by This article was written by Elder Spencer Smith who served in the Congo Brazzaville Mission from 2018-2020. He served in all three countries in the mission: Congo, Gabon, and Cameroon. These are his top 10 recommendations to bring on the mission.
1. Headlamp
There are few things that cramp missionaries’ style than coming home after area to find a power outage in their apartment. This can potentially disrupt or cause problems with nightly planning and study if not prepared. While they do occur more frequently in Congo than in Cameroon and Gabon, they still do occur there. Some apartments have solar-powered LED lanterns, but others either do not or have a broken charger. Even with them in working condition, it is very useful to have them as a secondary light. Headlamps enable a missionary to continue his work and studies despite the lack of light. They will work wonders.
2. USB
While I would not necessarily recommend bringing an iPod, I would recommend bringing a USB key (anywhere from 16-64) with downloaded church songs on it. The church also has great downloading services for Tabernacle Choir or FSY music.
3. Sturdy shoes
One thing that influences the missionary experience is shoe durability. Shoe problems often lead to feet problems, which is no fun for a walking mission. Many missionaries have gotten by with different brands of shoes and different levels of care applied to them. For me, I had ECCO shoes, and while the specific style that I got were a bit bulkier and sturdier (see image below), there are many stylish, durable options available. Hush puppies also produces very sturdy shoes. Whether it be a less or a more durable pair of shoes, sometimes having a second pair to alternate with can reduce wear-and-tear for both pairs.
4. Hand sanitizer – When out in their area, the missionary is interacting and shaking hands with various sorts of people, who vary in height, weight, religion, and hygiene practices. Some wash their hands early and often. Others may not, so to play it safe (and with a worldwide pandemic still in effect), having hand sanitizer on hand will be very useful. Having multiple of the 2-oz containers keep it at a size where it can easily fit in a pack and be used often. (below is similar to what I carried around on my mission)
5. Ibuprofen or acetaminophen
With much physical and mental exertion of the daily missionary life, it is not surprising if a headache comes on every once in a while. Having a 100-capsule container of ibuprofen and acetaminophen can come in very handy for yourself and other missionaries who will occasionally need one. (below is the exact type of container I brought with me on my mission)
6. Multitool
I did not bring one, but found it would have been very useful if I had. In the apartments, while the conditions are good for the most part, there can be occasional issues with things like a door hinge not working or something needing to be moved. Having a multitool, particularly one with a screwdriver head, will be very helpful.
7. Pilot pens…and lots of them!
I will add, it is not difficult to find pens in Africa. They are sold at small corner boutiques, paper places, and all over. However, most of these pens are either ball-point or thin felt-tipped ones. If you like having the grip and ink flow of a pilot-type pen, I would recommend stocking up on them, and using them sparingly.
8. A simple cook book
(Chris here) If you want to have a good experience on the mission you need a cookbook with simple things like crepes, pie, cake, bread, pizza, and other things. Having a cookbook is essential to make American food which is really important to well-being.
9. Razors (and a hair-cutting lesson or two)
Having a hair-cutting kit, and a basic hair-cutting knowledge can be a huge blessing to yourself and many missionaries. African barbers often are not as used to wavier or flatter hair, resulting in some really…interesting haircuts. Having a good buzzer and haircutting materials can become like gold to avoid those experiences…or to create them 😉
10. Flossers
I found these really useful to have, from just after a meal to right before bedtime. They helped me to maintain good oral hygiene, even if being in a small hurry. At Walmart, they can be bought at 50 for $1.00. The only key is to keep the container closed after use, so that no bugs or dust gets into it. You can’t find floss in Africa so you’re going to have to pack it for 2 years.
