 16 years old. The first part of the song is told through the missionary’s eyes. Lekman has commented in an “Under the Radar” interview, “I was fascinated that he had this mission; he had this purpose already in life. He knew exactly what he was going to do, and I was this super confused 16-year-old. I think it’s not until right at this very moment [when the song was written] that I figured out where things were going and what my mission is.”

The article continues, “By the end of the song, Lekman has concluded that his mission is to be a musician who tells his and his fans’ stories through his songs. (Or, in the words of the song, ‘In a world of mouths, to be an ear.'”

The song opens the alternative dance-pop album titled Life Will See You Now. It’s a good song, take a listen.

Here is the song as it appears on the album.

Here is a live acoustic version of the song.

Lyrics:

A Mormon missionary walks through Vasaallén

Through a clear-as-crystal Gothenburg morning

Removing his suit jacket, loosening his tie

Wiping the sweat from his neck and the sleep from his eyes

It’s 1997, the last morning of August

At the corner of 7-Eleven he hears the broadcast

Another saint is lost, Lady Di’s returned to stardust

He listens to the tragic news, followed by the Top 10 tunes

All, all

We have left

All, all

We have left

All, all

We have left

All, all

We have left

Will Smith, Puff Daddy, Gala, Chumbawamba

On the other side of the street he passes Café Java

Where no one listens to that crap

Oh, coffee and hair dyed raven black

All so sure of everything except one question

What’s our mission?

What are we here for?

Who are we serving?

What can we do?

What’s our mission?

What are we here for?

Who are we serving?

What can we do?

He bumps into a teenage boy leaning ‘gainst the fence

Who takes his headphones off and introduces himself as Jens

Riffling through the Book of Mormon, says it’s way too early in the morning

Instead of talking about religion, can we just talk about how it feels?

To know your mission

To know what you’re here for

To know who you’re serving

To know what to do

To know your mission

To know what you’re here for

To know who you’re serving

To know what to do

To have a dream

A GPS in your heart

A path to follow

Through the dark

Well, Jens says, “I write songs sometimes

But they’re kinda bad

So if that doesn’t work out

I want to be a social worker just like my dad

I just want to listen to people’s stories

Hear what they have to say”

My friends say, “Just be a shrink then”

But I don’t know, I don’t think I’ll have the grades

But in a world of mouths

I want to be an ear

If there’s a purpose to all this

Then that’s why God put me here

I know what I’m here for

I know who I’m serving

I’m serving you

I’m serving you

 

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