Life Size Missionary

What we Do

Have the presence of your missionary at any time and in any place. Our Life-Size Missionaries are printed and cut to life-size, and are ready to stand in family photos, be at weddings, or just be placed around the house as a reminder of your loved one!  Great for families, grandmas, grandpas, significant others, brothers, sisters! 

Lifesizemissionary.com is your source for life size cutouts of your missionary!  They offer life size cutouts in cardboard for a more temporary use or foam board for a more permanent use.

Upon placing an order with lifesizemissionary.com, your product will be custom manufactured in Salt Lake City, UT, in a state-of-the-art print and finishing facility.  Lifesizemissionary.com only uses the finest materials, and print with ink containing no VOCs or solvents.  Their larger than life print presses can quickly tackle any size order, and their production staff is ready and able to fulfill your order and get it on its way.

As each product is custom, it will take a day or two for them to process your order, but rest assured they’re on top of it!

Orders are shipped via UPS-- each package will be identified with a tracking number which will be emailed to you once it is assigned.  You can always go to www.ups.com to find where your package is it, but as a general rule, areas west of Utah take 1-2 days via ground, and areas east of Utah can take 3-5 days to arrive.

Why We Do It

Our story is simple:  We want to make sure that loved ones are never missed as they serve their missions.  From holidays to weddings and any event in between, we want to make sure that those who are out are remembered and able to feel connected to events happening at home.

Who We Are

Lifesizemissionary.com is an offshoot of one of Salt Lake City’s largest large-format print houses.  We operate out of a 17K square foot facility in South Salt Lake City where we operate with the latest state of the art equipment.  Lifesizemissionary.com is run by a family of returned missionaries, all of whom had important life events happen while out on their missions, and all who were allowed to “participate” via life size cutouts of themselves.

 

 

 

 

 

What Else we offer

 

Outside of life size cutouts, we also offer good luck and welcome home banners, Vinyl Saying Quotes and life size wall graphics. 

 

 

Days To Serve

First and foremost, I am incredibly grateful to be a guest on the Missionary Mommas Blog. I met Heidi and many other women in your group about a month ago at the LDS Missionary Expo and immediately felt welcomed into your community. You are all truly amazing women who stand for what is good in this life and I am grateful to associate with you. 

Heidi asked me to give some background on how Days to Serve came about and then share my story. Earlier this year, in April I was meeting with a great client I had met two years prior about replacing and remodeling the front door of her home. While going over the design and just talking about things in general the topic came up that her son was leaving on his mission in a few weeks to the Dominican Republic. She mentioned he was not being himself and struggling with leaving. This might sound familiar to some of you. Through our conversation I felt impressed to share my story with her in hopes it would help in some way.  After sharing the experience she immediately called her son Hunter to come up stairs and meet me.  She then asked  me to share the story again with him. Up until this point I had only shared this experience a few times and had always felt reserved in sharing such a personal experience that changed my life.  After sharing it with him and discussing it with Patti, she said, "you really need to write this experience down and share this with missionaries and their families".  I was flattered by what she said and decided to write it down that night. Before I left, I told her I had wanted to have some emblems made to give out as gifts to family and close friends. She thought it was a great idea and wanted one for Hunter. I gladly obliged when I had some items made.

After getting my kids to bed that night I began writing down my experience in greater detail. I felt the spirit as I wrote the experience down. I felt peace and gratitude just like I felt that day in Alabama where I served my mission.  I sent the story over the next day to Patti not knowing she was an editor for many large corporations. Without any expectations from me, PJ Hatch-Beck edited my story for grammatical errors and other minor changes and sent it back to me. I appreciated the gesture and told her she could share the story if she felt impressed. But Patti had a different idea.......

About a week went by and she called me back and said what an affect the story had on her son, and his preparation to leave on his mission. She then told me again that this story needs to be shared. So after a combination of ongoing pep-talk conversations with Patti, and some whacking on the head accompanied by impressions from the spirit, I began to feel that there was a higher power at work. Heavenly Father was working through Patti to get me going on this project. I had been so busy with my typical work schedule in construction that starting another company was just not in the cards for me at the moment. But this continued to evolve whether I liked it or not. Heavenly Father shared the message with me, and now it was my turn to share the same message with his missionaries. The Lord is hastening his work, with the increased number of missionaries in the field. I really started catching the vision of why this message needed to be shared, and why now.

Many missionaries are struggling just like I did. They need something to help solidify their decision to serve a mission, just like I did. Many need a change of heart, just like I did, and still do sometimes.  It made sense why this needs to get out there. It was not about money, it was about the cause. 

My wife and I had made plans over the two years to build our next home, but it seemed that every direction we turned, we hit a wall. We began to look at heaven and wonder if building our new home was the right thing to do. It wasn't. On a Sunday after church, my wife and I talked and decided to go a different direction. This was a hard decision, but it was the right decision. The down payment we planned to put down on our house was to be used for something else. We felt we needed to take that money and invest it into what we now call Days to Serve.  We somehow knew it was going to be okay.

Ever since, my mind has flooded with ideas of ways to share the message, and create items that would act as a reminder to anyone who received the gift. I would go to bed vary late, and wake up very early to research how to get this company started. The name came naturally as it was part of the original message given to me. I then began designing the way I wanted everything to look, from the logo, to the graphics on the website, to the products. It continues to evolve. It has been fun to be creative and build something with meaning.

It has now been seven months since I first met with Patti and shared my experience, and we now have missionaries all over the world wearing the gift of Days to Serve. We had no idea what to expect when starting this, all we knew is we had to do it and we are incredibly grateful we did. We completely took an "if you build it, they will come" approach to Days to Serve. (which is normally not a great way to start a business) but we had to believe the outcome would be good.

This is what I know. Heavenly Father knows us all personally. He knows what we need, and knows what we need to do, even though we might not always understand it at first. I know now He wanted me to pay it forward and share this gift with others. I know this with absolute certainty. I had prayed and knew this is what I needed to do. As it says in the last scripture in the book of Second Nephi, "for thus hath the Lord commanded me, and I must obey."

The story that inspired "Days to Serve"  

It was a typical morning in the mission field where we got out early to share the gospel with the people we hoped to find that day. I had only been out serving the people of Alabama a few months as a new missionary and I still thought of home, family, friends, and the experiences I might be missing. I longed for the excitement of my young life and it was incredibly hard for me, as it is for a lot of new young missionaries. Homesickness seemed to swallow me whole at times and I wrestled to have an optimistic attitude. In my heart, I knew I was where I was needed, sharing the Lords message, and yet part of me was still home. My parents had made significant sacrifices for me to be there and I did not want to let them down. I had been praying morning and night for anything to help change my young heart and solidify this monumental decision of serving a mission. It was a struggle having one foot in the mission, and one foot home with those I missed and loved.

After much pleading and prayer with the Lord, this confirmation was received. On this particular morning while following our typical mission routine, my mission companion and I were biking down an old country road in Decatur Alabama. I was pedaling as hard as I could to get to the destination we had planned to proselyte the night before. I had a clear lead in front of my companion as I hugged the side of the road with no sidewalk and only about ten inches of space to ride. In a flash my attention was captured by a reflection of light off an object lying on the ground that quickly passed beneath me. I felt compelled to stop and examine what that object was and I turned around to find it. My companion had not yet caught up with me so I had a moment to contemplate what it was that I held in my hands. I imagined this object to be some kind of decal that had fallen off of a car, but looking at it in that moment, and aware of my prayers and willingness to receive an answer in any form, I knew this was an emblem meant just for me. 

The silver plated emblem was simple; it was the number 740, no bigger than the palm of my hand.  I thought for a moment, and began repeating the number in my mind, 740. The thought then occurred to me there are 365 days in a year, and times two that is 730. THEN, I remembered, the date I was to be released from my full time duties as a missionary.  I had entered my mission May 10th, the year 1998, and my release date was May 20th the year 2000, EXACTLY 740 DAYS!

For just a moment time stood still, everything seemed so quiet. The spirit then softly whispered to me 'You have 740 days to serve your mission, and a lifetime to remember how you served, MAKE THE MOST OF IT!'

It was so random and simple, and yet very profound. As it says in Alma, “but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass”. (a) In that small moment I became keenly aware that Heavenly Father knew me and that he had answered my prayer in a way that I never would have expected. I knew He was aware of my allotted time to serve and was acutely aware of my struggles and heart ache.  Ultimately, Heavenly Father knew what was needed to change my heart. In a conference address many years ago, President Ezra Taft Benson once said, “When you choose to follow Christ, you choose to be changed”. (b)

My mission and life changed that day as I chose to rededicate myself to our Savior's work, and to follow Him more diligently. This experience has had a profound effect on the outcome of my life. I often refer to this experience and had I not been given this individual gift, I can only speculate about the honor in which I served my mission and the trajectory of my life going forward, and where I would be now. Until recently I have only shared this experience a few times. As more family and friends leave their young lives to serve missions as I did, it has been my sacred privilege to remind them of the short amount of time they have to fully dedicate themselves as messengers for the Lord.

For me, the number of days to serve was 740, but for others in their specific mission, it states that it is anticipated they will serve for a period of 24 months (730 days) or, 18 months (548 days) for sister missionaries. Whether it is more or less does not alter the relevance and importance of this personal and sacred call to serve. Every missionary needs to remember that as they set themselves apart from the world, they must give all of oneself, every single day and to do so is an honor and a privilege. They will NEVER have this mission and it's individual and particular capacities again.

I share my personal experience and pass on this message to our young missionaries that the Lord shared with me on that old country road in Alabama. Missionaries need to make every day count, one day at a time. When it is over, the returned missionary will look back on this time served for the rest of his or her life with great personal joy and gratitude for the tremendous growth and service that they willingly dedicated to "further the missionary efforts in proclaiming the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." This individual dedication and whole heart effort will bless  numerous lives forever. Upon release, with name tag in hand, many with genuine understanding and sincere reflection may weep from what they have learned and experienced.  Our missionaries will have 'A LIFETIME to remember how they SERVED' and like me, they will forever be changed.

 

Josh Prazen                              

Served May 10th 1998 – May 20th 2000

Alabama Birmingham Mission

(a) Book of Alma 37:6
(b) Conference Report  -  October 1985,  pp. 4-5.
Edited by PJ Hatch-Beck - Linkedin proifle 

View the Days to Serve Collection @ www.DaysToServe.com

#Daystoserve

The Days to Serve Collection is available to purchase on the MissionaryMommaMall.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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If it Fits, it Ships! (Except for International, then there is a weight limit)

by Wendy Minks 

 

Sending packages to missionaries serving internationally can be tricky and expensive.  For many of us, the most efficient and affordable way to get something to our missionary is via an USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope.  These are only $5.50 to ship within the US and about $25 to ship them internationally.

 

 

When shipping these within the US there is no weight limit.  When you ship them internationally they can weigh no more than 4 pounds. 
 

They come in a few different varieties, and all ship for the same price:

1. The standard Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope.  These are made out of stiff, but flexible cardboard and are available free at most Post Office locations. They are designed to hold 8.5 x 11 documents.

 

 

2. The padded Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope.  These are plastic, bubble wrap envelopes and are about the same size as the standard ones above.  They are not usually available at the Post Office and can be ordered for free from USPS.com.  They are flexible and they protect the contents.

 

 

3. The legal size, Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope.  These are made out of stiff, but flexible cardboard and are not usually available at the Post Office.  They can be ordered for free from USPS.com
 

If you print and pay for the mailing labels online at USPS.com you will get free tracking and a small discount over the price you pay at the counter in the Post Office.  If you are shipping to an address outside of the US you will be directed through filling out the customs form online as well.

 

 

So, what will fit in one of these envelopes??  All kinds of stuff!  This legal size, flat rate envelope contains: 1 set of twin size sheets, 1 YW personal progress book, 1 YW pendant, 1 CTR ring (cheap distribution center variety), organic fruit snacks, sour belts(Hawaiian candy), post-it note tabs and one hand written letter. All for the low price of $23.50!

 

 

 

I was able to get all of this -

into this -

 

 

Here is a nifty trick I found on Pinterest.   I use this, or a modified version of it, ever time I send flat rate envelope package to my missionary. 

 

When you are shopping for your missionary think flat-ish, and not very breakable.  Here are some ideas for you:

• Artwork (small) for their apartment walls - Like this!   
• Gatorade drink mix packets
• Candy
• Seasoning packets like Taco Seasoning, Guacamole, etc.
• Beef Jerky or Slim Jims (or both if you are my kid!)
• A Cute Pillowcase - Like this!
• Colored pencils
• US Postage stamps.  (Letters home through Pouch Mail require a US stamp.)
• Fruit snacks
• Bookmark
• Inexpensive Jewelry - Like this!
  
   and this!
   and this!
  
• Calendar for the new year
• Personal care samples - lotion, shampoo, Bio Freeze, etc.
• Hot cocoa packets
• Window cling Christmas or other holiday decorations
• Priesthood line of authority cards - Like this!
• Paper nativity scene - Click here to download for free!!
• Stationary - post it notes, pens, notebooks - Like these from the Smudged Sisters!  
  
• A thumb drive for photos - Like these custom ones!!
• A Plan of Salvation magnetic teaching tool - Like this!
• A cookbook - Like this!
  
• The Ensign
• Cough drops
• Crazy socks - Like these!
  

 

You will be amazed by how much love you can fit in one of these envelopes!  Good luck and have fun!

Angel Momma Project

CHRISTMAS IS COMING! Missionary Mommas need to think like Walmart and the craft stores and get Christmassy EARLY.... especially if your missionary is overseas! We get so excited as we prepare Christmas packages for our missionaries. We want them to feel love from home!!!

It has come to our attention that there are a few of our missionaries that have companions that don't have the same support. Some missionaries are the only member in their family, and some families don't have the means to send packages or even letters to their missionary.

Now, I know what you are thinking...because I am have'n the same thought! And the answer is YES, we CAN help! After checking in with the Mission Dept in SLC, we have come up with a couple ways that MMs can help out!!!

We can donate to the General Mission Fund so that when there is a need, the Church can help. And we can send small packages for the Elders and Sisters on our "Needs Some Love" list. We'll include a few fun items such as CD's, stationery, bookmarks, pens, small treats, etc...

Sooooo....here's the plan...

There are several ways to be a part of this project!

1- Donate funds using the Paypal donation button on the MM Mall, in the pinned post on the FB Group or here on the MM Blog! Click here >>>>

2- Purchase a MM Angel shirt, available at the MM Mall... for each shirt purchased, $1 will go to the General Mission Fund and $1 will go to help put together and ship our packages.

3- Donate to the General Mission Fund by using your tithing slip.

4- Go serve the missionaries on YOUR area. Remember to take pics of your service to share with the group throughout December!

I am only one MM... alone I can only so much... but together as a group, 6500 strong, we can make a huge difference to the 25 missionaries on our list!!!

LET THE HOLIDAYS BEGIN!!! And to help get things started, here are some of our missionaries that are already celebrating... celebrating birthdays and P-Day, that is!!! ;)

Many are Called but Few Can Cook!

We would like to introduce the newest addition to Missionary Mommas Recommend  - Missionary Minded by Erin Malwitz.  She creates the CUTEST aprons, which are perfect for protecting your Elder's suit and your Sister's dress while they cook and clean.  She also has a GREAT cookbook to help any missionary fend for themselves in the kitchen.

Come on over to the Missionary Momma Mall and take a look!  It's not too soon to start putting together that Christmas package! 

I am a stay at home mother of three energetic little girls.  I love making new things whether it’s with fabric, vinyl, wood, paint or paper.

I’m not a Missionary Mom just yet, but our family works with our current missionaries as a ward mission leader, a ward missionary, and three junior ward missionaries.

I’ve been sewing for six years now with one of my first projects being an apron for my husband.  I had some leftover fabric and thought a matching apron for my 18 month old daughter would be adorable.  I quickly fell in love with making aprons for children. 

I opened up an Etsy shop at the end of 2009 selling my aprons for children and was excited to hear such positive feedback.  Spending time baking in the kitchen with my own daughters is a messy and enjoyable time for our family. 

When a family friend left on his mission to Ogden, Utah in 2011, our family enjoyed writing our first missionary. We sent him off with two random, but useful gifts: a humorous, homemade cookbook and a collapsible laundry basket.

For Christmas, I thought a custom apron that looked like a white dress shirt and tie would be the perfect gift for our missionary.  We added an embroidered Elder badge and a few extra recipes for his cookbook to complete the package. He wore his apron all the time and loved the cookbook so much that he encouraged us to share it with other missionaries.

 

A few years later, we set out to publish our Missionary-Minded cookbook entitled Many Are Called, But Few Can Cook which we dedicated to the wonderful missionaries serving around the world: past, present, and future.

 

 

 I love missionary work and love making unique gifts that bring smiles to others. 

Shop Now!

Missionary Expo Next Week!!

Come visit the Missonary Momma booth at the Expo!  There will be fun and prizes!!

Shirts Shirts Shirts

Are you looking for some good stocking stuffers? 

Nate over at LDS Mission Tees has come up with some super fun designs sure to bring a smile!

If we collect orders for at least 50 shirts, the price each is $7.00.  The price per shirt goes down the larger the bulk order gets. 

The pricing for each quantity:

$4.50 - 2000+ shirts

$5 - 500+ shirts

$6 - 100+ shirts

$7 - 50+ shirts

The shirt sizes come in:

Youth xsmall to XL

Men's small to 3xl

Women's xsmall to 3xl

Tall shirts XLT to 3XLT

 

The men's and youth run true to size, women's run slightly smaller. All are preshrunk and 100% cotton.

 

Shirt colors are here:

http://www.missiontees.blogspot.com/p/shirt-hoodie-colors.html?m=1

 

The first 100 people who order a Stripling Warrior or Right, Just Choose It shirt can order Mission Specific shirts at 25%, or only $15 each.

Orders will be collected until November 1st.  They will be printed and delivered in plenty of time for Christmas. 

TO ORDER SHIRTS:

Send an email to ldsmissiontees@gmail.com
Or
Facebook message Nate at www.facebook.com/ldsmissiontees

You will receive an invoice with your total directly from LDS Mission Tees prior to the order shipping.

If you haven't already, go like LDS Mission Tees on Facebook for a chance to win a Free Mission shirt. They give away a free shirt for every 250 page likes!

Clay Creations by Michelle Lott

Aren't these ornaments adorable??  Missionary Momma Michelle Lott has an amazing talent I am so excited to share with all of you!
Wouldn't one of these look great on your Christmas tree?  How about as a fun gift for your missionary out in the field?   They are each hand made of polymer clay by the amazing Michelle.   

This is what Michelle has to say about her endeavors -

"I have been working with clay for about 25 years. It all started as a hobby in high school until I began working at a craft store and became addicted to this medium. I traveled around Virginia teaching classes and doing demonstrations to help pay for college.

When I began my family, I just wanted to stay home with my kids and my little hobby made it all possible. My studio is my kitchen and my staff are my four children and sometimes my reluctant, but supportive husband. My favorite part of my job is knowing that many of my creations will be hanging on other families trees, as keepsakes, for years to come.

I do this to help my kids with their missions. Elder Lott, serving in Kansas, is the first to serve, but I have three to go! In my spare time I like to work out and eat ice cream. Not always in that order. haha!"

Both sister and elder ornaments are in-stock and ready to ship.  They come in a variety of  hair style, hair color and skin tone combinations to resemble your missionary.  At only $15 each, they make a great gift for parents, grandparents, and one that loves a missionary. 



Place your order soon to guarantee arrival in time to decorate your Christmas tree!

How about these cute baptism ornaments?  They make a great gift for new converts!

Click Here to Order

MissionaryMommaMall.com

We are so excited to announce the GRAND OPENING of the brand new, Missionary Momma Mall!!

It has been almost exactly a year since this whole crazy Missionary Momma adventure began.  Wow, what a year it has been!  So much has come from that one bright little spark of an idea!  (Thank you Heidi for heeding that prompting, you're awesome!)  We have grown from a few like minded moms to over 6,000 strong!  It has been exciting to make so many new friends and get to share in your joys and sorrows.   We are all different, yet united in our love for missionaries.

There are so many talented moms out there.  You do AMAZING things!  The creativity and originality present in this group is impressive!  When one of us has a question, someone ALWAYS has an answer!  When someone needs help, there is a Missionary Momma (or 2 or 200) ready, willing and able.  I don't think there is anything that collectively, this group can't do!  Mommas, you ROCK!

We DO hard things!

One of those seemingly hard things for a good many of us, comes in the form of that $400 monthly check (or $800, or $1200 for those of you with multiple missionaries serving at the same time - Dang - you are impressive!!).  Finding an extra $400 in the monthly budget is no easy task.  Many moms who previously stayed at home have gone back to work. Some of us who have always worked are scratching our heads as to how we can make more and still have time for all the other commitments in our life.  Some have become entrepreneurs and are now selling a product or a service to help meet financial obligations.

We have created the Missionary Momma Mall to help those moms who have products to sell.  Many of these moms already have websites, Etsy stores, etc, and are working hard to find their niche in the market place.  We are an avenue that helps them reach out to our vast group, and showcase their creativity directly to their best audience - other Missionary Mommas! 

Are you one of those moms that has been blessed with a creative talent and need a place to sell your products?  Are you looking for a way to earn some money to help support your missionary?  If so, come be a vendor on  MissionaryMommaMall.com. Offering your products for sale on MissionaryMommaMall.com is simple and affordable. 

We would love to have your products offered in the mall! 

Here is how it works:

1. You provide us with the list of products you want to offer in the online MissonaryMommaMall.  Include pricing, description, photos, size and color options.

2. We upload your items and take orders and payment on your behalf.

3.  As orders are received they will be emailed to you and payment will be sent to you via check or PayPal.

4. You ship the products ordered directly to the customer.

5. You have direct contact with the customer and you can contact them directly on this transaction and on any possible future transactions.

The fees involved are as follows:

1. $20 for the first 5 products advertised on the mall and $10 for each additional 5 products, per month.

2. The credit card processing service charges us 2.9% +.30 per transaction.  We simply pass this fee on to you and take no percentage of the sale. This amount will be deducted from each order prior to funds being sent to you. 

3. That's it!  Super Simple, Super Affordable!

We are still offering our original advertising plan with sidebar ads on the blog (MissionaryMommas.org), write ups on the Missionary Mommas Recommend blog, prizes for the weekly drawings, ads on the public FB page, etc.  Contact us for more information and we will put together a package for you.  For more information email us at missionarymommasrecommend@gmail.com or send a PM on FaceBook to Wendy Minks.

Go take a look at missionarymommamall.com and let us know what you think!