Comments about ‘Friends, family pay homage to fallen Mormon missionaries’

May God, our Father, bless the Burrows Family and Edwards Family at this time of deepest sorrow. Please know that your sons continue to serve...and will serve well beyond the normal two years of a full-time mission. D&C 138:57 reads: “I beheld that the faithful elders of this dispensation, when they depart from mortal life, continue their labors in the preaching of the gospel of repentance and redemption, through the sacrifice of the Only Begotten Son of God, among those who are in darkness and under the bondage of sin in the great world of the spirits of the dead.” When you are reunited again with your sons, oh what conversion stories they will share with you! I pray that you will find solace in this truth.

My heart goes out to the families. Reading this makes it very hard to let my only son serve a mission when his time comes.. The boys seemed like outstanding people.

Years ago, in the late 1970's, I was a missionary in Korea. We had some pretty poor accomodations to live in, no central heat and we were forced to keep warm by using "Yontan" coal heaters in our kitchen. It was so dangerous to heat that we had to close the kitchen door so as not to be asphysiceiated (I'm sure I spelled that wrong). My point is this, our young missionaries are precious, they are someone's sons and daughters. Would it be too much to ask that they be housed in safe, decent places to live where things like this don't happen? Really. If I were the parents here I would be demanding some hard answers.

I am so sorry for the families. It must be horrible to lose a child. They look like they were wonderful young men.

This was such a tragedy, losing their lives at so young an age. I just hope their families are comforted by knowing that Heavenly Father called them home early for a more important mission. They both sound like young men I would have enjoyed knowing. They were surely valiant spirits who had served their trial here on earth.

I recall how two sister missionaries died of asphyxiation in Bahia Blanca, Argentina, around 1988. They left their own personal gas heater running all night. A few years later, I was in Chile and did the same thing, only I woke up conscious and alive. I think the air circulation in my house was freer, and thus colder yet safer for gas heating.

It sounds as if these two Elders were victims of the apartment, not their own doing.

What a tragedy! My heart goes out to all that knew and loved them, which seems to be many.

I hope that the people in Romania recognize this love and sacrifice of these two souls who were there for the salvation of the Romanians.

Whether you buy into the Gospel of Jesus Christ as interpreted by Joseph Smith down to President Monson, it is nice to see selfless sacrifice from these blessed youth throughout the world.

May their memory be cherished and their missions be magnified to many more. And may the mishap remind and forewarn others to be wary of such dangers.

God bless them. Like soldiers, all do not return home intact. Most do. Remember their cause and spirit.

Shouldn't these boys be home in the care of their families? 20 is just too young to be galavanting around Romania on their own. Who'd a thunk it.

My thoughts go out to the families. I have a son who just returned from a mission to Eastern Europe and I would dare say that he has more chance of being killed now in an auto accident than when he was on his mission.

I would also suggest that more young men die as a result of fraternity hazing than die while serving a mission, if you want to consider things in perspective. But, of course, as "Concerns" has brought up, all need to look out for the safety of those who serve in the mission field, wherever they are.

they are young, yet willing to serve the Lord. they were and still are very much in the care of their Savior. they were never alone. im sure both of their families would attest to that fact. it is tragic and i can certainly understand your comment. those of us who are lds and have sons that serve or will serve support the efforts of missionary work around the world. they are in the Lord's errand.

@Just sad 7:02am:

First of all, they weren't "galavanting [sic] around Romania". They were serving their Lord, Master and Redeemer. Whether or not you personally believe the gospel these young men preached, they did believe it. So don't disrespect.

Furthermore, many 20 year-olds are in colleges throughout this nation trying out weed, experimenting with promiscuity, and learning to drink. I think serving others in a foreign country is more laudable than that.

Finally, they were in the care of a far greater power than that of their families. We do not know His designs, but we can have faith that they are good, right and true.

I know that they are now preaching His gospel on the other side. May their families be blessed with that comforting knowledge.

@ just sad - They are not out galavanting, they are serving the Lord - and although tragic for their families, I hope all involved will be blessed and comforted at this sad time.

This is sad to loose loved ones, but just as the first comment stated, these two will be sent directly to the Celestial Kingdom to carry the work they so respectfully did do on earth.

Our prayers and thoughts to the families.

We were standing in line with Dad, brother and sister of young McKay, out of nowhere we introduced ourselves and we talked about how excited he was to serve, Dad went on a mission to NZ, I went to Fiji. We are very sorry that this happened, but our hearts reach out to the immediate family, sometime in life we do not understand why things are, but one thing we know is that we will be with him someday, may his beautiful smile, and big heart linger through your memories at this time of sorrow.

I send my Sympathy and Love to these 2 Missionarys Familys at this very sad time. Here they were doing the Lords work. They will be missed all the way.

I can't imagine the depth of grief these families are feeling. My family will keep them in our thoughts and prayers. I've lost a brother and a father to separate car accidents and know a little of the feeling of sudden loss. There is nothing to prepare you for it, nor can anything but the passing of time ease the pain. May God bless these wonderful families.

My deepest sympathy goes to the families of these young men. I know that missionaries sometimes live in very basic accomodations, but I would hope that the church would reevaluate these places, and make sure that they meet higher standards of safety. If I were the parent of one of these elders, I would be asking how this could have happened and how it could have been prevented. This would not be the end of it.

May our Heavenly Father put His loving arms around both of these missionary families. May He give you great comfort and peace in the knowledge of His eternal plan. I have experienced much loss and pain in my life and without the knowledge that I will see my dear ones again in the eternities, I would not have been able to bear it.

* "Reading this makes it very hard to let my only son serve a mission when his time comes." *

I don't have kids, but since I teach young people, I can relate to this, sorta. I recall the first time I had a student get a driver's license, and how I fretted! But these elders were still safer than the average American young adult on I-15 on a Friday night.

* "Shouldn't these boys be home in the care of their families? 20 is just too young to be galavanting around Romania on their own. Who'd a thunk it." *

You could say the same about kids who leave home for college, or to get dream jobs in "hotbeds of iniquity" like Las Vegas, San Francisco, or New York. How about 16-year-olds who "galivant" around Salt Lake on a Friday night, or XYZ College students and their keg parties? Or those who get involved in crime while still supposedly in the care of their families?

You could say it about our military personnel overseas.

These elders were not killed by being missionaries, being in Romania, being young, or being away from home. They lost their lives doing something greater than any of us individually, that they and millions of others believe in and will stake their eternal destiny on.

Can you say the same of a kid who leaves the safety of his parents' roof for just a few hours, then dies with a .22% BAC, or drives drunk in their car and kills himself and innocent people?

My family and I pray for the families of these men. May God bless them all with His unmatchable comfort.