My heart truly goes out to that family. In January, a 24-year-old elder serving in his home country of Haiti died after being admitted to a hospital with health complications; a 19-year-old elder from Utah was killed in a car crash in Arkansas; and a 20-year-old Nigerian serving a mission in his homeland died after a sudden health episode (unrelated to COVID-19).. As missionaries, the two elders used social media to teach people to come to Christ. Whether youre serving in your own country or one foreign to you, its always nice to have someone you can rely on. Glo "[15][17][18][19][20], However, the trial progressed very slowly. This is not a time to nitpick your companions personality or habits, but rather a time to lovingly identify things you can work on together to improve your companionship with the goal of becoming better missionaries. Elder JeffreyR. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has taught that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience. Doctors had to remove a portion of the left side of his skull to treat his hydrocephalus and put a shunt in to drain the fluid from his brain. But he was a kindly soul, with a "good spirit about him," if you will pardon use of such language in this context. The LDS Church views slain missionaries as martyrs. Glo [2][3][4], Government officials of both the United States and Bolivia employed their resources in bringing the assassins to justice, and the accused assassins suffered deprivations to their persons and families, including the murder of a brother. Was he acquitted? I was very surprised by the account of the Benson family blaming Elder Christensen, but perhaps this is a defensive mechanism that became useful over time. police he had held Christensen down in a tub of scalding water The circumstances of James death were shocking. [67], Despite these arrests, several members of FAL Zarate Willka remained at large, including Johnny Justino Peralta Espinoza, the supposed ringleader of the group, and Susana Zapana Hannover, the former member of the LDS Church, as well as a cousin of the Encinas brothers. However, according to a report by the U.S. State Department, "Patterns of Global Terrorism, 1990," a new judge had still not been appointed by the end of 1990. He is relearning how to walk and talk and the right side of his body barely functions. [23], Finally, on October 9, 1991, the U.S. State Department announced that the defendants had been sentenced to long prison terms. 1977 news accounts say Bjelde. It read: Yankees and their Bolivian lackeys' violation of our national sovereignty will not remain unpunished. We didn't know who they were. Dont be afraid to look for ways to have fun. It can be nodding his head, giving an OK sign or mouthing a simple amen while praying with his mother. He stayed behind while his wife--my aunt May--went, instead). The trial began soon after Ambassador Gelbard declared to officials of the LDs Church during a Salt Lake City visit that "I have made it crystal clear to the president of Bolivia that this is of the greatest importance to us and we want to bring this to the end of the investigation.