Free resources about the Wisconsin Milwaukee Mission:
- Mission address and phone number
- Mission map
- Video interviews with returned missionaries
- Missionary blogs
- Facebook groups
- LDS Mission t-shirts and gifts
- List of past mission presidents
- Cultural articles written by returned missionaries
- Survey with RMs
Milwaukee Mission Address
Here’s a recent address for the Milwaukee Mission. We try to keep this information up to date, but it’s a good idea to check the address with several sources, including your mission packet or the mission office.
Wisconsin Milwaukee Mission
7111 W. Edgerton Ave
Ste. 100
Greenfield, WI 53220
Phone Number: 1-414-421-7506
Mission President: President Jack Ross Williams
Wisconsin Milwaukee Mission Map
Here’s a link to the mission map for the Wisconsin Milwaukee Mission (LDS). To access the official LDS.org map for the Milwaukee Mission:
Videos with Milwaukee RMs
Here are in-depth YouTube video interviews with returned missionaries from the Milwaukee Mission. We interview hundreds of returned missionaries each year, so check back regularly to see new RM interviews.
Videos about Wisconsin
Here are LDS-friendly educational videos about Wisconsin. We scoured YouTube to find the best quality videos about Wisconsin, that are free from inappropriate music, immodesty and profanity.
Milwaukee Missionary Blogs
Here’s a list of LDS missionary blogs for the Milwaukee Mission. This list includes the missionary’s name, URL and when their blog was updated.
Milwaukee Mission Groups
Here are Milwaukee Mission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni of the Milwaukee Mission.
- Wisconsin Milwaukee Mission Group (422 members)
- Wisconsin Missionaries Facebook Group (315 members)
- Milwaukee Mission 2013-16 President Cutler Group (92 members)
- Milwaukee Mission 1992-95 President Nixon Group (67 members)
- Wisconsin Milwaukee Mission Facebook Group (36 members)
- Milwaukee Mission Moms and Friends (LDS) Group (21 members)
- Wisconsin Milwaukee Mission 1978-1981 Group (2 members)
- Wisconsin Milwaukee Mission 1983-1984 Group (1 member)
Milwaukee Mission T-Shirts
Here are T-shirts for the Wisconsin Milwaukee Mission!
Shirt designs include Milwaukee Mission logo/emblem shirts and Called to Serve shirts. The shirts make great gifts for pre-missionaries, returned missionaries and missionaries currently serving. LDS Mission shirts come in all sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, up to 4XL. The mission designs are printed on white shirts and are shipped to you.
*Simply click on a shirt design to view the details and submit an order. The designs on mission t-shirts may also be printed on other LDS mission gifts, including: Milwaukee missionary aprons, Christmas stockings, ties, pillow cases, teddy bears and Christmas ornaments.
*Click here to browse Milwaukee Mission gifts
Milwaukee Mission Presidents
Here’s a list of current and past Mission Presidents of the Milwaukee Mission.
- 2016-2019, Jack Ross Williams
- 2013-2016, Raymond A. Cutler
- 2010-2013, Timothy M. Jones
- 2007-2010, William A. Barrett
- 2004-2007, Bruce L. Hunt
- 2001-2004, Douglas M. Clifford
- 1998-2001, David B. Stokes
- 1995-1998, Robert Wilkes
- 1992-1995, S. Reed Nixon
- 1989-1992, Phil Fox
- 1986-1989, William B. Green
- 1983-1986, D. Heyward Davis Jr.
- 1981-1983, F. Doyle Child
- 1978-1981, L. Flake Rogers
Wisconsin and Michigan LDS Statistics (2015)
- Church Membership: 25,871 (Wisconsin), 43,748 (Michigan)
- Missions: 1 (Wisconsin), 2 (Michigan)
- Temples: 1 (Michigan)
- Congregations: 68 (Wisconsin), 94 (Michigan)
- Family History Centers: 24 (Wisconsin), 41 (Michigan)
Helpful Articles about Wisconsin
Milwaukee Missionary Survey
Here are survey responses from Milwaukee RMs, to give you a snapshot into what it’s like to live in the mission.
*Click here to take a survey to help pre-missionaries going to your mission.
When did you serve?
- 2015-2017 (Daniel)
- 2014-2016 (Haley)
- 2013-2016 (Bryce)
- 2013- 2015 (Joshua)
- 1989-1991 (Launie)
- 2013-2015 (James)
- 2014-2015 (Ashley)
- 2005-2007 (Joseph)
- August 2012-August 2014 (Zachary)
- 2011-2013 (Anonymous)
- 2013-2015 (Austen)
- 2012-2014 (Robert)
- 2013-2015 (Matthew)
- 2002-2004 (Jarom)
- 1991-1993 (Steve)
What areas did you serve in?
- 1. Iron Mountain, 2. Richland Centre, 3. Rhinelander, 4. West Bend, 5. De Pere, 6. Richland Centre. (Daniel)
- Adams-friendship, Wisconsin Rapids, Elkhorn, Madison 4. (Haley)
- Antigo, Madison 3B, Chilton, Elkhorn and Richland Center. (Bryce)
- DeForest/Sun Prairie B, Neenah/Menasha, Marshfield, Muskego Lakes, Brookfield, and Marshfield a 2nd time. (Joshua)
- Appleton, Waukesha, Muskego/Franklin, West Allis, Kenosha. (Ashley)
- Stevens Point, West Allis(near Milwaukee), Marquette(in upper Michigan), Madison, and Adams/Friendship. (Joseph)
- I was trained in Marshfield and returned there during my 1-year mark, finished in Manitowoc, and served in Milwaukee everywhere in between. (Zachary)
- Milwaukee, Prairie du Chien, Racine, Green Bay, Appleton. (Anonymous)
- Oak Creek WI x2 West Allis WI, Racine WI Madison WI DeForest WI. (Austen)
- Lake Michigan, Wisconsin Rapids, Shawano, Madison 3rd ward, Madison Campus YSA Branch. (Robert)
- Shawano, Houghton, Monroe, Rhinelander and West Allis. (Matthew)
- Madison, Sturgeon Bay, Hartford, West Bend, Prairie du Chien, Milwaukee (inner city), Adams-Friendship. (Jarom)
- Milwaukee, Beloit, Green Bay, Greenfield. (Steve)
What were some favorite foods?
- Homemade macaroni and cheese, and my companion and I once made potato chips to munch on during weekly planning. (Daniel)
- Depends on what perspective. I loved zupa tosacana soup and cheddar broccoli soup which are the two favorites that members fed us, but if you are thinking about what I cooked I loved cooking up cheese quesadillas and eating them with bbq sauce. Another would have to be chicken ranch and bbq salad which is very excellent especially if you eat it with croutons and shredded cheese 🙂 (Haley)
- Cheese. (Bryce)
- Brats, cheese curds, custard. (Joshua)
- Brats. (Launie)
- Pastys, Kopp’s frozen custard, brats, and whenever I was fed authentic Mexican or Guatemalan food. (James)
- The cheese and brats are super good! So is the frozen custard, especially at Kopps. I also like chili. People in Wisconsin put noodles in their chili. It’s really good! (Ashley)
- Brats, custard. (Joseph)
- Cheese Curds, Butter Burgers, Sprecher Beverages, Summer Sausage. (Zachary)
- Brats, cheese curds, anything from Culver’s, ribs, grass-fed beef, FROZEN CUSTARD! (Anonymous)
- Cheese! Brauts Anything members fed me. (Austen)
- Brats. Burgers. Meat. Cookouts. (Robert)
- Bratwurst!!!!! And pasties! (Matthew)
- Hmong egg rolls, Culvers, Friday fish fry, Bratwurst. (Jarom)
- Smith Burger at Chicago’s by Marquette University downtown. Prepared by Wadude. (Steve)
What was a funny experience?
- One time, we were doing our weekly planning and my comp decided that it would be a good idea to take a break and dance in the rain. So I reminded him that it was hailing as well as raining. His attitude was basically, “All the more reason!” So he went out back (without a jacket or umbrella, mind you) and danced in the rain. So I was like, “Elder, you’re an idiot.” (Daniel)
- The funniest experience I had and really shows the lack of sleep I had that day was when we were contacting a referral. We were in a trio and when we knocked in the door a young lady answered and was talking to us for awhile. One of my companions asked where she grew up and she said she had spent a lot of her life in Maryland. Well, I wasn’t thinking clearly so I asked, “oh cool what language do they speak in Maryland?” I got the weirdest stare and one of my companions turned to me and said, “Maryland is in the U.S.” I’m sure my face went beat red but it was so funny afterwards, after that I got emails from my companions with pictures of anything that said Maryland on it hahaha. (Haley)
- Playing soccer in the grass, in shirts and ties, during a 4th of July picnic with half of the Ward. (Bryce)
- On my first night out I knocked on my first door and very quickly introduced us as Missionaries and the full name of the church. The man responded with a no thanks and slammed the door! (Joshua)
- It was fun. (Launie)
- My companion and I once woke up to a woman swearing and cursing and saying anything and everything vulgar at the top of her lungs at the bus stop outside our window. (James)
- One time, my companion and I were in the library with the elders. We were going over the ward list and making plans. This guy named James sits down at a table next to us, and he starts telling us about his church and about the Bible. An elder proceeds to tell James about the Book of Mormon. While he is doing this, out of nowhere James stands up and says “In my church, we give hugs!” He then walks towards the elder and gives him a hug. He then turns to my companion, who had been in Wisconsin for only one day, and he tries to hug her. She sticks out her hand while backing away, and says “In my church, we shake hands.” James was a little disappointed. It was a strange experience, but so funny! (Ashley)
- After knocking on a door, a woman came out screaming she wouldn’t listen to us because we are crazy. She said, “anyone who digs up graves to baptize them is just nuts!” Before we could resolve this issue she just slammed the door. Made for a good laugh. (Joseph)
- Teaching mentally disturbed investigators. (Zachary)
- Being fed roadkill deer meat in a dish made for us. (Anonymous)
- Everything. Unless you serve a mission, you don’t understand missionary humor. Everything on earth becomes hilarious, except sacred things. The strangest things become hysterical. You’ll see when you go…(Austen)
- My companion once slipped on the ice coming down from a front door. We decided to knock on the side door (people there only answered side doors it seems like). I was having a laughing attack, but we contacted the Lady anyway. She eventually got baptized. (Robert)
- We taught a guy who thought he was Jesus Christ only six months earlier. (Matthew)
- Fish in the back of Udink’s car in Green Bay. (Steve)
What was a crazy experience?
- I didn’t really have any crazy dangerous experiences. I head about them, but not many happened to me or the others in my districts. (Daniel)
- My crazy experience would have to be peanut butter soup. We had an investigator from Africa who wanted to feed us her famous peanut butter soup, so she told us to bring the chicken and meet back in a couple of days. So we brought the chicken and when we walked into the kitchen we saw that she had a fish sitting in a pan cut in four different pieces, everything was there except for the insides. The eyes, bones, scales, etc. she poured water in a pot, threw the fish and chicken in, then threw in bell peppers and cut up onions. After a little while she put almost a whole small jar of peanut butter and let it melt then served it on rice. I’m not a fan of fish so it was a very fishy adventure for me haha. (Haley)
- Watching a man get tasered after assaulting another man at the bus station. (Bryce)
- Knocking on a door and the man was hostile to us. We asked if there was anything we can do and he told us to leave as we can and to be thankful he didn’t have his gun. I said “okay have a good night.” My companion thought I was crazy and trying to poke at the man, but I was being genuine with that response. (Joshua)
- Going on a referral to the inner city of Milwaukee with all of the different gangs. …or the time we were tracking and was in the same complex of where Jeffery Dome lived. (Launie)
- My companion once broke up a teenage chick-fight outside our apartment with the help of a really angry black guy who kept asking the girls if they wanted to spend Christmas in jail. (James)
- My companion and I got a referral from the elders for this woman named Senya. We stopped by the apartment complex, and she let us in. She proceeds to tell us that the demons tell her to kill herself, and she paints the demons she sees and hangs them around her apartment. We were pretty nervous, but we prayed with her, and the room felt a lot better after that. She also has schizophrenia, so that probably had a lot to do with it. (Ashley)
- While tracking in the Stevens Point area, we noticed a storm coming in. The sky started turning beautiful colors such as brown, green, blue, and yellow. At one door we knocked on the lady looked at us like we were nuts, told us to hurry inside and look at the news. There were severe tornado warnings in the area we were in. So, she fed us some delicious banana bread, said she wasn’t interested in our message, and let us go once we promised to head straight home. (Joseph)
- Getting shot at (with non-lethal weapons such as paintball and BB guns) by juvenile delinquents and radical lesbian militants. Having our apartment raided by SWAT team members because a drug deal gone bad had escalated into an armed hostage situation right across the hallway from where we lived. (Zachary)
- Almost getting robbed by someone we taught. (Anonymous)
- Milwaukee has some ghetto areas that can be awfully dangerous if you are not careful. We were followed and questioned by thugs a few times, but never harmed. (Austen)
- We had an experience with a lady that seemed to be possessed by bad Spirits. She was unable to live in a way that was healthy and she wanted to kill herself. We gave her a blessing and blessed her home and she cleaned everything up. She met with us for many months after that and she improved an incredible amount. (Robert)
- We got our truck stuck in a swamp pretty much and didn’t get home until like 2:00 am in the morning. (Matthew)
- Walking on a frozen lake in Madison. (Jarom)
- Watching the refrigerators/freezers coming out of Jeffrey Dahmers apartment a few miles from our apartment. (Steve)
What was a spiritual experience?
- One time, my companion and I were out looking for some LA’s, and they weren’t home. So he said, let’s knock a few of these doors. As we come to this one door, I’m not feeling it, but I go because my companion wants to. Fast forward a few months, and now we’re teaching them regularly. I’m home, now, and they’re not baptized. But we still keep in contact. I an just thankful for my companion, who listened to the promptings of the spirit. (Daniel)
- The one that comes to mind took place over a span of time. We received three separate referrals for this one person who wanted to learn about the church. As we went over we taught her about the Book of Mormon. We explained the Plan of Salvation and she was amazed and so excited to hear about the pre-mortal life. What was so incredible, was after I got transferred and when I went back for her baptism. She had such a bright countenance and so full of life. She read her Book of Mormon every night and just devoured it. She was an amazing lady and I was so full of joy when I saw her get baptized. (Haley)
- President Cutler bearing a 30 second testimony on missing the sacrament, to put a Stake Conference back on schedule. (Bryce)
- In my 5th area, on a cold Sunday evening, after fasting all day we knocked on this lady’s door, she let us in to share our message. She later told us that she doesn’t normally let people in like us, but she “liked our faces.” She felt the spirit tell her to let us in. (Joshua)
- A baptism my very first day…not even unpacked. (Launie)
- There were several days when my personal study opened up the eyes of my understanding and I comprehended the glory of God’s plan in a better way. (James)
- In my first area, there was a man named Pablo who came to church maybe once a month. His wife is a member, but not interested in coming back, and he has 3 kids who aren’t baptized. After a while, we finally got Pablo to start reading the Book of Mormon daily. This led to incredible changes! Pablo started coming to church weekly and participating in Gospel Principles. He became more sensitive to the Spirit, and he desired for his family to come to church with him. One time, we sat down with Pablo, and he started to bear his testimony about the Book of Mormon. The Spirit was so strong, and that was one of the most powerful experiences I have had in my life. You could really feel God’s love for Pablo. I loved seeing the changes that happened because he started reading the Book of Mormon daily. (Ashley)
- After teaching a lady once with her member friend present, we returned for a follow up visit the next week. Now, getting anyone to actually read from the Book of Mormon in between visits is a struggle. So, when this lady said she had read her “homework” and then just kept reading we were “astonished!” What made it better was her description of how she felt reading it. She said she just wanted to get up and do cartwheels around the room because for over 50 years she had been searching for the voice of her “Good Shepherd” and she finally found it. She knew the book was of God and was eager to continue learning and be baptized. (Joseph)
- Seeing an investigator build a solid testimony and enter the waters of baptism. (Zachary)
- Feeling so much of the Spirit and God’s love for these people that I couldn’t even stand it. (Anonymous)
- There were far too many to count. Wisconsin is a hard mission, but I loved every second. Every baptism I participated in was the greatest feeling on earth! (Austen)
- We did a car fast to show our dedication in the winter and found a new investigator that was eventually baptized. (Robert)
- This one is a tough choice. I had a time with a companion where that companion just had a complete turnaround and came to love the Lord so much and it was super inspiring. (Matthew)
- Many. (Steve)
What are some interesting facts about the Milwaukee Mission?
- We are the largest mission geographically in the continental united states. Lambeu Field is nicknamed the “Green Bay Temple”. My second area was the size of Anaheim, CA. My 3rd area was the size of Connecticut (and it wasn’t even the largest area, at the time)! (Daniel)
- Chocolate cheese is amazing and you have to try it! It felt like I was living in a forest a lot of the time. There is a street in Burlington called Mormon road with an old church house named after the church but it was really a branch or group that immigrated there. The roads are everywhere and we were lucky to have GPS systems. Our cars had Tiwi. The members are mostly converts and are amazing member missionaries!! (Haley)
- Have out thousands of copies of the Book of Mormon in one month. -The Frozen Chosen “Many are called, but few are frozen.” (Bryce)
- The Packers are a religion in Wisconsin. The people love there beer and brats. The Amish people are cool, don’t take there picture though, they think will think you captured their soul. The pioneers actually settled in Wisconsin for a time to cut lumber from the central Wisconsin white pine trees for the building of the Nauvoo Temple. (Joshua)
- Lots of cows. (Launie)
- It’s probably one of the coldest missions in the United States. Wisconsin produces over 700,000 barrels of beer a year. The Packers are a beloved football team everywhere except Chicago. (James)
- A lot of the towns have Indian names, so they are interesting to pronounce. Everyone is obsessed with the Green Bay Packers. During a Packers game, don’t bother to go tracting, because people will not answer the door! A lot of people are Catholic and Lutheran. People like their beer, cheese, and brats, and they like to smoke as well. (Ashley)
- It covered both Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, more commonly known as the UP. There are no temples in Wisconsin. They have stores that sell cheese, and only cheese. Lots of it in different varieties. In Madison is the world’s largest Brat Fest. There are lots of paper mills, which make the area near them stink. Most people are Christian, but are set in their traditions. Meaning, “my parents were Catholic, my grandparents were Catholic, even my great grandparents were Catholic. So we are and will stay Catholic.” (Joseph)
- There were a few lesser-known Church historical sites on the western edge of the mission. (Zachary)
- People are really down to earth, they worship the Packers (don’t go tracting on game day), they have some of the best dairy I’ve ever tasted in my life. (Anonymous)
- It is the Dairy capital of the world. It is the only state where the citizens own their football team. It is per capita the most drunk state in the Nation. (Robert)
- The mission is awesome! Wisconsin is the best place ever! There are a bunch of super quirky tiny towns! (Matthew)
- Along with President Nixon and Elder Evans, we drove to the St Paul Minnesota Mission to trade one of our new missionaries for a Hmong speaking missionary. Took the Hmong speaking elder to Green Bay to help John Moua share the gospel with all his friends and families. (Steve)
What was the weather like?
- Temperatures in the winter dropped to around -15ish, without wind chill. And the summers would get into the upper 90’s not including humidity. Summers can be quite a bit rainy, Winters are overcast for weeks on end. Autumn is pleasant and Spring doesn’t exist. (Daniel)
- Don’t be fooled that it’s just the cold state. The weather is both extremes so remember to pack light clothing for summer and also heavy clothing for winter. It rains quite a bit and can be very humid. Sometimes we would have lightning storms which was pretty cool. Beware of the mosquitoes! (Haley)
- Ice cold winter, humid summers. (Bryce)
- Humid which made 80-90 degree summers like 100 degrees and then winters were brutal. -20 was the coldest stand-in weather, but with wind it felt like -60, we had to stay in on those days. But it rarely gets that cold. (Joshua)
- Very humid in the summer…below 0 in the winter. (Launie)
- Humid all year round. Which means summer feels like a hot wall that you smack into as you step outside, and the winter wind cuts through more layers of your body that you thought you had. Fall is quite nice though, with very pretty trees. And spring has great weather, except the ground is super soggy. (James)
- The summers were really hot and humid, and the winters were freezing cold and windy. My nose hairs have frozen, and it is quite unpleasant. If it’s really cold, you can get frostbite in a matter of a few minutes! But Wisconsin definitely has all 4 seasons, so it’s super pretty. (Ashley)
- Cold in the winter, hot and humid in the summer. But I’ll take a Wisconsin summer over my hometown of Mesa, Arizona summer any day. If you were near a great lake, then you saw lots of snow due to the lake effect. When I served right next to Lake Superior, I don’t remember a night not falling asleep to snow falling. Driving can be difficult when it snows there. Multiple times, I had white out conditions to deal with. (Joseph)
- Nine months of Arctic Tundra, three months of Desert Road Construction. (Zachary)
- Very cold in the winter, but not too bad if you have heavy duty gear. The summers were amazing! Some of the best summers ever. (Anonymous)
- It’s super cold and windy in the winter and humid in the summer. Could be a lot worse though. (Austen)
- Cold. Extremely cold. It got down to -55 degrees Fahrenheit. (Robert)
- FREEZING. And I loved it! Got 338 inches of snow in the area I served in winter 2013. (Matthew)
- Cold, cold, and more cold…but also humid. (Jarom)
- Cold in the winter, hot and humid in the summer. (Steve)
Any things you really like about the area/people?
- I enjoyed the spirit of those whose wards and branches I served in. Some of them, they’re the only members of the church that are in their town! I admire their faith. I feel that no matter where you are in Wisconsin, the scenery is beautiful! It’s rolling hills, towering high rises, beautiful shores on the Great Lakes. (Daniel)
- Everyone I served around made you feel like family. I was mainly in small towns so everyone knew everyone in the ward, and they always took great care of the missionaries. Even though I missed the mountains I loved the green forests and especially the colors in autumn. It is very beautiful and the people are generally very nice and talkative. (Haley)
- You meet kind, humble and sincere people. (Bryce)
- Lots of God believing people. People care. Besides the cold, the farmland is beautiful. (Joshua)
- Very nice and friendly people. ..different cultures. (Launie)
- Many of them believe in God and in doing good. (James)
- The people are super nice (for the most part). They are religious and believe in God. Sometimes this makes them super stubborn, but mostly they respect you and your opinion. The people are pretty genuine. I absolutely love the people of Wisconsin! (Ashley)
- Honestly, once you gained a love for the people you were serving, you loved everything about them. One thing I did like was the accent that many of them had. It’s very unique. (Joseph)
- The scenery gets especially pretty in the Autumn months. (Zachary)
- Loved the food, loved how down to earth everyone was, and loved how faithful they were. It was awesome to see such dedicated church goers, or people who were faithful even if they didn’t go to church. (Anonymous)
- I loved the West Allis Ward. Humble, hard-working people made my 9 months there the best 9 months of my life. (Austen)
- They had cold hands but warm hearts. Their accents were fantastic too. (Robert)
- Everything. Seriously everything. (Matthew)
- Loved the diversity. Served with some of the greatest missionaries and people ever. (Steve)
Any packing/clothing advice?
- Thicker clothing for the winter, lighter for the summer. If you can, either have your winter gear mailed to you or buy it there. Send packages home periodically with stuff you’ve accumulated. This will make going home much easier. (Daniel)
- If you are a sister be sure to find skirts not only for winter but also for summer. Fleece tights and wool socks helped me a bunch and I preferred mittens over gloves because your fingers shared heat. Hand warmers and toe warms are amazing as well and the no show earmuffs are nice. You will also learn to love scarves. Summer: dress light, if you have long hair, braid it or put it in a pony tail because it will make your back hot. Oh, also, break in your shoes as much as possible beforehand because when I first went out I got blisters. (Haley)
- If you are going in the summer you can wait to buy cold gear there, but be sure to bring thermals! (Bryce)
- Thermals, sweaters, scarves, gloves, winter hats will be your best friends in winter; the more layers, the better. Bring plenty of short and long sleeved white shirts, you will sweat through your short sleeve shirts. (Joshua)
- No. (Launie)
- Buy a really nice coat/jacket and waterproof shoes. (James)
- A good winter coat is a must! Also lots of hats, scarves, and gloves. And for the summer, bring light clothing. It helps you deal with the heat better. (Ashley)
- Layers. That will save you in the winter! SPEND THE MONEY FOR GOOD SHOES! Don’t skimp on shoes, you walk every day in them. And get two pairs, alternating every other day. Hush Puppies and Clarks are great brands. (Joseph)
- Bikes are optional, but not necessary. Thermals and heavy gloves are good. Baggage limit for transfers is small, so try not to accumulate a ton of extra stuff (unless you’re a Sister-Missionary, in which case you can get away with just about anything, including like 7 luggage pieces–2 of which are just for your shoes). (Zachary)
- Go to Land’s End to get a down parka. They’re based in Wisconsin so they know what’s up. Get ski/snowboard mittens instead of gloves. Fleece lined leggings for girls, thermals for boys. Layer layer layer. (Anonymous)
- Mix it up. It gets really cold, and really hot. You’ll want some slim clothes for summer and some really thick ones for winter. (Austen)
- You can buy a coat before or after you arrive. Make sure you have good boots/shoes with traction. Bring short sleeve shirts (it does get pretty hot in the summer). On an extremely cold day I wore: 2-3 pairs of socks, boots, garments (normal ones rather than thermal so you can use them more often), thermal underwear/top, shirt/tie/heavy sweater, suit coat, double layered winter coat, mittens that can fold to fingerless gloves (better than gloves and easier to write with tracting), scarf, beanie/winter hat. Its a lot of stuff…but I was still cold with all of that. (Robert)
- Pack warm clothes. (Matthew)
- Don’t do thermal g’s. Regular thermals are more breathable and provide an extra cozy layer. (Jarom)
- Warm coat. You can buy fun things at local thift shops. (Steve)
What blessings did you receive from serving a mission?
- I gained a deeper love for and understanding of the Atonement, and my testimony has been strengthened for it. (Daniel)
- I received so many blessings. Despite how hard a mission is, it is all worth it. I got to see three baptisms and I saw growth in each of my areas. I was able to grow in confidence and knowledge and understanding of the scriptures more than ever! The biggest thing is that I have anxiety and I can get homesick really bad. However, when I stepped foot in the MTC, peace flooded through me and I was able to work my hardest for the Lord. You definitely receive a greater power with the Spirit as a missionary. My mission also blessed my family spiritually and financially and all things worked out. (Haley)
- I was changed by my experiences and grew spiritually alongside some humble and incredible people. (Bryce)
- Confidence in myself. An understanding of the gospel; especially the Atonement. I gained a love for people I never thought possible. (Joshua)
- A stronger belief in what I have been taught by my parents. (Launie)
- I have a stronger testimony and a significant amount of knowledge about how the Plan of Salvation is applicable in everyday life. I also met some great examples of amazing fathers. (James)
- I have been blessed in every single aspect of my life because of my mission. My testimony has grown tenfold, which has helped me to stay strong during trials. I am so much happier, and I have higher confidence levels. My family was blessed as well. At the end of my mission, my dad lost his job and my grandma had a stroke, but I know without a doubt that the Lord is watching over them, and is blessing them because of my service. (Ashley)
- I gained a more personal relationship with my Savior. My love for Him increased more than I knew possible. I learned how to talk to people. I received lasting friendships with companions, less actives, and converts. (Joseph)
- Witnessing people that I taught make and keep covenants with the Lord, miraculous post-mission financial stability, seeing my non-member family and friends become more open to the Gospel, and my own testimony increased in strength. (Zachary)
- So many. A lot of my practical life experience came from serving a mission. Made me a better spouse, a better person in my career, helped me understand how to communicate with people more. Made my testimony solid. (Anonymous)
- They come every day. I know it’s generic, but I everything from finances, college, relationships… everything in my entire life improved from Wisconsin! (Austen)
- I received a strong testimony. (Robert)
- Like a billion. I gained a great love for other people. (Matthew)
- Too many to count… A testimony of prayer. (Jarom)
- Best two years for preparing for the next 20+. (Steve)
What are some skills you gained?
- I have learned how to talk with people, how to lead, and how to live on a budget. (Daniel)
- I learned how to talk to people and to communicate, I learned patience and humility, I learned how to get along with others and how to compromise. I especially learned how to study and dive into the scriptures effectively. I learned how to teach simply and how to be responsible for my actions. Basically my mission was the period in my life that I grew up and learned what the world was and why the Gospel was so precious. (Haley)
- Persevering and dealing with opposition and doubt. (Bryce)
- How to talk to and deal with people better. I learned how to be more confident in my abilities. (Joshua)
- To be able to have better people skills. (Launie)
- I learned how to exercise faith when faith is the only thing that could give me a reason to do something. I also learned how to make decisions about what I would do with my life, and then follow-through with executing those decisions. (James)
- I learned how to talk to people and get to know them. I also learned how to carry on conversations, which is an extremely important skill! I learned how to teach, and how to listen. I learned how to study the scriptures. I learned how to access the Atonement. I learned how to ride a bike in a skirt and how to use the bus systems! (Ashley)
- Teaching, communication, being able to quickly read a map. (Joseph)
- Valuable Professional and Career skills, leadership skills, negotiation and communication skills, relationship skills, solid work-ethic, awesome study skills, time-management skills, and all Godly virtues were well polished. (Zachary)
- Being able to talk with strangers, knowing how to live and work with someone through tough things, understanding the scriptures. (Anonymous)
- I can talk to strangers! Not only talk, but tell them to change their lives and repent. (Austen)
- Planning and hard work. (Robert)
- Definitely interpersonal skills. (Matthew)
- A stronger work ethic. I also learned how to study. (Jarom)
- Hmong, Chinese. (Steve)
What do you wish you knew/did at the beginning of your mission?
- You are going to have some tough companions, be the better man/woman. And you WILL be trunky! There are two ways to respond: 1. Be lazy and think about home/family/friends. or 2. Be productive and use what time you have left to do all the good you can. Please, choose the latter. (Daniel)
- I wish I had actually taken the time to read the Book of Mormon and study it, because I left with only a testimony of eternal families. I found my rooted testimony on my mission of so many things because I was witnessing it in my life and our investigators’ lives. Prepare. Read Preach My Gospel, read the Book of Mormon, pray and ponder on the sacrament and the Atonement. (Haley)
- Being 100% prepared so there’s nothing to worry about but serving the Lord. (Bryce)
- I wish I would have studied more from Preach My Gospel, the Book of Mormon, even the Bible, we had some Bible bashing experiences, it would have been good to know what they were taking about. (Joshua)
- Just how to deal with other people. (Launie)
- I wish I was more confident in speaking with other people. People expect the missionaries to talk to them, even if they don’t want to talk. I wish I understood that I didn’t need to be afraid of talking to people. (James)
- I wish I was more bold with people. It took me a while to learn how to be bold but not overbearing, but once I got it, it really helped with teaching. My investigators came to church more often as well. And I wish I always left commitments! If you don’t leave commitments, you are not fulfilling your purpose as a missionary. I found that leaving commitments helped me be more bold with people, and I felt that I was fulfilling my purpose and that Heavenly Father was pleased with me. (Ashley)
- I wish I knew the power of obedience better. When I was strictly obedient, blessings came so much more abundantly. It’s not the popular thing to be strictly obedient, but I promise those who are will see the blessing of their efforts. (Joseph)
- Understanding that the needs of the people you serve are far more important than numbers or policy. (Zachary)
- I don’t wish I’d done anything different. (Anonymous)
- Actually, nothing. I went in knowing nothing, not knowing what to expect, and God taught me what he wanted to. I wouldn’t have changed pre-mission anything. (Austen)
- If you aren’t having fun, you aren’t doing it right. (Robert)
- I wish I paid attention to the Lord more instead of obsessing about every rule and being so hell-bent on keeping a specific regimen. Allowing time to just go out proved to be some of the most effective time. (Matthew)
- Not to buy junk that people tell me I needed from missionaries going home. I bought too much to carry around (and that I really didn’t need) and left it at one apartment after another. (Jarom)
Any advice/testimony for pre-missionaries called to Milwaukee?
- While yes, it’s called missionary work, you will have fun. So have fun and know that the Lord is laboring with you. You are not alone; This is His work, and He will move it forward in His own due time. (Daniel)
- You can do hard things. My mission taught me so much that I had never thought possible. I found my testimony of Joseph Smith, of the Book of Mormon, of our modern day prophet Thomas S. Monson. It was because I didn’t put up any walls against the Spirit, I let myself change into the person the Lord was shaping me to become. The Book of Mormon is the sickle of the harvest, don’t forget it. This gospel is true and no matter what trial stands in front of you, don’t be afraid to climb over it and conquer it. There will always be opposition, but that just shows you are doing something right. “Eternal life is family life” – President Cutler. (Haley)
- Love the people, even the difficult leaders, investigators and non-members. Enjoy to the End. (Bryce)
- I learned to love my companions, the Gospel more, my mission president, and the members. When you do that the mission is so much easier. Because then you can trust others and you can have others trust in you. (Joshua)
- It is not about how many baptisms…it is how many seeds that are planted. (Launie)
- Learn how to work really hard (harder than you’ve ever worked on anything before) to accomplish something and still be okay when you accomplish almost nothing. (James)
- You are going to love Wisconsin! To be honest, I didn’t want to go there. It sounded like a lame place to be. But I really learned to love the people, and looking back, I would not choose any place I’d rather like to serve than Wisconsin. A mission will be one of the best things for your life! It helped me mature in many ways. Missions are so hard. They take a lot out of you, but you get more in return. You will not regret your decision to serve. My mission was the best time in my life (so far)! (Ashley)
- Expect miracles daily. Perform miracles daily. Record miracles daily. A miracle doesn’t have to be raising someone from the dead. It could be as simple as giving someone directions because you felt prompted to. Just last week my brother felt prompted to give directions to someone at BYU-Idaho. He had a great conversation with the gentleman, and when they split the man asked my brother for his phone number. Later in the week he got a text from the man telling him how unsure he was sending his daughter to school. However, because my brother was the second person that day to do something out of the way for them, he felt calm and confident that his daughter would be just fine. My brother had no idea the impact he made on that man. (Joseph)
- I CANNOT LIE..Wisconsin is a difficult mission to serve in. There is a unique culture amongst the populace that is not very compatible with Gospel standards and expectations and the propensity for sincere change is small for the average Wisconsin citizen. However, it is struggle that breeds strength. I can promise that returning from an honorable tour of service in Wisconsin will have dramatically increased a young missionary’s testimony, spiritual strength, fortitude, and ability to receive revelation. I am forever grateful that the Lord called me to serve in Wisconsin. It has been one of the crowning achievements of my life. (Zachary)
- You’re going to love it there. It really will be the best 18 months – 2 years of your life, as long as you make it that way. Loving the people and trusting in God’s hand is key. (Anonymous)
- Be ready for a ride! It’s cold, it’s a hard culture to crack. But if you give it your all, I am convinced Wisconsin, especially ghetto Milwaukee, is the greatest place on earth. (Austen)
- Find something that you don’t have a super strong testimony of, and then develop it. (Robert)
- Just prepare yourself for the total awesomeness! Make sure you prep for gnarly winters. (Matthew)
- Bundle up and get comfortable shoes. Always have a scarf and hat during the winter. (Jarom)
What was a funny language mistake?
- (I speak German) A man came to the door and mumbled something in German saying he didn’t speak English and I responded in German that I spoke German. He grumbled at being caught and just shut the door. That’s the only time I really got to speak German, though I had to learn Spanish after replacing a short term Spanish Elder. (Bryce)
- When I first went to the supermarket for food, I thought they asked if I wanted to beg for my food and I told them no, I have cash… they meant do I want a bag (but the accent sounded like beg). (Launie)
- I served with a European companion, and English was his second language, and one day the toilet overflowed and he was really angry at it, and yelled “stupid poopy water” in an extremely angry voice, but the words just sounded silly to me, and I tried really hard not to laugh in front of him. (James)
- I couldn’t understand what the checkout lady was asking me on my first day. She kept saying, “would you like this in a paper or plastic bag?” However, the way they say bag there is “bayg.” She had to repeat herself multiple times before I realized she was saying bag. (Joseph)
- There is a tremendous difference between ice cream and frozen custard, so don’t confuse the two. Water fountains are called “bubblers”. (Zachary)
- I once said pene instead of pagina in a lesson…pene means male private part. Pagina means page. *I was an English missionary that taught in Spanish for one transfer in the middle of my mission. (Robert)
- We spoke English. One time I taught someone in Spanish and made plenty of mistakes. (Matthew)
- Bubbler means drinking fountain in Wisconsinese. Grocery store baggers aren’t asking if you want to beg for your food. They are really asking if you want a bag for it. (Jarom)
LDS Church & Missionary Work
Collin (Wisconsin Milwaukee Mission)
–Paraphrased from Collin’s mission interview–
Hmong Culture
The Hmong culture is pretty laid back. I was worried about the differences, but it’s not bad at all. They eat with their hands, but they jokingly refer to them as Hmong chopsticks. The biggest thing is taking your shoes off at the door and respecting them. Be polite and no one will get offended. I didn’t have to remember too many cultural rules. A lot of Hmong people live in southern China. A lot live in Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand as well. The reason why they’re in Wisconsin is interesting. There are a lot in California and Minnesota as well. When we were in the Vietnam war, the CIA went into the mountains where the Hmong people lived and trained them to rescue downed American pilots and how to defend important bases or areas. A lot of Hmong people gave up their lives for that because they believed that the Americans would free them from the Communists. Eventually, we pulled out of Vietnam and the Communists started a genocide of the Hmong people. No one really knows that. It’s not in our history books. The Communists started burning their villages down and killing men, women, and children. They had to flee. They had to escape to Thailand across the Mekong river. A lot of them were hunted down in the process. I remember hearing some really horrible stories of what happened to families that tried to escape. Crossing the river, they would have babies strapped to their backs and they would exit the river and the babies would be dead. They were shot. A lot made it to the United States as refugees. Don’t ask me why they’re in those random states, but they’ve gone through a lot to get here. I remember reading the Book of Mormon when it talks about how they crossed the ocean in the boat that Nephi built, and he said that no one would come to this land without inspiration from God. Hmong culture is really interesting. They don’t have a god and they don’t believe in a savior or anything like that. They have shamans. There are only 18 clans and their last name determines which clan they are in. The shaman would take care of them. If they got sick, it meant that they lost a part of their spirit. So the shaman would come over and perform a ritual and they would have to barter with the spirits and they have to sacrifice an animal in order to become healthy. They would usually sacrifice a chicken or a pig or on really serious occasions a cow. They also believe in animism which is like spirits are everywhere. They always have spirit paper over their walls. The purpose would be to have successful careers, or keep out bad spirits. They hang them right above their front door. They have corn hanging outside too. I found a dog skull hanging on a door. I found horns from a goat hanging on a door. I’ve seen a lot of things hanging on doors and they are supposed to keep out bad spirits. Trying to teach them about God is very interesting. It can be very challenging. It was definitely rewarding when you could find someone that believed in God. I remember teaching young kids that were just super interested, but their parents were dead set against it and would disown them if they joined. If the younger generation were to join, it would mean that their spirits would be lost forever and they couldn’t take care of their parents in the afterlife. It’s really hard to get people to commit to join the Church because of that.
Sophia Osmond (Wisconsin Milwaukee Mission)
–Paraphrased from Sophia’s mission interview–
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is great. I loved the feeling of living in the city. We covered a large area, so we had some cute little towns we covered as well. They have braut fest, and a lot of the members will volunteer there to raise money for scouting and whatnot. I had never tried a braut before my mission. They’re better than J Dawgs. Sauerkraut is good. They have the best root beer ever. I love it. There are a lot of people of German descent there. Milwaukee was my first area. Everything was so new to me. Having the members being so kind was really comforting to me. We put twinkle lights up. I think it’s important to do things that make you happy while you’re on your mission while still being exactly obedient. The people are kind of set in their ways, but they’re very open to learning from the missionaries.
Madison, Wisconsin
I served in Madison, which also had the Verona area. It was the cutest place and it had the cutest library. It was really clean and well put together and everyone is really family oriented. Madison has a lot of single people that work really hard and there aren’t as many families. When they make the time to meet with you it’s really cool. I lived right by UW. It’s a party school, but talking with them was really effective. Being so close to the university was a good experience. The institute building was right across from campus. Everyone thinks Madison is really liberal, but I didn’t see that at all. I saw and taught a lot of families there. The capitol is so beautiful. There were some other missionaries teaching someone that worked there, so we got a really cool tour of it. Madison is pretty segregated actually. The gospel is all inclusive, and it doesn’t matter what we look like on the outside.
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
I love Sheboygan a lot. The first night, I fell asleep and I started saying all of the funny names of the cities. There is a toilet museum there. If you’ve ever heard of Kohler, it’s in the city of Sheboygan. It’s the name of a small town there. You can walk around that museum on P Day. Sheboygan is the number one city for fresh water surfing in the world. People actually come from around the world to surf there believe it or not. There are so many funny things about Sheboygan. A lot of people from Milwaukee have moved to Sheboygan, and that has really changed the culture. We had the best neighbors. They were this cute older couple. They taught us what a pudgie pie is. It’s kind of like a cheeseburger cooked over a fire. You can make dessert ones too though.
Wisconsin LDS Sister Missionary Tips
……………………….
Cecelia (Wisconsin Milwaukee Mission)
–Paraphrased from Cecelia’s mission interview–
Wisconsin Milwaukee Mission Info
It’s between Minnesota and Michigan right below Canada. Our mission covers from the Minnesota border and up. From the top of the mission to the bottom is like ten hours. There are nine zones which are almost the same as the stakes. All of the sisters are English speaking. There are a dozen or so Spanish areas. There are also a few Hmong speakers. I got to serve in a couple wards where English and Hmong come together. The closest temple is the Chicago temple and that’s maybe an hour from Milwaukee. We were allowed to go once every six months if a member drove us and we lived within two hours driving. They would tell us that we were there for the living, not for the dead, so we couldn’t go to the temple that often.
People of Wisconsin
The people are my favorite. When I got released, my stake president asked me about the people and I started crying because I love them so much and they have so much faith. It’s a very faith filled dedicated community. It was such a joy to work with them. I loved it. They are so funny. They have the cutest accent. I thought it was adorable. Most people there are from Wisconsin. They’re very loyal people and a little stubborn. They stick to what they are raised in. They’re honest and pretty up front. I appreciated the honesty. They’re the best people and they’re so nice. They’re good people and are hard working. The members there are amazing and they’re so missionary minded.
Interesting Facts
Before my mission I knew five things about Wisconsin. I knew about the cold, the Packers, beers, brauts, and cheese. It’s pretty cold. My last winter there was record breaking cold. Looking back, I remember it being cold, but just get a good coat with a zipper with a flap over the zipper. A hood with the fake fur is good. Get gloves and good warm fur lined boots. They kept me alive and kept me warm Moms are always sending hand warmers and thermal stuff. We always had cars so it wasn’t that bad. It’s so hot in the summer too and no one tells you that. I didn’t bring any short sleeve shirts. It’s pretty humid in the summer too. Spring and fall are just gorgeous. Milwaukee is very much a big city. The missionaries are on buses and there are some ghetto areas. Everywhere else is pretty much farms and tiny towns. There are a lot of barns. There are some midsize cities as well. My first area was about 45 minutes south of Wisconsin. I served in Appleton which has about 85,000 people. I was also in the city of Green Bay, which isn’t as big of a city as you think it is. Lambo field is just there in the middle of a neighborhood. The food is very traditional. For Christmas you have to have the cranberry sauce and the turkey and the rolls. There’s a lot of beer. They love their beer. I didn’t think the cheese was that big of a deal, but the main thing that I noticed is that the grocery stores have like a whole aisle of cheeses.
……………………….