Anyone Aware of Senior Couples Being Sent?

[rongo]

My aunt and uncle got their mission call to Arkansas on March 10 (right before the craziness), but their April report date was quickly changed to "when available." I know that there was anecdotal discussion of young mission calls for March and April  ( @Rain ), but these calls were superseded by the Church's changes on mission calls. 

As I had mentioned a while ago, a couple is planning on us housesitting for them for a mission to Spain/Portugal. A month ago, they had no concerns about being called as planned, and in speaking with them yesterday, they are still expecting their call "any day now" and are making plans. They've even bought a bunch of new furniture, and are planning on taking a rental RV trip in June/July to buy time for the departure date. 

The complication is that I have signed a contract for a new job in a different part of the Valley. While I was planning on commuting before all of this hit, we are inclined to move close to my new school if there is still massive uncertainty about mission calls and departures by June 1. But, we don't want to leave them in a lurch, either. I asked my wife to determine what our "drop dead" date would be, and she said start of school (third week in July). 

My questions to the forum are:

1) Is anyone aware of any senior missionaries with a departure date by mid July? I would assume that there are some, but that they are tentative (i.e., subject to change, based on conditions). 

1a) Stateside? Foreign? I would be stunned if there are any departure dates for foreign, given that most senior couples have been brought home, and the Church is being very careful and conservative with senior couples and foreign countries. This is true in spades, I would think, of Spain, which has been especially hard-hit. I would think that the Church won't be sending couples to places like Italy and Spain until the fall at least. Plus, many are expecting there to be a second wave in the fall when cooler weather sets in. 

1b) Are there any known senior couples assigned stateside with departure dates before mid-July? 

2) I am unaware of any missionaries, single or couple, who are currently being sent to any field of labor, stateside or foreign. Is anyone aware of anything to the contrary? My impression is that there is a current freeze on missionaries going anywhere for the time being, although I would be fascinated to hear of actual incidents to the contrary. I think that there are missionaries currently receiving online MTC training, but I wonder if this, too, has ceased, given the most recent update of "go to your mission when it's available with original end date, or try again in 12-8 months"). 

They really only want to go to Spain/Portugal, so I wonder if they would still want to go if they are assigned stateside, and I wonder when any couples would even go somewhere stateside, for that matter. Like I said, my aunt and uncle are in limbo as far as Arkansas (the start date is undetermined), so I don't even know when a stateside call would be.

I'm hoping for concrete clarity for them. We're fine, either way, although the clarity would be nice. No commute would be nice, but their house has a pool and a Garden of Eden tropical paradise of a backyard (seriously --- the most gorgeous backyard I've ever seen), so I'm more than okay living there as well. I just don't see an end in sight --- especially with President Trump's phase 1, 2, 3 re-opening guidelines (it sounds like we won't be having church until at least June, based on the federal guidelines, so why would the Church start sending out missionaries again until at least then, and maybe a lot later?). 

Thanks in advance for anecdotes or knowledge of cases with a bearing on these questions! 

[JamesBYoung]

I do know the Senior Missionary Service has been working 60 to 70 hours a week trying to get their missionaries home from overseas as soon as they can.

How much the mission is doing in terms of SENDING anyone anywhere is not part of my wheelhouse, but I bet other than notifying those called "we will let you know more later", all hands on deck are committed to the overseas lot.

[Rain]

Posted on the momma's group and this is what I have so far:

-Reassigned to late July. Mission was 18 months, now 12.

- Haven't heard anything

- Just got told they are heading out June 1

[rongo]

34 minutes ago, Rain said:

Posted on the momma's group and this is what I have so far:

-Reassigned to late July. Mission was 18 months, now 12.

- Haven't heard anything

- Just got told they are heading out June 1

Where to on June 1? 

That's also interesting that it was shortened (maybe at the couple's behest). Couples are desperately needed, and it doesn't make any sense to me for a couple willing to serve 18-24 months to be limited to 12 (and it might not be an imposed limit). 

Let me know if you have any foreign (or any other stateside ones, too, for that matter). 

Thanks a ton, Rain!  

[rongo]

1 hour ago, JamesBYoung said:

I do know the Senior Missionary Service has been working 60 to 70 hours a week trying to get their missionaries home from overseas as soon as they can.

How much the mission is doing in terms of SENDING anyone anywhere is not part of my wheelhouse, but I bet other than notifying those called "we will let you know more later", all hands on deck are committed to the overseas lot.

I think all of the senior missionaries coming home are already home by now. This has been going on for over a month. 

In some cases (Norway, where my son is, for one), a couple who was "sent" home "refused" (they said, "We just got there, we're willing to assume the risk, and we don't want to go). They, and the office couple, have stayed. But in foreign missions (stateside, too? Or did they let them stay in the U.S.?), almost all couples have been brought home. 

ETA: I wish couples had been given the option to stay, if they want to, and if they assume the risk. I'm sure quite a few would choose to come home if offered, due to pandemic concerns. The ones who have stayed really had to go to bat for themselves and advocate for themselves. I think coming home should have been given as a (strongly recommended) option. 

Edited April 18, 2020 by rongo

[JamesBYoung]

As I understand it, not all are home yet.  

Edited April 18, 2020 by JamesBYoung

[Rain]

41 minutes ago, rongo said:

Where to on June 1? 

That's also interesting that it was shortened (maybe at the couple's behest). Couples are desperately needed, and it doesn't make any sense to me for a couple willing to serve 18-24 months to be limited to 12 (and it might not be an imposed limit). 

Let me know if you have any foreign (or any other stateside ones, too, for that matter). 

Thanks a ton, Rain!  

They didn't mention where.  I've added that to my post now so hopefully you can get some of that info.

The one that still doesn't know was going to be doing a temple mission, but I don't know where.

New One:

- called to Nauvoo and were supposed to start May 25th, but they were pushed back and have a new start date of June 29th.

 

 

Edited April 18, 2020 by Rain

[Rain]

- Going out of the country. Originally "April", now "July".

- staying in the US. Was leaving April 6, now June 1.

[Rain]

17 hours ago, rongo said:

Where to on June 1? 

From the the US to the US.

17 hours ago, rongo said:

That's also interesting that it was shortened (maybe at the couple's behest). Couples are desperately needed, and it doesn't make any sense to me for a couple willing to serve 18-24 months to be limited to 12 (and it might not be an imposed limit). 

Let me know if you have any foreign (or any other stateside ones, too, for that matter). 

Thanks a ton, Rain!  

 

[Robert F. Smith]

It would be wise to put off all future posting of missionaries until a vaccine is developed and proven effective (around a year from now).  Otherwise, we will be losing some missionaries.

[Tacenda]

23 minutes ago, Robert F. Smith said:

It would be wise to put off all future posting of missionaries until a vaccine is developed and proven effective (around a year from now).  Otherwise, we will be losing some missionaries.

I feel the same, we're all in such a hurry to get back to life as we knew it, but for some it may be the end of life as they knew it.

I posted the below on FB today, I think it is best to remember this. I know the economy is very important and my Utah governor is saying that it's possible that gyms and restaurants might be opening up by May 1st, unless I heard wrong, but that is scary to me. 

I hope it all works out for Rongo but I'm not in favor of pushing this all too soon, not saying that he wants to push it. 

Edited April 18, 2020 by Tacenda

[rpn]

I don't see how anyone could be able to know to reassign.   It depends on the conditions in the particular state, whether they are letting in non-residents.   I'd be surprised if they know before June 30th even how to go about deciding.  Everyone needs to know the rate of virulence of the disease before eliminating shelter in place.

[Robert F. Smith]

2 hours ago, Tacenda said:

I feel the same, we're all in such a hurry to get back to life as we knew it, but for some it may be the end of life as they knew it.

I posted the below on FB today, I think it is best to remember this. I know the economy is very important and my Utah governor is saying that it's possible that gyms and restaurants might be opening up by May 1st, unless I heard wrong, but that is scary to me...................................

Yes, very prudent observations.  Caution is certainly called for.

[JamesBYoung]

Almost all of the senior service overseas missionaries have been returned who wanted to come home.

[rodheadlee]

4 hours ago, Tacenda said:

I feel the same, we're all in such a hurry to get back to life as we knew it, but for some it may be the end of life as they knew it.

I posted the below on FB today, I think it is best to remember this. I know the economy is very important and my Utah governor is saying that it's possible that gyms and restaurants might be opening up by May 1st, unless I heard wrong, but that is scary to me. 

I hope it all works out for Rongo but I'm not in favor of pushing this all too soon, not saying that he wants to push it. 

A microscopic bug has done to us what no other country could.

[Tacenda]

This is why I worry! I'm so sick of seeing people like this pass away.  Some stupid people out there don't care that people die. Trying not to be political so I will shut my mouth.

https://www.ldsliving.com/Senior-Missionary-Serving-in-Michigan-Passes-Away-from-COVID-19-Complications/s/92730?fbclid=IwAR3Tk7TW05fJbRkgq0xUC97ACHrwuEt8m0HE1McEYzdsGAI-MgKggvtOOfw

[bluebell]

7 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

This is why I worry! I'm so sick of seeing people like this pass away.  Some stupid people out there don't care that people die. Trying not to be political so I will shut my mouth.

https://www.ldsliving.com/Senior-Missionary-Serving-in-Michigan-Passes-Away-from-COVID-19-Complications/s/92730?fbclid=IwAR3Tk7TW05fJbRkgq0xUC97ACHrwuEt8m0HE1McEYzdsGAI-MgKggvtOOfw

It’s very sad. My friend is family friends with them. He tested negative for weeks before he finally tested positive. 

[Calm]

16 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

This is why I worry! I'm so sick of seeing people like this pass away.  Some stupid people out there don't care that people die. Trying not to be political so I will shut my mouth.

https://www.ldsliving.com/Senior-Missionary-Serving-in-Michigan-Passes-Away-from-COVID-19-Complications/s/92730?fbclid=IwAR3Tk7TW05fJbRkgq0xUC97ACHrwuEt8m0HE1McEYzdsGAI-MgKggvtOOfw

While very unfortunate, is there any reason to assume he was infected due to missionary work?  Or are you just frustrated about people not taking it seriously enough in general?

[Rain]

7 minutes ago, bluebell said:

It’s very sad. My friend is family friends with them. He tested negative for weeks before he finally tested positive. 

He had symptoms and was testing negative?

[bluebell]

2 minutes ago, Rain said:

He had symptoms and was testing negative?

That’s what my friend said. 

[Calm]

Apparently at least one of the common tests has a lot of false negatives:

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/false-negatives-covid19-tests-symptoms-assume-you-have-illness

Quote

The notion is that this is a virus that likes to implant itself on the mucous membranes high up in the back of the throat behind the nose,” Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee, told Healthline. “So you have to put a swab, not at the front of the nose, but rather far back. Then you have the small mucus on the end of that specimen, it gets sent to the laboratory, it’s extracted from the specimen, then using molecular technology you determine whether the virus is there.”

“You can have a false negative if you have very little virus up there or perhaps the specimen was taken inappropriately. It didn’t get up high enough to actually get to the place where the virus was located. That’s another possibility,” Schaffner added.

 

Edited April 19, 2020 by Calm

[Rain]

5 minutes ago, bluebell said:

That’s what my friend said. 

 

5 minutes ago, Calm said:

Apparently at least one of the common tests has a lot of false negatives:

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/false-negatives-covid19-tests-symptoms-assume-you-have-illness

 

Not a good thing. 🙁

[Tacenda]

1 hour ago, Calm said:

While very unfortunate, is there any reason to assume he was infected due to missionary work?  Or are you just frustrated about people not taking it seriously enough in general?

Yes, to the second. Nothing to do with him being infected on his mission. I type this while my neighbor across the street is having a large family party across the street, this is with grandparents, cousins, aunt and uncles, we're surmising. They are all sitting around a large fold up table close to each other. My husband couldn't believe it and I said to him, isn't it crazy that we're acting like this, who in the world would think we'd have a problem with a family get together. Maybe we're jealous and wish we could have our family get together. 

Edited April 20, 2020 by Tacenda

[Calm]

24 minutes ago, Tacenda said:

Maybe we're jealous and wish we could have our family get together. 

I think it is more frustration that others' resistance may very well cut into the benefits we could have gotten through our sacrifices, like someone cutting in line while everyone else has been patiently waiting their turn.  Or maybe a better analogy is someone insisting they have a right to be on a varsity team, but refuses to practice...thus lessening the chance of a championship team.  Only the importance is drastically inflated, especially if you have high risk individuals in your family.

[alter idem]

16 hours ago, Tacenda said:

This is why I worry! I'm so sick of seeing people like this pass away.  Some stupid people out there don't care that people die. Trying not to be political so I will shut my mouth.

https://www.ldsliving.com/Senior-Missionary-Serving-in-Michigan-Passes-Away-from-COVID-19-Complications/s/92730?fbclid=IwAR3Tk7TW05fJbRkgq0xUC97ACHrwuEt8m0HE1McEYzdsGAI-MgKggvtOOfw

I'm certain it was this missionary's choice to remain and not return home, even though he would have to remain inside to do missionary work through phone and computer. His death was not the fault of being a missionary.   My daughter is presently serving and she and the other missionaries were all given the opportunity to decide to stay or go home, in counsel with their families. Quite a few went home. But, those who stayed are kept in their apartments to do missionary work through technology. So it isn't being a missionary that puts them at risk, it's having health issues and possibly picking up the virus when they have to go out to get medicine or food. Yea, it stinks, and that's why older people with health issues must be careful, but, that would be a risk just the same if they went home too.