The following is a press release from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Dominican Republic Missionary Training Center is closing next month, joining two other of the Church’s MTCs previously announced as closing effective January 2019.

“This decision comes as Church leaders continue to seek the best use of resources worldwide according to the needs and demands of each area,” said Church spokesman Daniel Woodruff of the training center located in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. “Plans for the future use of this space are still being determined.”

Missionaries who would have attended the Dominican Republic MTC will now be trained at one of the dozen missionary training locations, including Colombia, England, Mexico and Provo, Utah.

Last year, the Church announced similar closures scheduled for January 2019 for the MTCs in Santiago, Chile, and Madrid, Spain.

The Dominican Republic MTC has helped train missionaries assigned to serve in the Caribbean Area, including Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Haiti, West Indies and Jamaica. Its programs included three-week sessions for native English, Spanish or French/Creole speakers as well as a six-week Spanish program for English-speaking missionaries.

Located on the fourth floor of temple patron housing adjacent to the Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Temple, the Dominican Republic MTC was dedicated on Dec. 17, 2000.