MTC changes missionary drop-off procedures

No more long goodbyes.

Concerns over the spread of swine flu have prompted The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to accelerate its plans to permanently allow only curbside drop-off of new missionaries at the Provo Missionary Training Center.

Parents and families taking new missionaries to the MTC will have to say goodbye to their sons or daughters in the parking lot from now on, the church announced Monday.

With this change, only missionaries will be allowed inside MTC buildings.

Parents and families had traditionally accompanied their missionary children into the center for a brief orientation before parting. Precautions to prevent possible spread of the H1N1 virus accelerated the church's plans to allow only curbside drop-off at the Provo MTC. All other church missionary training centers around the world already operate that way.

In addition, parents of missionaries entering the center are being asked to pay particular attention to the physical condition of their sons and daughters and to delay their arrival at the center if they show any signs of illness.

Missionaries and staff at the center also will be washing their hands more frequently, avoiding handshakes and hugging, and not playing basketball for the time being, said Elder Richard G. Hinckley, executive director of the LDS Church Missionary Department.

The health measures come after three missionaries at the center were diagnosed with the H1N1 virus and another 17 tested positive for the type A flu virus and are still being evaluated.

"Drop the missionaries off at curbside and give them a hug," Elder Hinckley said. "As always, the well-being of our missionaries is our top priority. We are erring on the side of caution and taking all necessary steps to ensure they are in a healthy environment. The MTC medical staff is following an established protocol designed to deal effectively with issues related to communicable diseases."

Dr. Donald B. Doty, chairman of missionary-health services, conceded the policy of saying goodbye to missionaries at the curb is a nuisance but necessary, because the training center is such a confined space, housing some 2,000 missionaries.

Elder Hinckley said it is believed that two weeks ago, a missionary arrived with a large family of 30, including one relative who had been to Mexico recently, and that's where the MTC's swine flu cases likely originated.