Helpful Information For Missionary Moms
Mothers Day and Christmas Calls

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Table of Contents

Note 1:  Asking the Right Questions
 Note 2:  Calling Ideas
Note 3:  Drop.IO
Note 1:  Asking the Right Questions

Some are you are new to the group since the Christmas phone calls.

Mother's Day phone calls are coming up!! :-)

I like to have a list of questions put together before the exciting phone call. If I don't think about it beforehand, I inevitably forget to ask my missionary a question.

My younger children sometimes are shy on the phone and don't know what to ask beyond, "Hi, how are you?" I give them some ideas beforehand, and they pick what questions they want to ask. I have found our phone time be more productive and less time is wasted.

Don't be surprised if you are calm and collected before the phone call, but when the phone rings and you hear their voice, and start to talk, you suddenly become emotional. The first time that happened to me I was surprised because I was okay one minute, and not ok the next minute. Now I know what to expect. :-)

Take notes of your phone call! Write down their answers, etc. I have kept all of my notes from each missionary, and it is a fun remembrance.

Here are a few questions on my list. Feel free to send in other ideas to the group:

  • How many members in your ward/branch?

  • What is the church building like?

  • What is the town like? Rural, small town, small city, med. city, large city?

  • What does the area look like? flat? rolling hills? A lot of trees?

  • How hot is it? How cold is it? How often does it rain?

  • How is your companion? How long has he been out? Is his family LDS? Do they support him with letters? Life member or convert?

  • Are you sleeping well? How is the food? What is the best food you've eaten? What is the weirdest food you've eaten? How many dinner appts do you get? What do you usually eat for breakfast? Lunch?

  • How are your clothes? Shoes? Socks?

  • How are your feet? Any problems?

  • Do you need more toothpaste? Deodorant? Vitamins?

  • What is your flat/apartment like? Is it in a big building? Are your neighbors friendly or scared of you?

  • How far away is the Mission Office? How many in your District? Where are they from? Who is the District Leader? Zone Leader? How often do you have Zone Conference?

  • What do you usually do on P-day? What service do you do? How often?

  • How many investigators?

    I'm sure you can come up with more personal questions, but this list will help you get started with some ideas on what to ask.

    Happy Mother's Day! Enjoy those calls with your missionaries! Be sure to share your fun with your group after the phone call. :-)

    Betty, Listowner

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    • Note 2:  Calling Ideas

    Thought you'd be interested in something I sent to my son and his friends who are serving missions. Sure helped to improve their letters and emails.

    HOW TO WRITE A WELL-APPRECIATED MISSIONARY LETTER OR EMAIL:

    Help others share your experiences and appreciate the sacrifices that you are making. Remember it's not length--it's content.

    It will be helpful when it comes time to write your letters and emails if you have made a note to yourself as things happen or come to you during the week. (example: Dog bite, talk in church, zone conf, crazy guy...)

    As you write, tell about some of your current news and experiences. Then add a short paragraph or story about you and your life away from home. Briefly describe something about your mission...paint a picture so to speak. We love the good, the bad, even the boring.

    It's very comforting to be "let in" to your comforts and discomforts, successes and struggles, pleasures and needs. There is a sense or closeness in spirit about you on the home front. People who love you desire to be spiritually in tune and aware as they offer prayers in your behalf and correspond with you.

    SUGGESTIONS:

  • Describe what your daily schedule like. Believe it or not the folks back home are curious about what you do all day.

  • Describe the area where you live, eat, sleep, study...

  • Describe the foods that you eat. What do you eat at each meal? How is it prepared? Etc.

  • Describe grocery shopping. What is shopping like? How is it different from shopping at home? What sort of things do you buy when you go shopping?

  • Mention what things you're missing from home. Your favorite candy just might show up in a care package.

  • Describe how you get around to places. How long does it take, what you see, hear, and smell as your traveling about.

  • Describe and give details about your companion. Is there someone that he reminds you of? Where is your companion from? What is his full name? How long has he been out? What do you know about his family, likes, dislikes...etc.

  • Describe what sort of things go on between you and your companion'funny pranks, spiritual talks, odd things that your companion does.

  • Describe your weather and climate. Write about the temperature at different times during the day or year. If it rained tell about walking through puddles or the worms on the road that you had to step on etc.

  • Describe how your clothes are working out. Which ones are your favorites?

  • Describe your medications and how they are working out, what you are using most, or getting low on.

  • Describe what you are learning so far.

  • Describe if you have any special meetings, who spoke and what did they speak about, something their words meant to you or made you think about.

  • Describe what you do on your Prep Day.

  • Describe some of the people you meet or the things you see each day.

  • Describe how, when, and where you do your laundry.

  • Describe your church meetings, what you do, where you meet, how many attend, how people get there, how far away they must come or what they go through to get there.

  • Describe what you do while teaching discussions. Repeat some of the things that you have said, bear your testimony to your family using the words that you use while teaching investigators.

  • When care-packages arrive, describe what condition they arrive in, how it was delivered to you, what you thought or felt when it arrived. Mention it's contents, how you will enjoy, and your appreciation.

  • Describe one thing you have learned or thought about this week.

  • Describe when you get homesick. How did you get through it?

  • Mention where your nearest Temple is. How do people get there? Are there plans for you to go?

  • Who has written to you? What did they say? Mention their efforts and thank them.

  • Describe getting to know other Elders or people that you really admire and appreciate.

  • Describe what your upcoming schedule might be for the week or month ahead or anything exciting coming up 'There--s a Zone Conference... a national holiday....'

  • Describe what's in the news or going on in your area or country.

    MM, Dawn

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    • Note 3:  Drop.IO

    Last Christmas we used a digital tape recorder to record our phone conversation with our son in the Buenos Aires North Mission.

    We wanted to share the conversation with other family members and certain friends, but audio files are usually very large, so can't be emailed.

    We discovered a GREAT private file-sharing website called Drop.io (pronounced drop ee o) and it's free!

    You just upload your audio file and choose who you want to share it with. It's very simple (Even I figured it out!) They will send an email with instructions to others on how to use their site to listen to the audio file. It's fantastic! And a wonderful way to share with family and friends those precious few minutes with your missionary!

    Looking forward to Sunday!

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