Missionary Ideas

Courtesy Danilo Alfaro

Nothing says Autumn like freshly-baked cornbread, drizzled with honey. Delicious! And while I’m sure our grandmothers made this treat from scratch, our generation can cheat a little with store-bought mixes. My personal favorite is Marie Calendar’s — just add water. This is a fun treat to send to your missionary when the weather gets a little chilly. Just be careful: though some box mixes are light (like Jiffy), others may be more expensive to ship. You be the judge. And don’t forget a little bottle of honey — carefully sealed, and non-breakable, of course.

Fleece blankets are very easy to make–

–there is absolutely NO sewing involved!

What’s more, you can pick any pattern you like from your local fabric store. Fleece is usually inexpensive, but depending on the size of the blanket, it may get

expensive to ship, so think twice before mailing your missionary a new comforter for his king-size bed. Best to keep the size modest, but still warm.

In case you’ve never made a fleece blanket, I found step-by-step instructions at the following blog:

http://abigcupoftea.blogspot.com/2008/09/cozy-tie-fleece-blanket.html

The Postal System is coming out with new 44-cent stamps. I just found this really fun design: the Thanksgiving Day Parade!

You can order them online by clicking on the following link:

USPS Stamps

Who doesn't love the look of Fall?

This is a fun and simple craft that is sure to add autumn festivity to your missionary’s day. I found this craft, and detailed instructions, on the following website:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4610766_silk-leaves-that-seem-fall.html

Basically, the effect is achieved by sewing silk leaves together with thread, and then dangling them from the top of a window. Step inside any craft store, and you will easily find the ingredients you need. Include tape, or better yet, hooks (like the Command brand) so your missionary can hang these beautiful decorations.

Do-it-yourself

For messages accompanying packages, or for everyday letters to your missionary, homemade stationary is a simple, inexpensive way to keep things fun. Check out the “Stationery Printables” section of this site for a few designs I put together, or do an image search on google to find a design you really love.

http://www.missionaryideas.com/stationery-printables

Candy-grams are so fun, but unfortunately, shipping a large, stiff posterboard to your missionary isn’t usually an option. By changing a few things, however, this present becomes possible again.

Last year, a family member and I made candy-grams for our cousins serving in Montreal and Romania. Here’s how we were able to ship them:

Instead of putting the candy on a posterboard, use fabric. Go to your local craft store and get a yard or so of Halloween-themed material, and then attach the candy with a hot glue gun. Use a permanent marker to write out the message on the fabric. Our missionaries loved these!

This project is very fun, but can become expensive to ship, so use discretion when planning for length and amount of candy used.

This is the same idea as the Lucky Charms for St. Patrick’s Day (it’s amazing how many creative cereals there are out there). You could go to a party store and send disposable Halloween-themed bowls and orange utensils, napkins, etc… Look for the two other “Monster Cereals” — Frankenberry and Boo-berry!

Comes in Several Varieties!

Why not send your missionary a package full of treats he or she can share with companions? Pez are cheap, lightweight, and won’t melt on the way. Sending several is a good way to help your missionary get along with room-mates. Be sure to send extra pez candies so there’s enough to go around.

Halloween is getting close — let the themed packages begin!

Different versions of this “recipe” for the classic Halloween treat can be found at the following websites:

http://erikhomemade.typepad.com/erik_homemade/2008/10/halloween-ghost-lollipop-favors-project.html

http://www.toppartyideas.com/halloween-ghost-lollipop/