Church announces early releases for American, Canadian missionaries

Missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be receiving earlier than expected releases. Above, missionaries walk the grounds of the Provo Missionary Training Center in Provo on Wednesday, July 26, 2017. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

SALT LAKE CITY — Latter-day Saint leaders will give early releases to thousands of Americans and Canadians serving as missionaries around the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A matrix detailing the changes was released Monday afternoon. It showed that:

• All elders serving in the U.S. and Canada who have served 21 months or more will be released, shortening their missions by three months.

• All American and Canadian elders returning from serving in other countries due to the pandemic will be released if they have served 18 months.

• All American and Canadian sisters returning from serving in other countries because of the pandemic will be released if they have served 15 months.

The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles had announced that some mission lengths would be reduced. The announcement was made in a letter that said “substantial numbers” of missionaries would return to their home countries.

Monday’s information also said that other American and Canadian elders and sisters returning from overseas will continue to serve after 14 days of isolation. They will be temporarily reassigned to missions in their home countries.

The matrix also said that all missionaries returning home for health reasons will be released from the remainder of their missions.

The Utah Area Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sent a letter Monday afternoon to stake presidents with the information about the changes to mission lengths.

The letter also had information for other missionaries around the world.

It said Africans serving missions who are returning to their home country will remain missionaries and go directly to their reassigned mission.

Missionaries from all other countries who are returning to their native land because of the COVID-19 outbreak will remain a missionaries, temporarily reassigned after a 14-day self-isolation.

Some missionaries are unable to return now due to travel restrictions or other reasons. Those missionaries will remain in their original mission or be reassigned temporarily, as necessary.

All other missionaries, specifically those who have not been assigned to go home because of the pandemic, will complete their missions as scheduled.

More than 1,600 American and Canadian missionaries arrived in Utah on Sunday from the Philippines, where they had been serving in 23 missions.

The church also is returning nonnative missionaries to their home countries from 26 missions in Africa.

This story will be updated.

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