We have posted our August newsletter for cumorah.com providing updates on recent church growth developments and additional resources added to the website. The newsletter can be accessed here.
As I had mentioned earlier in the summer (northern hemisphere), with the increase of elders and sisters called, there would inevitably be an increase in the mortality rate. Sad but true.
And this spring/summer has seen a few tragic cases, the two most recent being the Dominican elder killed by a stray bullet in Colombia and the Utah (I believe) elder killed on his bike in Malaysia. Add the heart attack (likely?) of the elder in North Dakota or South Dakota, and the two elders in Guatemala a couple months ago, and the higher numbers do seem to bring these tragedies.
However, for church growth, I am sure these missionaries leave a profound and moving legacy, more or less sealing their testimonies for their cause. Very impressive. They died nobly serving in peace.
Let's hope and pray the year finishes strong with safety and security for all our elders and sisters, while they are arriving to newer places in ever greater numbers.
Also, as I have said before, cohort numbers of people the same age die at a greater rate who are not set apart full time.
So do not let these cases stop anyone from going! If anything, go and be safer than you would be otherwise.
Because of riskier lifestyles of 18-25 year-olds who are not serving on comparatively safer missions, more youth die in accidents and tragedies when they are living their normal more secular lives.
Sad but true. Skiing, swimming and recreational boating and driving, late night driving and other riskier behaviors leads to more accidents to people not on missions.
Everybody be safe out there. And keep praying for safety always.
Also, live your life to the fullest and be ready for life that never ends, but avoid doing things that bring you too close to the edge.
Also, one last mention of a young LDS man killed in the army in 2009 who never had a chance to serve a full time mission. His uncle attends my ward in VA. God bless the troops.
You are very right about the demographic comparison between Those on missions and those not on missions, Elder Ballard Said a mission is 8 times safer than not being a mission: http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/missionary-safety This blog has been keeping track of the missionary Fatalities and has them well documented for the last 10 years: http://mormonism-unveiled.blogspot.com/2009/10/partial-list-of-lds-missionaries-who.html
This just came out: http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/church-expresses-sorrow-missionary-deaths I reports that the rate of Missionary deaths are only a twentieth of the death rate compared to the mortality rate compared to the rate of the general population.
As I had mentioned earlier in the summer (northern hemisphere), with the increase of elders and sisters called, there would inevitably be an increase in the mortality rate. Sad but true.
ReplyDeleteAnd this spring/summer has seen a few tragic cases, the two most recent being the Dominican elder killed by a stray bullet in Colombia and the Utah (I believe) elder killed on his bike in Malaysia. Add the heart attack (likely?) of the elder in North Dakota or South Dakota, and the two elders in Guatemala a couple months ago, and the higher numbers do seem to bring these tragedies.
However, for church growth, I am sure these missionaries leave a profound and moving legacy, more or less sealing their testimonies for their cause. Very impressive. They died nobly serving in peace.
Let's hope and pray the year finishes strong with safety and security for all our elders and sisters, while they are arriving to newer places in ever greater numbers.
Oh, and cool for Armenia! A new stake.
Also, as I have said before, cohort numbers of people the same age die at a greater rate who are not set apart full time.
ReplyDeleteSo do not let these cases stop anyone from going! If anything, go and be safer than you would be otherwise.
Because of riskier lifestyles of 18-25 year-olds who are not serving on comparatively safer missions, more youth die in accidents and tragedies when they are living their normal more secular lives.
Sad but true. Skiing, swimming and recreational boating and driving, late night driving and other riskier behaviors leads to more accidents to people not on missions.
Everybody be safe out there. And keep praying for safety always.
Also, live your life to the fullest and be ready for life that never ends, but avoid doing things that bring you too close to the edge.
Also, one last mention of a young LDS man killed in the army in 2009 who never had a chance to serve a full time mission. His uncle attends my ward in VA. God bless the troops.
You are very right about the demographic comparison between Those on missions and those not on missions, Elder Ballard Said a mission is 8 times safer than not being a mission:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/missionary-safety
This blog has been keeping track of the missionary Fatalities and has them well documented for the last 10 years:
http://mormonism-unveiled.blogspot.com/2009/10/partial-list-of-lds-missionaries-who.html
There was a sister missionary killed earlier this year in Oklahoma.
ReplyDeleteAnd there is an Elder fighting for his life right now in Idaho after a car accident.
This just came out: http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/church-expresses-sorrow-missionary-deaths
ReplyDeleteI reports that the rate of Missionary deaths are only a twentieth of the death rate compared to the mortality rate compared to the rate of the general population.