Many senior missionaries find great success and satisfaction as they teach their talents to members and nonmembers–whether the talent is piano and conducting music, auto mechanics, hair cutting, dance, or baking. Whatever the talent, people love to learn and share.
Instead of focusing on your own pioneer heritage, discover the pioneers of the Church where you are serving and focus on them. Many members you meet are the pioneers of their own families and have scrificed a great deal for the Church.
Check out this new article–3 Things to Do Now to Prepare for a Senior Mission Later– on ldsliving.com today, July 18th!
http://www.ldsliving.com/3-Things-to-Do-Now-to-Prepare-for-a-Senior-Mission-Later/s/85850
Many wards and branches lack members with music skills, so you may find yourself leading the music and playing the piano, even if your skills are rusty or almost non-existent. Do take CDs of Church music, especially primary and young women’s music to help you support your members.
Expensive jewelry, particularly a diamond wedding ring, can be an invitation to get robbed in poor countries or cities. Many senior missionaries leave their wedding rings home and replace them with a CTR ring during their missions.
Look at this great review of Senior Missions in the Deseret News:
It’s difficult to miss uniquely American holidays such as Thanksgiving or the Fourth of July when you are serving in a foreign country. However, if you celebrate American holidays in noisy or expensive ways, local people can feel resentful. Best to keep your American celebrations subtle and quiet.
In many poor cities and countries, senior missionaries are not allowed to work outside their apartments after dark. Using some creative thinking and careful planning, however, the apartment hours can be used productively rather than be idled away watching movies or playing games. Family history, indexing, telephone contacting, and personal history records are just a few of the evening possibilities.
Senior couples may want to adopt children who are abandoned or suffering in poverty-stricken countries. However, these adoption attempts can result in serious legal problems for the Church and should be avoided.
Senior Missions: What to Expect and How to Prepare would make a great Father’s Day gift! You can get a copy at Deseret Book or Barnes & Noble, or you can order a copy from Amazon.com.
