Salt Lake City, USA - With two missionary deaths announced this week, the LDS Church is again calling attention to the basic rules for missionary safety.
There are more than 50,000 LDS missionaries serving in hundreds of missions all around the world.
Recently, members of the LDS Quorum of the Twelve called them “emissaries of the savior”, but sadly, a handful of times each year, LDS missionaries die serving the Lord.
As far away as Africa and as close as Dallas Texas, LDS missionaries have been hurt, kidnapped or even lost their lives.
And always they are in the thoughts of the most revered leaders of the LDS Church.
Bruce L. Olsen, a leading Church spokesman has said, "The safety of missionaries who sacrifice so much is of great concern to all of us here at Church headquarters as well as leaders both locally and around the world."
Of such concern, Elder M. Russell Ballard has set forth rules for missionary safety.
These include, of course, working in pairs, highly organized and structured missions and a network of LDS physicians to tend to missionaries around the world.
Elder M. Russell Ballard said, "Any missionary anywhere in this world, regardless of who he or she may be, is precious to the leadership of this Church."
And when missionary tragedies occur, the Church not only expresses its sympathy, it has also in the past reminded and re-emphasized why LDS missionaries do what they do…which is sharing the restored gospel of the Savior.
Elder Quentin L. Cook says, "What a wonderful thing it is to have people go out in these missions and to serve the lord and make sacrifices that they make."
And as Elder Ballard also makes clear, the church's concern for missionaries is not just for the young men and women who serve around the world, but also for older missionaries and couples who serve in these LDS missions.