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BYU basketball: Player, companion hurt in attack

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Cougar | 10:31 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

Next time the media tells us what an advantage it is to have returned missionaries would you please send them this story. I sure hope both young men are ok and won't be scared by this random event. Go Cougs

Hate crime | 10:34 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

This is a hate crime. But no one will call it a hate crime.

Why? | 10:36 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

How unfortunate this report is........but why is it front page just because the victim was a basketball player?

Comments continue below

Anonymous | 10:43 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

That's really sad. Hopefully the two elders can get healthy again quickly. I have no doubt that the Lord helped save their lives by having that person in the car shine their headlights on them.

WOW! | 10:43 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

This is verryy suprising to me, I've always known Australians to be non-violent people. Hope they catch these men!

sob | 10:47 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

hope he makes full recovery in body and spirit

hsfootballfan | 10:54 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

My thoughts and prayers go out to these two young men and their families. I hope both Elders recover quickly and with no long term effects.

Anonymous | 10:55 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

wow! what an experience! glad the two missionaries are safe!

Brett | 11:09 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

Elder Collinsworth,

Our thoughts and prayers are with you, your companion, and your families. Thank you for your service. You are a great example!

Anonymous | 11:11 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

how many more of these kid's is the lds church going to put in harm's way ?

RM | 11:21 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

I had plenty of mistreatment while on my mission, but nothing close to that. Several Elders in my zone while I was their leader were held up at gun point, and when the trigger was pulled the gun misfired. Karma? I think not.

Anonymous | 11:22 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

Seriously, who attacks a 6'9" man walking down the street with another guy? That takes some real guts (or drunkenness). I'll never understand how Mormon missionaries always end up saying they love the people they lived among, what with constant insults, taunts, and sometimes, as we see here, violence.

wow | 11:23 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

I hope both men turn out ok after the attack.

Get Well Soon | 11:28 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

Hope these missionaries recover quickly and the attackers are captured.

Anonymous | 11:32 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

its front page because someone from your state got stabbed moron

Re: Hate Crime | 11:35 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

I agree. It ought to be prosecuted as such!

Anonymous | 11:37 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

Sorry to hear this. Prayers for both Elders to have a full and speedy recovery.

Ken | 11:38 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

Thanks for your service Elders. You were assalted blindsightly by nothing but pure cowardiss. There are many people who await your message in Austrailia, so keep on keeping on.

To Why | 11:40 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

Because it's an online update, duh! It's not front page in the paper. Have some intelligence please.

rvalens2 | 11:47 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

Re: Why?

Obviously, you have forgotten who reads the DN.

This unprovoked attack on two LDS missionaries would have been front page news even if Collinsworth had not been a BYU basketball player.

Attacks on LDS missionaries rarely rise to the level of attempted homicide. That, in itself, makes it worthy of being front page news.

re: Why | 11:49 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

I see you don't really pay attention very well to what is going on around you. Either that or you are biased against athletes. Your moronic statement of "just because the victim was a basketball player" tells us you are either not aware or are ignoring the fact that the DNews and Utah tv stations have all reported attacks against missionaries as front page news whether they were athletes or not.

Best wishes to Elders Collinsworth and Ferguson for a full recovery.

Idahoan | 11:54 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

Maybe it is a front-page story because the victims are missionaries, the wounds are serious, and one of them is from Provo.

K Heaps | 11:57 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

Our thoughts and prayers go out to these two brave young elders.

Dangerous World | 11:58 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

We live in a dangerous world.

Good thing that the car came with its lights on.

This may have just been random, or it could have been
directed especially at the Elders because they were LDS/Mormon Elders or maybe it was becuase Elder Collingworth is so tall. One never knows what motivates this type of behavior, but these acts of extreme violence can happen to anyone right here in the good ole USA too.

Thank God for the fact that it wasn't worse and

HOPE the authorities can find the truly BAD guys.

The Lord | 11:58 a.m. Oct. 15, 2008

If the Lord was protecting the Missionaries they would not have been attacked at all by these men. That is the true freedom of free agency, They were Lucky somone came by and scared the Boys away. Missions are dangerious in Lots of these countries around the world and I am amazed more of these Young men and women are not in more situations like this. Just teach them to always be very away of what is going on around them all the time and they can avoid a lot of these situations. I hope they recover quickly and this should never happen to anyone. I hope they catch those Losers who hurt them and lock them up for a very long time. BTW- I went on a Mission 27 years ago and know the dangers that are out there.

Anonymous | 12:01 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

The officials are unsure of the motive for the attack? You dont attack a 6'9'' guy just for money. Its obviously for the religion.

Why...not? | 12:03 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

It is front page news because LDS Missionaries are rarely attacked or physically threatened. They provide service in their communities and are spreading the message of Jesus Christ, which is void of violence. Missions are pretty much the safest place for a young man to be involved. And the LDS Church is of interest to residents in the state of Utah, where the LDS church is based. That is why it is news.

Wisdom? | 12:04 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

I wonder if these men were drunk. I mean, if I wanted to attack someone, I think I would pick someone that wasn't 6'9" - call me crazy. Even if the target was specifically missionaries, I'm sure there are smaller missionaries around Australia than him!

VF | 12:10 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

Dear Why?,

They made the front page because they were two missionaries that got beaten up by some hoods in Austrailia.

What a silly question. Please smarten up.

Anonymous | 12:11 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

Reminds me of experiences I had. Actually, most parents should be glad they don't hear of everything their missionary is subject to.

veedub | 12:13 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

I am also happy to know that their wounds weren't life-threatening. When you have your kids out on missions, there are the kinds of things you worry about.

But I'm curious why Elder Ferguson's name was first mentioned only in parentheses. Because he wasn't a well-known basketball player? or maybe because he was from Montana? I would think commas would be better there.

Anonymous | 12:19 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

I wonder if they had an encounter earlier, like at a restaurant or club. Were they out late for missionaries?

fball | 12:29 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

Had that happened to a football player the results would have been different. Anyway I hope both of them are OK.

zack | 12:31 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

Re:Anonymous

Do you really think it's the church that puts them in harm's way? FYI--these kids CHOOSE to serve. No one's putting them up to it.

Hate crime... | 12:37 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

I believe you just did. Call it a hate crime that is.

Otis Spurlock | 12:38 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

Missionaries should be required to carry pepper spray. When I was on my mission we were frequently attacked by dogs (and even a wild monkey one time).

Cantfoolme | 12:38 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

I hope Elder's Collinsworth and Ferguson recover soon. You're in our prayes. As for Anonymous, the Church doesn't send these men in harms way. They volunteer to go and they pay their own way. If you are so scared to leave your comfort zone then stay home. We allow everyone everwhere to do as they choose. We choose different than you. Will you allow us to choose our own way, even if you dissagree?

Re: Anon 11:11 | 12:41 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

I am so glad to know you are genuinely concerned about the well being of these "kids". I would hate to think your comment was motivated by some missplaced dislike for the LDS church and your concern was merely a smokescreen for yet another unprovoked attack against the church. Even still, I hardly think 19 to 21+ year old males qualify as "kids". Sending them to Iraq would certainly be placing them in harms way. Sending them to Australia? I admit I can't see the harm in that. With 40000 missionaries out in the world at the same time, there is going to be unfortuneate events that occur from time to time. Seems to me they feel their cause is Just and that is exactly where they want to be. On the news yesterday they showed a cellphone video of two high school kids beating each other to a pulp in a highschool locker room. Apparently their parents should be ashamed for putting their kids in harms way by sending them to school. When you consider all the violence happening in schools around this country, it seems that being on a mission is a pretty safe place to be.

GoUtes!

Mongo | 12:44 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

What do you think you know, Anonymous? I was in harm's way a few times in Argentina, but I would go back in a minute. Why do you think so many men in Iraq re-up? Do think they are afraid of being in harm's way? The Church does not force young men to go on missions--it is their CHOICE. Show's how little you know.

Real Cougar | 12:47 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

Wow... I just got off the phone with Chris's mom. She said this story is "extremely off." Nice reporting skills, DesNews!! So concerned with getting the story first that you don't care about getting the facts straight!

To Anonymous... | 12:49 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

The LDS Church puts no missionaries in harms way. They work very hard to keep missionaries safe all over the world. Both the Missionaries and their families are aware of the risk when they put in their papers to serve. My son has been in Brazil for 8 months so I know of that risk. They go willingly and even pay for it themselves! They will conintue to go as long as there are young men, young women and older couples not to mention older sisters that feel the calling from the Lord to serve. Don't blame the church for the choice made by it's faithful members. Remember it's a choice to serve. It's also a choice to obey the Word of Wisdom so in your reasoning members of the church that get into drugs it should be asked, "how many more of these kid's is the lds church going to put in harm's way ?" You make a choice good or bad and the consequences/risks/benefits or blessings are yours to own. This young man and his companion were attacked by a BAD group. Who's to say that one of them wasn't a member making a choice?

re: anonymous | 12:50 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

Actually, both anonymous entries.

1st; "the kid's" as 19 year old young men or older choose to go and serve their God. They spread a message about Christ and of peace and love. You will find rare exceptions to the fact that they love the experience and feel very safe and protected.

2nd; the sum total of their experience is not found in the insults, taunts, etc. They also get to witness the impact Christ has in people's lives that are in fact themselves victims of worse treatment than these young men have every experiences. They bring a message of hope and love. As they see the change one goes through with Christ in their life the end result is a strong and eternal love for the people. On another line of reasoning, as they forgive those that treat them badly the result is a heart with room to love.

And experience I highly recommend for anyone!

I hope that these 2 Elders find peace and love through forgiving those that attacked them. Hopefully, they can find them and share the story of Alma the younger and the son's of Mosiah with them.

Re: Anonymous 11:22 | 12:50 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

You don't understand because it is obvious you have never served a mission. Did you read the comment how he is anxious to get back to work? You feel the love of the people and the love of your work. The hatred bounces of you. The missionaries know the true meaning of service and do so without question or fear.

Troutman | 12:54 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

I served my mission to Brisbane from 1974-1976, and we had a bridge to cross to get to our meetings every Friday and Sunday. We rode bikes across this two mile bridge across Sandgate Bay. It was a bridge from hell! I cannot count the many times that my companion and I were purposely thrown at with all kinds of things, beer botles, eggs, lettuce, yes even lettuce, and plus the many times they tried to run us off the road and into the bay. One time as we were crossing, I was in front single file riding the bike, when I look back and see that my companion had been forced off the bridge and was literally hanging onto the rail of the bridge. Overall, I simply loved Australia, but there is several young people there that have a vendetta out against the missionaries for some reason. Many of the Aussies don;t like our affluence and are jealous of our lifestyle. At least back then it was that way. Now, I understand that they have a higher standard of living than we do. "The bridge that was a nightmare was called the Hornibrook bridge. Look it up!

Re: Anonymous at 11:22 am | 12:55 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

You wouldn't understand...

arc | 12:59 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

I hope they recover quick. Where in Sydney?
The SL Trib had an area, but not very specific.

Anonymous | 1:01 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

The LDS church doesnt "put" the Elder's in harms way. You choose to go.

missionary mom | 1:04 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

My sentiments go to the elders and their families. Violence is sickening when done to the innocent. I pray justice is served and the attackers are found.

CS | 1:09 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

"How many more of these kids is the LDS Church going to put in harms way?" Actually, most young men 19- and 20-years old are much safer out serving missions than their peers who aren't serving missions. This is a tragic event, but needless to say, they were protected from what could have otherwise been a fatal situation.

I pray for a speedy and full recovery for these fine young men.

Anonymous | 1:13 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008

Yeah, I feel for the kid and my prayers go out to him. But it's just funny that Deseret News puts it in the sports section... Articles like this belong in the Church News.

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Scott G. Winterton, Deseret News

Chris Collinsworth, right, played in all 35 games last year for BYU, averaging 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds per game. He's been in Australia on a mission for about six months.