When the Wait is Long

For many missionaries it is the wait for their call that seems the hardest but for countless others it is the waiting time before entering the MTC.

My brothers waited 5 Mons for one and the next waited 3 Mons in between the call and entering the MTC. Recently we have noticed that the wait time seems longer then normal, I don't know if their is any fact to that assumption, but with higher numbers in missionaries then ever before, it makes sense.

This article below discusses this very issue many pre-missionaries are struggling with:

When the Wait is Long Between Getting the 

Call and Entering the MTC

By Cara Secrist

Full Article Here

One of the most exciting things you can do is to watch your son or daughter opening their mission call and searching for the location of their mission and the attached mission map.  After a while, they also find the date they are supposed to enter the MTC. When all the excitement dies down, you get to help them plan out what will happen between now and then.

Having had one son who waited about three and a half months and another son who only had five weeks before entering the MTC, I know it can be hard either way. With the new missionary ages I have heard of missionaries waiting five months or even more. It can be hard on a missionary to get his call before all his friends but then watch his friends all get their calls and leave before he does.

One thing that can really help is to set up a schedule of things that need to be done so that you are continually working towards being ready. Depending on where you live, your missionary may be able to work as a temple worker until they leave, or they may be able to enroll in an LDS institute class. Families can help by having regular study of the scriptures and of Preach My Gospel. Your son or daughter may also be able to go on splits with missionaries currently serving in your area or could work with your own ward missionaries.  All too soon for you, the mom, your missionary will be off on their big adventure, so you will want to get a good mission picture of your missionary to put in your Mission Tracker before he or she leaves.

While Waiting ... 
Here are some ideas to fill your time as you wait for your MTC enter date to draw near.

• Go on Splits with the Missionaries.
• Fulfill your duties in Church callings, especially in Home Teaching and Visiting Teaching roles.
• Plan and prepare FHE's that center on missionary work or help you to prepare, sometimes family support can be a real strength as you are playing the waiting game.
• Get a temporary job while you wait in attempts to keep busy and save up money for your mission.
• Start learning the language, if there is a new one to learn, getting a head start may come in handy and can't hurt. 
• Actively pursue service, it is likely you will be doing service projects throughout your mission so learn to love it now. 
• Study, study, study. Fill your time with the works of the Lord. 
• Surround yourself with uplifting people, media, and environments. It is said that while waiting for entry into the mission field you can be the most tempted. By avoiding those influences you are staying closer to the spirit and the work you are about to embark on. 
• Help plan family outings and vacations. My family tried to go on an early family vaca so their soon to be missionary could join them. The memories made during this time will be so important as a missionary to look back on, try to relish in your family activities before you leave. It could be weekly girls nights before the Sister leaves. It could be family hiking trips. It could be taking younger siblings to the movies or park. Show your family you love them during this time. 
• Give your family something to remember you by. I had a friend who painted an art piece for her family before she left, to hang in her room while she was gone. But making syncing a playlist for a sibling of your favorites will be cherished. 
• Write letters to each family member, to give to them at the airport. Spend time thinking about what each person you love needs to hear. 

Always remember that no matter the place or the time or the language your call is prophetically given and should be held sacred:

“I have had [many] experiences feeling of the Holy Ghost…But I’ve never felt what I have felt as I have…participated in the assigning of missionaries…Because of technology, it is possible for us to have your picture and the information about you displayed. And then quickly, on that same screen, all the missions of the Church with all of their needs are displayed. Within minutes, and sometimes less than a minute, the impression comes so powerfully that it would be, if it were a single instance, something that you would never forget. Can you imagine sitting there for hours at a time, having that happen time after time without interruption? I testify to you that it is real…[The Lord] somehow not only knows you but loves you enough to ensure that your call is where He needs you to go to teach the children of our Heavenly Father.” (Pres. Henry B. Eyring, “Called of God,” address delivered at the Missionary Training Center, Aug. 26, 1997).

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As always we would love to hear from our readers. What would you add to our "While Waiting" list? 

Why would someone go on a mission for two years?

This article really hits home for my family and my Mom. With one missionary out and one missionary home we know those feelings of excitement as you wait for them to return home and those feelings of longing when you are doing the waiting. 

Deseret News Article

Mormon woman responds: 'How can you go two years without seeing your son?'

For the full story: Click Here

Excerpt:

As I stood back watching this sweet moment between mother and son, a family friend, who isn't a member of the LDS Church, leaned over and said to me, “How can you go two years without seeing your son? I don’t understand how they can go two whole years.”

He caught me off guard. I wasn't prepared to explain why missionaries leave for two years because I honestly didn't know. I missed this missionary opportunity and mumbled in agreement, "I don't know. I know, it would be so hard!"

But I've reflected on that question for the last few weeks.

Why? Why would someone go on a mission for two years? Why would someone leave their family, the comforts of home, and put off an education, career and relationships? I think there are many answers on the surface: Because of duty. Because it was expected of them by their family. Because that’s what 19-year-olds in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do.

I listened closely the following Sunday when Elder Hinckley spoke in church and reported on his mission. I suddenly had my answer. There is really only one reason to stay out in the mission field for two years without any real contact with your family, and that reason is love.

Elder Hinckley loves the Lord, more than his family, more than his friends, more than his education, career, home-cooked meals, and, yes, even A&M football games.

Elder Hinckley may have gone out on his mission because of duty, but he stayed out in California for two years because of love. He went and taught, often without success, but many times with it. He knows that the LDS Church is true. He knows that Jesus Christ died for his sins. He knows that because of Christ, he can return to live with his Father in Heaven and be with his family forever.

And because of love, Elder Hinckley went door-to-door for two years to preach the gospel to the people in Southern California because he wanted them to know of God’s love, too. He wants them to be able to be with their families forever, too.

Missions aren't always easy. You don't always know why you're out there. You don't always meet the nicest people. It can be discouraging. But it can also be joyful. You can have the Spirit to guide you. You are not with your parents, but you know they love you and are out there waiting with anticipation until you return home to them again.

Future Missionaries

For all those Men and Women coming to the missionary age and wondering if they are ready, or if they should go, when they should prepare or how:

10 Things every Pre-missionary Should Know

An article I recently read on lds.org and enjoyed. Sharing in a FHE or young men's or young women's activity or giving to your future missionary in your home to read; are all great ways to share the advice shared here :

BY CALEB N. PORTER

Now that I’m in the mission field, here are some things I wish I’d learned before I left.

Dear Future Missionaries

BY CALEB N. PORTER

(click to view larger)

Photo illustrations by Welden C. Andersen

Editor’s note: While serving as a full-time missionary in the Mexico Torreón Mission, Elder Porter wrote this letter home to the younger members of his family.

I wanted to share some insights I have gained on how to better prepare to serve a full-time mission. These insights have come to me gradually with experience and time, and I hope by sharing them that I can encourage you to begin to prepare now to have greater success in your missionary efforts.

Learn to Talk to People

One of the first things I learned is the importance of being able to carry on a conversation with people face-to-face. Texting and social media can be wonderful tools, but they cannot replace the dynamic exchange that takes place while you’re simply conversing with someone. If you are in the grocery line, talk with the person next to you, even if it’s simply about the weather.

The best place to start is in your own home. Have conversations with your family. Talk with your parents and siblings about various things, and tell them how you feel. Learn how to express yourself. Your missionary efforts will be more successful if you can lessen your fear of talking to people, especially to complete strangers, about things that matter to you.

Talking to strangers can be hard, but it’s a reality of missionary work—you will be talking with strangers for the majority of your mission. The more you can learn to look someone in the eye and share your feelings, the greater the opportunities you will have to invite the Spirit to be a part of your conversations. You will also learn that even though folks may be “strangers” to you initially, all are in reality your brothers and sisters, so do not be afraid to “open your mouths” (D&C 33:8–9).

Learn to Listen and Then Act

You will be spending a lot of time listening to those you teach. They will share with you their thoughts, feelings, and even their doubts. Learn to sincerely listen. This will help you to more easily recognize the challenges your investigators may be facing and to more specifically address their concerns (see Preach My Gospel [2004], 185–86). Begin now by learning to listen sincerely to your sisters, brothers, parents, and friends. While you’re listening, learn to forget yourself in the process. Don’t focus on how you’re going to fix other people’s problems or respond to their concerns. Instead, just listen and allow the Spirit to direct you on what you should say and when.

This can be challenging, especially if you’re learning a new language. I have noticed that if I become too focused on what to say or how to say things correctly with the language, then I often lose the chance for the Spirit to guide my thoughts and words. I have begun to learn how to focus on acting when the Spirit prompts me.

Learn to Follow the Spirit

One of the biggest blessings during my time of service has been learning the importance of acting on promptings when they are received. When the Spirit tells me to do something, I try to do it, no matter how small it may seem. For instance, I felt prompted to pray for rain while teaching a family for the first time. The little ranchero where I am serving has been in drought for several years and rarely sees rain, but the Spirit prompted me to ask for rain. That night, it rained. This made such a strong impression that the family asked us to return to continue to teach the gospel.

Learn to Ask Questions

I have learned the importance of asking questions when prompted by the Spirit. To you future missionaries, I would recommend that you practice asking questions. In doing so, learn to be direct so that you can help others get to the heart of their concerns. From my brief observations, I have seen that successful missionaries are those who have learned the principle of listening and then asking questions that promote pondering. This approach has been much more successful for me than trying to force a conversation that is one-sided or trying to prove the truthfulness of the gospel by logic alone. I have instead learned the significance of inviting others to learn for themselves by asking important gospel questions that invite deeper contemplation, reflection, and personal study.

Learn to Be Bold

I have learned the importance of being bold. We sometimes invite those we teach to set a baptismal date during our first visit. Initially, this was really scary for me, but I have seen many times the fruits of extending the invitation of baptism during that first visit. As I was reading the Book of Mormon, I realized that one of the first things Christ did during his visit to the Americas was to invite those He taught to be baptized in His name (see 3 Nephi 11:23). Baptism is the gateway that allows individuals to partake of the gospel and eventually receive temple blessings. This is one reason we serve missions—to extend the same invitation and blessings to all of God’s children.

Therefore, be bold with those around you. Invite your friends to seminary, Church services, and activities. Invite them to hear the missionary lessons if prompted. Invite them to hear your testimony. As missionaries, you will have both the responsibility and authority to invite people to repent and “come unto Christ” (D&C 20:59). Remember, you have something of “great price” to share; there is no reason to hold back. Learn to be bold and direct.

Learn to Love

Perhaps most important, learn to sincerely love those you will have the opportunity to teach. Pray for them, serve them, and show them that you care, and they will begin to have confidence in you as a representative ofJesus Christ.

If you begin to prepare now by talking to others, listening to their concerns, asking questions as prompted by the Spirit, and then learning to be bold and to love, I know the Lord will bless you in your missionary efforts.

Prepping for Sisters

Article found at Tips for Sister Missionaries:

Especially for sisters-- prepping

Some of the best suggestions given while preparing to serve include: 

1)   Wear your mission clothes for at least 1 month to check out the fit, especially shoes. Some missionaries get into the field and then find out how uncomfortable they are walking in cute shoes all day. Be more practical and be comfortable. Tired, achy feet slow down the work.

2)   Start taking vitamins and probiotics a month or two prior to leaving home. There is a lot of strange and wonderful food in this world and just because it is edible does not mean you will feel great afterwards.

3)   Sisters have personal hygiene needs monthly. Try to determine what kinds of supplies you will need during your mission and the availability in the area you will serve. Stateside, you will have a Walmart around every corner. Foreign areas may have low quality, if any supplies. Be prepared to take 18 months worth of supplies like my friend did for Japan. 

4)   First aid kit and medications. Get some instruction if you have never dealt with allergies, a cold, flu or stomach upset by yourself. Buy a thermometer at the dollar store and put it in. A few bandaids and ointments go a long way towards comforting blisters, foot fungus, bug bites and heat rash. Familiarize yourself with these and test them to make sure you don’t have allergy to any.

http://missionarymedicine.com/shop/

This website will help you be familiar with the kinds of region- and illness-specific medical information so that missionaries and their families can find all the health information necessary at the click of a button.

Living ready to Serve

Tips for living: '10 Questions to Answer 

While Preparing for a Mission'

BY Wendy Jessen, For the Deseret News

{Wendy Jessen is a Southern Utah University graduate and a stay-at-home mother of six. Her email iswendyjessen26@gmail.com and she blogs atmormonmomofsix.blogspot.com.}

With the recent announcement by President Thomas S. Monson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that lowered the missionary age to 18 for men and 19 for women, many may be wondering if they are fully prepared to serve a full-time mission.

Author Benjamin Hyrum White, a returned missionary, Brigham Young University graduate, and current LDS seminary teacher in Orem, Utah, has written a book which fully encapsulates what is necessary and expected as a missionary. "10 Questions to Answer While Preparing for a Mission" (Cedar Fort, $10.99) is a masterfully written "manual" specifically for those preparing to serve missions, but is also effective for anyone planning to attend the temple or who simply wants to live the gospel more fully.

Some key tips White offers are:

• Be sure to live worthily to have the Holy Ghost as a constant companion, to have a testimony and be prepared to enter the temple. Being worthy is a major part of being able to share the gospel.
• Know how to work — hard. Missionaries have busy schedules, with little time for much else than the Lord's work. Being responsible and working hard now is important to being fully prepared.
• Understand what "success" really means. Hint: it isn't necessarily how many baptisms a missionary has or doesn't have.
• Have a plan to avoid idleness upon returning home from two years dedicated to serving the Lord. Enrolling in college and obtaining a job are two suggestions to keep working hard and not become a sloth.

Whether serving a mission soon or wanting to live a more inspired life, White provides some questions for readers to answer about themselves and their spiritual progress.

Tips for Sisters

7 TIPS FOR SISTER MISSIONARIES

BY Melissa Dymock, For the Deseret News

{Melissa Dymock is the author of "Sisters: A Modern Girl’s Guide to Serving a Mission".}

The time between when a young woman decides to go on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the day she enters the Missionary Training Center is filled with much to do. It can be difficult to determine what is necessary versus what can slide. Here are some things prospective sister missionaries should consider doing (as many wish they’d done) before entering the MTC.

1. It’s time to go shopping. If you’re leaving for a mission in the summer or spring, you might have a difficult time finding proper clothing for the full 18 months. A salesperson laughed at one sister when she asked the clerk where the long skirts were in June. You need to purchase a basic year-round wardrobe since you might not have access to clothing stores once out on the mission.

Pay attention to materials sent from the LDS Church's Missionary Department or mission president and his wife (or contact your mission president’s wife, if possible) about what to wear, as some standards can change from mission to mission. For instance, in one mission the sisters wore skirts just below the knee, but in another most of the sisters were on bikes and ankle-length skirts were easier to wrap around a bike bar.

Weather can also factor into what you need. Those nice business jackets and fitted skirts don’t come out often if you’re in the jungles of South America, but will be necessary if you’re at a visitor's center. For wherever you go, make sure you get a decent pair of comfortable dress walking shoes.

2. Buy church-approved music you like. Those two Especially for Youth CDs you got for your 14th birthday are going to grind on you after 18 months of nothing but. Do pay attention to music that has been approved for missionaries in your mission.

3. Research your mission. Talk to those who have gone there, read the information sent to you about your mission, contact your mission president (if possible) and learn about the local customs. A mission experience varies drastically from one mission to another and even from mission president to president.

4. Start an exercise routine. A Mormon mission is physically taxing and the more fit you are now, the easier the transition will be. Many sisters (and elders) spend the first few months of their mission in pain because they’re sore from going from Internet surfer to constant biker or walker.

5. Step up studying of your scriptures and other doctrine. A mission can be very spiritually fulfilling, but there needs to a very strong foundation for it. Every day people are going to be challenging your beliefs. You need to be strengthening your testimony because in the mission field it’s going to get torn down. Many skip this important step because they think that in a few months they will be studying nonstop so it doesn’t matter. But your testimony will come under fire, and if you’re not prepared it will be much like not exercising, you will be spiritually sore for a while.

6. Develop an after-your-mission plan so you don’t wallow when you come home. If you’re in school, talk to your professors and administrators to determine what you’ll need to do to get re-enrolled. (While on their missions, some sisters received special permission to go online and register for the semester after they came home.) Talk to your employer about your work options. Will you have a job when you get home?

If you’re going to be seeking employment or enrollment in different place, get the necessary recommendations and references in order before you leave, since a year and a half can make it more difficult for people to remember you.

7. Before you leave, do some of the things you love that you won’t be able to for the next 18 months. Maybe you love to travel, so take a weekend getaway before your mission. Or maybe you'd rather spend an evening reading your favorite book one last time before you leave. I went white-water rafting the weekend before I went into the MTC. My only warning is to keep it within reason, so it's not too difficult to walk away from and not something that will bring about unneccesary injuries.

When should I serve?

Excerpt from Missionary Preparation Article, "When Should I Serve?" :

"When changes to the missionary age eligibility were announced, it is possible your “life plan” was altered and you’re no longer sure when you should go. When to serve a mission is an important decision.

How Will I Know When I'm Ready for a Mission?

Meeting with your bishop will help you know when you are ready to serve.Elder Nelson explained, “These age adjustments are new options now available to bishops in evaluating what is best for each of his youth. Young men or women should not begin their service before they are ready spiritually and temporally.” Many factors, such as school, health, worthiness, finances, and preparation, affect when you should serve. Prayerfully consider all of your options. Consistent prayer and regular meetings with your local priesthood leaders will help you know when you are sufficiently prepared."

Full Article HERE.

http://www.lds.org/bc/content/ldsorg/social/missioninfographic.jpg

Missionary Bank

I want a missionary bank for my little boy. Something that he can actively put change into or that he can drop notes into (or that I can drop notes into about sweet things he says about his future mission).

I love all the ideas I have been checking out on Pinterest . . .

Round Tin Banks

Missionary Fund Bank (not a valid link on pinterest)

Missionary Bank
Go to their blog to learn to teach your child the 10 /20/ 70 Principle.

Preparing to Serve

A recent post on the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Facebook Page:

We recently asked returned missionaries what advice they would give to those preparing to serve. These are some of the most common themes. What other advice would you give?

I Hope They Call Me On A Mission

Inspiring your children to be missionaries in the home, is an essential part of being an LDS Mother. With all of the activities and stories and ideas at our fingertips via the internet, it gives us such an advantage in today's world.

I love this idea to put vinyl lettering on a map in your child's room.
I Hope They Call Me On A Mission

Or what about this adorable idea for a quiet book in sacrament meeting, with our littles. 

“I Hope They Call Me on a Mission ” Mini Quiet Book

By: Shiloah Baker

A mission is a big deal in our home.  It does not matter if our son is only eight years old, we are teaching him the importance of going on a mission, marrying in the temple, and raising a righteous family.  In the scripture Proverbs 22:6 it says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Because I want him to keep his focus on things of the future, I made this key ring book.  The purpose of it is to remind him of the necessary steps to being worthy to go on a mission and I include the Twelve Articles of Faith for his memorization purposes.

And for those of us who are looking to bring a missionary lesson into our Family Home Evening night, there is a great idea here, 

FHE Idea: Missionaries

which shares this sweet video from The Mormon Channel

12 Week of Missionary PREP

For those sending their first son or daughter away into the missionary field, I thought this may be helpful. I am amazed by this Mother's organizational skills. Maybe one day I will use this for my son, but I still have a while before I need to start thinking about that :)

From http://preparedldsfamily.blogspot.com 
"As we count down the days until our number three son leaves on his LDS mission (enters MTC March 2nd) to Stockholm, Sweden, I'm busy working on those last few details. Today he's off skiing with his dad for the last time. I love this boy of mine that has grown up and become a man with his own independent thoughts and direction. We are excited that he will serve in an area where my ancestors are from. I have immensely enjoyed the last two months with him before he heads out on his mission, I am grateful he went to BYU for 6 months, to help with the separation anxiety this mom may have.
Attached is the missionary preparation timeline that has helped me with all three of my sons regardless of where they served. It's on Excel so I could adjust for their various missions and number of weeks before the mission. Feel free to copy and adjust for your own use. This time I put the items in my Google calendar as an all day event and it has helped me pace myself. I hope someone finds it useful."

12 Weeks of Preparation PDF version

A Rewarding Service

Missionary Work: A Priesthood Duty

President Thomas S. Monson speaks to young people about missionary service—a duty for young men and a rewarding option for young women.                 

https://www.lds.org/youth/video/a-priesthood-duty?lang=eng