SOME HELPFUL HINTS FOR MISSIONARIES ABOUT TO ARRIVE

It sure would be nice to have someone explain a little bit about what is and is not available in Honduras.  We remember, all too well, when we received our call we struggled to know what to bring and ended up bringing a lot of stuff we didn't need, and left home some others that would have been real nice.  So... here are a couple of suggestions. 

You can buy clothes down here, perhaps even cheaper than where you live.  "Camisas 2x100" would be translated as "Shirts, two for $5.00" Finding, however, modest clothing for the sisters is a bit more of a challenge.  The young LDS missionaries are asked not to frequent the malls that are found in San Pedro Sula, so the clothing shop that is pictured here is as nice as any that you will be able to access.  P-day clothes won't be your problem.  You barely have time to wear them anyway.  Save the space in your suitcase for something other than lots of P-day clothes.  Missionaries have access to a LDS Distribution center in Tegulcigalpa.  It takes a week or so to get things from there, but you can get them.

Food is tricky!  (Notice the fly inside of the wrapper on the right).  All of our missionaries have a hired cook that prepares them lunch. It is usually a member of their ward.  They pay $1.75 for this lunch and it is well worth it because (1) it saves you from having to eat on the streets where you will see nothing better than that above, and (2) you will get, at least, one good solid meal each day.  Every house is furnished with a little refrigerator, hotplate stove and a microwave.  We encourage all missionaries to have a hearty breakfast.  Eggs, juice and bread are relatively cheap and they are the staple of most missionaries.  Dinner is another matter all together.  We encourage missionaries to cook something up in their homes, but most eat dinner out on the streets to save good proselyting time.  If you do this you have to be careful.  Unfortunately, the sanitation practices of the street side vendors isn't always the best.  Fruit is plentiful 12 months per year.  The watermelon, papaya, mangos, oranges, bananas and grapes are divine but they need to be washed carefully.

This would be considered a relatively affluent area of town.  Probably 75% of the missionaries who arrive will work in small towns with no real shopping area.  Quite a bit of your food will be purchased from local "pulperias."  These little home-run stores are on nearly every corner.  What they lack in options they, sadly, don't make up for in great quality.  You will be able to buy toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo and any other personal hygiene item an elder or sister may need.  You may not get the brand you are  accustomed to using, but they are good enough.  You will need to be aware that you are going to walk on dirt roads much of every day, so your shoes are a major concern!  Our mission nurse has a nearly constant line of missionaries passing through the office to receive minor surgery to fix an ingrown toenail.  A lot of this can be solved by purchasing shoes of the right size. Sister John wears Crocks, the Mary Jane style because they conform with the missionary standard of shoes and they are washable. Even though the packet speaks of no sandals for the sister missionaries, sandals down here are a girl's best friend.  We have run this by President Veirs.  You can wear your sandals.  Most sisters do!  COMFORTABLE is the key, but remember that you are going to be walking several miles every day. It rains down here quite often so mud is a concern.  We have yet to visit anywhere outside of San Pedro Sula itself that doesn't have a lot of hills.  They get slick when it rains.  Being in pretty good physical condition will make the hiking a lot easier.  Bringing an umbrella is wise, but it's way too hot here for a overcoat type of raincoat.  And, girls, the only time you'll wear nylons is on the plane coming down here and on the plane going home - if even then.

It is hot here all of the time.  We have been here a year and haven't ever come close to needing a jacket or coat.  The real problem is wearing clothing that is cool enough and yet sturdy enough to last two years.  Elders will want a single long sleeve shirt for baptisms or special occasions, but they wear short sleeves out in the field.  Sisters wear skirts and tops, but they have to be sturdy enough to take a lot of washing.  You can see examples of what the sisters wear by searching through some of our other blog posts.  The only thing Sister John regrets not bringing is her favorite perfume.  Now, this is important: don't bring valuable jewelry or watches.  A $10.00 Walmart watch is your best option.  Leather bands rot in the humidity, so metal or plastic bands work best.

     It's gorgeous here, so a camera is awesome.  However, cameras are a favorite target of thieves.  So if you bring a camera it seems to be best if it is small.  Devices that can access the internet such as I-phones that can also serve as a camera are not allowed.  It's best not to bring anything like that as you will be asked to never use them. 
     Don't bring down very much USA currency.  You don't need it down here. You will receive all that you need. If you bring money you will simply have to hide it somewhere for two years. Many missionaries bring some sort of a debit card from home which they use when they want to buy souvenirs or replacement clothing.  Occasionally they will take a few dollars out of their accounts to treat themselves to a McDonalds burger or the like. 
     The mission nurse is responsible for dispensing all medicines, so unless your physician sends you with a prescription, don't worry too much about bringing things like aspirin, Ibuprofen or cold tablets.  You can buy basically anything over the counter here.  A small personal supply for a couple of weeks would probably be smart.
     Learn how to do laundry without a fancy washing machine.  Learn to cook without an oven.  Learn how to press your clothing without an ironing board.  Learn how to make the most out of tough situations.  And learn to smile even though you haven't understood a single word for the last ten minutes.  Learn to pray for someone other than yourself and your family.  Learn to talk to perfect strangers and somehow love them instantly.  Learn how to actually fast and to not even once think about food.  And learn how to be grateful for adversity, appreciative of even the smallest gesture, and respectful of cultural differences. Learn how to do something in a microwave other than heating up Spaghetti-Os.  Learn how to get up early and be awake.  Learn how to use the internet as the mail system here is expensive and not dependable.  If your parents don't have an email account, help them set one up.  Doing so will save you a lot of money and it will assure that they get to read the letters you write.  And learn how to budget your money as you will not have much.
    Oh, you are in for a wonderful experience.  You will fall into bed exhausted every night.  Like most of us, your journal will start out with long entries, but fairly soon be full of entries that say only, "Great day!  I'm tired, so I'll write tomorrow."  Being a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in San Pedro Sula, Honduras is a spectacular way to spend the next two years.  Invite your friends to join with you.  And, we will see you soon. 

Love, the Johns