The following is excerpted from the Church News. To read the full article, CLICK HERE.

The Missionary Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is encouraging missionaries and prospective missionaries “to safeguard themselves and others by being vaccinated.” Missionaries choosing not to be vaccinated will be assigned to serve in their home countries.

Church leaders in the United States received the latest vaccination directive in an April 23 letter from the Missionary Department.

According to the letter, as vaccinations become more widely available in other countries, missionaries and prospective missionaries outside the United States will be asked to be vaccinated before leaving their home countries.

The Missionary Department letter also references the Jan. 19 statement by the First Presidency: “Individuals are responsible to make their own decisions about vaccination.”

“In word and deed, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has supported vaccinations for generations,” the leaders wrote in the statement.

Instructions for young, senior missionaries

The April 23 letter detailed specific instructions for young and senior missionaries.

To read what those specific instructions include, CLICK HERE.