When I was a young missionary in Quebec, Canada, my mom was a perfect correspondent. She wrote faithfully every week and send me several packages. Even though none of my family was LDS, they were supportive of what I was doing and wonderful about communicating with me often. Now that my own daughters are on missions, I'm not doing so well. I've never been a very good letter-writer. I'm great at emailing, so they hear from me each week when they check their email. But I've only sent a handful of letters and one package each. (I made a mini-scrapbook of family pictures and sent it to each of them.)
Today I got an email from my oldest daughter's mission president's wife. What an on-the-ball lady! She is reminding each missionary's parents that packages for Christmas need to be in the mail soon. She wants us to send them to the mission office where they will be held until a special mission-wide conference in December. I think it's a wonderful idea. But I need your help! I can't think of what to send my daughters. One is in Korea and the other is in Italy. I am in Saudi Arabia. So anything Christmassy will be impossible to find here.
Give me some ideas on what to send--and tell me about packages you received on your mission that were meaningful to you!
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1 day ago
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My favorite packages were filled with simple things that suddenly turned into luxuries on a missionary budget--like nice shampoo, name-brand instant oatmeal, good nylons that didn't run the first time I wore them, stamps, stationery, Crystal Light mix, etc. You might need to enlist help from someone in the U.S. to make that happen, but I'm sure your daughters would love it. It wasn't just the stuff itself that I loved, it was knowing that my mom really knew me and what I would be missing!
If I were your daughter, I would be dying to hear all about Saudi Arabia, so I hope you'll send lots of details, and especially pictures.
You could always give me some money and I can put together packages for them, but it might be more expensive sending them from the US anyways.
Oh, this is Flora by the way.
While their favorite US items may be missed, I'm sure that they'll understand you're not able to easily obtain those items either! Perhaps something to give them a sense what your new home is like? Pictures, useful trinkets, etc.
My daughter loved for us to send her stickers and other things for the kids in the mission. I spent alot of money at the Church Distribution Center, with lots of the smaller pics for the ward members and people they were teaching.
My idea for you. How about ordering things off the internet and having them sent to the Mission President's house/office? You can even order things from Walmart! I am sure the Mission Mom wouldn't have a problem putting them all in a box or a bag after they have arrived. What do you think? Don't forget family pics or a video!
When I served in Germany, the hot items were peanut butter, chocolate chips, maple flavoring and brown sugar. It may be the same thing in Italy, but it would probably be a good idea to ask first.
Are those your daughters? So lovely!
My husband served in Korea. Hot items in packages were peanut butter and anything that could be used to make cookies or American-style baked goods.
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