By Jonathon Eyre
Christmas time is bittersweet for those who have loved ones on missions, but sending a package with their missionary”s favorite goodies in it can help ease the pain.
Leslie Warren, from Highland, Utah County, has a son, Sam, serving a mission in Ecuador.
Warren said it was hard for her last year when Christmas came around.
“Last year I got teary-eyed when I put up his stocking,” Warren said.
It was also difficult when her family was decorating the tree because they have a tradition of putting up certain ornaments, but they had to put Sam”s up last year.
“The Christmas phone call is fun,” Warren said. “That makes it kind of exciting.”
But before Warren can talk to her son on Christmas day she has to start preparing a Christmas package a couple of months in advance.
“This time I don”t even know if I sent it on time,” Warren said. “I sent it in November and last year I sent it before Halloween.”
She said she sent it so early last year because she wanted to make sure he got it on time, but she said she realized she only needs to send packages about a month in advance to ensure they arrive on time.
Warren sent her son black socks, a tiny racecar, a book on tape, pajamas, candy and a tie.
Warren said she got him socks and pajamas for obvious reasons- they are worn out.
Warren”s daughter, Cassidy, wrapped the package.
“I had this clear container and I made it in different layers,” Cassidy said. “And I put pretty tissue paper in it. I wrapped all the gifts that my mom bought in tissue paper in all different ways in green and red assortments.”
Amy Smith a 2000 graduate of BYU, from Memphis, Tenn., said her favorite part about packages from her mission was the food she received.
That is why the package she sent to her brother, Elder Ben Hyde, serving in Uruguay was filled with food.
Smith sent him a taco kit with taco shells, nacho cheese sauce and salsa; a canned turkey breast with mashed potatoes, gravy, and stuffing; a cheese cake mix; and a pizza mix.
She also sent him some hollandaise sauce.
“We have a family tradition where we put hollandaise sauce on broccoli,” Smith said.
The package was a thanksgiving/birthday/Christmas gift, she said.
“I sent things that I would have wanted-Mexican food, pizza and dessert,” Smith said. “I also sent it because I love him and I want to make him happy.”
One of the ways Smith said she and her companion made their holidays more exciting by planning fun meals.
“We always planned our holidays around meals,” Smith said. “Our P-days too.”
