How to Video Call with Your Missionary on Skype or Google+ Hangouts

There is only an hour for you to talk with your missionary, only two times the whole year. You don’t want to waste precious time fiddling with technology. This post is here to help you be technology-ready.

Many people may have used Skype or Google Plus before and have done this, but maybe not with multiple users in multiple locations and maybe not with Google Plus (which allows you to broadcast and record the entire conversation for free to watch later). If you already are a technology whiz, don’t worry about watching the videos below. However, those who have never used Skype or Google Plus may find the following tutorial videos very helpful to prepare for the video call with your missionary.

If you need inspiration to know what you ask, here are 21 Questions to ask your missionary during the Christmas Call.

If you are on a PC, watch this video to set up a Skype call:

Most people will do a single call with all who are in the room, but there will be some who want to skype with someone who is not in the same house. When this is the case and most of the family is in Utah, but you want your missionary to be able to see your kids in Boston as well as California, you may want to set up a Group Skype, or a Google Plus Hangout (if this is allowed for your missionary).

Here is how to set up a group Skype:

And here is how to set up a Google Plus Hangout allowing multiple users from multiple locations (if your missionary can):

Every mission’s rules for calling may vary, but if it is allowed, I would recommend doing a Google Plus Hangout On Air because this not only will allow other people to just watch who may want to, but then you will have a recording of the conversation that you can keep forever. YouTube (Google) actually records the whole conversation and you will be able to pull it up later at any time. It will just be on the YouTube account of whoever initiated the hangout. Here is how to do a Google Hangout on Air: