Hi Family!
Question: Are you being evacuated anytime soon?
Elder Doxey: Yes. I just found out this week that all non-Panamanian missionaries from all parts of Panama are going home to be re-assigned in their home countries, as soon as transportation can be arranged. Conditions are changing quickly. Just last week we had two week emergency supply kits distributed to all missionaries--now we are here preparing for this change.
NOTE: Sister Garrett does so many things for the mission, including managing the "Parents of Panama Missionaries Facebook Page". She reported that with all the regulations with who can go where and when, it is getting harder to gather the missionaries during this COVID-19 pandemic. She said it is especially hard to gather the ones near the Costa Rican border (who are so far away, like in David, Boquete and surrounding areas). This is because the government has imposed stiff fines if people are caught outside, or on major roads.
Question: Tell us how you found out you would be evacuated…how did you hear about it, and go about it?
Elder Doxey: Well, I and Elder Richins were in charge of getting the word out and making it happen in the San Blas Zone. So, I know a lot about the process. President Garrett did not have all the details about when we would fly out when he asked me to gather up the zone. What he did know is that all in the San Blas Zone needed to gather to the Panama City area, as fast as possible.
About a week ago, I started getting calls and messages every night from the office or President with thoughts on HOW we could get out, because we are all on island quarantine by order of the Casiques/Saila Chiefs. For anyone to get off of one of the islands, you have to have a special permit that says you have permission to go to another location. So, it was tricky.
With President Garrett, we floated the idea of having a helicopter come pick up each of the companionships on the islands, but decided we would only do that as a last resort plan. What we settled on is that I and Elder Richins would try to get permission to go to the other islands, notify the Elders and Sisters there that we were all gathering near Panama City and it was time to leave their areas immediately.
We were told we needed to have all of our stuff ready to go if a flight became available. This would put us in a better situation to be close to any humanitarian flight evacuations by the military, or otherwise.
Commercial flights have already stopped completely. In-country travel restrictions were rumored to be put in place very soon, so we had to act fast. So, that is the setting for what happened first, in this process of essentially shutting down the San Blas Zone for a time, because all missionaries were being evacuated.
Question: How exactly did you break the news to the San Blas Zone that it was temporarily being shut down, and why?
Elder Doxey: We called each companionship and told them what we were doing and what the plan was. Most of their responses were, “What? We’re “leaving leaving”? Like, all missionaries in San Blas?”
I said yes, and that I have Casique permission, Office permission, a boat leaving my island (Ustupu) at 5am, and will be there today to pick them up so we could all be in the Panama City by 3pm. Some took the news really hard, others took it hard but were dealing with it the best the could.
Question: I bet most of the missionaries were super concerned with how prepared their branches were to be self-sufficient. Is that the case?
Elder Doxey: Yes, but the missionaries in our zone were already concerned about them being self-sufficient with no church meetings happening, and being quarantined. I hope the good church members like Rafael in Irgandi can keep things going until missionaries in the future can re-open the zone.
Question: How hard was it to get a boat? How did the process work out with you and Elder Richins notifying the Elders and Sisters on all the other islands?
Elder Doxey: After some effort in talking to the Casiques, the Police, the Mission Secretaries, and Boat Captains, we were able to get permission to leave the island because we were gathering like I described.
We got a boat and started out going island to island, telling the missionaries that the work is done there for awhile, and they needed to come with us in the boat. We were in that boat for the first 7 hours of the day, in pretty rough seas.
A number of Elders were throwing up over the side of the boat. By the time we got to the ground transport location to drive 3-4 more hours through the Panamanian jungle and into Panama City, we were already so tired from the boat ride! From the car, as we were winding through the jungle, several other missionaries were throwing up out the window. Serious cases of motion sickness.
Question: So, when you arrived in Panama City late that night, where did they send you next?
Elder Doxey: President Garrett had pizza and good food for us when we arrived, so that was really nice. It was such an odd situation to be in--the church's whole global missionary force responding to a global pandemic. We didn't have complete information on when we would be flying out because the commercial airport in Tocumen was closed. So, we were all assigned to areas around Panama City for the time being.
At the moment I am here as Zone Leader in Arraijan, where I started my mission--just north of the Bridge of the Americas that goes over the canal. They have rolling water availability like normal (there is no water available between 10am and 9pm). I’m guessing that after 9 pm people are filling up their ceiling mounted cisterns that store water for later use during the day.
Here we are quarantined in a nice house, in a neighborhood called Bella Vista. Church members bring us meals and drop them off. Bless them!
Question: Any idea how many missionaries are being sent home to their home countries?
Elder Doxey: I know that of the 180 missionaries, 72 are U.S. Citizens and all are going back to the USA to be quarantined and then reassigned.
Question: What else is a bit out of the ordinary?
Elder Doxey: One thing that was a little shocking to see at the mission office is how things had changed in the office, just since the last time I was there (Zone Leaders are in the office a lot for many reasons). There on the big wall of missionary pictures and areas, all of the San Blas Zone missionary pictures were taken off the wall and the zone was empty. My picture was there in a pile of pictures labeled “Going Home.” Sister Garrett came up and talked to me about it. This is all so surreal it is hard to describe.
Question: What is the mood or morale like among missionaries in this time of transition?
Elder Doxey: Some are freaking out. Some are concerned that we’re not going out on a commercial flight and that it will be a humanitarian (probably military?) flight. Maybe we will be strapped to the side of the plane. That would be cool. I’m super tranquilo about it all--just a normal unexpected transition. I am still a missionary so we’ll see how things go, and where I am reassigned.
NOTE: A day or two later, Elder Doxey called with this information:
Elder Doxey: I now have flight plans! I am scheduled to get on a military transport plane this Monday March 30th, fly to Cuba, then to Minneapolis where I will stay the night. The next day Tuesday April 1st I’ll fly from there to Salt Lake City. I’ll be quarantined at home for 14 days and then reassigned.
Love you all! See you soon!
Elder Doxey
Question: Are you being evacuated anytime soon?
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| Emergency Kit Stockpile at the Mission Office for 180 Missionaries |
NOTE: Sister Garrett does so many things for the mission, including managing the "Parents of Panama Missionaries Facebook Page". She reported that with all the regulations with who can go where and when, it is getting harder to gather the missionaries during this COVID-19 pandemic. She said it is especially hard to gather the ones near the Costa Rican border (who are so far away, like in David, Boquete and surrounding areas). This is because the government has imposed stiff fines if people are caught outside, or on major roads.
Question: Tell us how you found out you would be evacuated…how did you hear about it, and go about it?
Elder Doxey: Well, I and Elder Richins were in charge of getting the word out and making it happen in the San Blas Zone. So, I know a lot about the process. President Garrett did not have all the details about when we would fly out when he asked me to gather up the zone. What he did know is that all in the San Blas Zone needed to gather to the Panama City area, as fast as possible.
 |
| Elder Brown, the Panama Mission Secretary |
About a week ago, I started getting calls and messages every night from the office or President with thoughts on HOW we could get out, because we are all on island quarantine by order of the Casiques/Saila Chiefs. For anyone to get off of one of the islands, you have to have a special permit that says you have permission to go to another location. So, it was tricky.
With President Garrett, we floated the idea of having a helicopter come pick up each of the companionships on the islands, but decided we would only do that as a last resort plan. What we settled on is that I and Elder Richins would try to get permission to go to the other islands, notify the Elders and Sisters there that we were all gathering near Panama City and it was time to leave their areas immediately.
 |
| Preparing to Redistribute Passports to Missionaries Going to Home Country |
We were told we needed to have all of our stuff ready to go if a flight became available. This would put us in a better situation to be close to any humanitarian flight evacuations by the military, or otherwise.
Commercial flights have already stopped completely. In-country travel restrictions were rumored to be put in place very soon, so we had to act fast. So, that is the setting for what happened first, in this process of essentially shutting down the San Blas Zone for a time, because all missionaries were being evacuated.
 |
| Beautiful Panama |
Question: How exactly did you break the news to the San Blas Zone that it was temporarily being shut down, and why?
Elder Doxey: We called each companionship and told them what we were doing and what the plan was. Most of their responses were, “What? We’re “leaving leaving”? Like, all missionaries in San Blas?”
I said yes, and that I have Casique permission, Office permission, a boat leaving my island (Ustupu) at 5am, and will be there today to pick them up so we could all be in the Panama City by 3pm. Some took the news really hard, others took it hard but were dealing with it the best the could.
 |
| Gathering at the Mission Office |
Question: I bet most of the missionaries were super concerned with how prepared their branches were to be self-sufficient. Is that the case?
Elder Doxey: Yes, but the missionaries in our zone were already concerned about them being self-sufficient with no church meetings happening, and being quarantined. I hope the good church members like Rafael in Irgandi can keep things going until missionaries in the future can re-open the zone.
 |
| Panama Canal |
Question: How hard was it to get a boat? How did the process work out with you and Elder Richins notifying the Elders and Sisters on all the other islands?
Elder Doxey: After some effort in talking to the Casiques, the Police, the Mission Secretaries, and Boat Captains, we were able to get permission to leave the island because we were gathering like I described.
We got a boat and started out going island to island, telling the missionaries that the work is done there for awhile, and they needed to come with us in the boat. We were in that boat for the first 7 hours of the day, in pretty rough seas.
A number of Elders were throwing up over the side of the boat. By the time we got to the ground transport location to drive 3-4 more hours through the Panamanian jungle and into Panama City, we were already so tired from the boat ride! From the car, as we were winding through the jungle, several other missionaries were throwing up out the window. Serious cases of motion sickness.
 |
| Panama |
Question: So, when you arrived in Panama City late that night, where did they send you next?
Elder Doxey: President Garrett had pizza and good food for us when we arrived, so that was really nice. It was such an odd situation to be in--the church's whole global missionary force responding to a global pandemic. We didn't have complete information on when we would be flying out because the commercial airport in Tocumen was closed. So, we were all assigned to areas around Panama City for the time being.
 |
| A Week Ago, This Group Left for Home |
At the moment I am here as Zone Leader in Arraijan, where I started my mission--just north of the Bridge of the Americas that goes over the canal. They have rolling water availability like normal (there is no water available between 10am and 9pm). I’m guessing that after 9 pm people are filling up their ceiling mounted cisterns that store water for later use during the day.
Here we are quarantined in a nice house, in a neighborhood called Bella Vista. Church members bring us meals and drop them off. Bless them!
 |
| Tranquilo Panama |
Question: Any idea how many missionaries are being sent home to their home countries?
Elder Doxey: I know that of the 180 missionaries, 72 are U.S. Citizens and all are going back to the USA to be quarantined and then reassigned.
Question: What else is a bit out of the ordinary?
Elder Doxey: One thing that was a little shocking to see at the mission office is how things had changed in the office, just since the last time I was there (Zone Leaders are in the office a lot for many reasons). There on the big wall of missionary pictures and areas, all of the San Blas Zone missionary pictures were taken off the wall and the zone was empty. My picture was there in a pile of pictures labeled “Going Home.” Sister Garrett came up and talked to me about it. This is all so surreal it is hard to describe.
 |
| Panama City |
Elder Doxey: Some are freaking out. Some are concerned that we’re not going out on a commercial flight and that it will be a humanitarian (probably military?) flight. Maybe we will be strapped to the side of the plane. That would be cool. I’m super tranquilo about it all--just a normal unexpected transition. I am still a missionary so we’ll see how things go, and where I am reassigned.
NOTE: A day or two later, Elder Doxey called with this information:
Elder Doxey: I now have flight plans! I am scheduled to get on a military transport plane this Monday March 30th, fly to Cuba, then to Minneapolis where I will stay the night. The next day Tuesday April 1st I’ll fly from there to Salt Lake City. I’ll be quarantined at home for 14 days and then reassigned.
Love you all! See you soon!
Elder Doxey
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