How to Send Letters & Packages to a Missionary

1. Email and messages come first

Missionaries communicate with family weekly on preparation day (P-day) by letters, emails, text messages, online messaging, phone calls and video chat (Missionary Standards, chapter 3). A letter or package is a bonus, not a requirement.

2. Writing to the Provo MTC

• Your missionary gets an email with their full MTC mailing address several days before they arrive (the On-Site FAQ says the Thursday before). Ask your missionary for it; MTC staff are not allowed to give out addresses (Provo MTC).
• Send only through the U.S. Postal Service, UPS, FedEx, Amazon or another commercial carrier. Amazon delivers to the MTC Monday–Friday, 9:00 am–6:00 pm.
• Address mail with the missionary’s full name and mission assignment (On-Site FAQ).
• Don’t drop things off at the security booth, during temple visits or over the fence, and don’t use DoorDash, Grubhub or Uber Eats. The MTC lists approved local same-day delivery services on its communication page.
• Don’t send perishable food such as pizza, restaurant food or frozen treats (package guidelines).
• A tentative departure date is part of the MTC mailing address, so time packages to arrive well before it.

Other MTCs have their own rules; check the instructions in your call packet.

3. Sending to the mission field

• Use the address from the call packet or the mission office. Many missions prefer packages sent to the mission office; offices move, so confirm first.
• Some missions discourage packages. If your missionary serves abroad, customs fees can be very expensive; the Church’s New Era notes some missionaries have paid $200 or more to pick up Christmas packages.
• Don’t send cash (it’s illegal to mail cash internationally), extra books, toys or games, and avoid bulky items, since missionaries move with two suitcases at transfers (New Era).
• Small padded envelopes usually travel faster and cheaper than boxes. Declare contents honestly.
• Mail early for holidays; international mail can take weeks.

4. Tips for your missionary’s country

Each country page has a short note on mail and customs, plus every mission’s page has its office address (when known) and a reminder to confirm it.

Find your country →

About courier services

Some private companies deliver packages to mission offices in certain countries. Got My Call doesn’t endorse any of them; ask your mission office what works best.