Missionaries across the world are now able to communicate more easily with their families and friends due to a change in policy by The Church Missionary Department.

According to a statement made by Scott Trotter, spokesman for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Missionaries write to their families each week and can also communicate by email with friends, priesthood leaders and new converts. While in the mission field, missionaries should get permission from the mission president before communicating with converts and others of the opposite gender within the mission.”

Previous rules in the Missionary Handbook stated that missionaries were only able to “communicate with (their) family and mission president by email, according to approved guidelines.”

It is stated in the Missionary Handbook that missionaries are to “use email only on preparation day. You may use computers in public places, such as libraries or appropriate businesses that offer Internet access. While using computers, always stay next to your companion so that you can see each other’s monitors. Do not use members’ computers. If you misuse email or computers, you may lose the privilege of using email.”

All previous rules with regard to email are still in place for LDS missionaries with the exception of missionaries now being able to communicate with friends and new converts through email as well as family members and priesthood leaders.

Many missionaries across the world are responding to this news by emailing their family and friends in order to tell them about the new rule.

An Elder Tanner Woodfield, serving in Australia, sent an email home that echoes the excitement of other missionaries about the change. “Also, there is a new church emailing policy for missionaries we received this past week. We are now able to email friends, missionaries or family outside of mission boundaries. If people from church or extended family would like to email me, I would be happy to respond.”

The new change is making communication easier for missionaries and those close to them throughout the 347 LDS missions in various nations.