Much has happened in the last few days regarding temporary changes related to the COVID-19 virus. We have prepared for your reference this summary of changes that impact Latter-day Saints.

Updated March 25, 2020 at 7:21 p.m.

Crisis Management

• In areas where Family Services are available, they offer emergency response teletherapy at the request of the bishop, branch president, or leaders from the ward council. Emergency response teletherapy is crisis counseling and is not therapy. Typically, this is a one-time, 10-20-minute contact. No payment, paperwork, or documentation is required.
• In the USA, local mental health crisis resources are available from SAMHSA Disaster Distress Hotline. Call 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs at 66746).

Meetings

• General meetings. See announcement about general meetings and activities being suspended. All training meetings should be suspended. Gatherings of people of any age may not exceed 10 people. Ward and branch clerks don’t need to record sacrament meeting attendance in Leader and Clerk Resources (LCR) when Sunday meetings are not held. They should just leave it blank.
• Leadership meetings. For bishopric and presidency meetings, the use of technology and virtual meetings is encouraged.
• General conference. All are invited to watch via technology in many ways, now including on the Gospel Library app. No public attendance at the conference center or meetinghouses. See announcement and follow-up announcement.
• Funerals and weddings in meetinghouses. Maximum of 10 people attending, where allowed by governmental and health officials. Local leaders may determine when to proceed with or postpone weddings. Services may be transmitted digitally so that family members and other individuals can observe.
• Interviews for temple recommends and other matters. Ward and stake leaders will determine how to handle interviews. Technology could be used (phone call, video call, etc.), especially for people in high-risk categories. Many leaders are limiting it to essential interviews.
• Self-Reliance classes. If held, groups can have virtual meetings using technology.
• Seminary classes. If schools are closed, then daily and released-time seminary is not held. See announcement.
• Patriarchal blessings. Stake presidents and patriarchs should counsel together to determine what to do. There is no restriction on continuing to give blessings if the patriarch and the individuals are in good health. If there is a concern about the health of the patriarch or the individuals, then blessings may be postponed.
• Youth Activities. General youth activities are suspended, but local leaders may identity service or activities that can be done in small groups. Maximum of 10 people attending, where allowed by governmental and health officials.

Sacrament

• The sacrament is an ordinance that is administered under the keys of the bishop. The bishop must authorize a priesthood holder to administer the sacrament. See General Handbook, 18.9. The First Presidency requested that bishops counsel with their stake president to determine how to make the sacrament available to members at least once a month.
• Families are not authorized to hold a “sacrament meeting.” The bishop may authorize families to conduct the ordinance of the sacrament. That may be followed by a family gospel study time, but it is not a “sacrament meeting.” A family gospel study time may include prayers, hymns and songs, talks, Come, Follow Me discussion, etc.
• When authorized by the bishop, the sacrament may be administered by a single priesthood holder (a priest or a holder of the Melchizedek Priesthood) in a member’s home. There is no need to gather multiple families.
• Ministering brothers should provide support to their assigned homes, especially when there is no priest or Melchizedek Priesthood holder in the home.
• Sacrament prayers have been added to the Gospel Library app in the Scriptures collection for easy access.
• The sacrament is not typically administered the Sunday of general conference.

Baptismal Services

• Baptismal services continue to be held with a maximum of 10 people attending, where allowed by governmental and health officials. Local leaders may determine when to proceed with or postpone baptismal services.
• On a temporary basis, loved ones and family members may view the service remotely via technology.
• Newly baptized members should be confirmed at the baptismal service.
• The Aaronic Priesthood may then be conferred upon males following their baptism and confirmation.
• See announcement and notice.

Events

• Feed Utah Food Drive scheduled for March 21 has been postponed.
• Utah Coalition Anti-pornography conference scheduled for March 28 has been canceled.
• RootsTech London conference planned for November 2020 will be postponed until autumn 2021. See announcement.
• Tabernacle Choir events and performances are cancelled. People can watch and listen to Music and the Spoken Word broadcasts, but not attend in person. See list of temporary changes.
• Messiah concert on Easter weekend (April 10-11) will not be live, but people can watch by internet stream.

Church Schools

• BYU and other Church schools. See announcement.

Church Buildings and Sites

• All public areas on Temple Square and surrounding buildings are closed to the public until further notice. This includes the Conference Center, Assembly Hall, Tabernacle, North Visitors’ Center, Family History Library, Church History Museum, Relief Society Building, Church Office Building, Beehive House, and Church History Library.
• The construction work on the Salt Lake Temple will continue as planned.
• At Welfare Square, operations will remain open, but public tours are temporarily discontinued going forward.
• All Church historic sites are closed. See announcement.

Missionaries

• See chart on missionaries returning, being released, or being reassigned.
• Returning missionaries will go through a 14-day period of self-isolation and then may be assigned to serve within their home country, based on local conditions. Guidelines on meeting missionaries at airports.
• All missionaries at the Church’s 10 MTCs worldwide are in the process of traveling to their missions or returning home to self-isolate. Missionaries who are being trained at home using technology should be set apart and begin their full-time discipleship and living mission policies. See announcement.
• Missionary recommendations continue to be received and missionaries continue to be called and assigned to missions.
• Missions provide guidance on providing dinners in member homes or delivering food to the missionary apartment.
• See announcements here and here and here and here.

Temples

• All temples are temporarily closed. See announcement.
• Temple staff will contact all patrons with an existing appointment to confirm cancellation. When temples resume activity, patrons should contact the temple to reschedule their living ordinances. Members with additional questions are invited to visit with their bishop or stake president.
• People may submit names for the prayer roll by emailing the names to the temple or leaving a message on the temple’s answering machine. The names will be collected when temples reopen.
• Patron housing is temporarily closed.

Distribution Centers

• Distribution centers may have reduced hours of operation. Members are encouraged to contact the store to learn about adjusted hours. See list of stores that are closed.
• Deseret Book stores remain open and they offer temporary curbside pickup for all Distribution Services and Deseret Book products.

Welfare

• Deseret Industries stores are closed to the general public for shopping and donations.
• Home Storage Centers remain open, but members are encouraged to order home storage products through store.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
• Welfare production facilities will continue to function, although some adjustments may be made to protect the health of staff and volunteers. Days and hours of operations may be adjusted.

Reminders

• Ministering. Ministering brothers and sisters should provide support to their assigned homes to ensure all needs are met. Ministering brothers and sisters should respect the needs of older members or those who are especially vulnerable, and plan in-person visits accordingly. Maintain contact by phone or other use of technology. Ministering brothers and Aaronic Priesthood holders should be available to help provide the sacrament to homes when there is no priest or Melchizedek Priesthood holder in the home.
• Administering to the sick. Every precaution should be made when making direct contact with people who may be infected or who are in a high-risk category. Follow local heath guidelines.

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