Romney’s 1968 message of devotion written in the sand to his future wife: “I Love Ann”

Mitt Romney may have travelled to France in the 1960s to spread the word of the Mormon church – but it appears religion was not his only mission.

An image reveals how he was also intent on romancing his soon-to-be wife by scrawling ‘I LOVE ANN’ in an enormous heart in the sand.

Romney, who made sure there was also enough room in the heart for him to stretch out next to his message of devotion, then sent the photograph to Ann.

The image was taken by a group of his friends in 1968 when Romney, then 21, was working as a missionary in France, and has now resurfaced in the new issue of TIME magazine.

As he campaigns across Ohio, the presidential candidate has continued to profess his love for Ann. ‘I’m happy in life as long as I’ve got my soul mate with me,’ Romney says of Ann in a video shown at tour stops. ‘She’s gorgeous – absolutely beautiful.’

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