Natalie's Mission
Snapshot
Natalie's full-time mission journey from decision through service through return. Preparation is part of the mission, not a separate phase. Folder covers the whole arc: the decision (March 2, 2026), prep gates (papers, medical), call (March 27, 2026, Iowa Iowa City Mission, English, 18 months), MTC (online July 8, 2026; in-person Provo report July 15, 2026), arrival in the field (July 28, 2026), field service, and return.
Current Status (as of July 25, 2026)
- Phase: Provo MTC, District 07-F (English, non-language track). Final days in the MTC (reported in person July 15). She leaves Tuesday, July 28, and was packing on the July 25 call. Because her MTC P-day is Tuesday, the departure costs her the P-day she would have used to prepare, leaving Sunday and Monday, both of which she said are busy.
- Area: Provo MTC (training). First field area assigned July 29 after arrival.
- Companion: Sister Dillingham ("Sister Dilly"), her MTC companion in District 07-F, paired her first week. Sister Dillingham is also assigned to the Iowa Iowa City Mission; they fly out together July 28 and share the first-night hotel, then part for separate field companions. First field companion expected July 29.
- Mission: Iowa Iowa City Mission, English, 18 months, under President Todd B. Stone.
- Training: her first Helping Others appointment (HOA), Saturday July 18, "clicked" after a hard start. By July 25 she reported two lessons the same day going well: a restoration lesson in class she said came "straight from God," and a second HOA with a contact named Parker that moved unplanned to the Atonement and drew "amazing reviews." She says the material is not the obstacle, saying it is. Has memorized the missionary purpose; does not yet have the First Vision memorized. Carrying the theme that God makes weaknesses strengths (Ether 12:27); "as long as I try my best, He will fill in for the rest." See Learning to Teach.
- Adjustment: constant tiredness on the structured schedule; adjusting to the food. No health issues. An ant infestation in her snack box the first Saturday became the week's running story. Has done her own laundry twice.
- Near-term: the MTC Travel Office issued her itinerary Thursday, July 23, a day ahead of the expected July 24. She leaves the MTC Tuesday, July 28 at 4:30 AM, flies Delta 2916 out of Salt Lake at 8:00 AM, connects in Minneapolis, and lands in Cedar Rapids, IA at 3:38 PM on Delta 4906. Confirmation HYZAFX, travel group of 18, two checked bags at 50 lb. She confirmed the Tuesday date herself July 25. She is packing a carry-on with a night's worth of things, since she has no access to her checked bags until after the first night, and she will have no mission phone during the roughly three-hour Minneapolis layover because the phone and SIM are shared with a field companion she has not met yet; airport or hotel Wi-Fi is how she would call. See arrival plan and the itinerary email.
- Post-mission: plans to attend BYU-Idaho.
Assignment
- Mission: Iowa Iowa City Mission
- Mission President: Todd B. Stone, with Sister Kerrie Stone (tenure 2025-2028). Called Nov 5, 2024 by Elder Neil L. Andersen; assigned to IICM in December 2024. Both from Idaho Falls, ID. President Stone served Hartford CT Mission; Sister Stone served Argentina Buenos Aires North (Spanish-speaking). Three adult children, all in Utah. Full bio: President and Sister Stone bio.
- Mission office: 2730 Bradford Drive, Iowa City IA 52240 - phone 319-351-2976
- Mission email: 2011328@ChurchofJesusChrist.org
- Language: English
- Length: 18 months
- Online MTC start: 2026-07-08
- In-person Provo MTC report date: 2026-07-15
Mission Office Staff
- Mission Secretary: Sister Morgan, (319) 351-2976 office / (707) 477-0738. On the July 2026 office call she told Kristi the weather there is a surprise every day and that Iowa City people are known for "Iowa nice."
- Mission Health Adviser: Elder Stephen Hunter, (319) 621-5761, skhunter@churchofjesuschrist.org
- Finance/Housing Secretary: Elder Morgan, (707) 502-9332, 2011328-FIN@churchofjesuschrist.org
- Vehicle Coordinator: Elder Standing, (801) 791-6277, 2011328-vc@churchofjesuschrist.org
Sister Morgan and Elder Morgan appear to be a senior-missionary couple (matching 707 area code).
Family Touchpoints
- Sunday devotional: weekly mission-wide Zoom devotional Sundays 9:00 PM Central (8:00 PM Mountain) for missionaries and families. Zoom link in the IICM welcome packet; passcode
iicm. - Sunday call window: the family may talk with Natalie for up to one hour after the Sunday devotional each week.
- Monday P-day: preparation day is Monday; the family may talk with her from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
- P-day / temple exception: missionaries living within two hours of the Nauvoo temple can trade their P-day for a temple day.
- Frequency: the mission president asked that the family not send Natalie things every day; he finds daily mail and packages distracting.
- Facebook group: "Iowa Iowa City Mission 2025-2028 - President and Sister Stone" at https://www.facebook.com/groups/734356052430796/. Families request to join and answer membership questions to verify connection to a missionary. Pictures and mission news posted here.
- Communication channel in the field: Facebook Messenger. Natalie needs a Facebook account established before the MTC.
Finances
- Natalie receives $125 on the 1st and the 16th of each month for personal needs and food.
Packing
- She needs to bring a blanket and hangers. Kristi is concerned they will not fit in the suitcase.
Pre-MTC Preparation Assignments
Per the IICM welcome packet, Natalie should work on the following before her July 8 MTC start:
- Memorize the missionary purpose (Preach My Gospel, page 1).
- Memorize Joseph Smith's First Vision account (Preach My Gospel, chapter 3, page 39).
- Read chapters 1-5 of Preach My Gospel.
- Complete the missionary driving qualification process (recently updated).
MTC (Provo)
Per the July 3, 2026 welcome email from Grace Lott (Non-Language Coordinator, Provo MTC):
- District: 07-F (English, non-language track). Roughly three and a half weeks total: first week online, remainder in person at the Provo MTC.
- Teachers: Sister Hardy ((801) 739-4335, katelynhardy@churchofjesuschrist.org) and Sister Easton ((210) 990-0142, Caylee.Easton@churchofjesuschrist.org).
- First day, July 8, 2026: introductory workshop "Fulfill Your Missionary Purpose" 8:00-8:30 AM Mountain (all new missionaries), then first class with her teachers at 8:30 AM Mountain (join 15 minutes early via Zoom). First-class prep: "Your Purpose" (Preach My Gospel, page 1).
- The district uses a shared Google Calendar added to Natalie's missionary.org account. See the MTC welcome email.
- Reference handouts filed with the welcome email: Prepare For Your MTC Experience (includes example daily and P-day schedules) and Online MTC for Missionaries (Zoom setup and participant guidelines).
Timeline
- 2026-03-02: Decided to serve a full-time mission via family prayer Kaitlynn led from Coyhaique.
- 2026-03-27: Mission call issued, Iowa Iowa City Mission, English, 18 months.
- 2026-03-31: Mission call formally accepted via Missionary Portal.
- 2026-05-15: IICM welcome packet email received from Sister Morgan.
- 2026-07-08: Online MTC training began (District 07-F).
- 2026-07-13: Walked Kaitlynn through her MTC packing on a video call, two days out. See the packing call.
- 2026-07-15: Reported in person to the Provo MTC. The whole family except Kaitlynn drove her down from Herriman (Jason, Kristi, Bryson, Alexa, and Mason), with a lunch stop at Raising Cane's and Jason's prayer in the car before drop-off. See Natalie Enters the Provo MTC.
- 2026-07-16: Jason sent his first two letters to her at the MTC. See Day 1, We got a puppy!.
- 2026-07-21: First P-day call home from the Provo MTC and first weekly group email (both July 21), covering her first six days: MTC companion Sister Dillingham (District 07-F), temple days (Payson endowment July 17, Mount Timpanogos sealings July 20), the ant infestation, and learning to teach the lessons. See the call and the email.
- 2026-07-23: MTC Travel Office issued her travel itinerary; Natalie forwarded it to Jason and Kristi the same hour. See the itinerary email.
- 2026-07-25: Last call home from the Provo MTC, seventeen and a half minutes on a Saturday night with Jason and Kristi while she packed. She confirmed the Tuesday departure and worked out the overnight carry-on, and reported two teaching wins the same day (a restoration lesson in class and her second Helping Others appointment, with a contact named Parker). Kristi's closing counsel was to be present for the last of it. See the call.
Upcoming
- 2026-07-28 (Tuesday): Flies into the Iowa Iowa City Mission, landing in Cedar Rapids at 3:38 PM; dinner with President and Sister Stone, overnight at a hotel with MTC companion Sister Dillingham. See Natalie Arrives in the Mission Field.
- 2026-07-29 (Wednesday): Trains until 2 PM, meets her first field companion, travels to her first area.
Unconfirmed
- 2026-07-05 (approx): Planned release from Young Women Class Second Counselor, expected the Sunday before her online MTC start. Not confirmed as of 2026-07-17. See the calling note.
Sub-areas
- Events
- Weekly Call Journal
- Areas
- Companions
- People Met
- Themes
Recent Sources
- 2026-03-27_document_natalie-mission-call-letter
- 2026-03-27_document_natalie-mission-call-packet
- 2026-03-31_document_natalie-mission-call-acceptance
- 2026-05-15_email_iicm-welcome-packet
- 2026-05-15_document_iicm-mission-president-bio
- 2026-07-03_email_mtc-welcome-district-07f
- 2026-07-03_document_prepare-for-mtc-experience
- 2026-07-03_document_online-mtc-for-missionaries
- 2026-07-13_transcript_natalie-kaitlynn-packing-call
- 2026-07-15_transcript_natalie-mtc-dropoff
- 2026-07-16_email_day-1-we-got-a-puppy
- 2026-07-16_email_whoa-black-betty
- 2026-07-21_transcript_natalie-mtc-first-call
- 2026-07-21_email_natalie-weekly-still-in-the-mtc
- 2026-07-22_email_old-testament-chronicles
- 2026-07-23_email_natalie-travel-itinerary
- 2026-07-25_transcript_natalie-mtc-last-call