The Three Missionaries from the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will not face charges in connection with photos that surfaced of them defacing a Catholic shrine in Colorado.

From the Salt Lake Tribune

Forgiving Catholics ask that LDS missionaries not be charged in shrine incident

By Jessica Ravitz
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 03/21/2008 02:10:57 PM MDT


Updated: 12:12 PM- An investigation that likely would have led to criminal charges against three LDS Church missionaries has been stopped.
Cpl. Scott Powell, the investigating officer in charge of this Colorado case, confirmed Friday morning that the Costilla County Sheriff's Office will not continue looking into the actions of three missionaries who allegedly mocked the Catholic church and vandalized a holy shrine in San Luis.
The San Luis Parish council took a vote and recommended Thursday afternoon that no charges be filed against the missionaries. This recommendation came after Bishop Arthur Tafoya of the Pueblo diocese issued an Easter letter on Tuesday asking Catholics to forgive.
Powell would "not elaborate on what those charges would have been, whether they would have been misdemeanors or felonies," but he said based on what he was discovering, charges "very easily could have been brought" against the three young men.
"It's moot at this point," he said. "When that recommendation came from the church, everything stopped."
According to The Pueblo Chieftain, hard feelings have persisted in the parish despite apologies from the LDS Church for the incidents.

Forgiveness is a rare thing today, and those missionaries probably didn't deserve the mercy they have been given. I do hope they are paying some kind of restitution to the church to pay for any damages. This episode has caused ill feelings towards the Church, but this act of kindness surely will not be forgotten and as an LDS member I too feel saddened for what occurred. I know how I would feel if places held sacred by LDS were desecrated and mocked that forgiveness would be a difficult thing to muster, so I know this could not have been an easy decision for the good people of San Luis Parish.

The LDS Church sends 19 year old men out to preach the Gospel and sometimes they act more like 19 year old kids than representatives of the Gospel. It was unfortunate that it happened, but with all wrongs that are committed, lessons can be learned and this example of Christian forgiveness is a lesson we can all take take to heart.