I seem to recall that this information was posted here but it doesn't appear in the search. I guess it's an ongoing thing in the mission field:

(This came from Tumblr and I can't get it to give me a link tonight....and now as I search some more, I found that the information was posted almost a year ago.


REMEMBERING Sister Samantha Lierley 1991-2014

Vancouver Washington Mission

“My sister killed on her mission by the Mission President’s Wife in Portland.”

I have been debating on whether to post this or not. It’s obviously a sensitive issue. I decided that I want to do whatever I can to warn other families that these conditions exist out in the mission field.

My sister was enjoying her mission in Portland last summer. After receiving some needed dental surgery she was sent back to work being a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The dentist warned her to contact a doctor if she felt unwell because infection was an unlikely but real risk.

When my hard working sister began to have pain in her mouth she sought permission to see a doctor through the mission president’s wife. This is world-wide protocol for missionaries. You aren’t supposed to seek medical help without permission from your mission president. My sister’s request was denied. She was told to take some aspirin and continue the work. My sister asked to see a doctor three times over the curse of 2 weeks. Each time her request [was] denied.

My sister reached out to us, her family, through her weekly emails asking us what we thought she should do because she was in pain. Many of us told her to please go to the doctor right away. But, our Mom encouraged her to be obedient to the mission president’s rules.

Anyone who is familiar with the mission field rules knows that obedience without question is drilled into young missionaries minds. My sister chose to do what the mission president’s wife instructed. Maybe she believed that the mission president and wife were led by spiritual inspiration. Maybe my sister thought she would be going against God by going to the doctor. Maybe my sister was just scared.

Finally, the pain got so bad to handle that my sisters mission companion took her to the emergency room. Infection had taken hold of my sisters body. She was septic and admitted into the hospital for 2 days being treated with antibiotics through an IV. We didn’t know if she would survive that first night. She seemed to be doing much better after medical intervention and her doctors released her from the hospital.

But the infection had held on too strong. Within 48 hours of being released from the hospital, my sister passed away in her missionary apartment bed while she was asleep. She died from infection because her mission president and his wife wouldn’t allow her to see a doctor when she was in pain.

My brothers went to Portland and confronted the mission president and his wife. They were extremely defensive and they yelled at my brothers to leave them alone. Some of us in the family want to press charges. It is difficult to go against the church. They can pay for very skilled lawyers. Our mom doesn’t want to pursue any action against the mission president because she believes that maybe it was God’s will. I don’t agree.

-Her sister

NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT !!! The CHURCH NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE !!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/13/2015 11:52PM by memikeyounot.

I got a call from the mission president's wife asking me if I would see and treat a missionary. I was practicing addiction medicine but she must have thought I was a general psychiatrist. She asked me to see the missionary or refer him to another psychiatrist as long as he was Mormon and as long as there was not not going to be a recommendation that he go home.

I told her that I treated addiction but that I knew several ethical psychiatrists but could not vouch for their religions or what their recommendations would be.

On my mission, in 2012, I had a bike crash incident.

I knew that night that something was wrong (i broke my hand)

But it took me about a week of constant nagging to get my mission president's wife to let me see a doctor... even then she took her time because she wanted to make sure the doctor was "church approved"

She kept saying "its just a sprain" without even seeing it, saying over the phone that there was no reason for me to not be "working"

Anyway I went in to the doctor who looked at the xray and yelled at me for not coming in that night or early the next morning.

I told him I had been knocking on doors and still riding my bike with a broken hand for a whole week. Hell, we even biked to the doctors office.

Of course mine is way less serious of a story, but back then that week was the longest week ever to me.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/14/2015 12:25AM by nonsequiter.

My nephew became depressed on his mission. Nothing was being done for him. His mother eventually called them and told them that he needed help NOW! I was happy to hear that even though she's a morgbot, her motherly instincts kicked in and she got involved. I told her that she did a good thing.

The things they do or won't do for missionaries is disturbing. Anything to keep them on a mission.

God's will to have imbeciles in charge of obtaining medical care? Of course they should pursue it, at the top of their lungs. Volunteering shouldn't equal death.

They formerly required all wisdom teeth removed prior to the mission, due to the age, and impacted molars potentially acting up... If wisdom teeth are safely in, there isn't a need to remove them, though more susceptible to cavities/gum infection.

Heartbreaking for the family and friends to have such a tragic, easily preventable loss. She wasn't in the jungles of the Amazon, or unable to reach care quickly... The church is accountable for their archaic procedures.

Cult control by those who believe they are acting for God because they plan some day to be a god........

Slam dunk lawsuit. I hope.

I don't know that much about Tumblr, but if it allows comments, you might suggest that the family take out a prominent full-page ad in the Portland newspaper (the Oregonian?) laying out the full story, in detail, all the while naming names. Worst PR for the church in the area, ever. [This in addition to the lawsuit.]

And while I agree that the MP's wife deserves most of the blame, I'm sorry to say that the mother is also accountable to some degree. It was she who alone advised her daughter to listen to the MPW, and it seems that advice was taken. And now she wants to absolve the church of its crime. The mother is twice guilty of putting the cult before her own child.

***memikeyounot*** :

You have one hell of a STRONG case. I'd sue the Mormon Church clear into the next life. Speak for your sister , PLEASE. ( Noooo, don't speak.......SHOUT !)

The church absolutely MUST be held accountable for these kinds of things. The mission presidents & their wives must be told that they do NOT speak for Doctors.

We have an elder in our ward who came home early. He was loosing lots of weight on his mission & they weren't going to let him go to the hospital either. Guess what ?! His Dad is a well respected Doctor. His Dad put in a call himself to the mission President & they whisked him to the hospital & follow up appt's. He ended up having crohn's disease & was released early. You guys have a good solid case for your sister.

TO: momto15kids

Thanks for your response, but I just want to clear that I'm posting the story from online...it's not my sister that was involved, although I wonder.

I'm getting old enough that I almost could have a granddaughter this age, and I know I would be taking action if I did.

I would sue the mission pres and wife for wrongful death and take them for every penny they have. This power they have has gone on long enough. FU*K THESE ASSHOLES.

memikeyounot Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I seem to recall that this information was posted
> here but it doesn't appear in the search. I guess
> it's an ongoing thing in the mission field:
>
> (This came from Tumblr and I can't get it to give
> me a link tonight....and now as I search some
> more, I found that the information was posted
> almost a year ago.
>
>
> REMEMBERING Sister Samantha Lierley
> 1991-2014
>
> Vancouver Washington Mission
>
> “My sister killed on her mission by the Mission
> President’s Wife in Portland.”
>
> I have been debating on whether to post this or
> not. It’s obviously a sensitive issue. I decided
> that I want to do whatever I can to warn other
> families that these conditions exist out in the
> mission field.
>
> My sister was enjoying her mission in Portland
> last summer. After receiving some needed dental
> surgery she was sent back to work being a
> missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of
> Latter-day Saints. The dentist warned her to
> contact a doctor if she felt unwell because
> infection was an unlikely but real risk.
>
> When my hard working sister began to have pain in
> her mouth she sought permission to see a doctor
> through the mission president’s wife. This is
> world-wide protocol for missionaries. You aren’t
> supposed to seek medical help without permission
> from your mission president. My sister’s request
> was denied. She was told to take some aspirin and
> continue the work. My sister asked to see a doctor
> three times over the curse of 2 weeks. Each time
> her request denied.
>
> My sister reached out to us, her family, through
> her weekly emails asking us what we thought she
> should do because she was in pain. Many of us told
> her to please go to the doctor right away. But,
> our Mom encouraged her to be obedient to the
> mission president’s rules.
>
> Anyone who is familiar with the mission field
> rules knows that obedience without question is
> drilled into young missionaries minds. My sister
> chose to do what the mission president’s wife
> instructed. Maybe she believed that the mission
> president and wife were led by spiritual
> inspiration. Maybe my sister thought she would be
> going against God by going to the doctor. Maybe my
> sister was just scared.
>
> Finally, the pain got so bad to handle that my
> sisters mission companion took her to the
> emergency room. Infection had taken hold of my
> sisters body. She was septic and admitted into the
> hospital for 2 days being treated with antibiotics
> through an IV. We didn’t know if she would
> survive that first night. She seemed to be doing
> much better after medical intervention and her
> doctors released her from the hospital.
>
> But the infection had held on too strong. Within
> 48 hours of being released from the hospital, my
> sister passed away in her missionary apartment bed
> while she was asleep. She died from infection
> because her mission president and his wife
> wouldn’t allow her to see a doctor when she was
> in pain.
>
> My brothers went to Portland and confronted the
> mission president and his wife. They were
> extremely defensive and they yelled at my brothers
> to leave them alone. Some of us in the family want
> to press charges. It is difficult to go against
> the church. They can pay for very skilled lawyers.
> Our mom doesn’t want to pursue any action
> against the mission president because she believes
> that maybe it was God’s will. I don’t agree.
>
> -Her sister
>
> NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT !!! The CHURCH NEEDS TO
> BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE !!!


Here is the original thread:

http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,1393626

How awful. I had no idea her sister had made a statement regarding the mission Pres. and his wife, Nurse Ratched.

On my mission, I came down with a SERIOUS sinus infection. My companion, who meant well and we are still good friends, couldn't get permission to take me and was told we were to go tracting in the middle of blizzards. Our "mom" in the area, she is/was Mormon, wasn't a typical TBM. She became furious and took matters into her own hands and drove my ass to the doctor. She yelled at my buddy asking him what was wrong with him. Of course, he was following orders. She made us stay with her for 5 days while I recovered. Awesome woman. He got the same thing a week later. She told us not to call the MP and she took him to the doctor as well. I will never forget Mrs. Rolf.

Not defending TSCC or the mish pres' wife...BUT in a lawsuit I would think, it would be argued that the missionary was of legal age, and it was her decision to go to a dr or not.

The mish's wife was giving advice, but so was the mother. The final decision had to be up to the missionary herself, and she didn't seek further medical attention. Though TSCC can and would get bad press from a lawsuit, I can't see a good outcome for the family.

Pretty much my thoughts too.

I understand the pressure to obey, but I don't think the lawsuit would get anywhere.

I was fortunate to have an MP who was not MD-averse. I got prompt treatment for my appendicitis, and was allowed sufficient time for recovery. Unfortunately, not all MPs are so inclined.

I'd still give it a try. The church hates, hates, hates, bad press. Even if they can win they often settle for very large sums out of court because they do not want the negative publicity. They spend huge sums on presenting the church as a warm and fuzzy experience. You'd be surprised to hear how many millions they spend each year to settle things like this. Some lady got a million because she tripped on a rug in the BYU library and was hurt. I think you have a very good chance of getting something from LDS, Inc. I'd get a non-LDS attorney and be sure to let the church reps know that you are not afraid of going to the press with this story. But seek redress before you go to the media.

Perhaps, but if the church is paying for the medical care, then the MP or his designate might have to authorize it.

and therefore legally able to make decisions concerning his/her own health and well-being. The choice not to seek treatment was, therefore, a poor decision on her part, but it was HER decision, all the same.

What most people don't understand, however, is that TBMs are DELIBERATELY kept in a state of childlike, emotional dependence on the church leaders, conditioned to obey, and are literally terrified to disobey their leaders. So the truth of it is, they literally DO NOT have free will to make their own decisions.

We need to keep hammering at the rest of the world to understand this. Poorly-treated Mormons literally don't have a chance, drowning in their own ignorance.

There was a case a few years back in Northern England when a new convert stopped taking her prescription drugs because the family said a missionary elder told her if you had faith God would heal her! When the Mission President went to court he denied everything and said the Elder would never say such a thing! In the end it was the familys word against the MP, so nothing happened!

Grown-assed adults asking permission to take care of their own health? That is so bizarre. Ok, if that doesn't scream cult and brainwashing, I don't know what would.

It is very sad and doubly so because it was so unnecessary for her to die that way. Did no one, including herself, think she deserved to have excellent health care? I get so angry reading about situations like this. And missionaries are volunteers. But I understand they are brainwashed into feeling more than obligated to perform this "work." Still doesn't make it ethical.

Mormons are winners!

Such a senseless death.

Just wondering, does the church pay for missionaries' medical care or is it the responsibility of the families? What would be the incentive to deny medical care to someone in excruciating pain?

If you let the missionaries get medical care you deny the sadistic MPs and leaders thier orgasim from the suffering

They're required to have their own medical insurance. From what I know of most of these incidents, it's just mission presidents wives deciding that the 'kids' are making up excuses to get out of their boring and tedious work. It's pathetic how missionaries are treated like 6 year olds. I think the 'incentive' is to get more baptisms and prevent stalling and laziness, as they see it. It's a gamble. And they often lose.

We had a sister missionary in the UK that needed dental help as she was in a lot of pain. The MP wife asked her if any member could help her so she thought me as I was her 'mum' in the area. She still calls me this today.

Anyway I took her to my private dentist and paid for her treatment. She was so young and just a greenie so I felt very protective towards her.

I also helped them move flat from a total hovel to a proper apartment. I kicked off when I saw the state of the mattress she was sleeping on as it was pretty shredded and not fit for purpose.

I threatened to call the MP and tell him I was going to buy a proper mattress and send him the bill if it didn't get replaced soon.

They said she did get a new one but you never know now if they were just covering for general neglect.

Years ago, when I was TBM and a still-practicing dentist, my office was contacted by the MP's wife, who was based in a distant city here in Texas. She was asking if we would see an Elder with dental pain as a service to TSCC (free). I have no idea what level of detective work this lady had to do to track down an LDS dentist somewhere in the vicinity of the missionary (we're not as common in the boonies of Texas as in the Moridor).

I agreed to see him after-hours that day. The Elder arrived, having been driven by a church member from his town about 45 miles away. He had a raging dental infection and was in significant pain. He told me it had started about a week ago but had to wait for the MP's wife to arrange the appt. He lived in a town with probably at least 20 dentists, but that lady kept him in pain for a week while she tracked down one that would treat him for free!

Most people are unaware of how potentially serious an untreated dental infection may become. It is just sickening that in this day, in this country, that young sister missionary would die because of it.

2thdoc is absolutely correct, dental infections can be extremely serious. As an oral surgeon, my experience is that infections after wisdom teeth removal are rare but the ones that do occur very soon after the surgery are usually very aggressive. If the patient is seen and treated right away, they're pretty easy to resolve. If the infection is allowed to fester, it can get out of hand very quickly. This was a sickening and senseless tragedy. I don't normally advocate litigation, but it sounds like the mission president's wife should absolutely be held liable.

To what extent does TSCC control the money for the missionary? Would the missionary be able to obtain enough money on their own to take a cab to a doctor? Not all mishies will have a companion that is willing to take them and I don't think all mishies have access to a car anyway. Some mishies are in very remote areas.

PLEASE PLEASE Seek a lawyer...I am positive you will find a TEAM that will take this to court. Do you realize that YOUR actions CAN and WILL save more lives? Please take them to court this type of behavior needs to be changed. The LDS church is not above the law.

Dear Lierley Family,
Please don't let this horrific abuse be buried with Sister Lierley.
Although it is common for many to call any female a nurse if she claims to have medical expertise, it is actually illegal in most of the US states for anyone to represent him or herself as a nurse if they do not have a current LPN/LVN/RN license. I do not know the mission president's wife but I hope she did not have a valid Oregon license because she displayed a severe lack of judgment, and did not handle this situation in a manner that would be expected of a reasonably prudent nurse (those last three words are an important legal term.)
This incident provides further support for the neglect and abuse of missionaries documented on sickrm site.
PLEASE consult competent legal medical malpractice counsel, before the statute of limitations expires.
Any member of the immediate family can initiate legal action,
despite the misguided advice of her mother. A monetary reward might be reduced due to the agency of Sister Lierley and her mother's unfortunate influence during this health care crisis.
Most malpractice attorneys take 1/3 of the ultimate legal settlement, plus expenses, and no payment is required if they do not win the case, so there is little to lose other than condemnation from other LDS.
Perhaps an equally righteous legacy would be a change in church policy, excluding unlicensed mission personnel from the ultimate decision of when and where to seek medical care. Most competent licensed health care providers are very able to distinguish hypochondriasis from legitimate and urgent need for medical treatment, and will order the appropriate tests to validate their diagnosis.
The church might also consider not holding mission personnel responsible for the determination to send missionaries home for health reasons.
I hope licensed LDS health care providers could work to formulate better policies so tragedies like this don't happen again.
Sorry so long - unnecessary suffering and death make me verbose.

This becomes a SLAVE/MASTER relationship and I assure you that the missionary is not the master

This is an example of someone falling in love with power over people who are vulnerable. And someone in, or barely out, of his/her teens far from home and isolated is very vulnerable.

The mission president's wife just keeps escalating the control/abuse because she enjoys the power.

It is not unlike the police and prison officials who are abusive to prisoners. I think that in the case of law enforcement, it is called "abuse under the color of authority."

As a parent, I would never allow my child to be placed in such a position.

I wonder if the slate article will change church policy.

If I were a juror I'd confirm this as manslaughter, or some kind of reckless disregard for life and safety. What would've been so bad about approving a trip to the doctor? Even just out of an abundance of caution? That would have been the sensible and prudent choice for a person who is sitting in a position of tremendous authority over a group of young people. Everyone knows the adage "better safe than sorry."

This became a game of control over the young woman and her safety was disregarded for the sake of reinforcing the mission pecking order, and she lost her very life over it. That is an outrage and in my mind the mission president and his wife are criminally and civilly responsible.

> Many of us told her to please go to the doctor right away. But, our Mom encouraged her to be obedient to the mission president’s rules.

> Our mom doesn’t want to pursue any action against the mission president because she believes that maybe it was God’s will.


Dear Lierley family,

Your mom is an idiot! If you wish to achieve greater success in your lives, do the opposite of whatever your mom recommends.

Just sayin'

This was a blog post from a sister that was in the same mission.

http://sisternicoleguilott.blogspot.com/2014/06/god-doesnt-do-random.html

Weird thing is, I know her. Went to the same high school, and did a few plays with her. Better friends with her younger sister, but maybe I should contact her about this, just for the sake of maybe a chance at getting a little bit more information.

Has it been ascertained as to who was the mission president at the time?

Was it this fellow (notice the parental lineage)?
http://www.ldschurchnewsarchive.com/articles/64515/New-mission-presidents.html

Any follow-up from family members?

Not only would I sue them, but there is a chance there may be criminal liablility in this incident.

The mission mom should be in jail.