SALT LAKE CITY — 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, according to a letter released Tuesday evening by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The missionaries who will be released temporarily are all the American and Canadian missionaries who have returned home from international assignments and are awaiting reassignment. Elder Craig C. Christensen, president of the church’s Utah Area, said last week that 19,800 American missionaries were in the process of returning to the United States from foreign assignments.
Those missionaries will have until April 30 to decide if they want 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.
If they choose to wait 12 to 18 months after April 30 to restart their mission, they of course would receive a new end date.
The options do not apply to any missionaries serving in their home countries.
However, new U.S. and Canadian missionaries who have begun online missionary training also have a choice to make. They may decide to be released after their training and then be reinstated as soon as possible to their original assignment or what may be a temporary reassignment. They would then finish their missions as originally scheduled.
Or they could choose to be released and return to service between 12 to 18 months from their April 30 decision.
Church members from the United States and Canada who have received missionary calls but have not begun their online missionary training can begin that training on schedule and then begin service when the pandemic allows, or delay to begin between 12 to 18 months from submitting their choice.
Online missionary training began due to restrictions incident to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prospective missionaries anywhere in the world who were planning to submit missionary applications may continue and begin their mission service in the original assignment they receive or in a temporary assignment when conditions allow. Or they can choose to delay and submit their application later.
The managing director of the church’s Missionary Department, David Weidman, told the Church News last week that about half of the faith’s 67,000 missionaries are returning to their home countries from foreign assignments.
Since 19,800 are Americans returning to the United States, about 10,000-14,000 missionaries from other countries are returning to their homelands, too.
Tuesday’s letter also created changes for them. 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.
Finally, a church spokesman confirmed that missionaries who have been released for medical reasons because of the coronavirus outbreak will not return to the mission field. They have been honorably released, having completed their missionary service.
Read the full letter from the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve here:
March 31, 2020
Additional Adjustments to Missionary Service
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
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 attached tables.
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
Here are the full tables of information:
Adjustments to Missionary Service: United States and Canada
March 31, 2020
Missionaries returning to the U.S. and Canada from international assignments
Temporarily released and choose by April 30, 2020 to be:
1. Reinstated either to original or temporary assignment* as soon as conditions allow (with original end date); OR
2. Returned to service within 12-18 months (with new end date)
Currently under call but have not begun online MTC training
Choose by April 30, 2020 to:
1. 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
2. Delay mission and begin service within 12-18 months (with new end date)
*Specific mission assignments will be determined by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Missionaries from the U.S. and Canada currently participating in online MTC training:
Choose by April 30, 2020 to be:
1. Released after online MTC training and reinstated to either original or temporary assignment* as soon as conditions allow (with original end date); OR
2. Released and return to service within 12-18 months (with new end date)
Prospective missionaries
Choose to:
1. Submit application, receive mission call, begin service in either original or temporary assignment* as soon as conditions allow (with original end date); OR
2. 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
Will be reassigned* to a mission in their home country and return to service as soon as conditions allow
Prospective missionaries
Choose to:
1. 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
2. Delay and submit missionary application at a later date
Missionaries currently in online MTC training or under call
Will complete online MTC training and begin service in a mission in their home country as soon as conditions allow
For all missionaries from countries outside the U. S. and Canada:
— 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.