Latter-day Saint missionaries are adapting to new changes

For the first time in 11 months, missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be permitted to meet face-to-face with potential new members.

“When I found out we could knock doors again, I was surprised and shocked,” Sister Maile Webb said. “I have just been so excited to get out of the apartment.”

Tens of thousands of the church's missionaries were called hom last spring as COVID-19 spread across the globe, and church members everywhere were encouraged to engage in as much of their work as possible via phone calls and the internet. Now, many of those restrictions are being lifted.

Webb’s new routine includes knocking on doors in Washington state for three hours every day, but she said the work is worth it to “feel connections that are hard to get through a screen.”

Some missionaries have reported similar experiences, and those in training have quickly adapted to recent changes, too.

“Here in Iowa, we can finally have church in person again,” Sister Skylar Jordan said. “It was truly the best news when I heard that we could start going back.”

The Missionary Training Center typically allows missionary trainees to attend classes and live together in person, but COVID-19 has shifted this process to a completely online format. Mixed emotions about this change have been shared through emails from trainees around the world.

“I cried for hours when I got the email that the MTC would be online,” said Kaylee Sinema, a sister missionary in training. “I’ve been waiting for the mission experience for so long. I was thrilled to hear when my mission president announced that we would be able to meet in person.”

Elder Creed Colton is also participating in the online MTC and plans to report to New Hampshire soon.

“The experience I had training through Zoom allowed me to be with my family while serving part of my mission,” Colton said. “I couldn’t be more grateful for the online MTC, but I am glad to hear that I can meet people face-to-face once I fly out to the East Coast.”