Mission status updates?

[Rain]

1 hour ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

A few weeks ago, I spoke online with a friend who lives on a Native American reservation. At that time, she had lost ten members of her family to COVID. If I were the mission president, I think it would be borderline criminal to send vaccine-resistant missionaries to labour in such a place.

Yes, native Americans have been hit really hard.  The organization I am with have done a lot of runs to the reservations because of this.  Many don't have running water or electricity.  We knew of one house like this that had 12 people living in it and all had covid.

I'm not sure how it works with missionaries though.  There are some different rules about living there if you are not a member of the tribe. 

[Calm]

29 minutes ago, Rain said:

I'm not sure how it works with missionaries though.  There are some different rules about living there if you are not a member of the tribe. 

Back when I was first married, I knew someone who had been a missionary to the Navajos (he used to brag he hardly ever wore a suit on his mission).   But chances are things have changed in the four decades since then.

Edited May 6, 2021 by Calm

[Scott Lloyd]

Has anyone here heard whether they have resumed missionary training at the Provo or any of the other MTCs? My son is submitting his papers now, and we’d like to know what to expect. 

[Rain]

1 hour ago, Scott Lloyd said:

Has anyone here heard whether they have resumed missionary training at the Provo or any of the other MTCs? My son is submitting his papers now, and we’d like to know what to expect. 

Not yet as of a couple of days ago from what I have heard.

I have heard that many have been disappointed they will have home MTC, but it's actually been really nice for them.  Obviously that will depend on individual situations, but that was the way for regular MTCs. 

If he does do home MTC your stake president will be his leader and set some rules such as music, who can visit, companions etc.  Some SP are actively involved.  Some are never heard from. 

Edited May 6, 2021 by Rain

[Rain]

1 hour ago, Calm said:

Back when I was first married, I knew someone who had been a missionary to the Navajos (he used to brag he hardly ever wore a suit on his mission).   But chances are things have changed in the four decades since then.

I have asked a few questions in the group now.  Some are living on the reservations, some just outside.  So far more couples are living on and more young living just off.  One missionary just a few years ago lived on for 6 months and rode a horse much of the time!

[Hamba Tuhan]

1 hour ago, Scott Lloyd said:

My son is submitting his papers now, and we’d like to know what to expect. 

I think the safe bet in the midst of a global pandemic that is currently at its worst point and trending upwards is to expect the unexpected.

[Scott Lloyd]

2 hours ago, Rain said:

Not yet as of a couple of days ago from what I have heard.

I have heard that many have been disappointed they will have home MTC, but it's actually been really nice for them.  Obviously that will depend on individual situations, but that was the way for regular MTCs. 

If he does do home MTC your stake president will be his leader and set some rules such as music, who can visit, companions etc.  Some SP are actively involved.  Some are never heard from. 

From a parent’s standpoint I like the prospect of not having to fund his mission for the first couple of months.

Of course, he would be eating our food and using our utilities during that time, so I guess it’s a matter of fungible assets. 
 

I’ve been present in recent years for a number of devotionals with General Authority speakers at the Provo MTC, and I would regret it if he missed out on that  experience. But maybe they have something for them online to make up for it. 

[Rain]

6 hours ago, Scott Lloyd said:

From a parent’s standpoint I like the prospect of not having to fund his mission for the first couple of months.

Of course, he would be eating our food and using our utilities during that time, so I guess it’s a matter of fungible assets. 
 

I’ve been present in recent years for a number of devotionals with General Authority speakers at the Provo MTC, and I would regret it if he missed out on that  experience. But maybe they have something for them online to make up for it. 

I don't know, but I would be surprised if they don't.   They have continued to have those virtually within the missions this past year.  I know they even have companionship study with their companions.

[Rain]

16 hours ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

A few weeks ago, I spoke online with a friend who lives on a Native American reservation. At that time, she had lost ten members of her family to COVID. If I were the mission president, I think it would be borderline criminal to send vaccine-resistant missionaries to labour in such a place.

Still waiting for an answer here.  We have several reservations in Arizona so I am finding out lots of things of where the missions are etc. I messaged the one mom who has a current missionary out, but he was only temporarily their till he went to his mission so she doesn't have info on vaccine status yet.  

I did find out that at least in one mission when the reservation had a long lockdown missionaries did not serve there.

Edited May 6, 2021 by Rain

[bluebell]

13 hours ago, Calm said:

The article I read described some pretty horrendous situations.  Iirc, it was describing the Navajos Nation.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(21)00083-9/fulltext

For size comparison, West Virginia is 24,230 sq miles.  Can you imagine only 12 doctor clinics in the entire state?  Or 13 grocery stores?  Of course settlement is clustered, but there are obvious those outside the major settlements if they don’t have running water or electricity.

I would have major doubts about an MP who didn’t take such into account for hard hit or vulnerable communities at this point.  I wonder if SL questions MPs about their views on vaccinations.  

We were down in the Navajo Nation again last weekend.  There are not many resources, even in the parts that are heavily used for recreation by outsiders.  Even finding a gas station with a good convenience store attached can be tricky.  You might have to drive through multiple small towns before finding something that offers food, for example.  

 

[Calm]

11 hours ago, Rain said:

One missionary just a few years ago lived on for 6 months and rode a horse much of the time!

I remember thinking that was so cool back then...but now the practical side of me is wondering if they just collected their horses from a stable or had to care for them theirselves...a mission shoveling manure might not be so appealing...especially if that was something you often did already as I am guessing they use those experienced in both riding and being on one’s own to prevent injury as stupid risks. 

Edited May 6, 2021 by Calm

[Calm]

11 hours ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

I think the safe bet in the midst of a global pandemic that is currently at its worst point and trending upwards is to expect the unexpected.

Youth may not register what the pandemic is like elsewhere if they aren’t paying attention to global news and just looking around at things returning to normal (assuming they are in an area where such is happening or will soon), hopefully parents are preparing them. 

[Rain]

10 hours ago, Scott Lloyd said:

From a parent’s standpoint I like the prospect of not having to fund his mission for the first couple of months.

Of course, he would be eating our food and using our utilities during that time, so I guess it’s a matter of fungible assets. 
 

I’ve been present in recent years for a number of devotionals with General Authority speakers at the Provo MTC, and I would regret it if he missed out on that  experience. But maybe they have something for them online to make up for it. 

Just asked for you.  Ran across timing info you might want to know. Just posting a few of the things that might help.

Quote

Question: How much before the HMTC starts will missionaries get info about their schedule?

Answer: The info usually comes via email the day before.

First day doesn’t start until the afternoon.

 

Answer: My son starts next week and we got his schedule last night from the Mexico City MTC, so almost a week beforehand. It’s great because it has a detailed schedule for every day of the whole six weeks! The email also contained his district and companion information. We are getting excited! Rain note:  Looks like Mexico MTC is usually getting them out a week early for everyone.

Answer: they are pretty busy and active during class. My guess is he will want to snack during the break and eat dinner after.

Some of the time zones do make things crazy. His companion may be in a different time zone as well.

We made sure to have lots of easy snacks/drinks/mints/gum on hand to keep him fed and focused.

They have 15 minute bathroom breaks throughout the class so he could grab something if hungry.

Answer:  Lunch and dinner times were different during the whole thing. Sometimes dinner was at 6pm, sometimes 7:30. It all depends on the day. Some days they need to schedule lessons with non-members over zoom and that will determine the dinner time. Sometimes they need to do companion study in the afternoon instead of the morning. Sometimes they need to take a workshop in the morning before class starts with their district and that will determine their breakfast time, or their personal study time.

But the cool thing is that each day they know what they are doing. They are given a cool schedule that has the concrete things like class time on it. And they know what they have to schedule in -like companion study and personal study and watching the devotionals. They will figure it out quickly.

 

Answer:  Night before for us and it changed constantly thru the whole thing. We had heard that there would be 4 hour breaks for study with others and had people volunteer to help him even ... but his schedule fluctuated so much and he never got to do that.

But it sounds like his experience isn't quite as typical as others

 

Answer:  And every schedule is different!!! It depends on the teachers for that specific district. So your schedule can be completely different from a neighbor doing the same language. Some have morning classes some have later classes. Just be flexible until the schedule comes

 

Answer: 

My daughter wasn't really supposed to be doing dinner during class, but there was a large time frame for meals so it wasn't too hard to adapt and find a time that would work for her. The companion study was something they worked out among themselves depending on time zones of the people involved. They have P-day and then Sundays are pretty open, since everyone is going to church at different times. We felt we could adapt/the schedule was adapted so a missionary could live at home with a real life family and still have a learning experience with his or her district.

 

 

[Scott Lloyd]

40 minutes ago, Rain said:

Just asked for you.  Ran across timing info you might want to know. Just posting a few of the things that might help.

 

Very interesting. Thanks!

[Amulek]

18 hours ago, Rain said:

See, that's the thing.  I personally haven't seen evidence of it.  I only know some moms would get on and say they were and then others would show that's really not the case.  Some of it come from the missionary portal showing required vax listed with covid, but if you go a little further it shows where you can opt out.  It seems like that was corrected fir better communication, but since I don't have a missionary soon to be going out I can't tell for sure.  

Other times the missionaries will call home and say that the MP said it was required, but like in my son's mission they pretty much only communicate with parents by facebook so if the MP corrects that misunderstanding in a place the parent will see the parent may never know.  And still other times I have seen where a parent will read things wrong.

That's why I don't think it is being required in nearly all, if not all, US missions, but only being misunderstood.  I just haven't personally talked to every MP to know for sure.

Yeah, I don't doubt that there's some confusion. And I know mission presidents do have some discretion when it comes to making rules.

For example, I know that on my mission our president was contemplating banning basketball on p-day after having sent home 3 elders in 4 months due to torn ACLs.

But the church doesn't have a policy about basketball which would be contravened by such a rule.

So I kind of wonder how a vaccine mandate could even work in a mission where the church says that vaccinations aren't mandatory.

I mean, I can imagine a mission president telling all of the missionaries that it's a requirement. But what could he really do if they refused? I suppose he could be petty and assign them to a less desirable area, limit certain privileges, or something like that, but I don't think he would be able to actually send anyone home.

And I also kind of wonder if some of the missionaries telling their parents that their MP is requiring it are just using him has a scapegoat for their own decision.

[Rain]

2 minutes ago, Amulek said:

Yeah, I don't doubt that there's some confusion. And I know mission presidents do have some discretion when it comes to making rules.

For example, I know that on my mission our president was contemplating banning basketball on p-day after having sent home 3 elders in 4 months due to torn ACLs.

But the church doesn't have a policy about basketball which would be contravened by such a rule.

So I kind of wonder how a vaccine mandate could even work in a mission where the church says that vaccinations aren't mandatory.

I mean, I can imagine a mission president telling all of the missionaries that it's a requirement. But what could he really do if they refused? I suppose he could be petty and assign them to a less desirable area, limit certain privileges, or something like that, but I don't think he would be able to actually send anyone home.

And I also kind of wonder if some of the missionaries telling their parents that their MP is requiring it are just using him has a scapegoat for their own decision.

I am hearing a lot of young people not wanting to tell parents (not missionaries, but others) and missionary moms being upset that their child decided to do it.

[Rain]

21 hours ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

A few weeks ago, I spoke online with a friend who lives on a Native American reservation. At that time, she had lost ten members of her family to COVID. If I were the mission president, I think it would be borderline criminal to send vaccine-resistant missionaries to labour in such a place.

OK, finally got an answer.  It is not required by the church.  Not sure if some MP require it or not.  At least one doesn't.  It all depends on the council from each reservation as to whether it is required, whether missionaries can live there or proselyte or not.  

Edited May 6, 2021 by Rain

[bluebell]

1 hour ago, Rain said:

I am hearing a lot of young people not wanting to tell parents (not missionaries, but others) and missionary moms being upset that their child decided to do it.

They are upset that their adult children decided to do it without telling them first?

[Calm]

A lot of parents see missionaries as still under their stewardship/authority in my experience.  

[Rain]

16 minutes ago, bluebell said:

They are upset that their adult children decided to do it without telling them first?

Yes.  

[Rain]

21 hours ago, Scott Lloyd said:

From a parent’s standpoint I like the prospect of not having to fund his mission for the first couple of months.

Of course, he would be eating our food and using our utilities during that time, so I guess it’s a matter of fungible assets. 
 

I’ve been present in recent years for a number of devotionals with General Authority speakers at the Provo MTC, and I would regret it if he missed out on that  experience. But maybe they have something for them online to make up for it. 

I got your info.  Yes, they still have them. They are prerecorded and family are allowed to watch with them.

[bluebell]

I just heard yesterday that the elder from our ward who was called to Taiwan is headed that way in two weeks, from his temporary assignment in California. 

[Calm]

We were informed this weekend my brother and family who have been stuck in Singapore since Feb 2020 (because if they came home they would not be able to go back) may be able to come over in July, so it looks like some Asian countries are anticipating opening up more...but am guessing freedom of noncitizens will be tied to vaccinations. 
 

They are hoping to make it to the two temple sealings of their daughters, whose weddings last summer they got to attend by Zoom. 

Edited May 11, 2021 by Calm

[JamesBYoung]

It took my nephew and his new bridge from Malaysia almost two years to work out getting them out of Asia and into the United States.

Crazy times.

[Calm]

Latest from my sister-in-law is the situation is back to high travel restrictions due to India. One of the requirements for traveling back to Singapore is a three week quarantine in a designated by the government hotel, where they will get in big trouble if they even open a window.  The rooms are not luxurious from what I hear and the $8000 one has to pay for the privilege just adds to the misery.