Sending a missionary into the field can sometimes be a challenge. You often wonder, where are they, what are they eating, where are they living, etc... We hope that in our section for parents we'll answer some of those questions and set up a forum where parents of missionaries in the El Salvador San Salvador West Mission can come together and share some of their greatest experiences.

As Return Missionaries we are often asked by parents of Full Time Missionaries what they should send their son or daughter for Christmas or birthdays. We have compiled a short list of great gift ideas for missionaries. We have also included a few things to think twice about before sending. These are only suggestions. You know better than us what your missionary wants and needs in the field.

Money and packages make great surprises for missionaries, but if the right precautions aren't taken, they can quickly become a pain in the neck. Here we offer a few tips on how to send packages and money quickly and efficiently, and help you avoid sending your missionary to the airport to sit in customs all day and pay big fees for a box of beef jerky and peanut butter cups.

You have just received the last letter from your missionary and he has been transfered to a small village called Joyas de Cerén. Where is that? How big is it? What is it like there? We hope to answer these questions in our mission area guide. These are taken from experiences of return missionaries that have served in the areas your son or daughter is currently serving in. Read about what the area is like, stories of some of the members and great spiritual expriences that took place in those areas.

The greatest resource for answers to your questions is probably the Church Mission Department, but hopefully we can answer some of your questions in our Frequently Asked Questions for Moms section. Check it out before you call the mission president or make that call to Salt Lake City.

Finally, one of our most exciting resources is MESO Development. This a non-profit organization founded and run by President Henry C. Goodnow, former Mission President of the El Salvador West Mission, and other Return Missionaries. After having served amongst these people, many of us return home with a desire to help them in their temporal needs. We saw that spiritual progress is all too often hindered by poor living conditions. MESO Development works on improving the temporal conditions of the people of El Salvador through education and humanitarian service. Work side by side with your missionary to help the people of El Salvador. Check out the MESO Development website and find out how you can support the efforts going on right now to help the Salvadoran quake victims. There are hundreds of member families living on the streets right now that need more than Sunday School, but also a meal for their children. We hope you'll be as excited as we are to help them.