5 Things you NEED to bring on your LDS Mission
Add these five things to your packing list!
About to head to the mission field? Not sure what to bring? I got you covered! Here’s a list of five must bring items for your mission!
1. New Scriptures
I bet this thought has crossed your mind: “I’ll just bring the scriptures I got when I turned eight!” Can you bring them? Yes, absolutely! Would I recommend it? Not so much.
As a missionary, your scripture study focus is generally on those you are teaching. Therefore, it may be helpful to you to have more focused scriptures for this purpose.
“Plan your study around people, their needs, and preparing them for baptism, confirmation, and enduring to the end…
“Plan your study by asking: What will I be teaching today? How can I plan my study to best help those I teach?” (Study Ideas from Preach my Gospel)
I strongly recommend a set of missionary scriptures purchased purely for the intent of studying for those that you teach.
I brought my childhood scriptures without a second thought about it. I quickly realized that my eight-year-old scribbles did not quite mesh well with my scripture understanding as a nineteen-year-old missionary. I ended up buying a small Book of Mormon to mark more maturely and to match the subjects that I taught most often.
2. Feminine Hygiene Products
Bringing feminine hygiene products is especially important if you are called to serve in a foreign country.
Some countries, such as Asian countries, may not have the period products you have become accustomed to using.
In my case, in Brazil, tampons were only available for purchase in some of the cities that I served in. Luckily, I had over-prepared and packed enough tampons to last my entire mission.
Some Sisters opt to use a reusable menstrual cup in order to bypass the need to pack an eighteen month supply of tampons or pads.
In any case, make sure that you research where you will be serving to know what is typically available for purchase and plan accordingly.
3. Simple Clothing
Eighteen months is a long time to only wear what you can fit in two suitcases. Even your favorite dresses you will probably tire of eventually.
Bringing very simple shirts, skits, and pants allows you to mix and match to find new outfit combinations. Aim for neutral colors, especially with skirts and pants, to easily match with a different shirt.
The church website recommends, “conservative colors and may have small, simple, and subtle patterns such as pinstripes or checkers.”
If your mission is anything like mine, you will likely trade shirts and skirts constantly with other sisters in order to find new outfits. A simple black skirt will go a long way with bolder tops.
4. First Aid Kit
Missionary service can be incredibly taxing on your body. You will most likely experience a decent amount of walking, knocking doors in the beating sun, perhaps bike-riding, and other physically challenging activities. As basic as it sounds, a first aid kit can go a long way in helping you stay healthy.
Having a first aid kit in your apartment will certainly help when the certain cuts, scrapes, and headaches come as a missionary.
The CDC has listed the following as things that a basic first aid kit should have:
2 absorbent compress dressings (5 x 9 inches)
25 adhesive bandages (assorted sizes)
1 adhesive cloth tape (10 yards x 1 inch)
5 antibiotic ointment packets
5 antiseptic wipe packets
2 packets of aspirin (81 mg each)
1 emergency blanket
1 breathing barrier (with one-way valve)
1 instant cold compress
2 pair of nonlatex gloves (size: large)
2 hydrocortisone ointment packets
1 3-inch gauze roll (roller) bandage
1 roller bandage (4 inches wide)
5 3 x 3-inch sterile gauze pads
5 sterile gauze pads (4 x 4 inches)
A thermometer (non-mercury/non-glass)
2 triangular bandages
Tweezers
I would also recommend bringing some moleskin for potential blisters, especially as you break in your new mission shoes. You might also consider bringing extra aspirin or other pain medication.
5. Sewing Kit
Yes, you should bring a sewing kit on your mission!!
As mentioned before, missionary work can be extremely physically taxing. This applies not only to your body, but also to your clothing. Rips, tears, and missing buttons are more common than you might think. Having a simple sewing kit nearby can be extremely helpful for preserving your limited missionary wardrobe.
You do not need to be a professional seamstress to know how to use your sewing kit. Watch a couple of YouTube videos to learn everything that you will need for your mission.
Below are a couple YouTube tutorials that may be helpful to you:
Sources
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/preach-my-gospel-a-guide-to-missionary-service/how-do-i-study-effectively-and-prepare-to-teach?lang=eng
https://www.ezpacking.com/blogs/ezpacking-blog/sister-missionary-clothes
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/callings/missionary/guidelines-for-sisters?locale=eng&lang=eng
https://blogs.cdc.gov/publichealthmatters/2021/05/first-aid-kits/