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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
Essie Workman with her family at the airport.
Photo provided by Essie Workman
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 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
we all have more in common than we think.” Liechty explained, “We all just want life to get better. I think it’s great we are working towards a common goal, even if it is in different ways.”
Liechty explained she is enrolled for the Fall 2020 Semester and plans to continue her studies at BYUH.
Reassignment
Workman on her reassignment in front of the Montana Capitol building in Helena, Montana.
Photo provided by Essie Workman
Essie Workman, a junior from Laie majoring in anthropology, was called to serve in the Armenia Georgia Mission but returned home due to coronavirus and was reassigned to a different mission.
She said she went to the Provo Missionary Training Center on Sept. 4, 2019, and studied Georgian for nine weeks. “Then, I was sent to the country of Georgia for about six months before being sent home.”
She was reassigned to the Billings Montana Mission and started serving again on June 15, 2020. “I am still learning how to do missionary work in this new atmosphere,” she said.
From her mission experience, Workman said she learned the Lord’s work would not be stopped by anything, not even isolation and social distancing. She explained there is a learning curve for adjusting to this new missionary work, but they are learning it quickly.
“I also learned God prepares us for everything. There is a reason why this generation is so good with media and social networks. We were prepared for now,” Workman added. “We’ve had an at-home church curriculum, ministering, phones, Zoom and Facebook. We have been raised for this, and God has made us equal to the task.”
Workman shared how, in a normal mission, a missionary’s goal is to be out of their apartment as much as possible. “It is physically, emotionally and spiritually draining. You are out talking to people as much as possible to find those interested in the gospel.”
Gathering Israel during a pandemic
Workman said the Lord is still gathering Israel. “I feel like in the old way of doing things, missionaries were like hunters sent to gather Israel. We talked to people one at a time, found people who were interested one at a time and shared messages to one person at a time.”
Graphics by Esther Insigne
She explained now through technology, one message can be shared to thousands of people, maybe 100 people listen to it and feel something, and 20 of those people will be taught in the future. “We are still the fishermen God is sending to gather Israel, but just in different ways.”
Workman shared her optimism by saying, “We won’t be in isolation or quarantine forever, but we will continue to use Facebook and other forms of media to spread the word. This time is not a setback for missionary work, but it is like God is throwing us missionaries into the deep end of the pool to learn to do this work by trial and error.”
She said she has learned the truth of the quote from the Prophet Joseph Smith. “The truth will go forth nobly, boldly and independent until it has penetrated every continent, visited every climb, swept every country and sounded in every ear until the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”
Workman highlighted missionary work is so reliant on members now. “Members have never been more needed and never had such an opportunity to be involved in mission work,” she said.
“Because all of our pages are on Facebook or our YouTube videos can only reach those who the missionaries are friends with, they won’t hit many different people with just the missionaries working alone. With members, we create a little web of light as we each share and comment and support,” Workman added.
Workman explained if each member shares one message or video they appreciated, so many more people can see it, and the gospel will touch all those people. “By small and simple things are great things brought to pass. These are the small and simple things we can all do to help this work move forward and to help gather Israel before the second coming,” she said.
Workman's first day in Georgia in front of the Sameba church with her companion in Tblisi, Georgia.
Photo by Tlamage Haeley
Hardships of online mission work
Of the rigors of adapting to changes, Workman said, “It is hard to feel of worth as a missionary at times because we used to be so focused on being outside and really laboring. Now, the labor seems less laborious because we’re doing it from our couches at home,” she added. “There has just got to be a change in expectations for each missionary as we acclimate to this new work.”
“It is so contrary to what it used to be, but it is what good, obedient, hard-working missionaries are doing right now. It sounds strange, and that’s the hard part of it.” Workman shared, “God has made this nightmare time into a blessing for His missionaries and His work. I have learned to test God in his promises to provide a way to accomplish everything He commands us to accomplish (1 Nephi 3:7).”
She said she learned how God is good and merciful, but He also expects His children to live up to the gifts He has given them. “He expects us to be involved and striving. I’ve learned worthiness is trying. We’re going to fall short, but He has provided a way for us to get back up through His son’s sacrifice. We can repent and keep striving to live up to our privileges and reach our full potential.”
Liechty with her companion.
Photo provided by Jane Sorena
Missionary work changes
According to the Church Newsroom, a news release was issues on March 16, saying, “Missionaries will continue to be called to serve and assigned to labor in missions worldwide. Missionary recommendations will continue to be received, and missionary assignments for worldwide service will continue to be made.
“In addition, Church leaders are implementing some temporary adjustments to missionary service. Out of an abundance of caution, these changes include: • Young missionaries with health issues and senior missionaries may be released from service. • Missionaries who begin their service and are unable to travel to their assigned mission may be temporarily reassigned to another mission. • To adjust for rapidly changing conditions, young missionary elders currently serving in missions within the United States and
Canada who would complete their mission on or before Sept. 1, 2020, may be released after they have served for 21 months. • Some missionaries may be temporarily reassigned.
“Young missionaries needing to work primarily from their apartments will continue teaching using technology, studying the scriptures and Preach My Gospel, language learning, family history, online community service, and other activities as identified by the mission president.”
More information can be found on the Church Newsroom by scanning the QR code.
- Kaleah Liechty
Liechty holds the Book of Mormon in Spanish on her mission in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Photo provided by Jane Sorena
