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David Archuleta is taking a break from his music career to embark on a two-year Mormon mission. According to Billboard, 20-year-old made the announcement at the Salt Lake City, Utah stop of his My Kind of Christmas Tour.
In a video from the show, the 'American Idol' runner-up said to the crowd, "I would like to make a special announcement: that I've chosen to serve a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints."
The audience cheered for the singer, and he immediately got emotional before going on to explain why he felt the mission was so important. "It's not because someone told me I was supposed to do it and not because I no longer want to do music anymore," he said. "It's because it's what I feel I need to do next in my life."
LDS missionaries are unpaid and follow a strict set of rules. They must adhere to a dress code, and have a set daily schedule. They are generally allowed two phone calls per year -- a call to their family on Christmas Day and Mother's Day. Guys are allowed to go after their 19th birthdays, while girls can go after they turn 21. There are currently 50,000 missionaries serving in over countries all over the world.
David continued, "It's the same feeling that I've always tried to follow in my life -- the feeling that's allowed me to have the opportunities I've had, the challenges and the blessings, too. And I've learned to trust that feeling and answer when it calls. That's the reason why I know I have to do this in my life."