The Church Newsroom has provided two recent updates concerning issues surrounding the Coronavirus and its impact on Church functioning.
Each is excerpted below:
Leadership Sessions of April 2020 General Conference Postponed
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announces today that the leadership sessions for General Authorities, Area Seventies, and General Officers presently scheduled to be held on April 2–3, 2020, in conjunction with April general conference, have been postponed for six months, until October 1–2 of this year. Therefore, General Authorities serving outside of the United States and all Area Seventies are excused from attending the general conference in Salt Lake City.
Furthermore, in view of statements issued by governments and health organizations, members of the Church living outside the United States are discouraged from traveling to the United States to attend the general conference sessions.
“Out of an abundance of caution and with deep concern for global health considerations, as well as sympathy for all who have been or may be affected by the COVID-19 virus, we are postponing leadership meetings associated with the upcoming general conference,” the First Presidency said in a prepared statement. “We wish to be good global citizens and do what we can to limit the spread of this disease. We also want to relieve concerns of our leaders, members, and their families related to the uncertainties of travel at this time.”
To read the full report, CLICK HERE.
COVID-19 and Its Impact on Latter-day Saints Around the World
Missionary Work
The Church is taking steps to reduce the number of missionaries in areas where the virus is of particular concern. These steps will give mission presidents more flexibility to ensure missionaries are effective and safe and that there is adequate space to house missionaries if they are moved out of cities where there are greater concerns about infection.
These steps apply to the following missions:
- Cambodia Phnom Penh Mission
- Japan Fukuoka Mission
- Japan Kobe Mission
- Japan Nagoya Mission
- Japan Sapporo Mission
- Japan Tokyo North Mission
- Japan Tokyo South Mission
- Korea Busan Mission
- Korea Seoul Mission
- Korea Seoul South Mission
- Mongolia Ulaanbaatar Mission
- Singapore Mission
- Thailand Bangkok Mission
Cambodia, Korea, Singapore, Thailand: All prospective missionaries preparing to serve in these missions or who come from those countries will either postpone their start date or receive a temporary assignment. Additionally, all missionaries currently serving in these missions who are nearing the end of their service will return home early. All senior missionaries and any young missionaries with chronic health problems will also return home or be temporarily reassigned to a mission in their home countries. Some senior missionaries will continue to support the mission remotely.
To read the full report, CLICK HERE.
