11 Creative Ways to Write your Missionary

Are you struggling with what to write to your missionary each week? Here are 11 creative ideas and prompts for your weekly letter to your LDS Missionary!

I recently read a Facebook thread about writing your missionary. One mom said she doesn’t write to her son because they get to talk every week. While I understand the sentiment behind her thoughts, writing your missionary can be an amazing, fun and spiritual way to connect with them.

But sometimes it can be hard to think of what to write so that you still have something to talk about on P-day. I’m excited to share some 11 unique ways to write to your missionary that are unique and fun!

photograph of someone's hands on a computer keyboard, tying. A pad of paper and pen lay next to the keyboard.

Why do I need to write to my missionary?

Writing your missionary can be more than just a recap of your family’s latest news. By writing your missionary you can:

Share your testimony
Talk about the gospel
Share family history information
Give counsel and advice
Share memories
Lift and encourage your missionary
Keep up family connection
Entertain

Emails or written letters can be referred to again and again by your missionary. In those times they feel lonely or bored, being able to pull up an encouraging or enlightening email can be a big help to missionaries!

What are some ideas for missionary emails?

Daily Recap: Open a note on your phone or have a piece of paper next to your bed. Each night before you go to to bed, write down your thoughts/activities from that day. Then at the end of the week, send it to your missionary

Conversion Stories: Start with you and your spouses’ conversion stories. In subsequent weeks, ask other family members or your missionary’s church leaders/family friends to share their conversion stories as well.

Come Follow Me: Do a paragraph or two on your thoughts about the Come, Follow me study for the week. You could also have your children write their thoughts (or you write it down for them).

General Conference: Choose a talk each week and summarize or provide your favorite quote or thoughts.

Family History: Either write down family stories OR check out the “Memories” tabs in FamilySearch for your ancestors. We have found some really cool and inspiring stories from our ancestors! Also some really funny ones. 🙂

Stories about your missionary: Share a favorite or funny memory about your missionary when they were younger.

Spiritual Gifts: Write about a gift you think your missionary has and the ways you have seen that gift in them.

Favorite Quotes: Send a favorite quote or book excerpt and explain why you love it.

Video of the Week: My husband compiles a weekly video that has bits and pieces of the things or family did that week and my son LOVES it! He makes it and shares it to his Google Drive.

How do I get other people to write my missionary?

Missionaries love to get news from back home! But it is easy to forget about writing. Every month, I will send out a text blast with my missionaries email address and ask people to send him a quick note about how they are doing. I usually write something like,

“If you are looking for something to do today, it would be great if you could send a note to your favorite missionary! He would love to hear how you are doing. He might not have time to write back, but he loves getting emails. His email address is: _______ Thank you so much!”

How do I involve my younger children in writing to our missionary?

Writing a letter can be such a wonderful way for siblings to connect with their sibling who is serving, but they aren’t always excited about it. You can create a list of writing prompts and put it in a jar for younger kids to draw and write about. Older kids can write about their thoughts on Come, Follow Me, scripture study, or seminary. Encourage older kids to ask their missionary sibling questions.

Here are some email prompts that younger kids could answer in their emails to missionaries.

What is your favorite primary song? Why do you like it?
What is your favorite scripture hero and why?
How do you feel the Spirit?
What is your favorite temple? How do you feel when you see it?
How did you help someone at school this week?
How did you help someone at home this week?
What is something that made you smile at school this week?
Write about your school teacher, what do you like about him/her?
What is something that scares you?
What is something that makes you laugh?
What is your favorite book and why?
What is your favorite movie/show, why?
What is your favorite song on the radio?
What is your favorite food?
What is your least favorite food?
Where do you want to travel to and why?

Key Takeaways

Don’t miss out on the tremendous opportunity you have to connect on a deep level with your missionary through weekly emails. When our kids are back home in “real life,” we will be competing with so many different voices, but for these 18 months-2 years we have the opportunity to be a leading and guiding voice for our children.

I hope these ideas have inspired you with creative ways to connect with your Elder or Sister!