5 THINGS you can MAKE NOW for your LDS MISSION - Even if your call hasn't arrived yet!

If you are planning on serving a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it can seem like time is going SO SLOW - you wait until you are old enough (or until you have everything prepared) and then when you finally get all of your paperwork completed and submitted, you WAIT again for that call to arrive. While I was waiting for my mission call to arrive, it seemed like the days were stretching out longer than before....it seemed to take FOREVER! 

No matter where you are in the process, you will be making your spiritual preparations (prayer, scripture study, etc), personal physical & mental preparations (getting into shape, making sure you are ready for the mental & physical requirements of a mission, getting your medical paperwork in order) & saving up money..but there isn't a lot you can do as far as purchasing the physical items (like shoes) that you will need for your mission until you get your call...

There are some things you CAN purchase before you know where you will be serving (see my blog post "10 things you can actually buy before you receive your mission call" here and you can learn about how to go about "buying some of your mission clothes before you receive you mission call" here)...but is there anything ELSE you can do to "get ready" while you wait? 

If you are a "planner" or just want to do everything possible ahead of time (to avoid a big time-crunch later), here are a few more things that you can prepare NOW to take with you on your mission, NO MATTER WHERE YOU WILL BE SERVING...

Best of all, these are 5 things that you can make yourself 

at little or no cost... 

#1- PHOTO ALBUM

Back in the olden days (when I served my mission) we usually kept our personal photos in our apartments, except for maybe one or two photos that we kept in our scriptures. Today, missionaries are asked to bring a small photo album with family photos from home. An ideal photo album would be one of those very thin soft-cover photo album books with the plastic sleeves that you can buy for around $1. You will probably be carrying this around everywhere in your bag, so you don't want a bulky album.

Examples $1 photo albums from the dollar store. The cover paper is removable, so you can replace with a different paper that you like better, or make a custom label if you want.

Here is an example of a customized photo album from the Lovely Little Snippets blog here 

A photo album like this is useful for showing investigators and members who ask about your home town/country and family. This helps missionaries seem more personable and relatable- like "real people"! :) If possible, it is ideal to include photos from your own baptism (and/or baptisms from family members or friends). Family photos are great visual aids when you are teaching about family. Baptism photos are very useful when teaching about baptism and helping investigators to prepare for their own baptism.

NOTE- all photos in your photo album that you will use to show investigators/members should be missionary appropriate. This doesn't mean you need to be dressed in missionary clothes in all the photos, it means that you need to be representing yourself and your family/friends in a missionary-appropriate way. Appropriate photos would be things like family photos, baptism photos, photos from your missionary farewell, etc. You can always have a separate photo album for your own use in your apartment, showing to companions, etc (that would be more appropriate for things like photos of boyfriends/girlfriends, prom photos, photos that might not be appropriate to show investigators, like if you are wearing a swimsuit, etc). The photo album that you take out with you when you are teaching should only have photos that are 100% missionary-appropriate. Remember that while its okay to show your individually and personality as a missionary, you do want to present a professional image as well. 


#2- PEDIGREE CHART

Missionaries are asked to bring a copy of their own 4-generation pedigree chart (family tree). You can go on familysearch.org and print out your chart there (assuming you have already entered your 4-generations worth of direct-line ancestor information already). If you print from familysearch.org, you will need to figure out how to make the chart a usable size (it won't be realistic to carry around a 8 1/2x11 piece of paper everywhere). If you print on paper, I would recommend laminating it also to keep it from being damaged.

Instead of just printing out a chart on regular printer paper, I recommend having a pedigree chart printed as a 4"x6" (regular photo size). Since you will also need to have a family photo album (mentioned in #1 above), it would be convenient to have your pedigree chart inside the same photo album. This will also help keep it protected from being bent, getting water damage, etc.

If you don't have your information entered on familysearch.org so that it is printable, or if you just want something that looks a little nicer, I offer two types of printable pedigree charts in my Etsy Shop-

This is a pedigree chart digital file that you can purchase in my Etsy Shop and have printed as a 4x6 photo and then add your own names to (either with ink pen/sharpie) OR you can purchase it and use a photo-editing program to add your names digitally (and then print it as a 4x6 photo):

Available for purchase in my Etsy Shop here

This is a pedigree chart especially for missionaries that you can purchase in my Etsy Shop and I will customize it with your name and the names of your ancestors (parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents) for you. You will then receive a customized pedigree chart (complete with your names) as a digital file that you can print as a 4x6 photo:

Available for purchase in my Etsy Shop here

#3- HAIRSTYLE BOOK

This one is just for the Sisters! Unless you have very short Pixie haircut, you have a lot of hairstyle options as a missionary. Even if you normally wear your hair the same way every day, you will probably be ready to try something different after months of wearing the same outfits. Hairstyle is something you can easily change. And changing your hairstyle is also an easy way to dress-up your look a little more for special occasions like conferences, baptisms, meetings, etc. Even if you are currently pretty high-maintenance when it comes to doing your hair, you will want to prepare some quicker options. You usually won't have that much time to fix your hair, and there will be days when something comes up (like the electricity is out) or you are just too tired to deal with it. Find some styles that can hide the fact that your hair is frizzy or not totally dry yet. Find some styles that will work when it is humid or when you are outside in the rain all day.

You can find many ideas for hairstyles on Pinterest (here are some examples):

"9 Wet Hairstyles" from Twist Me Pretty here

A few of the suggested "Sister Missionary Hairstyles" from lds.org

10 Hairstyles that Take Less than 10 Minutes from totalbeauty.com here 

Of course, you won't have access to Pinterest during your mission, so you will need to print anything you want to take as a reference. You can make a separate book for this (like a photo album with print-outs inside), or just glue printed pages into your address book or in the back of a journal). If you are artistic, you could even do sketches of hairstyle options!  If it is a complicated hairdo (like a braid or a fancy bun), make sure you include the instructions!

"Sis Mish - One Stop" has a free printable document with step by step hairstyle instructions that you can cut & paste (made specifically for sister missionaries):

Free printable hairstyle instructions from Sis Mish - One Stop here  

#4- EXERCISE PROGRAMS

You will get tired of doing the same exercises every day and it will be hard to be creative and come up with new and exciting things to do when you are already tired (and have limited time). You can only do so many jumping jacks without being bored out of your mind. Right now, if you wanted some new exercise ideas to do today, you'd probably look online and find some different ideas in just a few seconds. For your mission, you're going to need to plan ahead and bring a variety of options with you. And keep in mind that you won't have access to any gear (like a jump-rope) unless you bring it with you.

Here are a few examples that are geared towards women (mainly because of the colors and models). You can find plenty of gender-neutral or masculine versions of workouts online.

Example workouts from Jessicaautumn.com
 here

8 Best Workouts to Do in Under 10 Minutes here

Sample workouts here 

Here is a simple workout that could work for anyone (from 1000LifeHacks.com):

"Sis Mish - One Stop" has a great free printable document with a variety of exercises that you can choose from and then cut & paste (or put in a small photo album). Some of these feature models in exercise gear, so you may want to look through them and select the ones that would be appropriate for you to take (such as if you are an Elder you probably won't want to take printables of females in spandex bikinis) :

Printable exercise programs and ideas from Sis Mish - One Stop here 

I especially like that this document already has a variety of types of exercise (like yoga, core challenges, etc). Besides cardio, you will benefit from something like yoga to help with stress and tight muscles.



#5- LAUNDRY CHEAT-SHEET

A regular laundry stain-stick will work for a lot of things, but there are some stains that are more stubborn than that (and there is more than one way to remove different types of stains). It's a good idea to have a cheat-sheet available that will help you be better prepared to get stains out of your precious (limited!) wardrobe.

Here is a basic common stain removal chart: 

Free printable here 

Keeping shoes smelling fresh is always an issue for missionaries. It is so embarrassing to take your shoes off at a home and have to worry about smelly feet. Here are some tips for washing shoes and other tips for keeping the smells away (and you can print these out if you want to):

Free printable here 

Free printable here 

For more ideas on preparing for your mission (even if you haven't received your call yet!) see all of my blog posts listed on the right side of the page! Thanks for stopping by! 

Getting FIT for your Mission - A Guide for Future Missionaries (and Parents!)

Ideally, you will already be healthy (physically and emotionally) before you even start thinking about preparing for a mission. In reality, most prospective missionaries probably have some things they can work on to improve their health - either their physical fitness or their emotional health. 

This blog post will focus on preparing for the level of physical fitness that is required for LDS missionaries, but we will also feature a post on emotional (mental) health) in a future post. If you need more information about emotional health guidelines for LDS missionaries now, don't worry- I will post a link to the Church's official page on the subject at the end of this post.

There seems be an infinite supply of advice on how to "get healthy" or lose/gain weight and if you ask 100 people their opinion on the healthiest way to eat or the best way to exercise, you're probably going to get 100 different answers. 

I am not a medical professional, but in general I  will start off by recommending TWO things for future missionaries: 

#1- Follow the advice of trusted medical professionals (such as your primary care doctor).

#2- Do your best to follow the Word of Wisdom. I'm going to assume that you already understand that the "Primary answers" basics of the Word of Wisdom (no alcohol, no tobacco, no coffee or tea, no illegal drugs) are definitely required of any prospective missionary. But those 4 "don'ts" aren't the Word of Wisdom - they are only a part of the Word of Wisdom. What else is explicitly stated (or implied) in what we call the Word of Wisdom (Doctrine & Covenants section 89)? Hint- not everything is a "don't"... what ARE we told to do? Sometimes people tend to overlook the "do's" The Word of Wisdom was given to help us know how to best to care for our mortal bodies. Sometimes  OFTEN, the principles Word of Wisdom doesn't mix well with fad diets or health trends. OR, you may have certain health restrictions (such as a legitimate gluten allergy) that will make keeping part of the Word of Wisdom impossible. You will need to discern for yourself (using your knowledge, medical advice, and most importantly the Spirit) what is appropriate for your specific body. This applies to what you eat as well as what exercise is appropriate for you.

Just like they state in every exercise video, consult a doctor before starting an exercise regimen! Your doctor is aware of your physical limitations (due to medical conditions or concerns) and can help you to understand what is appropriate for your body and your fitness goals.

Did you know that you need your doctor to sign off that you're physically (and emotionally) fit to serve a mission? They will determine whether they believe that you are healthy enough to handle the physical requirements of serving a mission. If they don't (in their professional opinion) feel that they can sign off on your health form, they won't do it! It is better to know what needs to be done ahead of time! 

I have suggested to several missionaries that they might consider visiting their primary care doctor WAY before it is time to submit their papers (maybe even a year or 2 in advance if you have serious medical concerns or significant weight issues). The reason for this visit would be to explain your plan to serve a mission (even if you aren't 100% sure you are going yet) and discuss what changes you would need to make to your lifestyle in order for them to feel comfortable with approving you for missionary service. Your doctor may or may not be LDS, but even if you don't live in a highly-populated by Church members, many doctors are at least somewhat familiar with LDS mission papers because all prospective missionaries needs them signed by their doctor. Even if your doctor isn't familiar with the mission requirements, you can explain what is expected as far as missionary health (see below). 

There are BMI (height/weight) requirements AND requirements for physical ability (which I will explain below), so your doctor could say "Well, I'm not sure you can handle these physical requirements, I want you to walk 6 miles a day for 3 months and then come back after you've done that" or "I need you to lose 40 pounds before I can sign this"... can you imagine how disappointing that would be if you thought you were all ready to submit your mission papers? It would be better to know AHEAD OF TIME, so that you can make any changes that you may be required to make.

Donald B. Doty M.D. (Chairman of Missionary Department Health Services) says, "I recommend that health preparation begin at least two years in advance of the anticipated missionary service. Those who wait to prepare until the last minute or until after they have received the call to serve may not be ready and may even have their missions delayed"

If you are already 18 (Elders) or 19 (Sisters), or are getting close to turning missionary age, you might be planning to leave in less than 2 years. Ideally, you will have been preparing for several years, but if your health is good this won't keep you from serving. Use whatever time you have left before you plan to submit your mission papers to prepare to the best of your ability- again, using sound medical advice from trusted sources. Just like get-rich-quick-schemes, shortcuts to achieve weight loss or "health" are never a good idea.

Basic exercise (physical ability) requirements:

To sum up Dr. Doty's assessment of the physical exercise ability requirements of a full-time missionary: "a missionary must be able to walk an average of 6 miles per day and ride a bicycle 12 miles a day". 

WALKING: Can you walk 6 miles in one day (either all at once or broken up throughout the day? You might need to do both!) and can you do it without a problem? Even if you don't think you are "out of shape," you might be sore for a while if you aren't used to walking that much. Your muscles will be sore and your feet will be sore (blisters, etc). And being sore will slow you down as a missionary. Eventually you will get used to walking so much, but its better to get used to it NOW vs. getting used to it as a missionary. I recommend starting slow with shorter distances and eventually working up to 6 miles if you aren't used to walking long distances. Ask your doctor for recommendations on how much walking to start with. I live in a part of the country where it is POURING rain for most of the year. As a missionary, you will need to walk whether it is raining or not. For now, you can take advantage of a treadmill if the weather is bad. However, if the weather is good enough, try to do most of your walking outside (because a treadmill doesn't accurately replicate missionary walking where you will be on uneven surfaces, stepping on rocks, etc). 

BIKING: You may or may not need to ride a bike, but the issue for you to consider now, is CAN YOU? You should be physically able to ride 12 miles, even if you don't end up in a mission/area with bikes. If you don't have a bike (or the weather is way too rainy to ride right now - like it is in our town!) you can practice on an exercise bike. Most missionaries who are on bikes probably don't bike 12 miles in one stretch, most likely the average 12 miles per day is spread out in smaller chunks over the day. But in some areas, you may need to bike many miles at a time. Whether it is small chunks of biking or 12 miles at one time, 12 miles is 12 miles...if you aren't used to biking that much, you are going to be hurting. If you are just starting biking (or exercise biking), start out slow and work your way up to 12 miles per day over time. Ask your doctor for recommendations on how much biking to start with.

Dr. Doty suggests that future missionaries can prepare physically for missionary service by having a regular pattern of aerobic exercise (walking, running, or cycling) for at least an hour a day. Again, this is a general guidelines that doesn't take into account your personal physical limitations or medical conditions, so you will definitely want to check with your doctor to see if he/she would recommend something different for your specific situation. 

BMI/WEIGHT ISSUES: 

"The Missionary Department requires that missionaries have a body mass index no higher than 37. This is actually on the border between obesity and morbid obesity. Prospective missionaries should strive to keep their weight in the normal range, thereby avoiding obesity-related health problems. Being markedly under normal weight can also have serious health consequences"

To determine your current BMI (body mass index), you can use an online BMI calculator like this, which takes your personal information like height and weight and calculates your BMI for you. Basically, the result will tell you whether you are considered medically underweight, overweight, etc. based on your height to weight ratio. It does not take into consideration body type and things like that, so please try not to freak out if you don't like your result. Your doctor is the best resource to help you determine what an appropriate BMI is for you. If you need to make changes to your lifestyle (food and exercise) to change your BMI, your doctor can also recommend the best way to do that.

FOOD/DIET/NUTRITION:

I already mentioned the importance of carefully studying and living the Word of Wisdom earlier in this post. Dr. Doty says, "Rather than living on sugar and fat, young people should learn to enjoy meals consisting of protein and fiber, such as lean meat, yogurt, vegetables, and fruit. Also, drinking more than 12 ounces of carbonated beverage per day is too much". 

ADDITIONAL PHYSICAL HEALTH CONCERNS:

"Adequate sleep: Although sleep needs vary, young adults generally need to sleep seven to eight hours per day...Missionaries live a scheduled life. They are in bed by 10:30 p.m. and up by 6:30 a.m. every day. This schedule will be difficult unless prospective missionaries get into a similar routine well in advance of the call to service"

"Meal preparation skills: ... I stress the word simple because missionaries often cook food on a hot plate or a single gas burner and may not have an oven. Every prospective missionary needs to know the basics of cooking and sanitary food handling"

"Personal hygiene. Personal cleanliness and good grooming habits are vital to missionary success. Favorable first impressions are lasting. Clean hands also help missionaries stay healthy and prevent the spread of communicable diseases"

"Skin problems. Acne is a common teenage problem. Those with a severe acne problem should get help from a medical doctor well before entering the Missionary Training Center. Some acne medicines require monitoring over time and are not used in the mission field"

"Dental health. Prevention is the key to good dental health. This means a habit of brushing teeth at least morning and night, daily use of dental floss, and consistent visits to your dentist. Any required dental repair should be finished before the missionary recommendation is submitted. Orthodontic treatment—which often takes two years or more—must be completed before arrival at the MTC" (AND, we all know how long we often have to wait for dental appointments, so its better do get everything taken care of ASAP! You don't want to delay submitting your mission papers because you have to wait another 4 weeks for an appointment to get a cavity filled)

"Chronic health issues. Headaches are a common, difficult health problem that may worsen during missionary service and that can be difficult to evaluate and treat in the field. Occasional stomach and bowel problems may also become chronic during missionary service. Heart problems and breathing problems such as asthma should be thoroughly evaluated before missionaries begin service. With proper treatment, many health problems become controllable, making missionary service possible if treatment continues throughout the mission...Prospective missionaries (who have bone or joint issues) must obtain appropriate orthopedic care well in advance (four to six months) of entering missionary service. A young man or woman who arrives at the MTC on crutches two weeks after knee surgery will not be able to walk the distance required in the mission field"

"Immunizations. Those preparing to serve missions should obtain all available routine vaccinations and booster injections at appropriate ages. Well before beginning their missionary service, they should also receive any special immunizations required for the particular country where they will serve"

Dr. Donald B. Doty has written an excellent article about preparing for missionary service that includes information on both physical and mental health called "Missionary Health Preparation" that you can read on lds.org here. All quotes used in this blog post are from this article.  You can also find additional information on the church's official "Missionary Preparation - Physical and Emotional Health" page here. 

MISSIONARY-THEMED MUTUAL ACTIVITIES & SERVICE PROJECTS

If you are currently a young woman or young man in the youth programs of the Church, or a parent or leader of youth, you may be looking for ideas for ways to incorporate missionary work into Mutual activities.

Even though not all youth may not be planning to serve a full-time mission, many aspects of preparing for a mission (such as learning to speak in public, learning to cook & clean, etc) are skills that apply to any adult's life. Learning more about missionary life is helpful to any church member (whether they serve a full-time mission or not) because it gives them a better idea of what missionaries do and can help them be better member-missionaries.

For ideas on how to do this, check out my other blog "The Jolly Rogers Young Women Blog" that features mutual activity ideas that help youth start thinking about missionary work, preparing for missionary service, and doing service for current missionaries. Click on the photos below to link to my activity blog:

Missionary-themed youth activities for mutual (mission prep, learning about missions, etc)-

How-to write letters and tips for sending care packages to full-time missionaries-

All of these ideas can be used for YW activities or adapted for Combined YM/YW activities. It's never too early to start thinking about mission preparations!

Modest Clothes in 4 EASY STEPS - tips for future LDS Sister Missionaries

As I've mentioned in my previous post "How To Tell Which Clothes Will Be Modest Enough for Your LDS Mission (Even After You Receive your Endowment)," layering clothes can be a great way to make certain clothes that aren't so missionary appropriate, appropriate!

Ideally, you will want to have at least some shirts, skirts, and dresses that you do not NEED to layer, especially if you will be in a mission with a hot climate, or is hot at least part of the year. Some missions are hot during part of the year and freezing the rest of the year, so you may need to have a range of options. It's good to be versatile. Personally I try to find shirts and dresses that do not require wearing something else under/over it (because it is a hassle), but that isn't always possible... often you will need to add a little something to make a shirt or skirt modest enough to wear as a missionary

Here is a great example of a dress that you could wear with a cardigan or blazer, or you can wear it just as-is. You would not need to wear a layering tee for modesty because of the already-modest sleeve length and neckline and you would not need to wear a skirt-extender because of the missionary-appropriate skirt length:

"Anna Dress Navy Dot" found at the MissionaryMall.org (available in sizes XS-3X) for $41)

Realistically, it is not always easy to find clothes that are modest enough and professional enough (for a full-time missionary) right off the rack. Don't worry - there are some things you can do to ensure that you are dressed appropriately when you arrive at the MTC.

Here are 4 steps for ensuring your missionary wardrobe is appropriate!  

#1- LAYERING TEES:

"Layering Tees" are fitted stretchy shirts that are meant to be worn under other clothes. Technically, you could wear them as a shirt when you aren't serving as a full-time missionary, but they are very form-fitting so they might be a little tight looking for your taste. As a missionary, these types of shirts are not allowed as a stand-alone shirt, but can be worn under other shirts (maybe a shirt that is lower-cut or with sleeves that are not quite long enough, or maybe you would like more coverage at the waist for a shirt that is a little shorter). These layering shirts are different than regular t-shirts, they are a little more dressy looking, they are stretchy, and they are not see-through. They are made by a lot of different companies and sold in many stores in the Utah area. If you don't live in Utah (like I don't!), they aren't as readily available, but you can order them online from many different online stores or find them on Ebay and Amazon (search for "layering tee" or "layering shirt"). 

Here are a few examples of layering tees:

If you only want coverage for the chest/shoulder area for a particular shirt or dress and don't necessarily need more coverage for the stomach area, there are also cropped layering tees. If you will be in a hot mission where you need to limit the number of layers, this would mean less fabric on your torso, which might help you stay cooler if you have to layer for modesty.

An example of a layering half-tee from HALFTEE.com

Layering tees and half-tees are available in a range of colors, necklines, and sleeve types from many different companies/stores. If you need a layering shirt for shoulder/upper arm coverage, make sure that the sleeve length will be long enough for what you need.

Here are some examples of how a layering-tee or a layering half-tee can be used (not specifically for a missionary, but just in general):

Examples of how to use layering tees & half-tees (from halftee.com)

#2- FAUX CAMIS:

A camisole or "cami" is little a tank top that women used to wear (not that popular anymore) under their shirts for added modesty (especially if a blouse was sheer or a little low-cut). Sometimes the top would peek out a little bit, so they often had lace detail. If you need some extra cleavage coverage for some of your shirts or dresses, you might want to try a faux-cami! 

Faux-camis are a little triangle of fabric that snaps on around your bra straps - they have a reputation of being kind of a grandma thing, but if it's 100 degrees and your shirt is a little too low to wear without layering, you will pick this piece of fabric over a whole layering shirt any day. They give you the look of a camisole and the coverage at your neckline, without wearing an actual camisole tank top or a layering tee. I wear these faux camis a lot, many shirts and dresses have a dip in the neckline that shows cleavage, especially in plus-size clothes. The only thing I would warn you about is if your neckline is wide, you can sometimes see the sides of the triangle as you move around, so these are best for using when only a little extra cleavage coverage is needed. 

If you get some of these, I would suggest neutral colors, especially white and beige, because those colors will go with almost any outfit (and unless you are heavily sweating you might be able to wear these several times between washings).

One type of faux cami available from camisecret.com

Another faux cami (slightly different, more expensive) that is available from cleava.com

I've seen tutorials for making your own faux cami, but honestly unless you are really gung-ho about sewing and have lots of time on your hands, I would just buy them. They are pretty in expensive. I just looked on Amazon and they have 3-packs of "Cami-Secret" faux camis for $5.99.

#3- SKIRT EXTENDERS:

A common issue for sister missionaries at the MTC is bringing skirts (or dresses) that they thought were long enough, but are actually NOT long enough. Apparently this happens a LOT. Everyone gets the same packing list and clothing standards, but it seems that some sisters are not getting the message that the skirt/dress has to cover the whole knee, even when sitting. Test it out - try on a knee-length skirt that you already have (or one that you have already purchased for your mission) and sit in a chair in front of a mirror. If you have to yank down the fabric to keep your knees covered, its not long enough. Yanking fabric during a meeting is not professional.

Before you report to the MTC, you might think a skirt is "close enough," but you will be taken aside at the MTC and asked to change your clothes if you're dress/skirt is too short, because it isn't missionary appropriate. Even then, you might think a sort-of-shortish skirt will be "fine" once you get in the field, but when you are sitting on the dirt floor of a hut or running after a bus, it will not be good enough coverage and you will not have the energy to keep worrying about modesty all day. You will start to hate that skirt and you will end up tossing it.

So follow the guidelines and be on the safe side. It would be awful to have your clothes all picked out & outfits carefully planned (and paid for) just to find out that you have to leave some of your skirts behind at the MTC (and either spend money to buy replacements or try to have your mom send you more clothes because you now don't have enough clothes for the week anymore). 

Even if you sneak by in the MTC with a too-short skirt, you will soon arrive in your mission and your mission president will notice. And your trainer companion will notice. And the Lord will notice. You are His ambassador. Do things His way. Obedience brings great blessings. Sneaking by with clothes that don't follow the rules does not.

Yes, its hard to find skirts that are long enough. But its not impossible. You can search online for stores that specifically sell missionary clothing or modest clothing. Or you can search sites like Amazon for a specific type of skirt you want ("midi" is the term for skirts that fall between the knee and the mid-calf, so if you search "midi skirt" you will narrow down your search). 

For skirts (or dresses) that you love (or already own) that are too short to cover the whole knee while standing AND while sitting (PS- constantly tugging on them to keep them in place doesn't count as being long enough), you can also try a skirt extender (also sometimes called a layering skirt or a extender slip). Its basically like a slip that goes under your regular skirt that gives it extra length.

"Skirt Extenders" might look like skirts, but they are actually slips that are meant to go under your skirts/dresses. 

Here are a few examples:

Sistermissionaryfashion.com

Vezanie Shop on Etsy

Peekaboo Chic

Skirt extenders come in a lot of cool prints & styles, but I would recommend trying to stick with neutrals (like white, black, tan, etc) because then they will be more likely to match with more than just one skirt/dress. Also, a lot of the cute skirt extenders are lace, but be careful not to keep a skirt-extender that is sheer (see-through) because that sort of defeats the purpose of a skirt extender that you need because your skirt is too short (i.e., your skirt is hitting mid-knee, so you buy a sheer skirt extender that gives you 3 extra inches of length, but those 3 extra inches are see-through, so the skirt still isn't missionary appropriate).

You can purchase skirt extenders from some shops (especially in Utah), but for the rest of us (and people who like to shop online) you can find skirt extenders of all kinds/colors/sizes available for purchase in online stores, Etsy, Ebay, Amazon, and more. 

Or, if you sew, you can make one yourself! Here is a tutorial I found on Pinterest (search "diy skirt extender" on Pinterest and you will find many other tutorials):

Click here to go to the lace skirt extender DIY tutorial on the Sisters, What! website

#4- ADDING LENGTH TO THE SKIRT/DRESS ITSELF:

If you sew (or know somebody who does), you could add length to a shortish skirt by sewing ribbon or fabric right onto the skirt, as in these examples (below):

Add ribbon to the hem instructions at OneCreativeMommy.com

Add fabric to the hem instructions at seekatesew.com 

Add fabric to the hem instructions at kristinaclemens.blogspot.com

There you have it, 4 steps toward making some of your store-bought clothes modest enough to wear as a full-time missionary! While you're at it, check out my other blog posts about preparing to serve a full-time mission!