How to Write a Meaningful Missionary Letter in 10 Minutes

Image via LDS.org.

Even though writing a missionary letter or email is kind of considered old school now, it is still meaningful. When you take the time to let a missionary know you were thinking of them, it might just make their day.

Life can seem hectic sometimes, but don’t forget about those you love who are serving the Lord. Even if you only have a little bit of time, carve some of it out to communicate with your missionary. Here is how you can write a meaningful letter to your missionary in 10 minutes.

Keep in mind that these methods can also be used when kids write letters to siblings on missions. Obviously their letters or emails may be shorter, but they will be just as meaningful in the end.

Share about your missionary efforts.

Tell your missionary about the work that you have been doing. Whether you have a friend you have been ministering to, you invited someone to take the missionary discussions, someone you fellowshipped was baptized, or something in between, these are all forms of missionary work.

The work can only move forward when members and missionaries combine their efforts. For missionaries, knowing that your family is hand in hand in the work with you provides comfort. This is a wonderful way to feel closer to your missionary. By focusing on the same work that they are.

If you haven’t been doing missionary work, use your missionary’s service as inspiration to become a member missionary yourself. Whether your efforts are big strides or baby steps, I can guarantee your missionary wants to hear about it.

Related Link: 6 Ways to Rethink Member Missionary Work

Share your testimony or insights.

man's praying hands on scriptures. Sharing scriptures in your missionary letters.
Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash 

Share something that you learned in your scripture study. I always loved hearing what other people were learning from their study of the scriptures.

These are great snippets that might even turn into little messages they can share at dinner. Insights from Come Follow Me are also great tidbits to share in letters to your missionary.

If you can’t think of anything you’ve pulled from your studies, that is okay. If you have had any recent testimony-building experiences, share those in your missionary letter instead. Sharing your testimony, even in a written form, is a wonderful way to grow your testimony and strengthen others.

Ask Questions!

People holding question marks
Image via buyahomehg.com

Ask about how the work is going, what their schedule looks like, or what experiences they’ve had. Once you’ve asked about your missionary, ask about who they are teaching.

If there is anything a missionary loves talking about, it is the people they are teaching. Ask for their names specifically and pray for them. In your next letter, follow up about their progress by name.

There are some questions you might want to avoid. Asking how many baptisms a missionary has had is in bad taste. Each person progresses in the gospel at their own pace and missionaries do not have control over that timing. What is most important is not the number of baptisms, but the deepening conversion of each individual.

Related Link: How to Not Write a Boring Letter to Your LDS Missionary

Be honest about what is happening at home.

writing a missionary letter
Image via sheknows.com

I can tell you from personal experience that a missionary can tell when you are hiding something from them. Even if you have hard news to deliver, it is important that you are honest and candid with your missionary. Now, this doesn’t mean that every little issue, should be brought up.

An article in the March 2007 New Era titled “Missionary Mail” says, “Don’t mention every problem that arises at home. There are some problems they should know about, but there are many others that would only worry or distract them unnecessarily.”

As a general rule, if something important has happened, most missionaries would like to know about it. You missionary didn’t magically become inhuman when they put on the name badge.

Share how proud you are.

sister missionary teaching and smiling at a friend
via churchofjesuschrist.org

Tell them how proud you are of their choice to serve and their everyday efforts. This goes for most people, not just missionaries. I would often hear things like “I’m so proud of your decision to serve.” While that is really nice, I wish that someone would have acknowledged that every day was a choice to serve. It’s okay to acknowledge that something good is still hard.

Sometimes it felt like my family was proud that I was a missionary, but they didn’t realize my everyday efforts. It can be hard for anyone to feel like their efforts are being acknowledged, not just missionaries. Just realize that your missionary is still a person, they will feel discouraged about normal things too.

When will you write your missionary a letter? Share in the comments. 

Zoë Holyoak is currently a BYU student, photographer, and writer. Her hobbies include long walks through the ice cream aisle at the grocery store and correcting bad grammar. She is also a proud member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served a mission for the Church in Portland, Oregon.