Your son or daughter has been called to serve in one of the most wonderful places on earth! The Filipino people are warm, loving, welcoming and humble. They have been prepared for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Your son or daughter will have a marvelous experience!
We want you to know that we take very seriously the responsibility to lead, guide, teach, inspire and care for your son or daughter while they are serving in the Philippines, Manila Mission. Please know that we will love them as we love our own children.
What can you do to help them prepare?
- Study Preach My Gospel and share with each other the things you are both learning. https://www.lds.org/manual/preach-my-gospel-a-guide-to-missionary-service?lang=eng
- Be an example for them by studying the scriptures and talking about your love for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
- Attend the temple with them as often as your schedule permits.
- Open YOUR mouth. Share with others the joy the gospel brings you and your family. Show YOUR courage.
- Invite the missionaries from your area to come to your home and teach a lesson. Better yet, invite them to teach a friend or another investigator in your home.
- Encourage your child to volunteer to work with the missionaries.
- Give your child the opportunity to teach missionary lessons (for family night, one on one times, or with the missionaries)
- Support them in attending a Missionary Preparation Class, if there is one in your area.
- Help them learn to do Family History
- Help them get the necessary shots, clothing and supplies.
Travel Information for the Missionary and Family
https://www.lds.org/callings/missionary/missionary-travel/general-travel-information?lang=eng
For tips for packing your Baggage for airline travel:
Carry-on baggage dos and don’ts:
Do:
1. Height: 36 cm (14”), Width: 23 cm (9”), Length: 56 cm (22”), and the total weight of the Carry-on baggage and your items is 7kg (15lbs). It is free of charge to bring a carry-on baggage with you on the plane!- If you are a small person, you can ask the flight attendance to assist you to put the carry-on in the cabin.
- Things you want to read (Book of Mormon, Bible, Preach My Gospel, Study Journal, Gospel Library… etc. or pick some of these)
- You can put most of your books on your carry-on so you can save weight for your check-in baggage.
- Elders – Shirt, Tie, Socks, Pants, and inner wear
- Sisters – Blouses/Top, Skirts, and inner wear
- Just in case your flight has a long layover, you can still look fresh in your extra set of clothing
- Usually cold inside the plane
- 3-1-1
- 3.4 ounce (100ml) bottle or less
- 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag
- 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin
- If in doubt, consider putting your liquids in checked luggage
- From personal experience (not quoting from TSA)
- The 3-1-1 bottles, you can buy them in almost any grocery store and listed as “Travel-Size Bottles” or under other names
- To those who are taking international flight, don’t wear contact lenses on the plane to avoid discomfort on a long flight. (If you want to wear contact lenses on the flight, bring the contact lens case, filled with contact lens solution beforehand and bring your glasses just in case)
- You can use moisturizers to refresh your hands and face. (read carefully about 3-1-1 above) The air inside the plane is similar to a dry summer climate or to being indoors in the wintertime, humidity is no higher than 10%
- Drink water, even if it means you need to run to the restroom a lot
- Get up and stretch every few hours when you are allowed to.
Extra tips for your safety!
Beside carry-on baggage (which you will put it in the cabin on the plane), you should have a pocket or personal item, such as a purse/sidebag, with you that you should never put down until you arrive your destination. (Carry it with you even when you go to the restroom or anywhere, except when you are doing a security check.)- Reason for this is to keep the most important things with you! Think about this, if you lost your check-in baggage and your carry-on baggage, what do you need the most that allows people to identify you?
- Your passport, ID, air-ticket, baggage claiming receipt, money (your home country and the country you are going to) – several coins to make a phone call if no one is willing to lend you their cell phone, arrival living address (mission home address and number)
- Your identity is the most important thing which you need to protect, especially in this sensitive time of traveling! Even though you are a missionary, your Heavenly Father knows who you are, but without your identification, people have the authority to stop you from entering into their country. It will take you a while to get back your identification and back to your home country too.
Don’t:
1. Prohibited items: (Directly Screen Shot from the Transportation Security Administration – U.S. Department of Homeland Security)
These are just some of the prohibited items, check for detail on Transportation Security Administration – U.S. Department of Homeland Security website. (http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/prohibited-items)
Personal advice: if in doubt, call the airlines to make sure before you go to the airport. Medicine depends on personal need. If bringing liquid medicine or a large amount of a prescribed medicine, place a letter with the medicine written by your doctor explaining the diagnosis requiring the medicine along with the specific name and amount of the medicine. You may also check http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information or call the Philippine Consulate (213) 639-0980
or Office of Tourism (213) 487-4525.
For specific information about travel with Delta airlines:
http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/traveling-with-us/baggage.html
For information about the Philippine MTC click this link:
https://www.lds.org/locations/missionary-training-centers/philippines/your-stay?lang=eng
How will we communicate with our missionary?
Most of you will be sending emails or using the "Pouch" to write to your missionary.
EMAIL: send them to the address given your son or daughter by the Church, eg. dkramer@myldsmail.net Your missionary will generally be emailing on their p-day, which is Monday. Because of time difference, you should usually receive it (US time is12-15 hours later than Manila) sometime before Monday morning when you wake up. Once each transfer, the missionaries attend the temple on their p-day, so their email date may change that week.
Pouch mail within the Philippines and select other countries: Family and friends and members may send letters, postcards and small packages (Book of Mormon size) to missionaries within the Philippines through pouch mail. Only letters can be sent to other foreign countries through pouch. Missionaries may send mail to family, investigators and recent converts as long as they follow the mission president's rules. NO MAIL TO THE OPPOSITE SEX WITHIN THE MISSION WITHOUT THE PRESIDENT'S PERMISSION.
_________________________________________________________________________________
FROM: Missionary Name
Mission Name
Name of family, investigator or recent convert
Ward or Branch
Stake or District
Name of Mission
Pouch Mail
___________________________________________________________________________________
Or if sending mail to missionary:
From Family Member Name
Ward or Branch
Stake or District
Name of Mission
Name of Missionary
Name of Mission
___________________________________________________________________________________
Packages and Letters sent by regular mail:
Email is definitely the fastest way to send letters.
If you send a written letter, it will be delivered once a month by your missionary's zone leaders to your missionary at their monthly zone meeting. This is the same way pouch mail and packages are delivered.
If you want to send a box or a letter, through the post office, address them to the P.O. Box Address:(Missionary Name)
Philippines Manila Mission
P.O. Box 1997
1200 Makati
Metro Manila, PH
If you use other package sending services, please use the exact street address for the
Mission Office:
Philippines Manila Mission
(Missionary name)
19 HV Dela Costa Street
Makati City
1222 Metro Manila
Philippines
We have also had reliable success using Julie Hess as a shipper. She does this as a service to the missionaries in the Philippines. She is able to ship packages cheaper and reliably through LBC which is located near her home in Oregon. You can send it to her and she will group it with other boxes into one large box and send them all cheaper. If you have one near you, you may want to check into the cost for you to send it via LBC. Otherwise, Julie's service is very helpful!
In the US, the least expensive way to send a box to your missionary is through the postal service. It is currently taking about 2-3 weeks to receive a box from out of the Country. We have found the best way to send packages is using the international flat rate US Postal Service boxes. They seem to make it through most smoothly. But if you really want to make sure something arrives there, use LBC.
All packages sent through the postal system are charged a 50 peso delivery charge. If you use FedEx, Express Mail, DHL, or other mail services, it will cost you MUCH more and they will likely be opened by customs, and you will be charged taxes which are often costly. It will also require the office staff to spend several hours picking the box up. Any taxes/fees will be taken from your missionary’s monthly account. This can make it very difficult for them.
Please keep in mind than many items can be purchased in the Philippines, and it is much easier and less expensive to put gift money into the missionary's debit card account from his/her local bank.
Remember: MAIL IS ONLY PICKED UP ONCE A MONTH BY THE ZONE LEADERS AT MLC. THEY DELIVER THE MAIL TO THE MISSIONARIES AT THE NEXT ZONE MEETING.
If you have questions, you can email the mission office at:
manilamissionsecretary@gmail.com
You can also contact other Manila Mission Moms through the unofficial facebook page: Philippines Manila Mission Moms