OT--- 2 Missionaries Killed in NZ

Im totally depressed about this. Im from New Zealand, I moved to the USA about 5 years ago. My Dad is on the mission presidency these 2 boys were in. My Mum e-mailed me about this yesterday. My Dad got the call, he is on the mission presidency and the mission president was out of town. The missionaries were driving from Timaru to Temuka for a dinner appointment. She said they were speeding, 140 km's (approx 90 miles an hour) & on a bad stretch of road. They swerved into on coming traffic. They hit another car head on. An elderly lady in the on coming car died, and her daughter & son in law are in serious condition. She said the missionaries died on impact, they car was engulfed in flames. They saw the news footage, and she said the car's were just totally mangled. I was almost crying at work when I got her e-mail yesterday. She said Dad was finally able to get in contact with the mission president, and the families had been notified. They were in meetings all morning yesterday. Here is the official new's article: Three die in head-on collision 07 January 2006 By JOHN KEAST Two young United States church workers and an elderly Ashburton woman were killed in a high-speed, head-on smash on a usually quiet South Canterbury road last night. Police believe the white Toyota used by the church workers crossed the centre line while heading to Temuka on the Temuka-Waitohi Road in rural South Canterbury at 5pm yesterday. Their car smashed into a Nissan heading to Pleasant Point. The names of the victims have yet to be released. The Toyota driven by the church workers, believed to be members of the Church of Latter Day Saints and from Nevada, was destroyed by fire after impact and both occupants were burnt beyond recognition. It is believed the pair were going to a meeting when the crash happened. The driver of the Toyota was found in the car and the passenger was thrown out. The car fire also set fire to a roadside gorse hedge and passers-by managed to pull the Nissan clear of the fire. Sergeant Paul Scoble, of Temuka, said the woman killed in the Nissan was a front-seat passenger. She was in her 70s. The female driver of the Nissan was in Timaru Hospital last night with severe leg injuries and her husband, a back-seat passenger, was also in hospital with moderate injuries. Scoble said it appeared high speed was a factor in the crash, with the Toyota crossing into the path of the other car. Both cars were destroyed in the crash. Emergency crews closed off the straight road west of Temuka as ambulance, police and funeral directors cleared the scene. Scoble said one occupant of the Toyota was confirmed as a United States citizen and the other man was also thought to be American. A Nevada driver's licence was found at the scene. The serious crash squad from Christchurch was due at the scene last night and police expect to release the names of those killed over the weekend. There were no witnesses, but police are interviewing those first on the scene. A representative of the church said senior church officials had been notified about the smash. Mission leader Michael Finegan, of Wellington, could not be contacted for comment. The smash brings the 2006 road toll to seven, compared to two at the same time last year. This year's higher toll follows the death of 22 people on the roads during the official holiday period.

Hi Darlene, I just wanted to say hi. I just found this "Mormonism" message board last night. I was thrilled. I was wondering why if they had a message board for "pagans" why didn't they have a message board for mormons? Well, I guess we have another thing in common besides the wls and living in the same state! Hugs, Virginia aka Ginger