White Shirts in Every Size

One Sunday, I was in sacrament meeting, and sitting in front of us, I noticed a family with four sons of various ages all wearing white shirts and ties. Knowing the mother, I thought to myself, "She must have white shirts in every size." Then I looked down my own bench and realized that with five sons of our own, we had white shirts in every size hanging in our closets too.

White shirts and ties are the standard Mormon uniform for men serving in the priesthood, and we start training them young, even as early as nursery and junior primary. Every Sunday, you can see little future Mormon missionaries, dressed just like miniature versions of their fathers, toddle off down the hallways to class holding fast to their daddy's big hands.

Regardless of where they serve, elders serving in the mission field will spend the majority of their time wearing white shirts and ties.

We found our missionary liked the Joseph & Feiss brand dress shirt; it was 100% cotton, but it was also non-iron, that being the clincher.

Also consider a dress shirt that is a 70-30 poly-cotton blend; it will not wrinkle like a standard 100% cotton shirt, but the shirt can still breathe. Pointed collars are more professional and appropriate with a suit, but button-down collars, while more casual, are still acceptable and common among missionaries and members alike.

If you can, look for dress shirts with unbreakable buttons and extra buttons sown on the inside of the placket. Extra buttons are a most. So if the shirt does not come with any, add white thread and shirt buttons in two sizes (one size for the shirt front and cuffs; smaller ones for the collars, if necessary) to their sewing kit.

The Secret to Socks

Here's an insider tip:

Don't buy socks with a pattern. If the mate is lost, the other sock is obsolete. Buy all the same color dress socks and match the color of the suit. Then regardless of how many socks get lost or swallowed by the dryer, there will always be a match. Also if, heaven forbid, your missionary grows taller on their mission, they can still get some mileage out of their suits without the high water look.

Wool blends work well in cold or wet missions. (In extrememly cold missions, try football socks. They are so warm.) Avoid all polyester socks because even though they will last forever, your missionary's feet will not be able to breathe, and fungus might result.

Our missionary loves his socks produced from bamboo, a natural fiber alternative to cotton, wool, hemp and synthetic fibers like polyester and nylon. They are super soft, moisture wicking, and do not retain odor. We purchased them at Mens Warehouse in Utah, but you can find them on the web and at department stores. They make great birthday day and Christmas presents for LDS missionaries in the field. Try to find them on sale or as part of a "Missionary Special," if you feel that they are pricey.

Things to do Immediately

If your missionary has sent in their papers and they are waiting for their call, here are a few things they can do immediately to get ahead of the game:

1. Resolve all medical issues that may effect their ability to serve. Complete all tests and treatments including dental work and eye exams.
2. Obtain all required vaccinations and inoculations. If they are planning to enter the MTC in the fall or winter, get a flu shot prior to entering.
3. If possible, continue private health insurance and carry contact information.
4. If they are active or inactive Reserve or National Guard, they must obtain official clearance from their unit prior to entering the MTC or else they will be AWOL. (And that would be bad.)
5. If they are attending college, they must officially defer by contacting their admissions office and following procedure. If they have scholarships, there may be a deferment procedure as well.
6. They must settle all their personal debts.
7. Their hair should be cut according to missionary standards.
8. Their name should be marked in all their belongings including clothing and luggage.
9. They should obtain a patriarchal blessing if possible.
10. They should obtain a temple endowment if possible. 

Depending on when they enter the MTC, they may have a lot or a little bit of time to complete all these after they get their call. Starting now will lessen the chances that they run into any complications.

Try getting all the clothes, the endowment, the setting apart, the haircut and finish a college term and move out of their apartment all in a week, that was crazy nuts. Do not try this at home...give everyone a chance to breathe and encourage them to space everything out as efficiently as possible. 

LDS Missionary Wellness 101

Here is some great physical health advice for future missionaries from a 2007 Ensign article by Donald Doty, MD: 

• Regular (daily) exercise. A missionary must be able to walk an average of six miles (10 km) per day and ride a bicycle 12 miles (19 km) per day. Prospective missionaries can prepare for the rigors of missionary life by establishing a regular pattern of aerobic exercise—walking, running, or cycling for one hour every day.

• 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.

• Healthy eating habits. 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. The Missionary Department requires that missionaries have a body mass index no higher than 37. 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.

• Meal preparation skills. Parents can help their sons and daughters learn how to prepare simple, healthy meals. 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. Since dishwashers are rarely found in missionary living quarters, it is also important to know how to clean up after meals with hot water and dish soap.

• 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. 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.

• Chronic health issues. With proper treatment, many health problems become controllable, making missionary service possible if treatment continues throughout the mission.

• 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.The advantages of immunization overwhelmingly exceed the minuscule risks of receiving vaccines. Immunization renders an individual resistant to disease for varying time periods. Maintaining immunity may require a booster injection.

Why 3% of LDS Missionaries Go Home Early

Dr. Donald Doty writes, "Today about 3 percent of missionaries have their missions shortened by either physical or mental health problems. Losing three out of 100 missionaries may not seem like very many. But to the individual and his or her family, having a mission cut short is significant...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."

Here's where having to take PE everyday or attending sports practice or living without a car or walking or biking to class falls under missionary prep. Daily exercise offsets fatigue, saddle sores, and weight related problems that might occur while serving as a missionary. Being in good physical shape also helps make the other transitions to missionary life easier.

This is Why We Sent Him on a Mission

I just have to share this...today when our missionary closed his e-mail, this is what he wrote:

"Thank you for all the effort that you put into raising me, for my good education and everything. I am a lot more grateful for these things now that I've seen other homes and other people's situations. I Love You."

I get all happy inside every time I read this. It makes every sacrifice and every penny spent seem insignificant.

May all our LDS missionaries come home with a greater appreciation of their blessings and a greater sense of compassion towards others. Amen.

How to "Lose" $4800

My sister-in-law shared this unfortunate story with me.

A family in her ward had a son (let's call him Elder J) on a mission, and in addition to his family's monthly contributions, the ward was receiving financial donations in Elder J's behalf. Only the donor had not specified on the Tithing and Donation slip that the money was for Elder J; they had just entered their donation on the line titled "Ward Missionary." Consequently, the ward had approximately $4800 extra in their ward missionary fund, because the money had not been forwarded to church headquarters, and then on to Elder J's mission. As per procedure at the end of the year, the extra $4800 was sent to church headquarters to the general missionary fund, and Elder J and his family discovered too late that they were still responsible for the coming year's worth of financial contributions.

While I am sure that the Church made good use of the donation, it was probably an unwelcomed surprise to Elder J's family. They were probably counting on that money to cover the balance of Elder J's missionary service.

Please, please, please check periodically with your ward's financial clerk to make sure all your missionary's funds and contributions are in order. No one needs a $4800 surprise.