Elder Uchtdorf: We love our missionaries and the missionaries love their families and
they want to communicate with them. That is the joy of missionary work, to share
what you do and also for the families
back home to hear what their wonderful
missionaries do out there, how they
proclaim the gospel, how they bless the
people how they built the Church. We hope that through this increased, improved way
to communicate that a closer connection
between families and missionary will
help both sides to feel me more
comfortable, more natural, more normal in
being away from home for two years or 18 months and still have a weekly contact.
Additional to letters and emails, now
the missionaries may initiate a phone
call back home or a chat on the internet.
The phone calls, the video chats are
meant to be used on preparation day and
initiated by the missionary.
This will be an exciting time for the missionaries and the families. I think it will
motivate them even more after their
communication with their family at home
to go out there and serve the Lord with
even a brighter heart and a more joyful
countenance and smile at the people and say, 'By the way, I just talked to my
parents and they send their greetings, they send their love.' It's a marvelous thing
which we think will have wonderful
positive results for families and for
the missionaries.
you
