LDS Missionaries Create Memorial Garden for Local Woman
A group of missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints helped a Champlin woman create a memorial garden for her nephew.
The group traveled hundreds of miles from Utah, Wyoming and Texas to serve local Minnesotans for free. Some will be staying for a couple of years.
“Our role as missionaries is to help people come to Christ but also do service and help them feel uplifted and loved,” said Abby Thompson, one of the missionaries.
The missionaries have already served several residents and local food shelves like CEAP. On Friday, they helped Champlin resident, Camila Kuntz, clean up her yard for the memorial garden.
Jonathan O’Shaughnessy
“My nephew Jonathan was killed by a drive-by shooter on July 3, 2017. We were walking home from a community dance,” explained Camila Kuntz.
Jonathan was only 24 years old and the killer has yet to be caught.
The memorial will have different flowers planted by different people in memory of Jonathan. The first planters will get to be the missionaries that are helping her build it.
“I don’t know if I would have gotten to it,” said Kuntz. “I’m so grateful they’re here. I doubt it would have happened without them being here this year.”
Kuntz said the memorial garden will bloom for years to come and she’ll always be reminded of the people that pieced it together.
