The periodic letters that Bishop Kocherhans received from Virginia indicated Morgan was happy about his choice. "I could tell he caught the spirit of missionary work," the bishop said. "The mission president had asked him to extend a month — 'til April — and I understood he was going to do that."

At least that was the plan until Monday, when Elder Young's mission ended two months early — all the more unexpected because everyone who knows Morgan Young knows he wasn't the kind to put himself in the middle of any kind of conflict.

"I could never imagine him provoking anything or anyone," said Willden. "He wouldn't have smirked; he wouldn't have been rude in any way."

Then again, he wasn't the kind to run from trouble, either, as evidenced by his last Earthly act of rushing to help his fallen companion.

As his fraternal grandfather, Winslow Young, whose ancestors crossed the plains to Utah, said, "Morgan was always looking out for the other guy and doing the right thing. He wouldn't cut and run."

That's a good thing to be said when your time comes.

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Lee Benson's column runs Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Please send e-mail to benson@desnews.com and faxes to 801-237-2527.