March 13, 2001--
Large crowds to say "farewell" or "welcome home" to missionaries are becoming a problem at Salt Lake International Airport.
Concern is coming from leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who are asking members to limit the number of extended family and friends at already crowded terminal buildings.
Religion Specialist Carole Mikita has the story.
On Sunday, March 4th, many church bishops read a letter from leaders discouraging members from traveling to the airport for missionary departures. Their concern is large crowds at the gate areas and parking garage.
The scene is familiar-- lots of family members and friends taking up lots of space to see a missionary from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
This is a homecoming for Elder David Staley of Evanston, Wyoming. No one here had heard about the new suggestion from church leaders.
Clarissa Staley, Missionary Mother: "I THINK IT WOULD BE KIND OF SAD, BECAUSE THEN GRANDPARENTS WOULD MISS OUT, NIECES AND NEPHEWS MISS OUT. I THINK THE COUSINS WERE JUST AS EXCITED FOR DAVID RYAN TO COME HOME AS I WAS."
The crowding starts at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, where families bring their children for courses of study before they leave for their missions. Church leaders are now asking that only immediate family members accompany missionaries here.
Hundreds of missionaries travel from the MTC to Salt Lake International Airport weekly. Church leaders are concerned about the crowds lining the concourses and blocking other travelers.
Church spokesman Michael Purdy says the letter to members is a request. It reads in part that church leaders discourage "members from traveling to Salt Lake International Airport for missionary departures..." but "if families feel the need to see their missionaries... it is requested that they limit the group and be considerate of other patrons."
David Staley, Missionary Father: "I CAN SEE JUST IMMEDIATE FAMILY. YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T SEE OUR SON FOR TWO YEARS AND WE'D LIKE PERSONAL TIME WITH HIM. SO I CAN SEE THE BENEFIT OF JUST HAVING THE IMMEDIATE FAMILY."
As for airport managers, they like the idea.
Timothy Campbell, Exec. Dir. SLC Dept. of Airports: "I EXPRESS APPRECIATION FOR ANY EFFORTS THAT ARE UNDERTAKEN TO IMPROVE CUSTOMER SERVICE IN OUR FACILITIES."
