Of the missionaries, Parker says, "They all deal with homesickness in one way or another. So the call is very much appreciated and looked forward to."

Even though Reiko Elledge is looking forward to this Mother's Day phone conversation with Christopher Elledge, 21, she already has been through the experience of having a son far away on a mission.

Oldest son Nathan Elledge, 23, was on a mission in Fukuoka, Japan, from June 2003 to August 2005. Christopher Elledge began his mission the month after his brother completed his mission.

Reiko Elledge says mothers typically are concerned with their child's safety regardless of the locale.

Born and raised in Tokyo, she gained some comfort knowing Nathan Elledge was serving in Fukuoka, which includes southern islands such as Okinawa and Ishigaki, areas she was familiar with. Nonetheless, she still worried.

"You're hoping people would treat them as they would want to be treated," she says.

Initially, she worried also for Christopher Elledge, after hearing residents of Belo Horizante had thrown rocks at some LDS missionaries.

"That is a sad thing," she says. "I was worried bad people would attack him."

Christopher Elledge has three months left and has served without incident.

Reiko Elledge says she appreciates the letters and e-mails, but she receives the most assurance that everything is all right, when she hears the voice in the phone call.

Sometimes, however, a missionary son or daughter can cause more heartache than good on phone days.

In 2004, Nathan Elledge remembered to make the pre-arrangements for Mother's Day.

His roommate took the call, saying, "It's your mother."

"What?" came the reply.

Nathan Elledge remembers, "I was worried: 'Why is she calling?' I thought, 'Had there been a disaster back home?"'

It's Mother's Day, Reiko Elledge said.

"Ohhhh," he remembered saying. He had forgotten.

Nathan Elledge, a student at Fresno State, can laugh now. But when he was a missionary, he remembers how important the calls were to him on Mother's Day and Christmas Day.

He says, "I do love and appreciate my family for their love, support and encouragement."

Lori Champlin did an 18-month mission in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, from September 2004 to April 2006, when there was just one Mother's Day call. It went without a hitch.

The 2004 Christmas Day call, however, was different.

Champlin waited for her mother, Nadine, to call at the prearranged time. But the call never came.

"I was sure I wasn't going to be able to talk to her until the next time," says Lori Champlin, also a student at Fresno State.