Hundreds bid farewell to Elder Young

BOUNTIFUL — A missionary who was gunned down while proselyting in Virginia can be counted among early Mormon martyrs, the LDS Church's president said Tuesday at the funeral of Elder Morgan W. Young.

"I'm impressed with the thought that Elder Young has joined the ranks of a very select group who stand so very, very high in the estimate of God," said President Gordon B. Hinckley. "There is some special place and some special work for them to do under our Father's plan."

Hundreds of mourners packed the Bountiful 31st Ward chapel for the services, which took place more than week after Young and his companion were shot while going door-to-door in a Chesapeake, Va., neighborhood. Young was shot in the head. Elder Joshua Heidbrink, 19, from Greeley, Colo., was shot in the neck and survived. He also spoke at the funeral.

President Hinckley first addressed Young's parents, Mark and Kathy, expressing his and the church's appreciation and sympathy for them. Then, expanding on the realities of life and death, he said the wisdom of God is greater than the wisdom of man.

Morgan Young was to return home from his mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in March.

"May heaven's blessings rest upon you," President Hinckley said. "Let not your heart be troubled."

Elder Heidbrink, on leave from his missionary service while he recovers, reflected on Young's willingness to talk to anybody about the gospel message missionaries are trained to share.

Sometimes it took them 30 minutes to an hour to leave parking lots, Elder Heidbrink said.

"He talked to everybody," he said.

Elder M. Russell Ballard, of the church's Quorum of the Twelve, asked Heidbrink to let him know when he is ready to return to missionary service.

"We will find some exciting place for you to go serve," Elder Ballard said.

Elder Ballard read from Morgan Young's most recent letter to his mission president, Spencer Kirk.

"My testimony is growing daily," Young wrote. "To always remember Jesus Christ, that's a hard thing to do, but it's worth it. . . . I love him and I want to serve him the best that I can."

Elder Ballard reaffirmed what he told members of the media late last week, that missions are the safest place in the world for 19- to 21-year-old men.

James Rickey Boughton Jr., 19, was arrested Jan. 4, two days after the missionaries were shot. He is charged with first-degree murder, malicious wounding, attempted malicious wounding and three counts of using a gun during the commission of those felonies. He is scheduled to be arraigned Jan. 20, according to The Virginian-Pilot newspaper based in Norfolk, Va.

Chesapeake police believe the missionaries witnessed a crime shortly before they were shot.