The Church tries to provide opportunities for members to participate in sacrament services and have access to priesthood leaders wherever they are serving throughout the world. Branches or groups have been organized at most locations where Church members are stationed. Diplomats, civilian workers, and humanitarian volunteers are generally able to attend Church services at military installations depending on security concerns and civilian accessibility to the military bases.
Priesthood leaders should contact Military Relations if members are preparing to deploy.
We currently have units of the church or Groups in places such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Persian Gulf Countries, Djibouti, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, Morocco, Sudan, Diego Garcia, and Turkmenistan, as well as aboard most Navy ships.
To obtain current information on locations for Church worship services and contact information for priesthood leaders at a specific location, contact Military Relations at 801-240-2286 or at PST-Military@ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
General Information
Many Church members and priesthood leaders have asked questions regarding the following topics: sharing the gospel, calling service member group leaders, processing membership records, paying tithes and offerings while deployed, and renewing temple recommends. Responses to these questions are provided below.
Sharing the Gospel
There are specific restrictions regarding sharing the gospel in countries listed above and many other isolated countries. Service members, civilian workers, and other must be very sensitive to the laws of the land and military orders governing this issue. Please contact local priesthood leaders at the deployed location for specific guidance. Military Relations at Church headquarters can provide contact information for the priesthood leaders at these locations.
Processing Membership Records
Membership records for all military members should be retained in the home ward or branch where they resided prior to deploying. Membership records for diplomats or civilian workers should be retained in the home ward or branch for those serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. Follow standard procedures for transferring membership records to new wards or branches for civilian Church members living in Arabian Peninsula countries. See the Church unit directory for the wards and branches in the Manama Bahrain Stake.
Paying Tithes and offerings
There are three ways for deployed military members to pay tithes and offerings.
- Continue to pay tithing to the home ward bishop or the home branch president where membership records are retained.
- Send tithing directly to Church headquarters at the following address:
Corporation of the President
Finance & Records Department
Room 1521
50 East North Temple Street
Salt Lake City, UT 84150
- Make electronic donations directly to Church headquarters through a bank account (similar to bill payment service). Please contact Military Relations at 801-240-2286 or at PST-Military@ChurchofJesusChrist.org for specific guidance.
Renewing Temple Recommends
We encourage all military members and civilians whose temple recommend will expire while deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, or other isolated locations to have the recommend renewed before departing to these areas. If endowed members are unable to renew their recommends before deploying, priesthood leaders in both Iraq and Afghanistan can issue new ones on a limited basis. Renewing recommends in other isolated locations is much more difficult. Please contact Military Relations at 801-240-2286 or at PST-Military@ChurchofJesusChrist.org for specific guidance.
