Going Away Party For A Missionary

[dancefan]

I am going to a party for a young woman about to depart on her mission. Is a gift appropriate? If so any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks for your advice!

[Calm]

No gift is expected, but if you would like to, no one is going to be insulted.

If you are older, a card with some money to help on the mission is always welcome. We had a Jewish friend give our son such a gift along with an explanation connecting it to a Jewish tradition that made it a very significant and thoughtful gift on her part.

The problem with giving gifts to a missionary is that they have to limit what they bring, not only for the mission 'lifestyle' but because it can become to burdensome to carry much around and then they must give things away or send them home to family...which can be very expensive depending on where they are going.

You might find out where she is going and see if there is something that might be culturally appropriate, such as a food that could be used at the party itself or by her and her family before she goes so as to help her share her mission experience with others more.

[bluebell]

Stamps! They take up no room and every missionary will use a ton of them through-out their missions.

[Calm]

Stamps! They take up no room and every missionary will use a ton of them through-out their missions.

Just make sure which country they are going to first,

My son rarely wrote except when he had email access. He was in the transitional stage where his mission president couldn't make up his mind if email was okay or not. He went to a Utahan mission so of course had access to internet. My nephew went to Canada (my 'hometown' in fact) and again pretty much only used email, but there are some places where snail mail is still the way to go.

[Garden Girl]

Just make sure which country they are going to first,

My son rarely wrote except when he had email access. He was in the transitional stage where his mission president couldn't make up his mind if email was okay or not. He went to a Utahan mission so of course had access to internet. My nephew went to Canada (my 'hometown' in fact) and again pretty much only used email, but there are some places where snail mail is still the way to go.

Yes, I was going to suggest a small tablet of stationery and some stamps, particularly for someone going to a foreign country...

GG

[Duncan]

I am going to a party for a young woman about to depart on her mission. Is a gift appropriate? If so any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks for your advice!

where are they going?

[Gillebre]

go for a gift card.

[Calm]

Yes, I was going to suggest a small tablet of stationery and some stamps, particularly for someone going to a foreign country...

GG

Though not particularly attractive, I've always thought this type of airmail stationery to be perfect for convenience, never have to wonder where you put those envelopes:

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_SPM560022514P?ci_src=184425893&ci_sku=SPM560022514&sid=IDx20130125xMPALLx028

[rpn]

Typical people just give cash or an amex gift card or, less commonly since there is often no time between receipt and departure, a check. But no one is required to give anything. The bags are probably packed and likely there is no room for gifts.

[Calm]

Aren't parties usually held on Sunday after the 'farewell'? I've known a few that there was over a week before the individual left for the MTC and if they aren't driving, they may not fly out until Wednesday anyway (which is the usual intake day IIRC) so there may be plenty of time....but still likely no room for gifts.

Whenever I sent my son gifts on his mission it was always with the stipulation he shouldn't feel bad if he gave them away to other missionaries or whomever he wanted. That way I could keep sending him stuff without him worrying about where he could keep it.

[dancefan]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I went with cash and a card. Yes the party was Sunday after the service, my first lds service btw. It was very touching and a beautiful sendoff.

[Brenda]

I heard about the idea of having family and friends sign a pillow case, with a write-on-fabric type pen, to send with the missionary -- for those who take a set of sheets. Isn't that a fun idea? However when I mentioned it to my RM son, he wasn't very taken with it. He said it would worsen the homesickness. So, oh well. Maybe not. (I still think it's clever.)

[thesometimesaint]

When my son was in Zimbabwe we sent him a big box of Hostess baked goods. He and his fellow Missionaries highly enjoyed them.

[Nathair/|\]

Were I going on my mission today, the one thing I would most appreciate as a gift would be an e-reader with the scriptures and other helpful missionary references. It would save so much weight when you're biking all over creation.

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

I am going to a party for a young woman about to depart on her mission. Is a gift appropriate? If so any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks for your advice!

They can only have spiritual music...so "Georgia on my mind" by Ray Charles will do, thrown in "Georgia on my mind" by Willie Nelson, and "Sitting on the dock of the bay".

[ERayR]

Stamps! They take up no room and every missionary will use a ton of them through-out their missions.

However with the advent of e-mail the usefulness of stamps is quickly fading.

[Damien the Leper]

At a going away party I went to several years ago, the host served Mormon Tequila. I was great! It came in a glass on the rocks with a salted rim and was made of apple juice, club soda, gummy worms and a slice of lime.

Edited March 25, 2013 by Valentinus

[rpn]

It's been a few years, but these going away parties were officially discouraged not long ago.

How about a pillowcase on which favor sayings from the scriptures are written but no names? Would that eliminate the homesickness?