Important mail info from Mendoza

October 21, 2009
Dear Parents,

As Christmas time approaches we would like to remind you that packages mailed from the states need to be in the mail by November 1st to guarantee that the package will arrive in time for the holidays.

We have encouraged parents to only send two packages a year (Christmas and birthday), and encourage you to put extra money on your missionaries debit card so that they can just purchase what they need here in the mission. We know that this is hard for some mothers to accept and so we just give you the following information so you understand our position.

The mail system in Argentina is much different from the other countries in South America. When a package arrives in Mendoza, your missionary will pay up to 50% customs fee based on the value of the package. If you insure your package, the fee will be based on the insured value even if you only spent $25 on the contents. Remember insuring a package only insures the package until it leaves the US, then when it arrives in Argentina there are no longer guarantees. Keep the value of your packages as low as possible. The Argentine customs official looks at the green customs slip (you fill out) and opens the package to see if it is valued correctly. The package is opened in front of our mission secretary, but there have been times when a package has been already opened and something has been missing. It is wise to put a list of the contents in your package so your missionary will know if something is missing. The mission secretary must pay the financial fee and then charge this fee to your missionary when he receives the package at zone conference. We receive many packages from your missionaries ward members that is full of candy and items that are non mission essentials which end up costing your missionary a lot of money. We ask that you caution your ward members.

We have found that the small parcels sent in bubble envelopes rarely incur a small duty unless the contents are valued over $25. Keeping the package small and light is the key. When you send valuable items like photo cards or debit cards, remember to hide them in your package. One idea is to tape them between two photographs. When sending something new like a camera, remove the packaging and wrap it in bubble wrap with lots of tape wound around it to make it difficult to see inside. Remember that all packages need to be sent to the address below, with your missionaries name as the sender. This is because our office staff can not pick up a package addressed to your missionary. This causes great delays.

Example:
(return address)
Elder Carson Campbell
3098 Circle Way
Ogden, Ut 84403

(Mail to:)
Mision Argentina Mendoza
Casilla de Correro 631
5500 Mendoza
MZA ARGENTINA

Please remember that placing religious stickers on packaging does not help your package here in a country of Europeans, it may help in Mexico, but here they find it offensive.
Also, please note that sending packages to the mission office causes additional delay as our postman delivers on a bicycle not a truck, and the branch post office which delivers to the street address lies in the opposite direction from the main post office where the P.O. Box is.

We are concerned about the content of our missionary’s e-mails from home. Please be sure that the letters from family and friends only contains upbeat and encouraging news!!! If there is serious news of a family death or illness, we would like you to communicate with us directly so that we can place a personal phone call or visit to your missionary.

One last item, the Church does not currently promote having parents pick up their missionary from the mission field. But if you plan on coming to Argentina, the mission secretary must know of these plans six months before your missionaries release date. You may contact our secretary by e-mail at 2012677@ldschurch.org.