Quaratined Hong Kong Missionaries

The Coronavirus affected us at the Phillipines MTC.  I am putting the article in this post to document the event.  

Updated February 5, 2020

The Church issued the following updated statement regarding missionaries being transferred from Hong Kong and Macau:

The Church continues to monitor developments with the coronavirus. Overnight, we have learned that some of the missionaries leaving the China Hong Kong Mission will not undergo quarantine at a government facility as previously believed. Therefore, these 17 missionaries (who are citizens of the Philippines) will be isolated and separated from contact with other missionaries for 14 days at the missionary training center in Manila before departing for their new assignments or returning home.

The Church feels an important responsibility to do all we can to help these missionaries stay healthy and avoid even the remote possibility of spreading the virus. Staff at the missionary training center will work carefully to meet all the needs of these missionaries while they are there and to keep themselves and other missionaries safe by following proper health protocols.

As we have noted previously, for several days prior to leaving Hong Kong, all missionaries have rigorously followed preventative health practices to avoid illness including remaining in their apartments as much as possible, not engaging in teaching, wearing masks, and frequently washing their hands. Therefore, the likelihood of any of these missionaries having contracted the coronavirus is very low. Additionally, each missionary was required to show no symptoms before leaving Hong Kong.

First Day of Quarantine Confinement:

Feburary 6, 2020

We weren't given much notice the Filipino missionaries were coming to our MTC – about 72 hours to get ready.  We swiftly moved into action and definitely felt the hand of the Lord assisting us.  These are the tender mercies that occurred.  

1.  We were in between departures and intake.  That meant we had only 17 missionaries on campus when the missionaries arrived.  

2.  For the first time in about a year our number of arriving missionaries would be just over 100.  We have been well over that – more than double - for months.  Because of this, the regular missionaries entering the MTC would fit in two available buildings.  Our little band of refugees would be given a home in isolation in Building 1.  No one else would be able to enter without proper masks, gowns, etc.  

3.  The overall administrative load and special event calendar of the MTC was lighter than usual.

4.  The schedule of Tuesday Evening Devotional speakers fortuitously included two members of our Area Presidency - Elder and Sister Wakolo and Elder and Sister Bangerter.  A very rare “coincidence”.  Both couples delivered special, memorable messages.  They also gave special attention to the Hong Kong missionaries who watched remotely via internet.  The quarantined missionaries sang and waved for our General Authority guest from the second story windows of Building 1 as we walked by on the way to the devotional.

Here is a copy of the email President Clark sent to the MTC leaders about our loved little band of refugees.  

February 6, 2020
Dear All –

 The seventeen Hong Kong missionaries assigned to quarantine at the Philippines MTC have arrived and been welcomed and loved.  They are tired, hungry and very happy to be at the MTC.  The preparation work done over the last 24 hours by IMTC staff, Philippines Area Office personnel and Philippines MTC staff and missionaries has been exceptional.  The missionaries have shown remarkable resilience from this disruption of their missions. 

 Our MTC Nurse, Sister Hill, did brief individual examinations and gave instruction needed to comply with the quarantine.  After a short orientation the missionaries went to their rooms to sleep.

 When recovered from the travel they will be provided a schedule for Week 1 of quarantine at the MTC.  Brother Lopez and his staff have wonderful plans to help the missionaries remain busy and feel productive.  Tomorrow will likely be a day of transition as they adjust to new surroundings and different expectations.

 Thanks to everyone that helped with setting up and organization of our temporary “quarantine center”.  The charity shown these missionaries is some of the finest ministering we are likely to witness.

President Clark

This is a sample of their day:

Welcome

Elders & Sisters

Food will be delivered during mealtime on first floor near the pondering area.

            Breakfast       7:45 a.m.

            A.M. Snack    10 a.m.

            Lunch            12 p.m.

            P.M. Snack    3 p.m.

            Dinner           5:45 p.m.

Please only go 1^st floor for meals at the appointed time.  Go directly upstairs with food and eat in your room. 

For email and other online training materials, iPads are provided.  You may also use them to study and proselyte.  More instruction will follow. 

Clean linens are in the room inside the laundry room.  Please change your linen every Thursday.  Put dirty linen in brown garbage bags from Custodial Closet.  Place the garbage bag in the room with fresh linen.    

Cleaning supplies and garbage bags are available in custodial closet on each floor.  Make sure you clean every Thursday.  Wipe off cleaning supplies after using them. 

Sister Hill will be taking your temperature and checking your overall health 2 x’s a day around 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.

You will receive a daily schedule of activities for you to follow including

Physical Activities in outside parking lot only.

            9 – 10 a.m. (beginning Saturday) – exercise time

            6:30 – 7 p.m.  Evening Fresh Air Time

Wear your N95 mask whenever you leave your residence room. 

Please remember you are in quarantine for the protection of yourself and other missionaries. 

Final Day of Quarantine Confinement:

Feburary 20, 2020

Here is the email that Scott sent to Provo, Salt Lake and all involved with the Hong Kong missionaries:

Subject: Hong Kong Missionaries Quarantined at the Philippines MTC

 Dear All –

 Today our 17 Hong Kong missionaries designated for assignment in the Philippines completed their 14-day quarantine period at the Philippines MTC.  They were “released” at noon and celebrated by attending a session at the Manila Temple.  Starting early tomorrow morning they will depart the for assignments in Tacloban, Cagayan de Oro, Angeles, Cavite and San Pablo Missions.  One sister will return home as her 18-month mission is complete.

Our little band of refugees have been tremendous.  Through their collective attitude, obedience and cooperative spirit they have brought honor to the China Hong Kong Mission, President and Sister Phillips and their Philippines homeland.  All have been remarkably healthy during their quarantine on the second and third floors of our Building 1.  They have been incredibly gracious in accepting their confinement and diligent in fulfilling study assignments intended to fill weeks of unplanned time.  (A clear and present danger for any missionary.)  They have maintained missionary dignity and endeared themselves to all who have had opportunity to serve them.

Each of the five receiving missions will greet healthy, seasoned missionaries, ready to return to work and resume missionary life.  Most are leader-ready and will contribute wherever they are assigned.  We’ve enjoyed, from a distance, having them on our campus.  We hope never to be asked again to house missionaries under such restrictive conditions but if it is needed, we would pray for them to be of the same caliber as these fine missionaries.

Attached is the class picture for our exiting two-week batch.  We love them.  Our MTC is better off for them having been here.

President and Sister Clark

Philippines MTC