Some Good News For Missionary Parents

The missionary department for our church came out with a big announcement this week.

It used to be that missionaries serving as a full time missionary, could only speak to their family on Mothers Day and Christmas. They could email one day a week for an hour. Thus, I would post our weekly emails from Princess Four each week and posted sometimes about my other missionaries a few years back 

Since cell phones and iPads are now used by many missions around the world, the way to allow families to contact their missionaries can change. Before, many areas didn't have access to internet or cell phones. 

In the past few years, they have become so integrated all over the world that many missionaries, even in remote areas, have access to cell phones so they can keep in contact with their mission president. Princess Four was my only missionary with phone and iPad as part of her gear. She wrote her emails home every week on an iPad. We had to pay for an iPad for her when she left to go on her mission to Japan. 

Princess Five had to take a certain type of cell phone with her on her mission, but her internet at her apartment isn't good so she uses her phone to write and visits the local church to do her calls on the holidays. 

This new announcement will allow missionaries to call their family on their one day a week preparation day and to have a reasonable time on the phone. They can also video call if they have access to that option. Many missionaries in remote areas won't have this option I am guessing but if they have internet at cafe's then perhaps they could video chat. I just know when we were in Peru a few years back, the internet was iffy at best in the high mountain areas. 

So, I don't know if I will get a call, an email, or texts this week for her Prep day, but I am excited to see these new changes that will make it a little easier for some people to go on a mission. Some kids aren't strong enough to go on their own without reassurance for that long of a mission. 2 years is a long time to be away from family if you aren't secure in yourself. 

I will let you know how it goes. Here are some pictures of our calls from the girls over the holidays while they were on video chat with us all. I only talked on the phone with the older girls on those holidays as they were a bit more remote and didn't have those option, but exciting news for us.

Have a Blessed Day!