The Church & the Coronavirus

[nibbler]

https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.or ... onary-work

Highlights:
1) Have most missionaries return to their home countries and continue their service there.
2) Returning missionaries will be under quarantine for 14 days.
3) The MTCs will empty. New missionaries will be trained online and be sent to their assigned mission as soon as possible.
4) The terms of service (18-24 months) will be reduced to factor for the quantity of missionaries that will be in the USA.
5) The church is still evaluating the situation and will adjust the plan as needed.

I do wonder. In an environment where people are told to be socially distant, what can a missionary do? Visiting families seems out of the question. Maybe it's an 'old habits die hard' thing. We'll eventually land at missionaries not making visits (and potentially spreading a virus) but it will take a little more mulling for the people running the missionary department to arrive at that conclusion.

[LookingHard]

I have a son that I hope will be able to get home from Europe.

I too was thinking "what can they do?" I talked with my son and he was upbeat "we are just moving to online". I think that is going to even be less effective and we know in many areas it was more and more ineffective than in the past (before the last month). I think individuals are reluctant to close the door without even saying anything to the missionaries, but would have significantly less just not responding to a social outreach from someone they don't know. In fact more people would be willing to even be aggressive/rude. That can be emotionally hard on missionaries while they are stuck up in an apartment all day long week after week.

[Khadijah]

As for the Missionaries perhaps it is impossible to get them all home? A Quick check revealed that the Church has 70,000 of them. I don't know what will happen? I think the course of the disease is less than one week? What then?

It is surprising that there are no online services.

[TinSoldier]

One thing I hope changes is the practice, at least around here, of not using any cleaning chemicals when the church is cleaned. I have volunteered to help clean in the past and was always a little horrified they never sanitized the door handles or anything.

The senior missionary couple that lived in a rental house next door was sent home today. They had planned to be here through September. From what I've heard the mission is hanging onto the rental for the moment to perhaps place some other missionaries there, but I'm not holding my breath.

[DarkJedi]

As for the Missionaries perhaps it is impossible to get them all home? A Quick check revealed that the Church has 70,000 of them. I don't know what will happen? I think the course of the disease is less than one week? What then?

It is surprising that there are no online services.

No question, almost all American and Canadian missionaries are coming home from foreign countries. It is a huge undertaking because not only are they coming home, many of them will be reassigned to complete their missions here while other will be released early. Non-native missionaries in many other areas are also returning to their home countries. I'm sure it's a logistical nightmare.

https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.or ... onary-work .

https://www.deseret.com/faith/2020/3/23 ... tes-canada

https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2020/03 ... ows-which/

[Minyan Man]

Guess what I got in the mail today? Keep in mind our whole county is in a "shelter in place" order.
I got a summons for jury duty. This would be funny if it wasn't so sad.

[Curt Sunshine]

I hadn't thought about that.

[DarkJedi]

All temples everywhere completely closed as of tonight. Makes sense, most temple workers are in the most vulnerable class and it was apparent considering the most recent Utah closures there were potential exposures.

From a certain point of view, the temple marriage policy change was as inspired in this case as home centered church and food storage.

[TinSoldier]

No question, almost all American and Canadian missionaries are coming home from foreign countries. It is a huge undertaking because not only are they coming home, many of them will be reassigned to complete their missions here while other will be released early. Non-native missionaries in many other areas are also returning to their home countries. I'm sure it's a logistical nightmare.

When the senior missionary couple next door left this week, the mission president decided to hold onto the rental house where they were living. I know a major reason was because a large number of missionaries are returning to finish their mission in the U.S. and he might need the housing. It's a nice 4-bedroom house and they could put up 8 missionaries in that one house if needed. Things are in flux enough that he didn't want to risk being caught without a place to house any missionaries that might be sent to his mission in the coming weeks.

[Minyan Man]

I hope everyone from our little group is doing well. Please keep up posted. If help is needed, please let us
know.