Santiago West Missionary said Farewell to Earthly Mission

Elder Benjamin Taylor Jennings Will Be Missed Benjamin Taylor Jennings, missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, age 19, died Saturday, May 21, 2011 while serving in the Santiago Chile West Mission. The cause of death is not yet known; he collapsed on his morning jog with his companion and could not be revived. A memorial service will be held Wednesday, May 25, 7:00 p.m. at the Latter-day Saint meetinghouse, 20 Boscobel Road, Fredericksburg, VA 22405. A memorial service is planned for Friday, May 27, 11:00 a.m. at 1915 North Canyon Road, Provo UT, 84604. He will be buried in East Lawn Memorial Hills Cemetery, Provo, UT. Ben was born August 2, 1991 in Fairfax, VA to David T. and Emily Oaks Jennings. The family moved Naperville, IL in 1993 and later Elburn, IL. In 2006 they moved to Fredericksburg, VA, south of Washington DC. Ben was a 2009 graduate with honors of Stafford Senior High School. He was an accomplished artist, cartooning and illustrating for his high school newspaper and for the youth section of the Free Lance-Star newspaper. Ben attended Brigham Young University in Provo, UT fall and winter semesters, 2009-10. Ben departed on his mission in September, teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and providing service to the Chilean people. Ben loved serving the Lord, the people in Chile, and the other missionaries. He loved Mission President Richard and Melinda King. There are no words to describe our sorrow at his loss, but we find comfort in the knowledge that we will be with him again in the next life. He was a great missionary, son, brother, and friend. It was a privilege and delight to know him. He touched many lives for good in the short time he spent with us, and he will be deeply missed. Ben is survived by his parents and siblings Leah (18), Westley (15), and Wendy (13), and by grandparents Harold and Ima Jean Oaks of Orem (Virginia Oaks, deceased), and Julia Jennings of Bountiful.

How Great Shall Be Your Joy

Elder gave us the news that he had the special privilege of baptizing a young boy named Jesus.  He shared the pictures today in his e-mail.

"We had a crazy week!  The two highlights are that we did 140 contacts in the week (I've never done more than 60) and that Jesus and Daniel got baptized and confirmed!!!!!!!!!  The baptism was awesome.  Look at the pictures for a surprise. Jesus wanted me to baptize him.  I was pretty nervous.  I got out my sparkling white pants and tie out of my suitcase for the first time.  I went slowly through the baptismal prayer.  I was so nervous that I had forgotten his second name and asked him again in the water: Jesus Fransisco Ortiz Ortiz. The family is so awesome.  Mauricio is progressing more and more.  This past week we sat down with him and taught him personally the word of wisdom.  We invited him to make a plan to stop drinking.  They've been coming to church now for almost 2 months."

Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite

Elder Young has been dealing with fleas...dreaded fleas. At first, he "dealt" with them.  Then they got so bad he had to get treated. The blessing is.... that through these health challenges, he turned to His Savior.

"I was pondering about two days ago, and my body was hurting a little, and it came to me a very important observance and truth about the Atonement.  It has to do with Christ`s agency when he atoned for us.  When Christ suffered for our sins in Gethsemane, He was not forced by the Father to suffer; rather, He chose to take upon himself the pain - the action was proactive.  In much clearer writing, we know that, "He drank the bitter cup."  He made the coherent decision to pick up the cup, bring it to his mouth, and drink and swallow each bitter drop.  It is much easier to be forced to suffer, just for the fact that the decision is already made.  On the other hand, the decision to suffer is almost as agonizing as the actual inflicted pain.  Furthermore, I believe that Christ, in His infinite mind, could make and did make the conscious and separate decision to atone for each and every one of us - one at a time.  It was not a blanket decision, nor a blanket suffering.  It was individual.  Jesus Christ, because of His eternal love, used his agency to choose to suffer eternal penalties for the finite number of our Father`s spirit children.  He did not forget any one; nor did he deny himself a sacrifice for any one.  He knows my suffering; he chose to suffer it.  He knows your suffering.  He chose to suffer it.  And as such, for each drop and each spirit child, Christ chose to suffer, and to drink the bitter cup.  It is impossible to me to comprehend how He could go on and on and choose suffer, each time making the correct decision.  I am so grateful that, line by line, God is allowing me to view the Greatness and Eternal Consequence of the of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. "

We are glad that Elder Young is on the mend!!!