SALT LAKE CITY-Because of covid-19 circumstances improving in certain parts of the world, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is resuming on-site training for new missionaries in a phased and cautious approach.
Over the course of the past 14 months, the Salt Lake City-based Church reports more than 30,000 missionaries have received training in advance of their full-time missions through online training originating from the Church’s 10 missionary training centers worldwide in the following locations:
-Sao Paulo, Brazil
-Bogota, Colombia
-Preston, England
-Accra, Ghana
-Mexico City, Mexico
-Auckland, New Zealand
-Lima, Peru
-Manila, Philippines
-Johannesburg, South Africa
-Provo, Utah
As of June 2021, the missionary training centers at Provo, Accra and Auckland are scheduled to invite a small number of missionaries to train on location.
These opening dates shall be evaluated weekly and may be adjusted predicated on local circumstances and guidelines from local health officials.
As on-site training resumes, the following criteria are required of missionaries to engage in this training:
-A negative covid-19 test is required prior to arriving at an MTC and covid tests will be administered to any missionary exhibiting symptoms during their MTC training.
-Presently, only United States-based missionaries who will not be learning a new language will receive training on-site at the Provo MTC. As conditions become more propitious concerning covid-19, invitations to others will be extended at the Provo MTC.
-As a temporary precaution, only fully vaccinated missionaries will be eligible to train at the Provo MTC. This is to commence with approximately 150-250 new missionaries each week.
-MTC’s outside of the United States will presently only welcome local missionaries and will operate at a capacity of approximately 50 missionaries in each location. Until further notice, U.S.-based missionaries will not train at such locations.
-Missionaries and local leaders will not be contacted directly if they will be invited to have an on-site MTC experience. Unless otherwise contacted, new missionaries will continue with online training.
-All missionary training centers have remained operational during the past 14 months by virtue of online training. This will allow missionaries to continue experiencing many of the positive elements of online training. The online portion of training will commence with a Monday start.
Plans for on-site MTC training have been carefully considered. Protocols will be in place to ensure a safe environment and experience for new missionaries before leaving to their assigned area of service.
