This article is frequently updated with new information. Note time stamps for most recent additions.
This page provides updates on how COVID-19 (coronavirus) is impacting The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its global membership. The Church is monitoring developments and taking steps to comply with best practices and direction provided by public health organizations of various national governments.
See how COVID-19 is impacting Saints worldwide. Click the links below to read the latest.
Also see updates in other languages.
- Church Aid (Updated April 30)
- Church Distribution Retail Stores (Updated April 10)
- Church Educational System (CES) (Updated April 29)
- Church Historic Sites (Updated March 16)
- Church Workforce (Updated March 16)
- General Conference (Updated March 19)
- Missionary Work (Updated April 30)
- Pageants (Updated April 30)
- Preventative Measures for Members (Updated in February)
- RootsTech London (Updated March 13)
- Sacrament Meetings, Stake Conferences, Other Gatherings and Administering the Church (Updated April 17)
- Temple Square (Updated March 14)
- Temple Worship (Updated March 25)
- The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square (Updated April 27)
- Welfare and Self-Reliance Operations (Updated March 17)
- Youth Camps, Conferences, and Treks (Updated April 30)
Church Aid (Updated April 30)
On April 30, the Church announced donations of cash and commodities in response to an unprecedented number of humanitarian requests around the world. This includes $5.5 million of cash donations to the key relief agencies in the U.S. To date, Latter-day Saint Charities has initiated 280 COVID-19 relief projects in over 80 countries. Read more.
On April 14, the First Presidency announced an ongoing global effort to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the many projects underway, Church resources and volunteers are being used to help make much-needed face masks and other protective equipment for frontline health care workers. Read more.
Church Distribution Retail Stores (Updated April 10)
The launch of new temple ceremonial clothing, which was originally scheduled for March 31, 2020, is delayed due to the pandemic. The Church will make the new ceremonial clothing available through the online store and retail outlets at a later date.
Most Church Distribution retail stores are closed. The following Distribution retail and Deseret Book stores remain open where local governments are not requiring COVID-19 restrictions.
Distribution retail stores that are open with limited hours (unless otherwise noted):
- Cotonou, Benin
- Hong Kong (regular hours)
- Jakarta, Indonesia
- Liberia
- Lome, Togo
- Pago Pago, American Samoa (regular hours)
- Praia, Cape Verde
- Sierra Leone
- Star Valley, Wyoming
- Taipei, Taiwan (regular hours)
Deseret Book stores that are open with curbside service only:
- American Fork, Utah
- Ammon, Idaho
- Boise, Idaho
- Bountiful, Utah
- Cedar City, Utah
- Clinton, Utah
- Costa Mesa, California
- Draper, Utah
- Fort Union, Utah
- Idaho Falls, Idaho
- Lake Oswego, Oregon
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Layton, Utah
- Logan, Utah
- Ogden, Utah
- Orem Parkway, Utah
- Pocatello, Idaho
- Rexburg, Idaho (
- Riverton, Utah
- Spanish Fork, Utah
- St. George, Utah
- Sugarhouse, Utah
- Twin Falls, Idaho
- University Village, Utah
- Valley Fair, Utah
- West Jordan, Utah
CES Guidelines (Updated April 29)
An updated guide to seminary and institute graduation exercises says priesthood leaders should follow local guidelines for gatherings to determine if, when, and how they will recognize diploma and certificate recipients. A gathering is not required to distribute the diplomas and certificates.
Also, the leadership of the Church Educational System has adopted these temporary guidelines, which have been in place since March 16, 2020.
Church Historic Sites (Updated March 16)
All Church historic sites are closed.
Church Workforce (Updated March 16)
Employees of the Church should follow the guidelines provided here and any other direction provided by their area presidency.
General Conference (Updated March 19)
In a letter March 19 to Latter-day Saints around the globe, the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles announced additional updates to the April 2020 general conference. Each session will be broadcast from a small auditorium on Temple Square. The First Presidency will preside and conduct those sessions, and only those who have been invited to speak or pray will attend. The music for the conference has been pre-recorded. Latter-day Saints will participate digitally. Read the complete letter.
Missionary Work (Updated April 30)
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many missionaries around the world have returned to their home countries to self-isolate, while others have completed online training for their missionary training center experience. Since that time, most missionaries have expressed a desire to begin or continue serving as soon as possible. The process of reassigning these missionaries to missions in their home countries is underway, and they have started receiving their new assignments. Read more.
Pageants (Updated April 30)
- The Nauvoo Pageant will not be held in 2020. It will be held July 6–31, 2021, and will continue in future years.
- The Hill Cumorah Pageant will not be held in 2020. Although it was originally scheduled to end in 2020, it will be performed for the final season July 8–10, 13–17, 2021.
Preventative Measures for Members
For all Church members, there is wisdom in taking steps to remain healthy during this cold and flu season. These precautions include*:
- Regularly and thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water or clean them with an alcohol-based hand rub.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick (this may include avoiding shaking hands or other customary greetings).
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Maintain at least six feet (two meters) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Follow public health agency recommendations for using a face mask.
*Based on recommendations from the World Health Organization and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Local leaders should encourage members to follow these guidelines.
RootsTech London (Updated March 13)
FamilySearch International announced that the RootsTech conference planned for London in November 2020 will be postponed until autumn 2021. Read more.
Sacrament Meetings, Stake Conferences, Other Large Gatherings and Administering the Church (Updated April 17)
How does one minister, give a priesthood blessing, or provide the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper during a global pandemic? These are among the issues addressed by the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in an April 15 letter and two documents sent to the faith’s global leadership as it continues to address the effects of COVID-19. Newsroom.ChurchofJesusChrist.org also has a third document that contains answers to many other questions not addressed in the First Presidency’s letter to leadership. Read more.
Worship services worldwide are temporarily suspended.
Temple Square (Updated March 14)
All public areas of the following Church-owned buildings in and around Temple Square closed, effective 5:00 p.m. MDT on Friday March 13. The closures will remain in effect until further notice.
- Conference Center
- Assembly Hall
- Tabernacle
- North Visitors’ Center
- Family History Library
- Church History Museum
- Relief Society Building
- Church Office Building
- Beehive House
- Church History Library
- Joseph Smith Memorial Building (including restaurants)
- Lion House
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.
Temple Worship (Updated March 25)
In a letter issued March 25, 2020, the First Presidency announced it will temporarily close all temples. 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.
The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square (Updated April 27)
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Heritage Tour by The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square, originally scheduled for June 25-July 16, 2020, has been postponed until 2021. The 2021 performances will be in all the same cities planned for the original tour. Further information about revised dates and ticket information will be published in the next few weeks. Until that time, patrons are asked not to contact the concert venues until further details are available. See the announcement here.
Also, consistent with the direction provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to temporarily postpone large public gatherings in areas challenged by the COVID-19 virus, the Choir organization has cancelled several concerts and made changes to its public broadcasts and rehearsals. See this page for details.
Welfare and Self-Reliance Operations (Updated March 17)
Deseret Industries
Deseret Industries stores are adjusting their services to support community health. Beginning Wednesday, March 18, stores will be closed to the general public for shopping and donations but will remain open to support the needs of individuals served by bishops’ orders and community partner grants. Stores will be open Tuesday, March 17, until 6:00 p.m. MDT.
Employees of Deseret Industries who are in low-risk demographics may be transferred to support the work of bishops’ storehouses and food processing operations to backfill any staff or volunteers from those facilities who are in a higher risk category and, out of an abundance of caution, remain at home. These closures and transfers are temporary. Updated information will be provided as this situation evolves.
Youth Camps, Conferences, and Treks (Updated April 30)
Church recreational properties in the United States and Canada used for youth camps and conferences are closed until further notice. In addition, all treks are canceled for 2020. Read more in this official notice.
April 13: 2020 FSY Conferences in the U.S. and Canada Postponed Until 2021
Due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, For the Strength of Youth (FSY) conferences scheduled to be held in the U.S. and Canada in 2020 have been postponed until 2021. Stakes invited to attend FSY conferences in 2020 will now attend in 2021. An updated schedule of FSY conferences to be held in the U.S. and Canada in 2021–23 can be found here.
All participant payments for FSY registration fees will be automatically refunded on or before April 30, 2020. The refund will be processed on the card used for payment of the fees when registering. If the card used at registration is no longer valid, the participant will receive a refund check mailed to the address associated with their registration. Some credit card processors may take up to 14 days after the refund is processed to post the refund to the card account.
Outside of the U.S. and Canada, Area Presidencies will provide guidance on whether FSY conferences will be held. These decisions will be made in accordance with COVID-19 guidelines established by governments in their communities and countries. Additional information about FSY conferences is available at FSY.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
All leaders should continue to abide by the direction given March 12, 2020, by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles—namely, that all public gatherings of Church members, including branch, ward, and stake activities, are temporarily suspended worldwide.