Sharing your Call with your Missionary

This missionary girlfriend also got called to serve on a mission and decided to tell her already serving missionary in a creative way ... a guessing game! I thought it was so fun having all the clues to help him guess. She sent it in an envelope with a copy of her mission call and photos from the day.

Thoughts of a Missionary Girlfriend: Guessing Game

I loved this idea not just for Missionary Girlfriends but for friends, or siblings, or anyone wanting to write and tell their missionary that they too are READY TO SERVE!

You could include all sorts of clues, here are a few she used and some I thought of too:

It is always hot!

It practically never rains!

It is by the ocean!

They eat lots of spicy food!

It is a new mission!

There isn't a temple in my area!

The flag is ... (picture)!

I am speaking Spanish!

I will be serving 7,000 miles away from home/from you!

My mission president is named ..., he is from ...

I will be eating lots of rice/beans/noodles!

I will be teaching lots of tourists/natives!

My mission covers 3 states!

I am going to the Mexico MTC!

You can put each clue in a balloon so he has to pop them and you can make a package out of your guessing game, as seen here Keep Calm and Wait On: Guessing Game

Your missionary will love hearing a little about your mission, and things you've discovered about it as you give him the clues. It is such a great way to spread that mission excitement, as you yourself gets ready to serve!

VDAY

It is the month of cupids, and hearts, and kisses, and love.
Send your missionary some love from home too.

Valentine's Heart Attack
See Here

Wouldn't these hearts be cute with scriptures on them about love and care.

 Or even quotes. Or messages from your missionaries loved ones. 

Toddler Heart Notes

See Here

I know these say Thank You Notes but they are too perfect for Valentines. 

Just think Red Card stock instead of white with a little white insert with their drawing. 

Mailed Kisses

See Here

Valentine Kisses

See Here

This is not just for kids either, I can totally see pictures of the family making 

goofy kissy faces. Your missionary is sure to love and laugh over it. 

Heart Wreath

See Here

I could see a mini version of this tucked in a package for Valentine's Day. 

Eye Heart You Cards

See Here

God's Conversation Hearts
See Here

Christmas Stories

I love spreading the Christmas spirit this time of year. And for our missionaries who are far from home, family and friends during this season it can be hard. So I believe bombarding them with love and Christmas is a great way to remind them how much you are thinking of them.

One way to do this is through Christmas Stories; in an email, or written letter, or dearelder message, or tucked within a package. These can be your favorite ones, the most traditional, or brand new finds. It is a great little gift for your missionary to share with his companion or investigators. Tell him to print out if it is an email so that he has time to read and share it.

I sent my brother a Christmas Story in his Christmas Email. But next year I hope to send him one in each December Email.

(This is the one I shared with our missionary, I had heard it in Relief Society and looked it up when I got home)
"Christmas Day in the Morning" tells about how Rob, the main character, learns the true meaning of love and finds a way to demonstrate his true love for his father.
Rob wants to get his father something special for Christmas this year -- something that shows how much he really loves him. But it's Christmas Eve, and he doesn't have much money to spend. What could he possibly get? Suddenly, Rob thinks of the best gift of all...
You can find the full story Christmas Day in the Morning.

Share some Christmas spirit with your missionary. By sending him a Christmas Story off this list below, some of them may be too long to send but an excerpt or quote may be a fun addition to an email or letter as well. 

Christmas Stories

20 Famous Christmas stories
The Gift of the Magi, The Little Match Girl, Legend Of The Christmas Rose, and MORE

Short Christmas Stories 
 For the Man Who Hated Christmas
 The Gold Wrapping Paper
 On Santa's Team
 The Christmas Truce

Christmas Stories
THE GOLD WRAPPING PAPER
A TOUCHING CHRISTMAS STORY
A WARM WOOL BLANKET
THE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS

A Christmas short story: Santa's Christmas morning

Kid's Christmas Stories, Popular Old-Fashion Christmas Short Stories for Children
Bipper and Wick - by Artie Knapp
The Birds' Christmas - Founded on Fact by F.E. Mann
Christmas at Fezziwig's Warehouse by Charles Dickens
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
The Christmas Carol of the Birds
Christmas Day
A Christmas Fairy by John Strange Winter
Christmas in Seventeen Seventy-Six (1776) by Anne Hollingsworth Wharton
Christmas in the Alley by Olive Thorne Miller
Christmas in the Barn by F. Arnstein
The Christmas Masquerade by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman
A Christmas Matinee by M.A.L. Lane
Christmas Under the Snow by Olive Thorne Miller
The Cratchits' Christmas Dinner by Charles Dickens
The Dolls' Christmas Party
The Fairy Christmas
The First New England Christmas by G.L. Stone and M.G. Fickett
The Fir-Tree by Hans Christian Andersen
Grandma's Christmas Gifts
The Greatest of These by Joseph Mills Hanson
How Christmas Came to the Santa Maria Flats by Elia W. Peattie
Jimmy Scarecrow's Christmas by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman
Little Girl's Christmas by Winnifred E. Lincoln
Mama's Happy Christmas
Mr. Bluff's Experience of Holidays by Oliver Bell Bunce
Old Father Christmas by J.H. Ewing
The Philanthropist's Christmas by James Weber Linn
The Queerest Christmas by Grace Margaret Gallaher
A Ragged Christmas Feast
Santa Claus Does Not Forget
Santa Claus's Letter
Susy's Christmas Present
The Telltale Tile by Olive Thorne Miller
Toinette and the Elves by Susan Coolidge
A Turkey For One
What Happened Christmas Eve
Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus


What are your favorite Christmas Stories? 
We would love to expand our list and share with each other. 

Holiday Cards

Some of us family and friends don't have the money or the energy to gather together a whole package for the holidays. This year I am planning on sending my missionary my Christmas Card, with scriptures inside, I'll post that as soon as I get it out in the mail.

For now I wanted to share a free Christmas card printable, and some card ideas for you to share with your missionary:

Christmas Cards
Via Lost Bumblebee

Christmas Cards
Via Bloglovin
(This site has a bunch from different sites)

Holiday Cards
Via Ziploc

Christmas Cards
Via Rosy Glasses

Favorite Inspirations

What are some of your favorite quotes or scriptures to send your missionary?
In emails, letters, or packages!

Here are some of my favorites:

1 Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.
2 Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.
3 Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;
4 For behold the afield is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;
5 And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.
6 Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.
7 Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen.
Doctrine and Covenants, Section 4

"Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail."
Doctrine & Covenants 6:34

“The best antidote I know for worry is work. The best cure for weariness is the challenge of helping someone who is even more tired. One of the great ironies of life is this: He or she who serves almost always benefits more than he or she who is served.”
President Gordon B. Hinckley 

You can be excellent in every way. You can be first class. There is no need for you to be a scrub. Respect yourself. Do not feel sorry for yourself. Do not dwell on unkind things others may say about you. Polish and refine whatever talents the Lord has given you. Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, but with great and strong purpose in your heart. Love life and look for its opportunities.
Pres Gordon B. Hinckley

“We should bring our wills into subjection to the will of the Father, and feel to say, what is the will of our Father, whom we are here in the world to serve? Then every act that we perform will be a success.”
The Apostle Paul said that. He said: “You are called. It is not the wise that are called, but God has called the foolish to confound those which are wise.” [See 1 Corinthians 1:25–27.]
Lorenzo Snow

And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Romans 10:15 

6 Month

Have any ideas for how to help your missionary celebrate their 6 month mark?

 

Well my brother just celebrated his 6 MONTH MARK not too long ago and I wanted to send him something special. So I put together 6 envelopes with a spiritual thought in each.

For each number I found a spiritual thought:
# 1
"The apostle Paul said there is 'one Lord, one faith, one baptism.' (Eph. 4:5)"
From the General Conference talk by LeGrand Richards entitled One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism
# 2
"Our Heavenly Father has given His children two lines of communication with Him—what we may call the personal line and the priesthood line. All should understand and be guided by both..."
Dallin H. Oaks
From the General Conference talk by Dallin H. Oaks entitled Two Lines of Communication
# 3

"We have a sacred responsibility to fulfill the threefold mission of the Church—first, to teach the gospel to the world; second, to strengthen the membership of the Church wherever they may be; third, to move forward the work of salvation for the dead."

Ezra Taft Benson

From the Ensign article by Ezra Taft Benson entitled A Sacred Responsibility

# 4
"so, there are my “Four Bs for Boys”: Be Smart, Be Fair, Be Clean, Be True. God has given you his holy priesthood. May you walk as young men so endowed"
Gordon B. Hinckley
From this General Conference talk by Gordon B. Hinckley entitled Four B's for Boys
# 5
19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.

20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliverdst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Matthew 25: 19-21
# 6
Six tips for successful scripture study
1. Pray and seek the spirit
2. Look at maps
3. Look for lists
4. Look for patterns and repitition
5. Look for commandments and promised blessings
6. Look for personal application
From this youth article on lds.org entitled Six Tips for Successful Scripture Study.

 

 

Along with the spiritual thoughts I wrote up, I enclosed a picture of the kids, and a sweet treat in each of the envelopes. I also put a message in envelope #1 explaining.

 

 

If you do enclose a treat you will need to go to the post office to get special stamps, and make sure your treat is thin. I put Giradelli Chocolates, which he loved, but they were too thick and ended up having to be sent all together in a large postal envelope instead of seperately. I suggest something like and airhead, piece of gum, or chocolate coin. Just don't seal them till you get to the post office so that you can swap them out if something is too think. I think they said the envelope had to be under a 1/4 of an inch thick.

Snail Mail

Email is good but post is better!

Our family has started a goal to write once a week.

Only once a month or less for each family member.

It is daunting and I can't say our goal will be successful each and every week.

But were striving for it.

I am getting ready for my snail mail this month and have been gathering ideas!

Instead of trying to bust out my letter and whip it off asap.

I am doing my best to prepare.

Meaning I am making a "to write..." list, that I keep up to date with things that

I find myself thinking "I wish he was here so I could share this with him..."

Sometimes it is goofy dreams, funny commercials, conversations with my kiddos,

or endearing stories I enjoyed via friends/family/church/internet,

even updates on children likes and dislikes are fun.

I find a few momentos is always fun to send along to your missionary.

With a little story or message connecting it.

Here are some ideas:

A lucky penny we found.

A stick of gum I've been craving.

A Mormonad I liked.

A coupon or Gift Card to share.

Confetti to share news, big or small.

A printed comic strip for a laugh.

A bookmark, or ribbon for scriptures.
A few pebbles collected by my son.

My Mom enjoys sending the weekly weather report in her email to my brother. He loves it, and it is fun for him and my Mom, it makes them both feel a little more connected. And when my Mom forgot one week, he mentioned how much he missed it. Because lets face it, it's not like he looks it up on his own. So my Mom's weekly weather is a good basis for him to the week that helps prepare him. And it reminds him Mom is "ever watchful"!

Do you have any ideas of what to send in an envelope to your missionary?

Get Well

We all know our missionaries don't last the full two years (or 18 months) without a few sniffles here and there.

So for those missionaries that are feeling a tad under the weather, check these ideas out . . .

Click to Buy

What would I send in my Get Well Package?

Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup

Band-Aids

Cough Drops

Mad Libs

Cold Medicine

Tissues

Powerade Drink Mix (for rehydration)

Energy Bars

Multi- Vitamins

A bag of Kisses and Hugs

Sister of a Sister

• I just had to share these ridiculously cute ideas, from my friend Shey.

  
  

  Postal Mail

   "Send our sister (who is serving currently) a one word letter for like 5 days in a row until it's complete. It could be longer than one word, but make it a continuation of a letter for the week or something."

  It could be an inspirational cute, an inside joke, a story, or a scripture. 

  Small Package Idea

  "Unique to her and her situation...she is serving in Kansas (you know, where the Wizard of Oz was done) and she has a charm bracelet so I told her she is there as the Mormon girl missionary form of Dorothy, Dorothy had to click her heels three times to get home but she is there teaching the 3 pillars of the Gospel that people need to know to get home. So I got her a ruby slippers charm!"

  This is a great idea for sister missionaries! A charm bracelet for Christmas that you can expand on for different holidays, seasons, or special events. 

  Themed Package

  "The first package I sent had random fun stuff in it, but I named each of them for Halloween...I put in a bracelet that was made out of metal & had leaves on it & said that it was petrified pumpkin leaves. Some Reese's & called them cremated peanuts, etc & labeled each item with a Halloween spin on it."

  This is an excellent idea for any season or holiday or even color. I am sure your will get an overload of themed package ideas on this blog :) 

  Wrapped Package

  "Before she left I gave her a gift that I wrapped to look like a shirt..

  

   And I also made her personalized stationary." Send a message to sheydoodles@gmail.com for more information on personalized stationary and to see her work check out 

  http://sheydoodles.blogspot.com/ 

  

  "I made her a pennant banner to decorate her room with and laminated it so that it would travel well. Also gave her a little stuffed Snow White doll (she loves snow white) to put on her bed. Atmosphere just is really big to me & her too..so I thought it would be fun to have those little things to make her room look happy."

  
  

  I love all these ideas they are simply fabulous. Cute, unique and so fun for our Sisters in the field. 

Two By Two Plus One

As more missionary's embark into the field every day it is comforting to remember who else is walking with them.

(I made a card and printed this painting off to remind my brother who is always with him.)

New Era Missionary Issue

This issue of the New Era from March 2007 is dedicated to Missionary Work. It is filled full of wonderful insights.

My favorite article from this New Era is "The Five M’s of Missionary Work", by Thomas S. Monson, it covers the Message, Missionary, Member, Mission, and the Mission President. How each are essential on the mission and have a role in a successful missionary's experience.

Whether you want to print out an article and send it to your missionary for a pick me up in a letter or for a fun insert in a package, or find a quote you enjoy to add to an email when you are having a brain freeze for things to write.

Another fun piece in this issue that is worth a read is dedicated to all us waiting at home. "Missionary Mail", By Connie Myers, answers some questions that many of us have... "What should we write about? How do we get it there? What should we send?"

Beckstrom Buzz

Looking for some funny cartoons to send your missionary in the post.
Maybe something to brighten their spirits about a frustrating investigator, taking on the culture, or to inspire a little humility.

Kevin Beckstrom, cartooner, at Beckstrom Buzz has a ton of funny animations. They are all worth a giggle.


Eternal Investigators


Food of the Culture


Finding a Connection


Don't worry about getting ahead.