Our Mission Mats

As my husband and I were preparing to serve a mission, I realized that I would miss my friends and family very much—especially my children and grandchildren. I knew that mealtimes on certain occasions would especially remind us of family back home. Since I knew I could not pack many extras to remind me of my loved ones, I decided to make some picture place mats. Two of my daughters-in-law helped me gather some of my favorite photos, both recent and old. They then copied the images in color, cut them, and glued them to durable place-mat size paper, available at craft or paper goods stores. We then laminated them for durability and easy cleanup.

At packing time, my set of 10 place mats fit neatly into the bottom of my suitcase without taking up much space. During our mission, we had dinner with our family, although we were nearly halfway around the world! Those who visited our apartment enjoyed seeing our collection of photos. Now that we have returned home, we are making another set featuring our wonderful brothers and sisters in the Philippines.

Jeanne Huff, West Point 12th Ward, West Point Utah Stake