For families · updated October 2026

While your missionary serves

What to expect after your missionary leaves: the quiet first days, what to do if something happens at home, health and safety, transfers, sharing their emails, and where to send mail. All from the Church’s own guidance.

If something happens at home ↓Missionary Standards, ch. 3 →

What to know

Quiet weeks are normal. You’ll hear from them on P-day, and leaders reach out if there’s an emergency.

P-day: missionaries reply to messages on their weekly preparation day, unless it’s an emergency.
They start the calls: if your family needs to reach them, contact the mission president first.
Leaders contact you if your missionary has an emergency. The mission president talks with your stake president and your family about serious injuries and health concerns.
Mail: send it where the mission tells you. Some missions use the office address, so mail isn’t lost at transfers.

All the contact rules in one place: how families stay in touch →

Sources: Missionary Standards 3.9, 3.9.1, 3.9.4, 3.9.7 · Supplement 7.7.1 · Family communication notice

Hard first letter? First four weeks: what’s normal →

Keep the family on the same page: Printable family info sheet →

Hard email this week? When your missionary is struggling →

The first weeks and beyond

Seven things to expect, from the MTC to transfers.

Step 1The first week: expect quiet At the MTC, missionaries may contact family on their weekly P-day and on special occasions, and from the airport on the way to the mission. P-day can be any day Monday to Saturday; only your missionary can tell you which.
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Step 2Settle into the weekly rhythm The mission president sets one P-day a week for rest, laundry, shopping and writing to family. For calls and video chats, see Staying in touch; for Christmas, Mother’s Day and birthdays, see Holiday & birthday calls.
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Step 3If something happens at home, call the mission president first Your missionary tells the mission president about urgent news and checks with him before contacting family outside P-day.
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Step 4Trust the health and safety system Missionaries are trained in safety and follow standards meant to protect them. If one is seriously hurt or ill, the mission president contacts the stake president and family.
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Step 5Expect transfers The mission president decides where missionaries serve, and they move between areas at transfers. That’s one reason some missions have mail sent to the office.
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Step 6Share their emails with care The people missionaries teach are confidential. Missionaries are told to be careful what they write home, since family may post their emails online.
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Step 7 Send mail to the right address Use the address your missionary or the mission gives you. Each mission page shows the office address where we’ve confirmed it from an official source. How to mail: Letters & packages · Packages by country.
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Sources: Provo MTC FAQ · Missionary Standards 2.3.2, 2.5 · 3.9–3.9.7 · General Handbook 24.6.2.1 · Supplement 7.5.4, 7.7.1 · Newsroom

The first week

Quiet is normal. Missionaries reply on P-day, unless it’s an emergency.
P-day can be any day from Monday to Saturday, and your missionary will tell you which.
They may contact you from the airport on the way to the mission.
Mission leaders contact families if a missionary has an emergency.

Sources: Missionary Standards 3.9, 3.9.7 · Provo MTC FAQ

If something happens at home

For a death, a serious illness or another family crisis.

Contact the mission president firstDon’t try to reach your missionary directly. Use the mission office contact on your mission page or in your call packet.
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Your missionary hears it with supportThe missionary tells the mission president, so mission leaders can support them, and checks with him before contacting family outside P-day.
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If an immediate family member diesThe missionary may choose to go home briefly for the funeral. They’re generally counseled to stay in the field, and may be able to watch the funeral online.
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At the MTCMissionaries aren’t excused for funerals, weddings, farewells, baptisms or other family events.

Sources: Missionary Standards 3.9.1, 3.9.2, 3.9.7 · Family communication notice · General Handbook 24.6.2.7 · Provo MTC FAQ

Health

Care in the missionMissionaries tell the mission medical coordinator about any medical issue and call right away for non-emergency care. In an emergency, they call local emergency services, then mission leaders.
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Emotional healthMissionaries can talk with the mission president, his wife or the medical coordinator, who have access to mental health resources.
You’ll be told about serious casesThe mission president communicates with the stake president and family about serious injuries and health concerns.
MedicationMissionaries are responsible for their own medication. The General Handbook says family members must not send or deliver medication. If a medicine isn’t available in the mission, the missionary counsels with the mission president. Missionaries also shouldn’t have family send medications that are restricted where they serve.
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Life Help: Mental HealthThe Church’s own mental health page, with help for you and for families. Open Life Help →

Sources: Missionary Standards 4.4 · Supplement 7.7.1, 7.7.3 · General Handbook 24.6.2.6

Safety

From the Church’s Newsroom summary of missionary safety.

Missionaries stay with their assigned companion.
They’re home by 9 p.m. or earlier, depending on local conditions.
They don’t carry cash or valuables, and they avoid swimming, contact sports and other high-risk activities.
They use technology wisely and avoid sharing personal information.
They’re trained in traffic, bike and pedestrian safety, safe housing, safe food and water, and what to do in natural disasters or unrest.
They report threats, assaults and harassment right away.

How the Church keeps missionaries safe →

Source: Church Newsroom, November 2024

Transfers

The mission president decides where missionaries serve. Assistants to the president may give counsel on transfers, but they don’t make the final decisions.
The mission office arranges transfer travel so missionaries aren’t alone, and they go straight to their new area.
Some missions have mail sent to the office, to protect missionaries and keep mail from getting lost at transfers.

Sources: General Handbook 24.6.2.1 · Supplement 7.1 · Missionary Standards 2.3.2 · 3.9.4

Many families post weekly emails to a blog or a family group. Before you do:

Take out details about the people they teachTheir full names, photos, contact details and personal situations are confidential, and sharing them could break data privacy laws.
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Ask before posting photos of other peopleMissionaries need permission from anyone in a photo before it’s shared, and a parent’s permission for photos of children. In some missions, photos of people being taught can’t be shared publicly at all.
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Keep personal information privateMissionaries are taught to avoid sharing personal information online.

Want a private copy of every email? Save mission emails →

Sources: Supplement 7.5.4 · Missionary Standards 3.7 · Newsroom

Visits and mail

VisitsGenerally, no. The rule, the rare exception and what to do instead: Can we visit our missionary? →
Mail and packagesSend to the address your missionary or mission gives you. Some missions use the office address for all mail. Your mission page shows the office address with a Copy address button when it’s confirmed from an official source.
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How to mail and ship. Letters & packages · Packages by country

Source: Missionary Standards 3.9.4, 3.9.6

December idea: do the Light the World 2026 family checklist at home and tell your missionary about it in your weekly email.

Learn what your missionary teaches

Missionaries teach from Preach My Gospel. It’s in Gospel Library, so you can read along.

Chapter 3The 4 lessons they teach Chapters 9 and 13How members help missionaries Chapter 6Christlike attributes Where to startAll 13 chapters, PDF and app

Chapters 9 and 13 come from the book’s introduction, which points members who want to help to those chapters. Read chapter 13 too. Reading the same chapter each week gives you something to write about.

Housing, meals and laundry → Daily life guide

Questions

Tap to open · 14 common questions

Why haven’t I heard from my missionary?

Missionaries reply to messages on their weekly P-day, unless it’s an emergency. P-day can be any day from Monday to Saturday. If your missionary has an emergency, mission leaders will contact you (Missionary Standards 3.9 and 3.9.7; Provo MTC FAQ).

What do I do if there’s a death or emergency in the family?

Contact the mission president first, not your missionary. Your missionary will be told with mission leaders there to support them. If an immediate family member dies, the missionary may choose to go home briefly for the funeral, but is generally counseled to stay and may watch it online (Missionary Standards 3.9.1 and 3.9.7; General Handbook 24.6.2.7).

Will I be told if my missionary is sick or hurt?

Yes, for serious cases. The mission president communicates with your stake president and your family about serious injuries and health concerns (Missionary Standards Supplement 7.7.1).

Can I send my missionary medicine?

No. The General Handbook says family members must not send or deliver medication to missionaries. If a medication isn’t available in the mission, the missionary counsels with the mission president (24.6.2.6).

Can I post my missionary’s weekly emails online?

Yes, but remove the full names, photos, contact details and personal situations of the people they teach. Those are confidential, and posting them could break privacy laws (Missionary Standards Supplement 7.5.4).

Can we visit our missionary?

Generally, no. Families and friends don’t visit during the mission, though the mission president may approve an exception in special circumstances (Missionary Standards 3.9.6). Our short guide “Can we visit our missionary?” covers the MTC, the airport and what to do instead.

Is this the same as an LDS mission?

Yes. This guide is for families of missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church asks that its full name be used.

What is P-day?

Preparation day is one day a week, set by the mission president, for contacting family, laundry, haircuts, cleaning, shopping, rest and approved recreation. P-day activities should be done by 6:00 p.m.

What day is P-day?

The same day each week, but it could be any day from Monday to Saturday. Only your missionary can tell you which day.

What is a missionary’s daily schedule?

In the Missionary Standards sample, the day starts at 6:30 a.m. with prayer, exercise and study, missionaries find, teach and serve from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and they go to bed by 10:30 p.m. Mission presidents may adjust it.

How does the Church keep missionaries safe overseas?

Missionaries stay with a companion, are home by 9 p.m. or earlier, and get regular safety training, including for natural disasters and unrest (Newsroom).

What if my missionary doesn’t get along with a companion?

Companions are asked to be patient, forgive and accept differences. If it isn’t resolved, they ask the mission president for help (Missionary Standards 2.2.1).

How often do missionaries get transferred?

No schedule is published, so confirm in your call packet. The mission office arranges transfer travel so no one travels alone (Missionary Standards 2.3.2).

Can missionaries swim or play sports on P-day?

No swimming. Water, contact, winter and gymnastic sports are off-limits. Other sports are fine if they avoid injury (Missionary Standards 3.6).

Sources and fine print

Tap to open · 9 official pages + fine print

Updated November 2026. Official pages, your call packet and the Missionary Portal are always the final word. GotMyCall.com is unofficial and not affiliated with or endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Cold where they serve? Coats, winter boots and who to call. Winter on a mission →

Giving each month? See how much a mission costs and how the ward missionary fund works.