Benjamin Robert Ellsworth, age 19, Of Mesa, Passed Away On December 2, 2005 While Serving A Full Time Mission For The LDS Church In Rosario, Argentina

***Update April 24, 2006*** Sadly, another missionary was killed in Argentina, yesterday. I wanted to post this most current link, regarding Matthew Turley of Ridgefield, Connecticut, who was tragically killed by a drunk driver yesterday. This link includes the story being run by KSL, owned by the Church, as well, as the original story that ran in Argentina, in San Luis, the city where he was killed. I realize that most people searching for this current story, will find this page, on the tragic death of Benjamin Ellsworth's death. Here is a link to my mission memoriam page, that will sadly and tragically, have one more name on it now.***

Elder Benjamin Robert Ellsworth's official Obituary and Guest Book

Benjamin Robert Ellsworth

Benjamin Robert Ellsworth, age 19, of Mesa, passed away on December 2, 2005 while serving a full time mission for the LDS Church in Rosario, Argentina. Benjamin was born on June 22, 1986 in Dayton, Ohio to Cory Paul and Amy Lynn Ellsworth. Survivors include his parents; brothers: Ethan (age 22), Cade (5) and Colby (5); sisters: Atley (17) and Emily (15); and grandparents Bob and Jeri Bowden and Carrie Ellsworth, all of Mesa. Ben was an Eagle Scout. After graduating from Mountain View High School in 2004, Benjamin joined the Marine Corps and achieved the rank of Lance Corporal over the next year, before obtaining a leave from the Corps to serve his mission, which he began in June of this year. Ben was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ben's mission president commented that he had interviewed him the day before he died and that "Elder Ellsworth had bright light in his eyes and he loved the work. He made people happy and his missionary companions loved him dearly". Funeral services will be held Friday December 9, 2005 at 11:00 AM at the LDS Mesa East Stake Center, 2228 E. Brown Rd. There will be a visitation beforehand starting at 9:00 AM. Ben will be interred at Mountain View Memorial Gardens following the funeral. Meldrum Mortuary handled the arrangements Sign the Guest Book at eastvalleytribune.com
Published in the East Valley Tribune on 12/8/2005.
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Here is the link, for anyone that wants to go and sign his guest book and wish his Family the best in this tragic, difficult time.

I just feel so bad for him and his Family and also his poor companion that was there to witness this horrific accident. My only hope is that they will allow him to maybe come home and try to recover, if that is what he wishes, instead of forcing him or manipulating him into staying. The Mormon Church is famous, in moments like this, of tragedy, or when a Parent or loved one dies, for trying to emotionally manipulate missionaries into staying, by saying, "What would Elder Ellsworth want you to do?" "What would your Dad have wanted?" It is shameful!!

I just hope that isn't the case and that they will give him the time he needs, even if he wants to return to his mission later. My experience and knowledge say no, but who knows. If anybody knows anything about Elder Ellsworth's companion and how he is, please let me know and I'll post it.

Here is the other post that I wrote, regarding Elder Benjamin Robert Ellsworth, that includes the newspaper articles from Arizona, Buenos Aires and comments from his Uncle regarding the situation. What an awful tragedy for this Family, that assumed he would be "protected" while on his mission as a servant of the Lord. My heart weeps for his Family, Friends and loved ones. Elder Ellsworth could have been me and for some unknown reason, I was spared, on more than one occasion, but his Family, could have been mine and my Family would have been devastated with losing me so tragically.

By the way, just for the record, still not one word on the official Mormon Church website, LDS.org , regarding this tragic loss. NOTHING!!

On the front main page, it reads:

News
Newsroom for news media
Mormons in America

News for members and friends of the Church
Latter-day Saints Mark Prophet's Birthday
Receive News by E-mail

Then, if you click on News for member and friend of the Church, the first link is:

Joseph Smith Commemorative Broadcast around the Corner followed by:

President Packer Speaks to BYU-H Graduates about Finding Guidance

So, basically, Joseph Smith's B-day celebration(around the corner) and Boyd KKK Packer, bigot and racist, are more important than the life of this young man. That is shameful!! I don't believe that the Mormon Church ever, puts a negative story on their website, even if it involves the loss of human life. They could have at least done a thank you or a tribute, anything!! What a disgrace!! Sorry, back to the topic at hand, Benjamin Ellsworth.

There is never a good time for something like this to happen, but it seems even worse, this time of year, Christmas time, time for great joy, and I'm sure that they mostly feel great sorrow. I wish them the best and hope that somehow, they will be able to move forward. I don't have the answers as I've also suffered great loss in my life of people that I love. You never can get "over it" as people say, but you can learn to "live with it and accept it."

I think for the rest of your life, you will have moments, situations, circumstances, where you just miss them deeply, all of a sudden, and you feel the loss deeply and begin to cry. The pain is always there, just a heartbeat away, one just has to learn how to manage and cope with it, while slowly moving forward. I urge everyone reading this to please go and sign the guestbook of this Elder and wish his Family the best. They need all the love and support that they can get in this most difficult time.

With much love for Benjamin Robert Ellsworth's family, loved ones and Friends,

Samuel the Utahnite