If you didn’t know, Hunter will be serving an 18-month mission for our church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), and she starts NEXT WEEK! My mama heart can’t handle it. It’s so bittersweet. We knew she was thinking about serving a mission. Still, she completely surprised us when she completed all the necessary paperwork/appointments herself + randomly started reading her mission call out loud to us! She’s been called to service in the Indianapolis, Indiana, mission! And besides the cold, she’s really excited to serve there + knows that is where God needs her to be! I know so many of you also have children who have served a mission, or will in the near future, so I wanted to share what she’s bringing to Indiana!
: WHAT IS A MISSION?
I’ve had people reach out asking questions about missions, so I wanted to give a quick explanation. In our church, young women and young men have the opportunity to serve full-time missions beginning at age 18. Boys typically go for 2 years, and girls for 18 months. They do not choose where they get to serve, but it can be anywhere in the world. They leave behind school, dating, jobs, hobbies, and dedicate themselves to inviting others to come unto Christ. They teach about the Savior, serve the communities, and spend their days studying and sharing the gospel. It’s such a selfless decision, and I know Hunter is going to be blessed for her sacrifice. I know she’s going to bless so many lives by sharing Christ’s love, and I know she will return home strengthened, changed, and shaped by her service. Fun fact: Joe served a mission many years ago in Orlando, FL, and he absolutely loved it! You can read more about missions and missionaries here.
: DRESSES/CLOTHES
First, I wanted to share the suitcases we bought for her in cherry red (carry-on and a big one). They are our favorite brand that we’ve used for years. The quality is so good!
When you get your mission call, the church also sends you information about the mission and a packing list. Obviously, every mission is different depending on the climate, etc. Missionaries are required to wear dresses or dress pants, the majority of the time. So we had fun picking out everything for her. We found a ton of good items from Bohme, which has tons of darling staple pieces that are modest and garment-friendly. Linking all the clothes she’s bringing HERE!
: SHOES
She’s definitely packing minimal so she’s only bringing a few pairs of shoes…. a boot, an everyday shoe, a workout shoe, and some flip flops. She needs a good boot that will withstand the winter/snow, so we bought these boots. The reviews are great! The quality is sturdy, and they will go with everything she wears. We also ordered these darling Doc Marten shoes that she can wear with anything. They are so cute with ruffle socks, too!
indiana is so lucky to get her!
: OTHER ITEMS
All the extra random items she needs, we got from Amazon. Things like a bathroom bag, stitch gun, nail clippers, earplugs, sewing kit, pill box, etc. She is also bringing her favorite digital camera so she can take pictures for memories! To see everything we ordered, click here.
I also set up a “missionary binder” for her. It has recipes, workouts, her patriarchal blessings, shot records, and special letters in it. Basically, it’s just a way to keep everything organized with things that will help her throughout her mission.
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Thank you for all the love + support! I’ll be sure to share about her adventures in Indiana while she’s gone!
