Why you should buy missionary clothes (BEFORE your call arrives)

Yes, that's what I said - you should start shopping for clothes BEFORE your call arrives!

I frequently hear of young adults who receive their LDS mission calls and then make a day of purchasing everything that they need in one big shopping trip. A parent's description of trying to get everything purchased in one day (or even a whole weekend) usually include words like, "exhausting" "frustrating" and "very expensive." A mass-purchase outing is definitely one way to approach the situation, but I recommend that you plan ahead and make various carefully planned purchases over time.

While there may be some situations where it is easier/cheaper to make certain purchases all in the same store on the same day (such as Elders who can get a discount for making multiple suit purchases in the same store), for Sisters especially it is smarter to make your mission clothing purchases over time. Most of these tips will be mainly for Sisters because of the nature of their clothing options, but some of these same principles can apply to Elders as well.

For Sisters, there are 5 MAJOR benefits to planning ahead and purchasing clothing items over time:
#1- having a plan will increase the number of outfits you can make
#2- you'll save a lot of money by shopping sales 
#3- you'll avoid panic/impulse purchases
#4- you'll be able to try clothing items out in real life, so you will know they will work before you pack!
#5 - you can spread your purchases out over time

The amount of time that you have will vary. Maybe you just recently decided to serve a mission and haven't had much time to prepare before submitting your papers? Maybe your papers are already submitted and you're just waiting for that envelope? It's ok - you can apply this principle to any amount of time you have left... (even if your mission call has already arrived, you can still plan and  make your purchases over time!)

My daughter (18) has known that she wanted to serve a mission for a long time. We've started planning ahead already, although she won't be able to actually submit her mission papers for several months.

So, is it really such a good idea to start purchasing missionary clothing before the actual mission call arrives? YES! If you're worried about how you will know what to buy without knowing where you're going, don't worry, I will cover that too!

Keep reading for a better explanation of all 5 reasons why planning ahead and buying ahead will make things easier and cheaper for you....

#1- MAXIMIZING OUTFITS (increase the number of outfits you can make)

When I was a called as a full-time missionary (in the 90's), I just threw some of my better church clothes in a suitcase and got on the plane. There wasn't much planning at all. Most of my tops/sweaters "went" with only one (or maybe 2) skirts. I cannot stress how soon you will get tired of wearing the same exact 7-8 outfits every single week. Imagine having to wear the same 2 outfits to school every day for a month and you will sort of get the idea.

The idea of a "capsule wardrobe" has become popular in recent years (just type in capsule wardrobe on Pinterest, you'll see thousands of examples) - basically, instead of having a bunch of random clothing items that don't go with anything (or that only go with one particular thing), you plan out a wardrobe with classic, basic items (and a few items with flair for personalization) that all go together, so you can easily create a bunch of different looks without being overwhelmed by things that won't coordinate with each other.

I've read several blogs that suggested maximizing your missionary wardrobe potential by having ALL printed skirts and ALL solid shirts (all/most of which coordinate together). The idea with that is to have the most possible outfits because everything would go with everything else. You could create an even more basic capsule style wardrobe by choosing all solid-color items, but most people will want so print for a less "blah" look. In some cases, you can mix prints with other prints, but not always, so if you are trying to go for maximum # of possible outfits, a "I'm only buying printed skirts and solid shirts" policy could definitely help. I mentioned this concept to my daughter and she liked the idea, but wanted to go the opposite way - all solid SKIRTS and all printed SHIRTS. I'm sure she'll probably have some solid color shirts in there as well... the idea is the same, though. If you bring 5 flowered skirts and 4 solid skirts, and half of your shirts are also flowered print, you are really limiting your outfit options. Maximizing the total number of outfit combinations is the ideal!

This graphic shows how a few items of basic clothing can be worn together in different ways to make a lot of different looks:

Here is an example (from SisterMissionaryMall.org) of how you can create many outfits from coordinating pieces

#2- IF YOU START SHOPPING AHEAD, YOU CAN SHOP DURING SALES 
If you wait until right before you leave to purchase your clothing, you will have no choice but to pay whatever price they are asking. If you have some time before you leave (or if you are planning to go on a mission but haven't submitted your papers yet), you can take advantage of seasonal sales. For example, after Christmas, a lot of websites have cyber-week sales and we were able to find some of the staple items that my daughter wanted for her mission (for cheaper than it would have been if we had waited). For example, she bought several layering-tees for $5 each (regular price $11.99) and 2 mission-appropriate dresses for $10 each (marked down because they were out of season). Look for sales at the end of each season - longer skirts, boots, winter accessories, sweaters, coats, etc are often marked way down (online and in stores) in the middle of winter because they need to make room for summer times. The same thing happens throughout the year- items from the previous season cost less. There is nothing wrong with these items, they're just lower priced because of the time of year. You can also find just about anything you want (like a long wool skirt) at any time of year on websites like Ebay and Amazon, but prices will probably be better off-season.

#3- AVOID IMPULSE/PANIC PURCHASES BECAUSE YOU'VE MADE A PLAN
Here is what my daughter is like at a clothing store: (walks in to buy jeans) "Ooooh! Look at that polka dot dress!...I NEED this purple coat!..." etc. Many times she's come home with a skirt or shoes that doesn't go with anything she owns. Without a plan, you are going to inevitably end up with items that won't work well for maximizing your wardrobe OR that you just don't like that much.

You'll also want to avoid items that are TOO faddish. Stylish and modern is ok - but if something is probably a fad (i.e., going out of style soon and will look really "dated" next year) that is going to really be a problem. For example, you might really like choker style necklaces, but those might be "out" by next season, and you'll still be stuck wearing them for the next 18 months because you brought 20 of them with you.

If you try to buy everything for your mission in one day/weekend, you are going to have to buy what they're selling. Maybe you hate the color mustard yellow, but 75% of the clothes in the store you're at are mustard because thats the hot color this season? Or maybe you really want a black pencil skirt and all you can find in black are a-line? These scenarios are very real, so this should give you some incentive to plan ahead.

You probably spent months (or longer) planning for big events like Prom and you'll probably spend just as long planning your wedding. Spend a little time on your mission wardrobe. You'll have to wear it for more than just one day, so the time investment is worth it.

You'll definitely want to make a plan - and write it down. You'll need a lot of items - shoes, exercise clothes, pajamas, slips, etc - but I will focus mainly on skirts, shirts, and dresses here. The call packet suggests 6-8 outfits...meaning enough skirts, shirts, and dresses to line up and make at least 6-8 outfits at once. (Some people suggest having more clothes than what is recommended (for example this blog suggests 10 skirts, 8 shirts, and 3-4 dresses, etc), but I think you will have a hard time fitting all of that in your luggage, especially if you need thicker items like sweaters and boots.

Of course, if you have planned ahead with coordinating clothing items, you will be able to make a lot more than 6-8 outfits using those items, but the 6-8 outfits is a guideline of how many clothes you will need to bring to use if you had to make outfits without mixing them together. This will be something like 7 skirts, 6 shirts, and 1 dress. Or maybe 5 skirts, 8 shirts, and 3 dresses. Any combination is okay, just make sure you have enough pieces to wear throughout the week without being able to do laundry.

Once you decide how much you want to bring, you need to get a little more specific with color and style. For example, if you want to bring 5 skirts, you might plan out what kind of skirts you want...by color, by style, etc. You might decide that you want 1 black skirt, 1 brown skirt, 2 blue skirts (one navy, one bright blue), and 1 red skirt. You might note that you want to have several pencil skirts, one maxi-skirt, but mostly midi-length a-line skirts. Or maybe you don't like maxi-skirts and you would prefer to have more pencil skirts...Your plan will be different than another future missionary's plan.

The Missionary Mall has an article about how to plan out your missionary wardrobe using this printable:

Not sure what types of clothing to bring, or what is acceptable for missionaries to wear? The Church has a great website Missionary.lds.org that shows suggested types of clothing for missionaries (click at the top of the page for separate sections for jackets, blouses, skirts, shoes, etc), as well as suggested hairstyles, makeup, etc. There is also a section for FAQ that will probably answer lot of your questions about clothing as well. 

#4- IF YOU BUY AHEAD, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TRY OUT CLOTHES IN REAL LIFE BEFORE YOU LEAVE
If you buy a skirt or dress during weeks/months before you leave for the MTC, you will be able to try to out - wear it church to see how you like it! Will you be okay with wearing this item for the next 18 months? This is especially important if you buy items online, because you won't know how they really look/fit/hold-up in the wash until they arrive. A skirt might ride up when you walk, or a shirt might be too sheer. It might fall apart the first time you wash it. You will want to know this information now - NOT on laundry day in the MTC!

#5- PLANNING & BUYING AHEAD ALLOWS TO TIME SPREAD OUT PURCHASES
If you wait until the last minute and do an all in one shopping extravaganza, you will need to have all of that cash on hand. It's a lot of money to put out at once, especially since you will have a lot of other expenses (including the actual cost of your mission) to worry about. If you plan to purchase specific items over time (say, one item a month, or 2 items a pay period), it won't be such a drastic blow to your wallet all at once...

BUT OVERZEALOUS MISSIONARY MOM, HOW CAN I POSSIBLY BUY CLOTHES FOR MY MISSION WHEN I DON'T KNOW WHERE I WILL BE CALLED?

Great question! When it comes to what you'll wear in different missions, there is a big difference between Madagascar and Russia. Different clothes are appropriate for different climates and seasons. I recently read a blog post in which the blogger describes how they couldn't wear certain types of fabric or dark colors (no matter what time of year) because it was so humid. In my mission (Minnesota) we needed full-length down coats and snow boots for daily wear in winter, but it was sometimes over 100 degrees in the summer, so we actually needed a wide range of types of clothes. 

Many times you see people advising that you wait until you know where you will be serving, and that is smart - you don't want to waste your time/money purchasing a perfect wool coat and realize later that you will be serving in Hawaii. 

Check out any missionary clothing blog or Pinterest post about mission clothes and you'll notice that there are a lot of similar items for Sisters, no matter where the missionary is serving. For these basic items (skirts, blouses, shoes), they are the same types of clothes worn by Sister Missionaries in 95% of missions. Of course in colder missions, rainy missions, humid missions, etc you may need additional specific items, and you do take the risk that some of your generic "no matter where you serve basics" items (like a black knit skirt if you are serving somewhere scorching hot) might not work. But in general, you should be able to purchase basics. But try to stick to the very basics that would work in most (or any) mission. You may really love cardigan sweaters, but put off buying weather-specific things like that until you know for sure if you will need them.

Here is a general timeline for purchasing mission clothes (and other missionary items):

See my next blog post - "How Exactly Do I Plan Out Purchasing My Mission Clothes Before My Call Arrives?" for SPECIFICS on how to plan out what and when to pre-purchase clothes for your mission

3 REASONS to apply for your PASSPORT (before you submit your LDS mission papers!)

Preparing for your mission can be a little stressful, to say the least. If you're waiting to submit your mission papers or already waiting for your mission call, here are 3 big reasons why you should consider applying for your US Passport NOW! 

(Then, keep reading for information on how to apply, how to get a passport photo, how much it all costs, and FAQ about passports!)

#1- Applying for a passport is something that you can check off your to-do list NOW

When it comes to making preparations for your mission, there are only so many things you can do while you're waiting for your call to arrive... So maybe you won't know whether to buy wool sweaters or sandals until you actually receive your mission call, but one thing you CAN do is get your passport. The process of applying for a passport is a hassle and it isn't exactly CHEAP, but you will *probably* need a passport. I don't know what percentage of LDS Missionaries serve outside of the US, but most of the membership of the church is outside of the US now, so it's a HIGH percentage. Think about the last 10 people you know who got their mission calls and where they were called to (for me that would be Latvia, Nicaragua, California Spanish-speaking (but reporting to the Mexico MTC), South Korea, Florida, Dominican Republic, New Mexico, Brazil, Czech Republic, and Ohio... so a few "stateside," but mostly outside of the US).

True, not everyone will need a passport for air travel at this point, but it's not going to hurt you to have one even if you are only going one state over and don't technically need it for travel within the US... But keep in mind that a US Passport is also a valid form of ID (for things like domestic air travel) and there has been some issue with the State-issued ID cards and Drivers licenses from some states not being "R.E.A.L." compliant (meaning, not complying to the federal laws for identification to be used for domestic air travel). You can read more about this on the travel.state.gov website (in the "Can I use a passport to fly domestically?" Section). Basically they are saying that a passport is valid ID for flying within the US, while specific state ID cards might not "work" for air travel within the US. Yikes. Just another reason to get a passport - it doesn't hurt to have MORE identification.

When you receive your mission call, you will receive information on what exactly you will need (passport, visa, etc). You will not be able to apply for a visa (if you even need one) until after you have your mission call, but you can apply for a US passport at any time. If you don't know the difference between a passport and a visa yet, don't worry! The missionary travel department will make sure that you know what to do. For basic info about visas, see the FAQ section at the end of this blog post.

#2- If you get your passport now, you will avoid paying EXTRA to have your passport expedited if you have a sooner than expected report-date
You could put off getting a passport until you find out if you are required to have one, but you might be rushed for time and maybe even have to pay more for expediting your passport if you need it right away. You will have specified your availability date in your mission application "papers," but you might kinda think that you will have several extra months after that until you actually report to the MTC. In reality, it might be sooner than you expect and you could report to the MTC on your availability date. There is no way to know how much time you will have until you get your call letter with your MTC report date. How much extra does expediting a passport cost? Don't worry, I cover that in the "What Does It Cost?" section below!

#3- Your passport will be valid for 10 years, so it won't hurt anything to get it early
If you are 16 or over when you get your passport, it is valid for 10 years. So if you apply when you are 17 or 18, you will still have many years left to use it for travel (vacations, work-related travel, etc) after your mission is over and you don't have to worry about it expiring very soon. PS- there are rules about how much time can be left on your passport when you leave for your mission...ie, if your current passport will expire during your mission or even soon after you get back, you will need to renew before you leave the US. If you already have your passport, but are not sure if you will need to renew before your mission, see the FAQ from the LDS Missionary Travel site at the bottom of this post).

HOW DO I APPLY FOR A PASSPORT?
According to usa.gov, you can apply for a passport at post offices, libraries, and county courthouses that are official "passport acceptance facilities". I don't know if every library, post office, etc offer these services, so you will want to check ahead. A friend just told me that her daughter's high school in Alaska offers passport services now, so find out what is available to you locally and do what works for you. Personally, I recommend going to your county courthouse because that was easy for us.

I made the mistake of trying to go through the local post office, which was a complete disaster. The website said that appointments were not necessary at the local office and listed specific walk-in hours for passports. Being suspicious that the story might be different when I got there, I tried to call ahead. I called twice (during business hours) and nobody ever answered the phone. So we waited in line (all kids in tow) on my daughter's only morning off, only to be told that we did indeed need an appointment and they didn't have any openings until the next week.

Meanwhile, a relative suggested that we try going to the county courthouse instead. I had no idea that this was an option. So we went down to the courthouse, where there was no line and we were treated courteously and since we had all of the required documents in order, the whole passport application process took less than 5 minutes, but the regular (non-expedited) time frame for actually receiving your passport will be as little as 4-6 weeks or as much as 6-8 weeks. Apparently the processing time varies by season (I'd imagine that it takes longer especially when people are preparing for summer vacation travel). We applied in February and were told that the wait time for us should be 4-6 weeks, but we still have a lot longer than that before my daughter can submit her papers, so I don't have to worry. I cannot imagine how much more stressful this process would have been if we were in a greater time-crunch and worried about whether it would arrive in time.

This infographic from the usa.gov website shows some of the basics of what you will need. Make sure that you have the SPECIFIC type of items they are asking for (like they are very picky that the birth certificate has to be a certified copy with a seal and has to have been issued within a certain time frame. If you don't have all of the documents that they require, get them ASAP! (complete info on the usa.gov website https://www.usa.gov/passport)

PASSPORT PHOTOS:

You will need a certain type of photo for your passport. It needs to have been taken within 6 months of the passport application. They are very specific about the photo size, background, and what the photo looks like- what you are wearing (rules about glasses, makeup, hats, jewelry, etc), how big your face is in the photo, your face can't be covered at all, the expression on your face, you have to be facing directly forward, etc). There are a lot of rules and they are all listed on travel.state.gov ("Photo Requirements" section of the FAQ). Basically you are supposed to look recognizable and natural. You can wear makeup, but you shouldn't wear so much that you wouldn't be recognizable if you weren't wearing it or if you were wearing less. Styles and trends change, so its best to look "classic". Same with hairstyle and clothing.

You can take & print your own passport photos, but they recommend (and I recommend!) going to a place that does passport photos, because they know the rules and can help you avoid a problem. Some "passport acceptance facilities" We had our daughter's passport photo done at a drugstore chain that offers photo printing. We got 2 identical photos (in the exact size and with the appropriate background) and it was about $4.00 I think. Even if your chosen passport acceptance facility offers photo-taking services on-site, I feel like it is easier to get photos done ahead (on a different day) so you don't have to add worrying about hairstyle/clothes on the day you are doing the application. PS- According to the Missionary Travel Department, you do not need to be wearing missionary clothing in your passport photo, but you should be wearing something sort of classic and neutral (like if you wear a t-shirt, wear a plain solid-colored t-shirt instead of a wild multi-colored concert t-shirt). If you are getting your passport specifically for your mission, you may want to wear something more missionary appropriate. My daughter wore a missionary-appropriate sweater and jeans (the passport photo only shows the shoulders up). If you already have your passport and are worried about whether the old photo will be appropriate, see the FAQ at the bottom of this blog post! 

WHAT DOES IT COST TO GET A PASSPORT?

The cost for a regular US passport is currently $110.00 for the actual passport, PLUS $25.00 for the fees (these have to be paid separately and they will only take a personal check or a money order for the exact amount of the passport cost - the fees can be paid for with a separate check, or by another payment method that they accept). Since my daughter doesn't have a checking account and we didn't want to bother with a money order, I went with my daughter to apply. But since she is 18 she could have done it by herself if she had purchased a money order. PS - The cost for the fees will go up to $35.00 in April, 2018.

Keep in mind that you will pay extra (a LOT extra - current price is an additional $60, PLUS delivery fees - who knows how much that is!) if you need your passport faster than the normal (4-8 weeks) processing and that you may also need additional documentation for expediting (i.e., proof that you have a reason for the expediting, such as proof of tickets requiring you to travel within a certain qualifying time frame).

STILL HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT PASSPORTS? 

HERE ARE SOME FAQ (AND ANSWERS) FROM THE 

LDS MISSIONARY TRAVEL WEBSITE:

"What is the difference between a passport and visa?"

'A passport is an official document issued by a government, certifying the holder’s identity and citizenship. A visa authorizes a person to be in the country that he or she is traveling to. A visa is usually a stamp or sticker placed in the passport'

"What if missionary already has a passport but are not wearing missionary attire in the photo?"

'Missionaries in this situation need not be concerned. The passport is still acceptable' 

WHAT IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A CURRENT PASSPORT? "Missionaries need to make sure the expiration date is beyond 6 months from the release date of their mission. If their passport will expire while they are on their mission, they should apply for a new passport as soon as possible."

YOU CAN FIND THE COMPLETE LDS MISSIONARY TRAVEL WEBSITE (PART OF LDS.ORG) HERE 

10 ITEMS TO BUY NOW (before your LDS mission call arrives)

If you are a future missionary (or parent) who likes to be prepared like I do, the thought of waiting until your mission call arrives to start making purchases is pretty unnerving. I am the kind of person who starts planning out & purchasing Christmas presents in the Spring! I've learned that a careful plan and spending $ over time (instead of panic-purchases & spending a large amount at once) is the way to go! 

If you haven't seen my posts about buying missionary clothes before your mission call even arrives, you can find those here:  Why you should buy all MOST of your mission clothes before your call arrives and How exactly do I plan out purchasing my mission clothes before my call arrives? 

Clothes are an important part of your packing list, but there are also MANY other non-clothes items that you will definitely need as a missionary. How can you start buying before you know where you will be assigned to serve? Easy! These 10 items will be pretty much exactly the same, no matter where you are called to serve. 

Whether you are still in the early stages of preparation, or you have already submitted your mission papers and you are just waiting for that white envelope to arrive, here are 10 things that you can consider buying now, before your mission call even arrives!


#1- LUGGAGE
If you have (or can borrow) luggage that is in decent shape already, you might be able to go without purchasing new luggage. You might even be able to find a used set that is in good condition on Craigslist, etc. But you will definitely need luggage, no matter which mission you go to. 
Our daughter asked for "mission things" for Christmas, so one of her gifts was a set of luggage. Even if she decided not to go on a mission or something preventing her from serving, most people need luggage eventually, so I thought this was a pretty practical gift. 

You don't need the fanciest luggage in the world, you just need something functional that will hold up. When I went on my mission I was given a set of used luggage (from one of my roommates) and I was so grateful to have it, but the zippers started breaking sometime between the MTC and the mission field, so I spent the rest of my mission trying to keep everything secured together using safety pins (if you're wondering, it didn't work well). Keep in mind that you need to travel to the MTC, from the MTC to your mission, between areas throughout your mission when you transfer (which may include more flights, or long train, boat, or bus rides), then your travel home after your mission. Your suitcases will likely hold many of your belongings during the mission also (I often used mine as a dresser because I sometimes didn't have one).

After reading a lot of blog posts about luggage (and reading a lot of reviews) we bought a set of hard-shell rolling suitcases in a bold color (for easier visibility) online through Amazon. Using the dimensions in the description, these suitcases fit the guidelines that the Missionary Travel Office give: "Generally missionaries are allowed to bring two bags at 50 lbs. each measuring 62 total dimensional inches. Dimensional inches are height plus width plus length. Most airlines will allow one carry-on bag (check airline website for carry-on weight restrictions) and one personal item like a laptop case, purse, scripture bag, or a jacket that can fit under the seat"

By the way, the 50 lb weight limit they are talking about is with your stuff in it, not weighing the suitcase when it is empty. You will have to pay extra (on the spot, out of pocket) each time you fly if you are over the weight. I've heard of many missionaries dumping items they had carefully selected for their mission at the MTC or the airport because they have to "make weight". Plan ahead to pack as light as possible! You will be given more stuff to put in your luggage at the MTC (books, etc) and if you pack it, that will contribute to your luggage weight as well.

While luggage restrictions for air travel are pretty standard, there are just a handful of missions that have different rules because of the airline regulations of that specific country. Of course you won't know if you are going to one of those specific missions until you get your mission call. These restrictions seem to be mostly about weight instead of size (for example, only allowing 40 lbs instead of 50 lbs), but there are several missions where they only allow one checked bag. If you purchase a set like we did, you usually get a better deal overall, and if you aren't allowed to bring the whole set because you happen to be called to one of those few missions, you can always leave the extra suitcase at home.

You can see complete information about luggage on the Church's Missionary Travel page (part of lds.org)- HERE. 


#2- CHEAP CAMERA
Ok, so back in the 90's when I served my mission, I didn't have a camera. (Guess how many mission photos I have? Not many!). If I knew I had something important coming up I would buy a disposable camera (classy!) like they sell at gas stations. Also, digital cameras weren't really a "thing," so even a missionary had their own camera, it was one of those you have to buy film for and take it in to be developed before you can see the pictures. Yikes. Thank goodness we have better technology now and you will probably be able to use your camera upload your photos to send home every week. No matter where you are called to serve, you will want a camera to document everything you do - your companions, your apartments, your ward members, your area/mission, your investigators, etc.

Digital cameras are widely available and pretty cheap now. And that is what you are needing for your mission - CHEAP. First of all, it might get stolen (highly likely, especially in missions where theft is a big problem). We didn't have theft problems in our mission, but we did have a lot of rain and it was hard to keep anything dry in our bags (especially cameras). Today, digital cameras are about $40 at our local Walmart. If you bring your fancy camera and its lost/broken, you will have to buy another camera (or just not have one, which I don't recommend!). If you bring a cheaper digital camera and it's lost, broken, or stolen, you will still have to buy another one, but at least you won't be out the cost of your expensive camera! You probably also want to get an inexpensive case for it so that you can keep it clean (crumb-free) in your bag and that will also help to keep it dry if rain is an issue.

#3- JEWELRY
In some missions jewelry is discouraged because it might attract attention from muggers/thieves. Even watches should be inexpensive, because in some countries missionaries are "held up" regularly and have their watches stolen. This would not be the time to be wearing your great-grandfather's watch or super expensive diamond earrings. Really, no matter where you serve, your jewelry and other accessories should be conservative and low cost. Even if you are never robbed, you could lose an earring or another item of jewelry at any time, just walking down the street. 

That said, it can be hard to find jewelry that is both conservative and low cost, while also being something that you want to wear and can give you some variety. You will also want to avoid jewelry that is too trendy, because (besides possibly being consider "faddish", which is discouraged), you might also find yourself getting tired of an outdated look after a few months... Classic pieces are best. I think its a good idea to start looking for items that you like now, because it might take a while to find things that will work for a mission. 

Cheap jewelry can turn your skin different colors, but there are some things you can do to prevent that. See my post on "how to keep inexpensive jewelry from turning your skin green" here

#4- MISSION BAG(S)
Every missionary needs a bag for proselyting (work). The messenger style bags are popular now, though sisters often have several bags (like a purse and a messenger bag) to use depending on the situation. It can get old lugging around a whole bag when you're on your way to a dinner appointment and only need a couple of things. At the beginning of your mission you will probably be packing around every thing you might ever need all over town (like 2 sets of highlighters) in every possible scenario, but after a while you will probably get more comfortable and get by with less. 

You will need something sturdy and preferably with a lot of pockets for your stuff (you don't want to reach in to pull out your scriptures and have a bunch of kleenex and post-it notes go flying everywhere). Most missions do not allow backpacks anymore (though those used to be the standard thing to have back in my mission days!).

#5- SCRIPTURE CASE - ZIPPERED!
The Missionary Handbook of Instructions (In the "Missionary Conduct" section, under "Study") says, "Show your respect for the word of the Lord by taking good care of your scriptures (for example, by keeping them in a protective case)"

I've definitely recommended that my daughter get a zippered scripture case. I know a lot of people just use tablets or smartphones now, but you are going to have your book scriptures also, and if you are taking them in your messenger bag to appointments and whatnot, you will want them to be protected. From rain, getting the pages smashed by other stuff in your bag, and most importantly you want to protect your scriptures from the graham cracker crumbs that are all over the bottom of your bag (from the crumbled-up graham crackers that you brought for a snack and didn't get a chance to eat). Nothing is less classy than pulling out your scriptures and having a bunch of crumbs fall out of the pages.... Get a case. A zippered one (leather or fabric, whatever). Yes, the old-fashioned kind that old people use. You can find them at Deseret Bookstores and also at other places online, but make sure you get the right size for your scriptures. Maybe even check a local Deseret Industries thrift store if you have one in your area, to see if they have some good used scripture cases. They've sort of gone out of fashion, since most people used smartphones or tablets now, so you might be able to find something used but in great condition at a low price.

#6- ALARM CLOCK
Another thing you are definitely going to need, no matter where you go. A clock that can use batteries is best (since you won't know what the electrical-outlet situation will be in your mission until you get your mission call). This should be a simple alarm clock without a radio. 
This is the one we bought (on Amazon) for $12.99

#7- TOWELS
You may have seen those super thin missionary towels that are microfiber? I bought some of those for my future missionary daughter. They're supposed to be really great for hot/humid missions because they dry quickly. But those specific types of towels aren't required, so since you might not know where you will be serving your mission yet, you may be tempted to buy regular towels (or just bring your old regular towels). I would absolutely advise against "regular" towels for this one reason, no matter where you will serve - regular towels are bigger, so they will take up a lot more room in your luggage. Personally I brought 2 regular bath towels with me on mymission and I wished I didn't have them taking up so much precious room in my suitcases! (I could have brought more shoes!!!) When you only have a couple of bags, space is precious! 

#8- ADDRESS BOOK 
Go ahead and buy an address book now. You may think you're going to remember Grandma's home address and your best friend's email address, but after a while you will not. Or what if your parents move while you are gone and you can't remember where you wrote the new address to send home souvenirs to? Even if you think you will only communicate by email, you need one decent place to have your important phone numbers and addresses written down. And you will also want to keep track of contact information of members, investigators, and companions that you would like to stay in touch with. If you think you are going to have time to mess with an address book once your mission call comes, you are mistaken my friend! Buy it now and start filling it out now, while you have a little more free time!

#9- PHOTO BOOK
Missionaries are asked to bring a photo album with photos of their family, their baptism photos, their  home, etc. One of the reasons to have a photo book like this is to show people when they ask you questions about where you are from. Its a sort of teaching tool that personalizes the experience when you talk about family, baptism, etc. An inexpensive photo book is something that you can purchase (now) and start having photos printed (now) to fill it up with. These do not need to be fancy - the thin ones are around $1 (check the dollar store and places like that), they don't need to be expensive. Some people suggest having one photo book to show ward members/investigators and another one that is more for your personal use (to show companions and to look at when you're homesick!). I would put more family photos in the book for investigators/members and more of friends/fun (like your prom photos) in your personal photo book. Remember that while its okay to show your individually and personality as a missionary, you do want to present a professional image as well. 

#10- BRAS AND SLIPS (SISTERS)
This applies to future Sister missionaries only (sorry future Elders!) You are going to need some good quality bras and some good quality slips in neutral colors. These are sort of a clothing item, but you will need the exact same bras and slips no matter where you are called to serve, so I'm including them in my list. See my post on planning ahead for purchasing mission clothes on a budget HERE.


WAIT- DON'T BUY THIS!
And finally, something that I would recommend that you DON'T BUY YET... it's bedding! I think I've read every single blog post about what to pack for a mission and many of them recommend bringing bedsheets, blankets, electric blankets (in addition to a regular blanket),  pillows, and comfort items like stuffed animals from home. Initially, I was shocked by this...and I still am! 

Some missions will ask that you bring your own bedsheets or even a blanket. You will not know this until you get your mission-specific information. Some missions do not require that you bring your own bedsheets, but missionaries sometimes still want to bring their own sheets...because if you use the sheets that are in your missionary apartment, they will have been used by the previous missionaries. Maybe that's an issue for you, but personally, I don't think its that big of a deal. In my mission, we had multiple sheet sets in every apartment. Members would donate them or missionaries would leave them behind when they went home. When a new missionary was coming to the apartment, we would put on a clean set of sheets for them before they arrived. I never thought it was a big deal. I would suggest waiting until you find out if you actually need to bring your own sheets before you buy new sheets for this purpose. A set of sheets might not seem like much, but it is one more additional expense and they will take up room in your luggage that you could use for something else. 

Ok, the taking your own sheets part didn't shock me, but what did shock me was reading that Sisters were bringing their own blanket, electric blanket, pillow, and/or stuffed animals. These were also often the same Sisters that recommended bring more clothes than recommended by the Packing List. Hey- if you can fit more clothes in your suitcase without going overweight, then go for it! But, please remember that most of these packing lists that you see on Pinterest are being made by future missionaries before they actually enter the mission field. So they may know what they are talking about, or they may not. Talk to someone who is currently serving a full-time mission or has just returned from a full-time mission and ask them if they would have/had room for a pillow and electric blanket in their suitcases. I honestly don't know how you could bring all of those extra things unless you bring less clothes than recommended. Even if you bring a super thin blanket, you would pretty much need a separate suitcase if you are bringing a blanket, pillow, toys, and (as many future missionaries seem to have done) bring additional outfits. Maybe these Sisters just went ahead and paid to bring extra luggage every time they flew? Because I definitely would not have had any extra room for blankets, etc - especially near the end of my mission as I'd accumulated more things.  Would it be comforting to have your own blanket and pillow and stuffed unicorn on your mission? Sure! But in my opinion, its not realistic to do so, unless you plan on paying extra fees. You will likely have to send things home ($$$$) or leave them behind. You could buy those items when you're in the field, but remember that you will still have to lug everything from area to area every time you transfer. In some missions you transfer from area to area by van and maybe you can just carry extra items, but in other missions you travel by bus or train (or even plane) when you transfer, and extra items will be a big problem. 

PS- I've seen several people suggest those vacuum storage bags for making your pillows, clothes, etc smaller for travel. Thats a great idea, but keep in mind that those bags tend to rip easily and you may not always have access to a vacuum!

Well, there you have it, 10 things you can go ahead and purchase now, before you receive your mission call. Even if you decide not to serve a mission, you will still probably be able to use most  these items in your everyday life, anyhow!

HOW EXACTLY DO I PLAN OUT PURCHASING MY MISSION CLOTHES (BEFORE MY CALL ARRIVES?)

My previous post  "Why You Should Buy Your Mission Clothes BEFORE Your Mission Call Arrives"  explains the 5 big reasons why you should start planning and purchasing your mission clothes ASAP - even if you haven't received your mission call yet! So how exactly do you plan out what to buy, and when to buy it?


First you will need to have an idea of the types of clothing that are appropriate for Missionaries and get a preview of the type/quantity of clothing items that you will be expected to bring. You will receive this information in your mission call letter, but if you want to start planning and purchasing, you need to know the basics now. (PS- a list of mission-specific items that you will need will come soon after your mission call in an email or letter from your specific mission President).

APPROPRIATE CLOTHES: 

For information on what types of clothing are appropriate for missionaries (including photos of suggestions), see the missionary section of lds.org (click on the photo below to link to the page!). There are sections for each type of clothing, but don't miss the "General Guidelines" section which gives more general information about modesty, professionalism, etc) and the "Frequently Asked Questions" section which covers standards about fabric type, nylons, nail polish, skirt/dress length, etc.

GENERIC PACKING LIST: 

You can find a lot of sister missionary packing lists on Pinterest (just search for LDS Missionary packing list), but they vary because most include items that the person has decided to add themselves.  You can find MANY lists with every single thing they are taking, right down to which color of post-it notes they are packing. To plan your pre-call clothing purchases, you'll need a more basic list.

Here is a pretty standard/basic list (I'm listing basic clothing only for this post, nothing weather-specific like coats or boots):

6 - 8 Outfits

6-7 Blouses

6-7 Skirts

1-2 Blazers

1-2 Sweaters

2-3 Dresses

Underclothing

8-10 Garments

White Bras

White Sports bra(s)

White Slip

7-8 Layering shirts (for more coverage under lower-cut or sort-of-see-through shirts/dresses)

Shoes

2-3 pairs of comfortable walking shoes with good support

1-2 pairs of dressier shoes for Sunday/meetings

P-day Shoes

Exercise Shoes

Exercise Clothing 

1-2 Shirts

Pants (no spandex or yoga pants)

Knee-Length Shorts

Socks

Athletic jacket

P-day/Service

Jeans

Sweatpants

Sweatshirt

1-2 T-shirts

Pajamas 

Slippers

Pajamas

Misc

Shower Sandals

Belts

Jewelry (conservative)

Inexpensive Watch

MAKING A PLAN:

Our "purchase plan" (for our soon to be missionary) has been to determine which items can be reasonably purchased ahead of time (meaning before her mission call arrives), figure out exactly what items she would like to have (1 navy skirt, 1 black skirt, etc), estimate the cost of each item (i.e., create a budget), and plan exactly when we want to purchase each item (or items) within the time frame that we have left.

For example, if we want to buy 8 skirts, 8 shirts, and 2 dresses before her call mission arrives, we could estimate the price of each of these items...

Just for our example, let's say we're estimating that we will spend $20 per skirt, $20 per shirt, and $50 per dress...  (8 x $20) + (8 x $20) +  (2 x $50) = $420 for 18 items

Of course, you will be able to find some items for less than you have estimated (hooray!), and some items will be higher than your estimate. Just be careful that it evens out (i.e., if you buy one skirt that is $15, then buy another skirt that is $25, you have broken even)...

Next, plan out when you will actually make your purchases - Since we don't know exactly when my daughter will get her mission call (and of course we also don't know when exactly she will actually leave), we need to estimate.

If her availability date was October 1st, I would plan to have ALL of her mission shopping done by October 1st (since it would be likely that she would receive her mission call before that and we would have time to purchase everything, including mission-specific items like coats or boots). Since we won't know where she will serve when we start purchasing clothes, we would plan to purchase only missionary clothing basics between now and June (then make the purchase of any mission-specific items between June and October). It happens to be February when I am writing this, so if I were expecting her to receive her mission call in June, we ould have 4 months between now and then to purchase the "no matter where you serve basics"...

If I were to plan on purchasing just the 18 items mentioned in my example above (8 skirts, 8 shirts, 2 dresses), I could divide that by 4 months or 16 weeks, or however I wanted to break it up. I prefer to plan purchases by payday, so that works out to be 2x a month for us. So if I will have 8 pay periods during the next 4 months, I would know that I could budget @$53 per pay period/payday to make our planned pre-call purchases:

$420 total pre-call budget / 8 paydays = $53 average per payday budget to make pre-call purchases

Alternatively, you could do the same sort of thing in a variety of other ways. You could plan to purchase a certain number of items per month, one item per week, 5 items per pay period, etc in the remaining time that you have left. It all depends on what you feel comfortable with and how much time you have.

I'm only using the skirts/shirts/dresses as examples for this post, but please remember that there are many more clothing items that you will need (slips, shoes, exercise clothes, pajamas, sweaters, blazers, coats/jackets, socks/nylons, belts, jewelry/scarves, garments, bras, service/p-day clothes, etc) and also other non-clothing items (alarm clock, towels, cosmetics, hair products, bags/purses, camera, etc) that you will want to plan ahead for. Many of these things could be pre-call purchases. I know it seems like a lot of things... Don't panic - you are planning ahead and can make your carefully planned purchases over time! And you might already own a lot of these things - you don't have to buy a new exercise clothes or get brand new pajamas if you already have some that are appropriate. You don't have to get everything new. Use what you already have or can borrow. And checking out garage sales or thrift stores doesn't hurt either. You might find a great alarm clock or a perfect skirt for a fraction of the price of new. Everything you buy brand new will become used as soon as you get to the MTC, so don't get hung up on having brand new everything. This can save you a lot of $!

In summary, make a plan and start making some well-planned purchases as you prepare for your mission! For tips on what kinds of things to buy before you know where you are going, see my post "Why you should buy your mission clothes before your call arrives", which goes into specifics on what types of clothing you can buy for any mission.

Stay tuned for more posts and tips about things that you can buy before you receive your call!

How to tell WHICH CLOTHES will STILL be MODEST ENOUGH for your LDS MISSION (after you receive your temple endowment)

Shopping for missionary clothes? 

I've noticed that several of the popular blogs out there by future (sister) missionaries have stated that you should wait until you have received your temple endowment (and have started wearing the temple garment) before you start shopping for clothes or "you'll regret it" because you "can't tell what  (mission) clothes will work with your garments." Sorry ladies, I have to disagree!

These opinions about missionary clothing and modesty are my own personal views (as is everything on this blog and my other LDS-related blogs). I'm not an expert, but I am a returned missionary, a temple endowed adult, a mom of a future missionary, and a long-time ward young women president... So I am somewhat familiar with modesty as it relates to clothes, temple covenants, and missionary clothing requirements. 

Yes, future sister missionaries- you absolutely can "tell" if clothes will be modest enough to wear as a missionary, which will also mean that they will be modest enough to wear after you are endowed in the temple. If it's modest enough to wear as a missionary, it will be modest enough to wear as an endowed adult who has made covenants that require a higher standard of modesty. If you're looking at a shirt or a dress, and you're not sure if a sort of shortish sleeve or a pretty low-cut neckline will "work" with garments, guess what? - it probably won't!  
I sometimes hear people say that they had to buy new all clothes because they needed to dress more modestly after receiving their temple endowment. If you are already carefully following the clothing standards contained in "For The Strength of Youth," you will probably already be dressing in a way that will cover your "garments," or at least pretty close. Some people are more strict about this than others...Let me explain...

As I list the requirements for modesty for LDS missionaries (below), you may notice that these same (or very similar) standards are given in FTSOY. However, often younger people and adults who haven't received their temple endowments are not strict about these guidelines as others are, because the FTSOY guidelines are "standards" instead of "commandments"...meaning, the modesty standards in FTSOY are suggestions instead of requirements - UNTIL you receive your temple endowment (and begin to wear the accompanying temple garment), because then you will be under covenant to dress in a specific way that will keep the temple garment sacred. Since the FTSOY says not to wear "short skirts," but does not specify how short a "short" skirt is, you may have a different opinion than another sister does about what qualifies as a "short" skirt... But after you have been endowed in the temple, that gray area becomes very black and white. I can tell if a sleeve is too short for me to wear or if a pair of shorts is too short for me, just by looking at them.

My point is, you might have been wearing lower-cut shirts, shirts that don't cover your shoulder & upper arm (like tank-tops or cap-sleeves), or above the knee skirts & shorts before your mission because you still could "get away with it"...but choosing to dress that way will require you to make changes (in wardrobe) in order to be able to keep your temple covenants when you make them. 

It's possible that you aren't very familiar with the level of "coverage" that will be required because of the temple garments (special sacred underclothing first received in the temple on the day of your "endowment" ordinance, but thereafter worn at all times under your regular clothes). Not everyone grows up in the Church with active parents who are temple-worthy. You might be a convert to the Church or your parents are not active, so they might not have been able to help you understand the level of clothing modesty that will be required of you as an endowed member (and missionary). Don't worry - a careful reading of the LDS missionary clothing standards (which ARE required) provided by the official church website missionary.lds.org will explain what clothing will need to be like in order to be modest enough to wear as a missionary (who will of course also be a temple-endowed adult).

Please note - although approved missionary clothing is also appropriate for all temple endowed members, you don't have to wear the missionary standard clothing your whole life after you are endowed. Some of the requirements for missionaries (like wearing skirts/dresses to work) are required for missionaries, but not regular church members who are not currently missionaries.

For example, missionaries must wear clothing that is not see-through, which covers their stomach and back, shoulders/upper-arms, legs down to below the knees, and is not low-cut at the neckline. These are also the same standards that any temple-endowed adult will need to adhere to at all times (whether you serve a mission or not).

If you have been wearing clothes that don't provide the level of coverage that will be required of someone who has been endowed in the temple, it would be a good idea to start making the transition (to wearing clothes that will be appropriate after receiving your endowment) sooner, rather than later! This doesn't mean that you have to throw away all of your clothes - you can probably continue to wear most of what you already have by layering, using skirt-extenders, etc. If you need to start supplementing your wardrobe with more modest pieces in order to start dressing more modestly, you can do this over time (maybe even start shopping for items now that you could use as a missionary? Two birds with one stone!)

If you carefully read and understand the missionary clothing guidelines, you will know what clothing will appropriately cover your temple garment as missionary. Here are the basics:

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR ALL MISSIONARY CLOTHING:

• • "Is neither too tight nor too loose.
  • Is not transparent or revealing in any way.
  • Does not draw attention to any part of the body.
  • Is not casual, wrinkled, sloppy, or faddish"

"You should present a dignified, clean, well-groomed appearance and be feminine and professional in style"... "Clothing should be attractive, colorful, tailored to fit well, and conservative in style. Choose colors and patterns that you can mix and match with a variety of outfits"

SHIRTS/BLOUSES:

"If leaving your shirt untucked, ensure that the bottom of the shirt presents a tailored, professional appearance. You may layer shirts under blouses and tops to increase modesty; however, undershirts should not be noticeably longer than the top layer. Avoid sloppy, tight, or casual styles. Do not wear T-shirts, sweatshirts, golf-style shirts, casual shirts, or shirts with low necklines. Sleeves should fully cover the shoulder and the upper portion of the arm, including the underarm, to cover the garment" (missionary.lds.org)

Shirts are probably the most difficult item of clothing when it comes to being able to tell if it will be modest IF you can't try it on first (i.e., purchasing online or buying without trying on), because we are all built differently. A shirt that is low-cut on me might be just fine on you, because of our varying body shapes and heights. This makes looking at an online photo of a shirt on a model (or even in person on a mannequin) not super helpful unless it is obviously a very high neckline or other features that would indicate modesty on pretty much anyone. 

If you are worried that the length of the sleeve might not be long enough, it probably won't be. If you're worried that the neckline might be too low, it probably will be. You do not want to spend all day tugging at your sleeves or neckline of your shirt because you're worried about it. It's better to go with a sure thing. You can also remedy some issues (like a lower neckline or sheer sleeves) by layering (see my post on layering for missionary modesty here)

If you're considering purchasing a shirt, but you can't see it in person (like if you are online shopping) or aren't able to try it on for some other reason, there are a few things that can give you clues as to whether it is going to be modest enough for an LDS missionary:

*A "complete" sleeve is a whole sleeve, meaning that the sleeve goes around the whole arm. A lot of times, "cap sleeves" are sleeves that just have a top part (nothing beneath the arm but an arm-hole), but if they do have an under part of the sleeve, it is much smaller than the part of the sleeve on the top of the arm. A complete sleeve is what I call a sleeve that covers the whole underside of the arm. For LDS Missionary standards, sleeves should cover not only the entire shoulder, but also the upper arm. A "cap sleeve" (as shown in the lds.org graphic below) should only be worn as a layering shirt (under an outer shirt) and never worn as a stand-alone shirt. For more information on how to use layering to make shirts/dresses/skirts more modest, see my blog post here

Graphic from the Missionary Clothing FAQ section of LDS.ORG

**Shirts should not allow you to see-through to the skin underneath in any way (sheer fabrics, see-through lace,  cut-outs). You will especially want to watch for sheer sleeves! Many times the main part (bodice) of a shirt will be one materials, but the sleeves will be sheer. You will need to make sure that the garment would not be visible through sheer fabric on the sleeves (or anywhere else). If the sleeves are sheer, you can still wear the shirt if you wear a layering undershirt underneath.

Based on the information in this Missionary Clothing section of LDS.ORG, here are some examples that I have found of shirts that would NOT be appropriate for LDS missionaries (IF worn as-is):

And here are a few more examples that are specifically focusing on the sleeves. I am showing some examples of shirts that won't work and some examples of shirts that will work (the missionary-appropriate examples on the right side of this graphic are from lds.org):   

Please keep in mind that some of these shirts that aren't appropriate as shown COULD BE  wearable as a missionary with some basic layering (i.e., wearing a layering tee underneath OR wearing a cardigan sweater or blazer over the shirt). Of course, a lot depends on where you will be serving (because if it is somewhere hot, you are not going to want to wear layers!)

SKIRTS:

"Skirts should fully cover the entire knee (front and back) when you are standing or sitting. Slits should not be above the knee when standing or sitting. If you serve in a mission where bicycles are used, choose skirts with sufficient fullness and length for comfort and modesty while biking" (missionary.lds.org)

***If you have a slit in a skirt (or dress) that reveals the knee area, this can often be remedied by sewing the slit closed using a matching colored thread. The general purpose of a slit is to make it easier to walk in a form-fitting skirt (which is why they are very common in pencil-skirt type skirts). If your skirt has a slit that is revealing, you can have it sewn closed (by your mom, yourself, or a tailor), especially if your skirt is not too tight. If your skirt is very tight, you might not be able to walk well in it with the slit sewn up. But since your skirt shouldn't be tight anyhow, hopefully this won't be a problem for you! 

THIS GRAPHIC FROM LDS.ORG (THE MISSIONARY CLOTHING FAQ SECTION)
SHOWS THE REQUIREMENT FOR SKIRT LENGTH

Here are some examples of skirts that would not be appropriate for an LDS sister missionary and some examples of skirts that would be appropriate for an LDS sister missionary, based on the church's missionary clothing guidelines (the appropriate examples of the right side of the graphic are from lds.org). 

Another possible option for skirts that are just a little bit too short is to wear a skirt-extender" (see my post about SKIRT EXTENDERS here) which is sort of an underskirt with extra material or lace on the end which lengthens the overall look of the outer skirt.

DRESSES:

Dresses will actually just follow the same guidelines as shirts and skirts:

Here are a few examples of dresses that would not be missionary appropriate and some examples of dresses that would be appropriate for missionaries (appropriate examples on the right side are from lds.org):

RECREATION CLOTHES (EXERCISE, P-DAY, SERVICE):

"Generally, on preparation day you should wear regular missionary clothing in public. However, if necessary for a specific activity, you may wear more casual clothing. You may bring one pair of modest jeans or pants, a few modest T-shirts, loose-fitting exercise clothing, a pair of gym shoes, and pajamas. Be sure to maintain a high standard of modesty in all activities—especially during activities that require you to stoop down or bend over—by avoiding low-rise jeans and shirts with revealing necklines" (missionary.lds.org)

The same standards of modestly and (YES!) professionalism still apply to the clothes you will bring for recreation. Yes, you can still be professional in casual clothes. The same modesty standards apply to the clothing you will wear for exercising, p-day activities, service projects, and sleeping.  

Much of this has to do with modesty, but you will also need to be clean and neat (not sloppy) and not wear anything that could distract from your message.  

The Missionary Dress and Grooming site missionary.lds.org does not show specific examples of appropriate pajamas, but as stated above, the same modesty standards are expected at all times, whether you are in public or in your missionary apartment. Pajamas will need to fit the same standards of modesty as your other clothes do. (PS - most Sisters that I was companions with wore t-shirts and pajama pants to bed. Only a few brought a full  matching set of pajamas).

Well, there you go! These guidelines will help you know what clothes will be modest enough to wear as an endowed member and as a full-time missionary.

Remember: Part of preparing to go to the temple is learning to live a higher personal standard. Part of preparing to serve a mission is learning to sacrifice your personal wants in order to be an ambassador for the Lord. Instead of focusing on the "can'ts," try to focus on the joy that comes from being a representative of the Lord, whether you are a full-time missionary or a member missionary!