Sunday, May 5, 2013

Dear Elder, Welcome to Tempe

Well ladies,

We all know how hard it is when our missionary first leaves:

The crying
Looking through old pictures
Watching old videos
Stalking their Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc (even though you already know everything that's on it...)
The ugly crying
Listening to old voice mails 
Cuddling in their old T-shirts & hoodies 
Reading old text messages, Facebook messages, emails, and letters.
Figuring out what you're going to do every day without them
The ugly UGLY crying
The writing a million letters on DearElder.com
And hand writing letters
And mailing packages
And planning your entire wedding on Pinterest...
Mind you ALL of this is happening while your missionary is still in the MTC
Oh its going to be a LONG 2 years ladies.

If you haven't experienced this...don't worry, you will :)

But I promise that it DOES get better.

In spirit of this tutorial on a package I like to call "Welcome to Tempe"
I would like to dedicate this time to my fresh missionary girlfriends.
Here are some things I would have liked someone to tell me before & after my missionary left:

Before:
  1. CALM DOWN, everything is going to be okay.
  2. Enjoy the time you have with your missionary. 
  3. Don't count the days, make the days count
After:
  1. Buy yourself your favorite candy bar and a tub of ice cream.
  2. Watch your favorite chick flick and get out all your tears.
  3. GET OUT OF THE HOUSE
  4. Don't obsess over stupid stuff you wish you could change.
  5. Take this time a part to discover who you are and who you want to become.
  6. Work on your relationship with Christ, their is no one else who can get you through this.
  7. Find the perks of being a missionary girlfriend.
  8. Get a Pinterest
  9. Set some goals for yourself.
  10. Spend as much time as you can with your missionary's family. THIS HELPS SO MUCH!
  11. Pray for missionaries in your ward, your missionary, and their investigators.
  12. Write their companion. I've done this once and it was so awesome to get to know the guy my elder hangs out with every day! Make sure you write your missionary an extra letter so they don't get jealous ;)
  13. Breathe and take a moment to remember all the blessings you have in your life.
  14. Put God first. Everything else will work out.

Alright now for the package:

WELCOME TO TEMPE 


Keep Calm & Wait On: Welcome to Tempe from Carly Upton on Vimeo.

If you have a camera savvy friend like I do, ask them to take some pictures of you to send to your missionary. Here are the pictures I sent and put into a picture album for my missionary:












I also printed out pictures 8, 9, 10, and 11 in wallet size for me Elder to take with him to show off ;)

Remember: If you use any of my ideas please send me pictures! My email is carlycorrineupton@gmail.com

I would like to give another THANK YOU to my best friends who gave me a shout out on their twitter acount @OnlyMormons. If you have a twitter and would like some clean entertainment & some spiritual uplifting, go ahead and give them a follow! They are the bees knees.

I would also like to give a shout out to my new friends and fellow bloggers: http://theperksofwaiting.blogspot.com/ Check them out my fellow "Ladies in Waiting" :)

Have a fabulous week, write your missionary, and remember:

KEEP CALM AND WAIT ON!

Till next week,

xoxo Caa

7 comments:

  1. Those Ideas were so cute! I LOVE the survival one, awesome idea. You are very creative. Thanks so much!
    -Jane

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    1. Thank you so much :) Be sure to email me pictures if you make your own survival booklet!! I would LOVE to see it!

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  2. I would love it if you would check out my blog! justanothermissionarygf.blogspot.com

    what do you think I should give my missionary before he leaves (in 17 days!!)

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    1. Your blog is so stinking cute! I'll def be following your life now haha...noncreepily...is that even a word? yeah idk.

      Anyway, the going away gift!
      Five things:
      1. A Book of Mormon with your testimony written in it
      2. Your favorite talk (highlight it and write notes on it)
      3. A very cute tie with a hidden message written on the back
      4. Something that is special and that only you two would get (I know you're creative and will think of something)
      5. A BIG KISS!

      So excited that you'll soon be part of the waiting crew ;) haha

      Good luck && keep me updated

      xoxo

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  3. Hi Carly, I found your blog and I can't get enough! You have some super cute and creative ideas for missionary packages! My missionary leaves next week and I can't wait to start sending him packages! And guess what? My missionary has been called to the Arizona Tempe mission as well! The crazy part is that I actually live in Mesa, Arizona which borders Tempe and is even partly in his mission! The mission home is 9 miles from my house, and depending on where his apartment is, he could be living just as close to me... Crazy!

    Anyway, I loved your "Welcome to Tempe" package, and thought that it would be the perfect first package I could send him! I liked the photo album idea, but I'm thinking maybe since I live so close to Tempe I could make it a little more personal. Like take a picture of me in front of the "Welcome to Tempe" sign, a picture of me in front of the ASU stadium (which is where I go to school and is right down the street from the Tempe mission home), and take pictures in front of some of the other major landmarks in Tempe.

    I am so glad I found your blog, it's super cute, really positive (unlike some other mg blogs), and I love how our missionaries are going to be in the same mission... And who knows, maybe even companions one day! Thanks for the encouraging and fun posts!

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    Replies
    1. OKAY. I decide if living next to him is a blessing or a tease. Still I am jealous and look for Elder Kozak! What is your elders name? I will def tell my Elder to look out for him!! Love the idea of you going to the places and taking pictures in from of it! Totally cute. Thanks for taking the time to read my blog and leave a comment :) Means so much to me!!!!! <3 Keep Waiting Girl!
      I'm pretty sure we are meant to be best friends. Hopefully our elders meet, love eachother and then we all go on double dates when they get home. Too soon? I like to plan ahead! Haha

      xoxo

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  4. Carly, thank you so much for posting your blog on my post! :) you are seriously the cutest!! :) I LOVE your ideas! :) :) I definitely needed this post to read, so thanks! :D

    treasureitadayatatime.blogspot.com :)

    ReplyDelete