Why in the world would any YM or YW sign up to be a missionary before this whole COVID-19 pandemic is under control? (sometime in 2021 or 2022???)
And why would the LDS church accept new missionaries? The program should be semi-shut down completely. Accepting new missionaries will just lead to frustration and unhappiness for all involved.

As an example of how the pandemic is ***FAR FROM OVER***, the Eagle Lake Overnight Camp west of Colorado Springs had 150 staff ready to get the summer camp season underway. A late start was planned (usually they started around late May/early June).

https://covid19.colorado.gov/press-release/cdphe-responds-to-outbreak-among-staff-at-residential-camp-in-el-paso-county-camp

150 staff: that's a lot - lots of kids were no doubt signed up.
A few of the staff were sick. A few tested COVID-19 positive.
There was fear that COVID-19 was spreading amongst the staff.
Governor Polis approved summer camps if testing and safety procedures were in place.
THE WHOLE SUMMER CAMP WAS CANCELLED RECENTLY.

The following information will demonstrate why it's going to be very difficult for churches to get congregations going again, despite Prez Trump wanting churches to go back to normal.
Missionaries will essentially have nothing to do.

Steps taken by Eagle Lake Camp (ultimately failure - positive COVID-19 spreading)
*** small groups at all times
*** no intermingling of groups
*** all staff must self-quarantine before going to camp
*** maintain safe social distance
*** masks at all times
*** deep clean common areas and all over camp
*** remain in family groups

Despite the best efforts, 2020 camp cancelled!
Maybe 2021 will be back to normal?

If LDS meetings start up again, why would elderly or sick or people with lung problems or diabetics or immune problems or recovering cancer patients - why would the at-risk people go to a church meeting? Just stay home people! Use some common sense!

The COVID-19 is spreading, and big precautions won't stop it from spreading.

You can almost guarantee that people at the Trump rallies are spreading COVID-19. How bad is that problem? Hard to tell.

At 84 years old I really have very little interest in attending mind control meetings!

Things could get rocky for the sports world.

College football could easily result in a lot of COVID-19 spreading. If COVID-19 can spread at a Colorado summer camp, then it could certainly spread like crazy amongst college football teams all over.

NBA - they're going to Orlando, where COVID-19 is know to be spreading like crazy in June. When each positive COVID-19 case develops, you've got dozens of people (other players and staff and referees) who could have already been infected.

MLB - well at least they are spread out on the field and social distance better than other sports

NFL - there's so much TV money (and gambling money) involved that they will be determined to have a season no matter what. It may seem impossible, but what about this scenario: what if an NFL player gets COVID-19 infection and dies? The whole sports world will come crashing down.

An extended family member of mine is entering the"MTC" today....at home....virtually. She will be sent to her mission (foreign-which surprised me) in August where she will then, hopefully go to the local temple to get her endowments. If the temple there is still closed, she will just wait around I guess. The whole thing sounds like a disaster. MTC at home????yikes!

What a total waste of time.

Have a friend, her Dad was a bishop, don't know what position he now has.

Friend is completing her MTC on line, scheduled to go on her mission to Austin Texas in August. She is such a sweet outgoing individual with great organizational and leadership skills, I sure hope nothing happens to her.

I agree, things are bad especially here in Utah. The numbers refuse to go down, the epidemic is not plateauing yet. Last week the state officials (governor and state epidemiologist) begged everyone to wear the mask. But the public isn't listening, and there are a lot of mormons in the public.

Going on a mission right now is clearly not the right decision. I don't think it's wise to even go on vacation at present. Hotels, far away restaurants and stores are out of the question. So for the mormon religion to still be sending missionaries is a complete lack of common sense (or listening to state officials) on their part.

But it's a tough situation, Laura Dunn (the state epidemiologist) also said don't go to work if your sick last week. And I willing broke that recomendation by going to work when I was sick. Gotta have a job? What's one suppose to do to survive? She's not going to pay my bills for me if I get canned.

And if you infect the people at work, you still think you will have a job? At the very least if that happens, everyone will be laid off for a month. After that, the survivors can return to work.

Heckuva job, Brownie.

One other thing. The Utah numbers had plateaued. They were at 140 new cases a day for a month, mid-April to around May 24. That was two weeks after restrictions were eased, and, coincidentally, the approximate incubation period of Covid-19. Funny how that works.

Every week since then, the new case rate has gone up an average of 50 to 100 cases per day each week. The last week was about 500 new cases a day. [edit: the average last week was about 400+ cases. They had a couple days above 600]

The numbers "refuse to go down" because too many people are not social distancing, nor wearing masks. Neither of those actions cost money, nor do they require that businesses be closed. But people aren't doing them.

So Utah will likely go back to orange next week. The supply of ICU beds is growing alarmingly short, and at the current increase rate, the state hospitals will have no more ICU beds in 4 to 8 weeks. That needs to be headed off at the pass.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/23/2020 03:10PM by Brother Of Jerry.

"THEY" Don't give a crap about the financial disaster they are causing. When you get down to the bottom line it is all about POWER!!!
No judgement nor discernment can ever be allowed to the public in general.
This attitude is precisely what has severed my connection with Mormonism.
"They" are only interested in their own agrandizement period!!
If "you" get trampled in the panic tough defication.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/23/2020 07:54PM by thedesertrat1.

I didn't quite hear that, you went to work sick? The middle part of my hands say you are number one.

The point of going on a mission is the same as it has always been: To get the Mission Badge for the Mormon Parent's Bandalo.

Hey, I went on a mission but never got the badge. At least it's not on my bandalo.

Robert Kirby and "bandelos".

https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=5204791&itype=CMSID

I am really puzzled as to what missionaries are going to be doing. Even going around and "fellowshipping" the members will be fraught when everyone is supposed to be self-isolating.

The missionaries are at an age where they are not likely to suffer permanent damage if infected, though that is by no means a sure thing. However, the same is not true for the people they visit.

They can do online proselytizing, but I can't imagine that is very effective, or very "testimony-building" for the missionary either.

My opinion: this pandemic is the worst thing to happen to Mormonism since the anti-polygamy Senate hearings at the beginning of the 20th century. It will cripple the missionary program, let Mormons know nothing bad happens if they miss church, and demonstrate that they have no special powers.

I think the wisest course of action for a young person would be to stay at home and begin college online, either at a community college or university. Most freshman and sophomore level classes can likely be taken online now. Knock some credits out and return to school or otherwise carry on with life in fall of 2021.

I was reading yesterday about the vaccines that are under development. After health care providers, first responders, etc. it is thought that our military members will be among the first to be vaccinated. So starting to explore military options for 2021 might also be a good bet for young people.

What's the point of going on a mission now?
how else can you be "crazyglued" to MOrmonism?

Ok, so now there is a possibility that the EU is going to ban Americans from coming to Europe. So, all these missionaries (my relative included) will then have to be re-assigned to a different mission. This just keeps getting worse and worse. Just stop calling missionaries for now!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/23/2020 10:57PM by gemini.

Today, the EU made it official...no Americans allowed to come into their countries. I don't know how long that ban will go on but at least in the short term, all those missionaries that were ready to go to Europe are now SOL. Maybe they will get reassigned to Utah missions...yeah that's the ticket. Let them ride their bikes aimlessly around town like we saw a couple of them doing the other day. (And no masks).

To convert the missionary. Imagine if our beloved prophet Russell M Nelson would have a reverlation. After completing online MTC the missionary would learn a skill that would make his/her family money even during covid19 times. Many people have lost their jobs imagine the prophet looking out for the families and instead of costing them money I think it is $500 per month for a mission imagine the missionary would make $500 per month and increase his/her income.

They would sponsor 1 to 2 year humanitarian service missions.

They have the $$$ and it might keep some of them a bit longer in the church.

I'm hoping that some of them have opened up their eyes and realized a church mission ain't worth it.

It wasn't great 30 years ago and hasn't improved since.

What about the sexual arousal value? Thanks to my LDS upbringing, I had the self gratification life of a juvenile chimp.

Was there ever a valid point to them?

A curiosity

https://www.kmvt.com/2020/06/24/covid-pandemic-forces-lds-missionaries-to-be-reassigned/

I enjoyed this comment from the story:

"'It’s been crazy. I never expected it, never saw it coming. I don’t think anyone really did,' said Kami Withers, a sister missionary..."


But there is a hint of bitterness in reading her comment, based on the fact that she does not connect the "I don't think anyone (saw it coming)..." with the claim that the church is lead by a prophet, who, along with his buddies, seem to be making it up as they go along, just like EVERY OTHER CHURCH on the Earth.

The only thing missionaries are doing these days is going through wards and having the ward give them a service activity.

Lol now that is the power of revelation. Raking leaves or scrubbing toilets.

I have been inactive for a little more than 20 years and somewhat active on this board since Eric set it up around 1997.

I am also a returned mish from the mid 70’s...was in the field in 1976.

When I was first in the mish field, we were prohibited from proselytizing to certain neighborhoods and individuals and given a plausibly denyable lecture for the reason. I don’t think I need to elaborate more...

We were also prohibited from participating in member activation, charitable pr activities etc.

A few years later I was a ward clerk. Other than managing the fast offering funds, the main activity of that job was to find members of record with addresses within the ward boundaries to try to ‘verify’ them...and especially get to the ultimate goal of getting them in for tithing settlement etc. I would say that the percentage of members that we had no verification on was about %60. Various reasons...member moved...died...no contact wanted etc.

At that time, the rules with the mishes participating in member reactivating activities changed and they were encouraged to be involved with that. I was encouraged to direct them to physically try to knock on doors of addresses. Some mishes would help..others would give it lip service. In some cases though, I know that some mishes spent MOST of their documented proselytizing time on this.

What a colossal waste of time! Over the several years I had that all Calling at more than ward..we did not find ANY members that wanted to be found. Also, almost all records were hopelessly out of date. For those we would send notifications into social...which essentially put these records into the dead letter pile.

From what I hear from current mishes that I know, MOST of their work is of this nature. It has become the new definition of proselytizing.

It has become a very expensive public service interruption that could be more effectively done in a part time basis and not put a crater in the middle of an academic persuit. I think that’s why the terms are getting shorter and shorter.

I also think..but also know from current recently returning mishes, that they get this and the irritation it causes is growing every year.

I wonder when it will change so that it essentially becomes a study abroad with some charitable service thrown in. Its a matter of time...maybe decades...but I think that’s where it’s going in order to keep the numbers looking good.