***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.
Guest Book • Funeral home info • Flowers
Gift Shop • Charities
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
I feel so bad for that missionary who died. I can't even imagine how horrible it must be for everyone who loved him and was close to him.
ReplyDeleteI do know though, that he wouldn't appreciate a site that degrades the purpose and message that he died of giving in the process. I am a teenager,Hispanic, and LDS. I don't know your real name, but whoever you are, you've forgotten what you beleived in. Mormons are generally just trying to be good people. What is so bad about that? Pretty much everything on your site is not what we beleive. We don't beleive that just because you are a different religion you will go to hell... We beleive God loves ALL of His children, no matter what you do and it doesn't matter what religion or ethnicity you are. He loves us so much and cares about us, look what Jesus did. He willingly allowed His life to be taken and to atone for our sins, in a way that was so painful to endure, only He could do it. The worse pain you have or ever will experience, He's already felt it. He also knows greater joy than we do. It's not only our church that beleives that. I just figured I'd write this because I know people read these things and don't know what to beleive. Just beleive in what you think is right in your heart of hearts, whether for or against this. But please know, the things on this site are not our principals or truths, even if you think our church is false, then it is false on different values than this site describes. I have wondered of God even exsits. Sometimes I've prayed and wondered, but now I know no matter what people say that what I beleive is true, and not just because someone told me to beleive. I found out for myself. I love God with all my heart and for the rest of my life I will try to follow in His footsteps. I know Joseph Smith was a true Prophet on this earth. I would never deny what's in my heart if a gun was up to my head. I know kids at school who are immoral, who need God, who need love, who need something to hold on to. Satan tries to grasp hold of you by tempting you. At first you give in a little.He's just got a small rope around you, until you get further into your sins and addictions, pretty soon you're in chains. You are free when you choose to be free of sins. No one can do everything alone. That's why you were born into families. Friends become family if you have none. I just love my church so much. I wish people would give us a break and be nice to us. We have feelings. We are people. We don't want or values to be mocked by everyone, even our fellow Christians. Even though everyone does mock us, our chuch only grows stronger.
i knew ben and his family... i suggest you get to know the family to understand how giving they actually are.. they lost a son but believe they will see him again... so i guess that if you believe that you have not lost anything.. why grieve? and why bash people who belive this also..?
ReplyDeleteso pretty much what you are saying on your website is only increasing the faith and testimony of our faithful members, and eventually your negative comments made about The Church of Jesus Christ, will do nothing other than reafirm what jesus taught about how His church and His word will forever be persecuted for His sake. In our church building in Portland Oregon we have a fellow who chooses to stand outside our church building with a sign, screaming at the members entering and leaving the building, saying things like that we are going to hell. all that does to the members of our church is strengthen our testimony that Gods church will forever be persecuted, the funny thing is, thanks to you there probably have been a number of non-mormons reading this site that will become curious about the LDS church, and yes become baptized because they want to follow christ by baring up the stripes that we bare. thank you for your support in our membership.
ReplyDeleteMy husband is Ben's first cousin. I loved Ben like a brother and I really don't appreciate you using this website to bash the Mormon religion. If you really feel bad for him and his family you should respect him by not using his story to put down the church.
ReplyDeleteYou really shouldn't say stuff unless you know all the facts.
Please just let him rest in peace.
Like he said before, "we don't say that if your not mormon you will burn in hell". God loves everyone and thats why he sends missionaries and just like our prophet said we would have missionaries sent all over the world... guess what utahnite? its happened we do have missionaries in practically every single country in the world and our church will only grow, just like president hinckley said, this is only the beginning. It seems to me that youve been offended by someone in the church but you know what? we are an unperfect people in a perfect church and you need to let go and just move on.
ReplyDelete