Missionary work during the pandemic Returned missionary students who came home early or were reassigned because of coronavirus share their experiences BY SERENA DUGAR IOANE
The global pandemic affected missionary work immensely, and missionaries returned home, finished their missions early or were reassigned to different missions. BYU–Hawaii students serving as missionaries during this time shared what they have learned from their disrupted missions amid a global pandemic. Returning early Kaleah Liechty, a sophomore from Utah majoring in communications, served her mission in Argentina Buenos Aires North Mission and returned early due to COVID-19. Even though her mission was short, she said
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it was amazing, and she would not change her seven months of service for anything. Liechty came home in March 2020. She shared many missionaries came home at the same time with her, which made adjusting much easier. Hadley Dayton, Leichty’s companion from California, said she finished her mission in March right before missionaries were sent home. Dayton recalled, “I remember them handing us masks for the airplane ride home, and we laughed and didn’t wear them because it was so new, and we didn’t feel threatened yet. However, soon after many changes were made,
and the Church immediately closed temples and church buildings. It was shocking.” Leichty shared how the coronavirus has been bringing out the best in people. It taught her how to roll with the things life throws at her. “I learned many things about how to be healthy physically and mentally, how to be better friends to others as well as to ourselves and to consider others’ needs,” Liechty added. She said she sees shifts in compassion, social issue awareness and overall desires to see the good, “despite overwhelmingly crazy, sad, stressful and scary situations. “I believe I am discovering, along with the rest of the world, that
K E A L A K A’ I Graphics by Esther Insigne
