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As training for missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continues to evolve around the world, the Church will close the Colombia Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Bogota, effective January 2023.
Missionaries who would have attended the Colombia MTC will attend one of the nine missionary training centers that will continue to operate around the world. As technology has allowed training to begin at home, Church leaders continue to seek the best use of resources according to the needs of each region of the world.

IHAQ wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 21, 2022 10:44 am

As training for missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continues to evolve around the world, the Church will close the Colombia Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Bogota, effective January 2023.
Missionaries who would have attended the Colombia MTC will attend one of the nine missionary training centers that will continue to operate around the world. As technology has allowed training to begin at home, Church leaders continue to seek the best use of resources according to the needs of each region of the world.

https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.or ... nuary-2023

That's now 6 closures since the start of 2019, all but one were on the South/Central American locations.
Chile Santiago, Chile (1981–2019)
Spain Madrid, Spain (1999–2019)
Dominican Republic Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (2000–2019)
Argentina Buenos Aires, Argentina (2000[citation needed]–2019)
Guatemala Guatemala City, Guatemala (1986–2020)

At one point there were 17 MTC's. Now, just 9.

Kishkumen wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 21, 2022 2:58 pm

IHAQ wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 21, 2022 10:44 am

https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.or ... nuary-2023

That's now 6 closures since the start of 2019, all but one were on the South/Central American locations.
Chile Santiago, Chile (1981–2019)
Spain Madrid, Spain (1999–2019)
Dominican Republic Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (2000–2019)
Argentina Buenos Aires, Argentina (2000[citation needed]–2019)
Guatemala Guatemala City, Guatemala (1986–2020)

At one point there were 17 MTC's. Now, just 9.

I think this is a big mistake, unless, of course, the real reason is that they just don't have enough missionaries to justify having these remain open.

I going to have to go with that. All of this stuff about using online training is probably a smokescreen.

While it is true that one technically could train people to be half-assed volunteer sales staff for the church through online resources, missionaries are much better served by being acculturated in person.

Kishkumen wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 21, 2022 2:58 pm

... missionaries are much better served by being acculturated in person.

Moksha wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 21, 2022 5:40 pm

Especially if one of the main benefits of the mission is the retention of the missionary themself.

Binger wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 21, 2022 3:48 pm

The online replacement is obnoxious and ridiculous.

17 MTC's is also ridiculous. If I recall correctly, they were sending kids from Guatemala, to an MTC in Guatemala before their missions in Guatemala. That is absolute nonsense. Let the kids have an adventure. The local MTC's were only meant to save money, the end. I say close them all and let the whole world go to Provo or Perth. Or, even better, close Provo and send them to Hong Kong, Kinshasa or Brazil.