The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been receiving some positive attention lately for how its members are handling the COIVD-19 pandemic, whether that entails food storage, sharing the gospel, or looking out for one’s neighbor. Here are just a few places that have highlighted Latter-day Saints.
Tallahassee, Florida
Missionaries in Tallahassee, Florida, have been using technology to teach the gospel during the pandemic. Relying on the Zoom app, phone calls, video chats, and a Facebook page, the missionaries also offer family history and scripture study classes online, Tallahassee Democrat reported.
Some sister missionaries have been crocheting blankets for babies in the local neonatal intensive care unit and are dropping off treats, inspirational quotes, the Bible, or the Book of Mormon as a “doorbell ditch” on neighbors’ porches.
“What we’re experiencing may change the way we do missionary and family history work in the future,” said one missionary. “Believe it or not, this is how the Lord is hastening His work.”
READ THE FULL STORY AT tallahassee.com.
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Liberty, Missouri
Latter-day Saints in Liberty, Missouri, were well prepared when fear of the pandemic caused many people to rush to their local grocery stores and stock up on essential supplies. Chris and Jocelyn Hollis and Richie and Rona Culotta were recently highlighted in the Enterprise-Journalfor how they had essentials and food storage ready to go.
In the article, stake president Chris Hollis spoke about the importance of “being self-reliant temporally as well as spiritually,” but that the goal is to be prepared not just to help themselves but to help their neighbors.
The Culottas were also prepared when their son had to return home early from his mission, living off their food storage while they spent two weeks in home quarantine.
READ MORE ABOUT HOW MEMBERS WERE PREPARED FOR THE PANDEMIC AT enterprise-journal.com.
Osceola County, Florida
In Osceola County, Florida, the Church has donated $10,000 to the local Community Hope Center. The center serves impoverished residents in the county and surrounding areas. Since the pandemic, food assistance requests have increased by 144 percent, and 72 percent of those who have come to the center recently have lost their jobs, Osceola News-Gazette reported. Community Hope Center also shares its resources with the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orlando.
“This donation is an absolute gift during a very difficult time. We are grateful for the Church’s support,” Downey told the Osceola News-Gazette. “Before COVID-19, we would have been talking about self-determined success with those who came to us—helping them overcome hurdles to long term success and independence. Now, we are simply meeting their basic needs.”
READ MORE ABOUT THE DONATION AT aroundosceola.com.
Lubbock, Texas
In Lubbock, Texas, full-time missionary Elder Statton Davis said he and his companion Elder Jake Harward have been posting on Facebook to find service projects in the community.
“The pros of technology is that people are more available, it’s just a phone call or chat, you don’t have to travel somewhere,” Elder Harward told KLBK News. “Some of the cons, you miss that personal interaction . . . being there in person and I don’t know, it’s different.”
No matter what method missionaries are using to teach right now, they’re still centered on sharing the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“What we’re here to do first and foremost is invite other people to come into Christ, but we just want people to feel loved,” Davis said.
READ THE FULL STORY AT everythinglubbock.com.
