Missionaries Now Have More Options to Communicate With Families

Great Parents of the Japan Kobe Missionaries:

Sister Smoot and I are so grateful for the opportunity to serve with your sons and daughters here in the Japan Kobe Mission.  They are extraordinary individuals and inspire us daily through their faith, hard work and love for our Savior, Jesus Christ.

You have probably already heard about the announcement made this week by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles regarding expanded technology use by missionaries to communicate with their families.  I have attached a copy of the announcement for your information.  Suffice it to say, missionaries will now be able to use text messages, online messaging, phone calls, and video chat in addition to letters and emails to communicate with their families. This can be a wonderful blessing for your missionary and entire family as well as for the Japan Kobe Mission.  Your loving support and encouragement will enable our missionaries to achieve even greater success in inviting all to ‘Come unto Christ.’  Since this increased access can also create significant distraction, I want to share with you some guidance intended to optimize this privilege while at the same time avoiding unhelpful distractions.  

The missionary department has provided the following guidance:  “In making decisions [relative to communicating with their families], [missionaries] should be considerate of their companions and keep in mind the purpose of their service.”  Since all such communication will take place on preparation day (except special occasions such as Christmas, etc.), missionaries are instructed to allocate their time wisely and remember the purpose of preparation day is "to prepare so that you can give full attention to proselyting during the rest of the week."

As a mission we have encouraged our missionaries to be wise relative to the frequency, duration and content of such communications.  I think the standard set forth in the missionary handbook regarding music applies well to communication between missionaries and their families.  Such communication is most helpful when the conversation "invites the Spirit, helps the missionary focus on the work, and directs his/her thoughts and feelings toward the Savior."  Conversations that tend to “pull a missionaries thoughts away from their work . . . or dulls their spiritual sensitivity. . . ."  have an adverse effect on their focus and purpose as a missionary.

I hope this information is helpful.  Thank you for raising such wonderful young men and women.  We love each of them and are so grateful for the tremendous difference they are making here in the Japan Kobe Mission.  They are truly miracle workers and are valiant representatives of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Warmest Regards,

Shane D. Smoot

Shane D. Smoot

LDS Church - Kobe Japan Mission

4-6-28 Shinoharahonmachi

Nada-ku Kobe-shi Hyōgo

Japan 657-0077