Preparation

Ultimate Guide for Every Preparing Missionary

Preparing Mentally, Physically, & Spiritually for a Mission:

I don’t think anyone can fully prepare to go on a mission. That being said, there is a great difference between preparing as much as you can & not preparing at all. You won’t be able to do all of these things, and no one expects you to, but here are a few ideas you can use to prepare. Remember, there’s not just one way to prepare for a mission, the trick is to do your best.

Disclaimer: These ideas are not meant to induce stress or make you feel like you’re not doing enough. No one, especially the Lord expects you to have done all of these things or before your mission. Instead this is an opportunity for you to assess your strengths & weaknesses, choosing a few you can work on before you leave that would make you a more effective missionary. You’re not expected to know everything before you even get to the Missionary Training Center.

Preparing Mentally / Emotionally:

Lds.org link to preparing emotionally for missionary service.

“Forget yourself & go to work.” –Gordon B. Hinkley

My Advice To You:

Pay attention to your emotions & acknowledge them. Don’t suppress your emotions or deal with them alone. Talk to your companion and write everything down in a journal.
Find a new way to relive stress. A lot of people use stress relievers that won’t be available as a missionary, such as music, television, or taking naps. It’s important that you find something that will work as a substitute before you leave. You could try deep breathing, meditation or yoga, exercise, a stress ball, reciting a scripture, & of course, prayer.
Make it a habit to look for the good. Missionaries face a lot of rejection & hard situations, so learn some strategies to overcome negative thinking. Try keeping a gratitude journal or keeping a list of everything good that happened during the day.

If you’re feeling unprepared read some talks about missionaries & just remember that the leaders of our church have such confidence in you. The Lord will help you, I know it. Just trust Him & trust that you know enough to go & learn more. Read your mission call again & pay attention to all the promises of joy & growth. Everyday may not be the best 18 months of your life, but it will be the best 18 months for your life. You’re going to serve & you do not go alone. –Some good articles to read if you’re nervous or want to know what to expect are: The Hardest Part of Being a Missionary, For Introverts: What I Would Do Differently If I Could Serve My Mission Again

Preparing Physically:

Lds.org links to preparing physically & mentally for missionary service.

“Keeping the Word of Wisdom will improve your physical and spiritual well-being. Although you are still subject to normal health challenges, obedience to this commandment will help you have a healthier body and mind.

As you keep the Word of Wisdom, the delicate, sensitive, spiritual part of your nature will be prepared to receive guidance from God. Learn to listen to spiritual promptings and feelings. You will be warned of dangers and will be guided by the Holy Ghost. Your wisdom and knowledge will increase. You will have greater peace of mind, increased self-control, and a confident attitude toward life and the future.” –The Word of Wisdom, 2007

My Advice To You:

Practice makes permanent. Do your best to follow a missionary schedule for a few weeks or months before you leave. Try waking up at 6:30 & getting to bed by 10:30 with a full day in between so you’ll be used to it. Spend some extra time studying, breaking in your new shoes, & memorizing scriptures or doctrine. It may not sound like much, but even little changes made before can make the transition a lot easier.
Take care of your body. Make it a habit to exercise regularly & learn to like healthy eating. You can practice eating right with a low budget & small amounts of time to cook. Try sticking to an exercise routine or following workouts that you can take on your mission.
Resolve health problems beforehand. This one can be hard, because often times new things come up on a mission that you couldn’t have fixed before. However, if you’re just ignoring that pain in your knee or dealing with neck & back pain, it’s probably going to be a lot worse on your mission. Talk to the missionary health department & try to get everything settled beforehand. If you struggle with mental health, see someone & make sure you’re cleared. Don’t worry that it may make it harder to serve, God will bless you for your efforts & you’ll serve wherever He needs you.

Preparing Spiritually:

“Seek to be personally converted, obey the rules of the mission, strive to have the Spirit of the Lord in your life, and work hard. These are things every missionary can do. If you do those things, I promise you in the name of the Lord and with the authority of my office, you are a success in His eyes.” –Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

My Advice To You:

Read the White handbook cover to cover, marking it. It’s important that you’re familiar with the standards & expectations of missionary life. This is one of the first things they’ll ask you to do in the MTC.
Read the Book of Mormon again. This will strengthen your testimony so much & prepare you to teach about it. The Book of Mormon brings out the best in us & renews our desire to follow Christ – that’s why we study it every day.
Become familiar with Preach My Gospel & read Elder Bednar’s talk about becoming a PMG Missionary (found below). –Read President Monson’s Message to Missionaries. —How to use PMG.

LANGUAGE: Pre-mission MTC language training: Duolingo & Babbel (my personal favorites). Plus, a cool tip found here.

STUDY TRICKS: Holy Tabbs & Missionary Mark match with the Preach My Gospel scriptures & The Red Headed Hostess has lots of study tools.

For memorizing scriptures or words in your mission language, try flash cards with a word or phrase. Go over them, mix them up, & go over them again. It helped me to always have a phrase I was studying. So, during gym, service time, & getting ready in the morning I was always learning & studying because I was reviewing in my head. I memorized so much faster when I started doing that.

Set goals & then do everything you can to meet them. Listen to your teachers, take time on the grammar, follow the language study plan, & pray. The gift of tongues is real, but the Lord only helps those who work. Last of all, just be patient with yourself. It may seem to be going slow, but you’ll look back & see that you’ve learned so much, & that’s a good feeling.

TALKS: Take the most recent General Conference Ensign (or two) to study. Favorites: Abide in Me, Becoming a PMG Missionary, Believe Obey Endure, Be Ye Converted, But if Not, Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence, Catch the Wave, Choose to Believe, Finishers Wanted, First Observe Then Serve, God Is at the Helm, In the Strength of the Lord, Like a Broken Vessel, Lord I Believe, Mountains to Climb, None Were With Him, Safety for the Soul, Strengthened by the Atonement, Tender Mercies of the Lord, The Divine Gift of Gratitude, The Fourth Missionary, Missionary Work & the Atonement, The Miracle of a Mission, Tomorrow the Lord Will…, We are Children of God, What Lack I Yet?, Where Is the Pavilion?, Yielding Our Hearts to God, You Matter to Him