Changes keep coming to missionary service in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in response to the worsening of the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of confirmed cases is almost 200,000 in the US and almost 900,000 in the world and the missionaries are ever more limited in their action in almost all countries of the world.
Now thousands of Latter-day Saint missionaries will be released temporarily and given the option to be reinstated either as soon as pandemic conditions allow or a year to 18 months after their decision.
Missionaries who have begun their online training or who have their mission call but have not yet begun training may also choose to delay their mission service.
This change applies to the almost 20,000 American and Canadian missionaries who have returned home from international assignments and are awaiting reassignment.
They will have until April 30 to make the decision: to be reinstated as soon as conditions allow or wait to return to mission service between one year and 18 months later. If they choose reinstatement as soon as possible, they would finish their mission as originally scheduled.
About 10,000-14,000 missionaries from other countries are also returning to their homelands.
They will be reassigned to a mission in their home country and return to service as soon as conditions allow. Missionaries from outside the United States and Canada who have started online missionary training will complete it and be assigned to their home countries as soon as conditions change.
Read the full letter from the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve below:
The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sent the following letter on March 31, 2020, to all Latter-day Saints. See the latest updates on how COVID-19 is impacting Saints worldwide.
The COVID-19 pandemic has required many adjustments to missionary service, including the need for large numbers of missionaries to return to the United States and Canada from around the world. The ability to reassign these missionaries—even on a temporary basis—has now become more limited by changing conditions. This has created a measure of uncertainty for many missionaries and their families.
We have prayerfully considered these circumstances and are making available two opportunities for missionary service for those who have returned and are awaiting reassignment or may yet be required to return to the U.S. and Canada. Each opportunity requires a temporary release prior to reassignment. These options, as well as opportunities for prospective missionaries and missionaries beginning their service, are described in the tables below.
We are confident that missionaries and prospective missionaries will seek the counsel of parents, priesthood leaders and the Lord as they consider their future missionary service.
Please know of our deep love for missionaries and their families as we all continue to participate in this great work together.
Sincerely,
The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Below are the details of the adjustments made to Missionary service as published by the Church Newroom today
Adjustments to Missionary Service: United States and Canada
March 31, 2020
| Missionaries returning to the U.S. and Canada from international assignments | Missionaries from the U.S. and Canada currently participating in online MTC training |
| Temporarily released and choose by April 30, 2020 to be: Reinstated either to original or temporary assignment* as soon as conditions allow (with original end date); OR Returned to service within 12–18 months (with new end date) | Choose by April 30, 2020 to be: Released after online MTC training and reinstated to either original or temporary assignment* as soon as conditions allow (with original end date); OR Released and return to service within 12–18 months (with new end date) |
| Currently under call but have not begun online MTC training | Prospective missionaries |
| Choose by April 30, 2020 to: Begin online MTC training as scheduled and begin service in either original or temporary assignment* as soon as conditions allow (with original end date); OR Delay mission and begin service within 12–18 months (with new end date) | Choose to: Submit application, receive mission call, begin service in either original or temporary assignment* as soon as conditions allow (with original end date); OR Delay and submit missionary application at a later date |
*Specific mission assignments will be determined by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Additional communication will be provided to stake presidents, including information about senior missionaries.
Adjustments to Missionary Service: Countries Outside the U.S. and Canada
March 31, 2020
| Missionaries returning to their home countries | Missionaries currently in online MTC training or under call |
| Will be reassigned* to a mission in their home country and return to service as soon as conditions allow | Will complete online MTC training and begin service in a mission in their home country as soon as conditions allow |
| Prospective missionaries | For all missionaries from countries outside the U. S. and Canada: |
| Choose to: Submit missionary application, receive mission call, complete online MTC training, and begin service in a mission in their home country as soon as conditions allow; OR Delay and submit missionary application at a later date | The missionary’s original end date would remain unchanged Until conditions change, all prospective missionaries will be assigned to their home countries |
*Specific mission assignments will be determined by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Additional communication will be provided to stake presidents, including information about senior missionaries.
