SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) – ABC 4 uncovered new information on how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is keeping missionaries safe after two Baptist missionaries were killed in Mexico.
The Church said between 3 to 6 missionaries die when they serve, however, an L.D.S. spokesperson said these young men and women are safer serving their mission, than being at home.
Their goal is to teach people about their religion, but in doing so they place their lives on the line. David Hill's son is serving an L.D.S. mission in Argentina. He said gangs have become a big problem there. “Last week he was chased down and they tried to kick him. He ran away from that,” said David Hill, a former missionary.
While Hill's son wasn't hurt, that wasn't the case for John and Wanda Casias. ABC 4 first reported on the deaths of the two Wednesday. They were serving in Santiago. Investigators found them brutally murdered inside their home three hours south of the Texas border. “I think we have danger no matter what. The missionaries are a bit of a target with the badge and clothing and so on,” said David Geher, who also served on a mission.
Hill said even when he served in Chile in 1988, he dealt with violence. “A lot of protests in that area that's political based. A lot of burning tires. Times when they would tell us to stay in doors, because of riots and things like that,” said Geher.
The Church of Latter Day Saints speaks about their tragic losses. In a statement to ABC 4, they said, "there were about three to six deaths per year over the last decade, but the official death rates for comparable-age young men and women in the United States are eight times higher than the death rates of our missionaries."
Geher added that despite the dangers it's all worth it in the end. “The bus driver is in danger in some way to some extent as well. It's a risky world and we have high risks,” he pointed out.
