SUN PRAIRIE — From July 19 to 24, teens could be seen in Sun Prairie and the surrounding areas, serving those in need.

Love Begins Here (LBH) was at Epiphany of the Lord Parish.

LBH is a program of the Diocese of Madison that provides opportunities for middle and high school students to participate in local mission trips where they engage in prayer and service for those in need, right in their own backyard.

A day at LBH begins with Mass before the various groups of teens, each with their adult lead missionaries, head out to their assigned work sites.

One group was assigned in town in Sun Prairie to weed a garden for a woman whose health prevents her from doing it herself.

After scoping out what needed to be done and praying the LBH Mission Manifesto, they cheerfully launched into the work in front of them.

Their diligence bore fruit as the front yard, in less than an hour, was already beginning to look much improved.

“I really like Love Begins Here. I think it’s a really cool mission, getting to serve the community,” said Emily Finnegan, a member of the core team who’s a veteran of LBH herself.

Kylie Rogers, another veteran core team missionary, agreed.  

“[LBH] was something that drew me closer to the Lord in a particular way. And Love Begins Here is where I started to fall in love with daily Mass and praying night prayer.”

She added, “It’s been a beautiful opportunity this summer to offer a whole summer of being with Love Begins Here, and helping other teens be part of it. One thing that I think is very beautiful is that we can know Jesus with our mind, but it’s different to know Him with our heart, and in a particular way, Love Begins Here helps us to love Jesus with our bodies through the service that we do.”

Other work LBH does includes cleaning gravestones in cemeteries, volunteering with the elderly, assisting at food pantries, and helping with painting or other projects.

The aim is always to do “small things with great love.”  

After the workday wraps up in midafternoon, teens hit the pool and shower before returning to their home base for the evening.

In this case, the teens were hosted at Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Church and School in Sun Prairie.

Evenings at LBH include discussion, praying the Rosary, dinner, and time for fun.

A big part of LBH is the friendships formed — or renewed — during the week.

LBH in Sun Prairie was the sixth out of seven LBH sessions in 2026.

Love Begins Here began in 2009 in the Diocese of Madison, and it has thrived and grown in the years since.

This year, LBH had nearly 500 teens and lead missionaries serving in seven different pastorates and five different counties.

They gave 10,028 service hours this summer, making 188,072 service hours given in total since LBH began.