Thursday, April 23, 2009

The Last Days

MTC

Elder Robarts looked every bit a missionary as I had my last glimpse of him heading down the hall with the other new missionaries. He didn't see me glance down that side hallway as I walked along with all the other tear-blinded, but proud and happy families. It was good to see him striding along with apparent eagerness and confidence looking forward to this new experience.

I have updated his mailing information on the side, but here it is as well:

Elder Andrew James Robarts
MTC Mailbox #180
CAN-WIN 0513
2005 N 900 E
Provo, Utah 84604-1793

His estimated departure date is May 13

While he is at the MTC, you can write to him for FREE at DearElder.com. DearElder.com pays for the paper and the postage.

Once missionaries are in the field, the sender pays the postage, but DearElder pays the paper. (They do sell care packages which they send to your missionaries and accept donations for the site - should you feel so inclined.)

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Questions about email and packages

October 3, 2009
Received a note from the mission office which says:
...all of your mail should be sent to the Canada Winnipeg Mission Office at the address below:
Canada Winnipeg Mission
(Missionary Name) (that would be Elder Andrew Robarts)
845 Shaftsbury Boulevard
Winnipeg, MB R3P 0M5
CANADA

If packages are mailed with this format we will be able to sign for them if they become lost, whereas if the Missionary name is first, we cannot retrieve them.


April 7, 2009
I asked:
Do the missionaries in your mission have regular access to e-mail? Is that a good way to write to them? I am concerned about limited computer access so that they don't really have time to read. On the other hand, email doesn't take 2 weeks to get there. What would you advise family and friends?

the information letter said 'Packages should be marked "Missionary supplies" ' The US postal clerk said that we need to list everything in the package. Does marking it "missionary supplies" eliminate the need for itemizing?

How many missionaries generally share an apartment?

What do they like to get in "care packages'? What tends to travel well? What is a wasted effort?

Sister Grimshaw answered:
Missionaries receive an e-mail address in the Mtc--@myldsmail.net. They use it to e-mail home on preparation day. Here they go to a public library for an hour on preparation day and e-mail their Mission president (President Morgan has them hand write brief letters to him) family and friends. They may receive mail and packages addressed to the Mission office.

If you want to itemize your package you may. Packages should be sent by US/Canada Post. If packages come through UPS and others, when they go through customs and are over $20, a brokers fee is attached which means we have to pay to receive the package and will ask for reimbursement from you.

Two missionaries share an apartment.

Care packages--send your missionaries favorites--things that do not weigh much. Cookies should be bar type or they end up cookie crumbs.

-------------

Because I am a little dim, I am not sure that my questions have been thoroughly answered.

About email -
1 hour in the public library for 2 missionaries may not amount to any time at all.

If the cost of postage or time constraints mean that the only way you are going to write to him is by email, then, by all means email.

If you want to get information to him in less than 2 weeks, email. If you want to make sure he really gets it, I would also snail mail it.

I am going to suggest that any email he wants to keep or wants printed up and cannot do there, he can forward home and ask us to take care of it for him.

I personally don't think email is going to be my main method of communication. But it certainly is more affordable!

Hopefully, I will get more information from the postal service - either US or Canadian - about requirements for listing contents of packages. I would rather not have to, of course.

I am hoping that returned missionaries might help with care package suggestions. What did you like? What did you wish for? What was not worth shipping?