Sam Penrod, spokesman with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has released this statement to media:

Due to growing concerns about civil unrest in Ethiopia, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has temporarily moved missionaries serving in the Ethiopia Addis Ababa Mission out of the country. Sixty missionaries, including the mission leaders, President and Sister Dudfield, are temporarily being housed in neighboring Kenya. Decisions concerning the 10 full-time missionaries from Ethiopia were made to best meet the individual needs of the missionaries and their families. All missionaries will continue to serve under the direction of their mission president. Further decisions on where these missionaries will be assigned will be made as the situation in Ethiopia is evaluated. Our prayers are with the members of the Church and the people of Ethiopia as they face these difficult and unknown circumstances.