Elder Bailey - March 10, 2014

To quote President and Sister Newell: One of our own has fallen. As a lot of you may have heard by now, Elder Mason Bailey was killed last night in a pedestrian/car accident. Elder Bailey was and will forever be a wonderful person, who knows how to get someone to laugh, who is always a hard worker and just all around good person.

I had the chance to serve in the same district as Elder Bailey while I was in Örebro and I just remember always liking him and what he stood for. He is just continuing his mission in a completely different, but eternal fashion. He'll be just as great of a missionary on the other side as he was here. But if you could keep his family especially in your prayers at this time, that would be greatly appreciated. I know that they should receive all of the comfort that they should get at this time.

First of all, thank you for all of your kind words and thoughts for us. It's been a bit of a rough week, but life continues onward and I know that everything will work out for the best. I'm just working hard to keep going and do everything that I have left to do. D&C 78:18 "And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours," helped me a lot this past week. I know that things will work out in the end. It's like the Mormon Message by Elder Holland about "Good Things to Come". Here's a link for everyone to be able to find it quickly: http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=911029449001

As a side note, no, I was not able to attend the memorial service that they had for Elder Bailey (it was just too difficult to get all missionaries there, so they had all of the missionaries from the Stockholm and Stockholm North zones, all of his former companions and his MTC group there). I know that he has made an impact on the mission. They forwarded everyone a little bit about Elder Bailey and what had happened to him and I'll include a portion of it:

"Elder Bailey...was serving in the Västerås Sweden Branch of the Stockholm Sweden Stake at the time of his death. Following church meetings in the Västerås Branch on Sunday, 2 March 2014, he had performed the baptism of a new convert to the Church. The new church member had been found and taught by him, and his companions. A few hours later he died instantly when he and his companion, Elder Max Barnes, were crossing a street in a marked crosswalk, and Elder Bailey was struck by a speeding vehicle....

"Elder Bailey is highly respected for his discipline, faith, knowledge of the gospel, work ethic, quick friendship with others, and infectious happy disposition. He is loved in Sweden by companions, fellow missionaries, Church members and friends of the Church."

The last part is definitely true.