em·bark

əmˈbärk/
verb

begin (a course of action, especially one that is important or demanding).

D&C 4:2 “Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.”

Sending off a Missionary is an act of Love – but it can also be hard to say goodbye to a child that you have cherished since the day they were born. Also, for each Missionary – it can be a time of anxiousness, excitement, reflection, and nervous anticipation. So, for both our Missionaries and for us – we wanted to help refocus our thoughts on the positive aspects of ‘Embarking’ on a Mission.

What a fun ‘GREENIE’ care package this turned out to be!

If you would like to send your own ‘Embark’ Greenie care package – check out this kit we put together to help you do just that!

Your 23-Page Kit will include the following:

✔ 1-Introduction Letter with easy to follow instructions to help you put together the Perfect Care Package.
✔ 4- Large (11.5X8.5″) Adjustable Stickers to decorate your 4 box flaps of your shipping package. Just peel and stick! (These stickers are designed to fit a USPS Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Box and large UPS boxes. The stickers can also be easily trimmed to fit a USPS Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate Box as well as some Medium and Small UPS boxes or use your own box.) * Please note the kit does not include the actual box,
✔ 1-Box Introduction Letter to be placed in your Box right before you tape it up. This unique design lets your Missionary know the theme of your care package and that something special has been created just for them!
✔ 1-Page of Unique Envelope Designs that you can adhere to the front of your Letter to your Missionary and their Companion! This page is also printed on sticker paper – so you just need to cut them out and adhere to any envelope of your choice. It’s that easy!
✔ 1-Custom Missionary Letter for you to include with your personal Letter to your Missionary.
✔ 12-Pages of Custom Tags, Quotes, and ideas to help you put together the perfect care package to use throughout your box as desired that will continue on with your theme.
✔ 3-Pages of Greenie gift ideas and shopping hints to use for your Embark care package.

Serve Him With Your Heart, Might, Mind, and Strength: ~ What a Great Idea for a Missionary Greenie Care Package! This turned out to be a really fun and spiritual way to start our Missionaries off on the right foot and it really was easy to find lots of ‘GREEN’ things!

Who’s Ready For An Adventure! We picked up the packing boxes for free from the US Post Office. We chose to mail this size of box simply for economy – since all of our Missionaries were serving outside of the United States – it was just a few dollars more for us to send a Large Priority Box (12X12X5) vs. a Medium Priority Box.

O Ye that Embark! As we decided on each ‘Missionary Box Theme’ which we based around a scripture or missionary teaching idea, we would then brainstorm fun ideas that could be included in our box. I often wondered if our missionaries realized how comprehensive we were in our themes! It honestly might have been just as much fun for us to build these boxes as it was for them to receive them!

Depending on the size of the box you are sending – you could include or delete any of the following items – or come up with a few of your own. We tried to make sure that most of our items could be used to enhance missionary discussions, to be given away, to decorate their missionary apartments and left for future missionaries when they moved on, or simply eaten and enjoyed. But of course there were always a few that were just for fun!

You’ve Got Mail! One thing we always included in all of our Missionary Box Mom Boxes was a personalized letter to each Missionary from each Mother. Inside our letters we included our testimonies, the reason we chose that particular item to include in the box, along with uplifting messages filled with love. a lot of the items won’t make much sense as to why you are including them in the box unless you explain how it specifically applies to your Missionary and to Missionary Work. Many times over I have received thank you letters from our Missionaries – but the things they thanked us for the most was the letters we included. It’s just a little piece of ‘Home’ in a box! So don’t forget to write! To dress up the envelopes in our Embark theme we used our MBM printable and added it to a plain white envelope.

Print out the following: (This printable is included in the MBM kit.)

How to ‘Be’ a good Missionary Companion

Indeed one of the greatest secrets of missionary work can be the effort that goes into getting along with your companion. From planning your daily activities, to preparing meals, to teaching, missionary work is very much a joint effort. And while you’ll have to overcome your peccadillo’s (a small mistake or fault that is not regarded as very bad or serious) once you do so, the reward of having a unified companionship will far exceed any troubles that you went through. Ultimately, you won’t have any control over who your companion is but, you will certainly have control over what you make of the situation.

Things You Can Do to be a FABULOUS Companion:

1. Be Open: First and foremost – walk into your mission with an open mind especially when it comes to your companion. Be optimistically open, you never know who your soul mate companion will be.

2. Learn Something From Your Companion: You will have all sorts of companions – so the best thing you can do is to let them teach you something. That’s how you learn how to respect them. If nothing else learning from someone helps you be more humble. We should all approach every companionship as an opportunity to learn something new, something that we may need help with. It’s like they say, “ Often times the Lord blesses us through others.”

3. Learn to Laugh At Yourself: Laugh, laugh a lot. Smile, you will make mistakes. When things get rough, just laugh and remind yourself that practice makes perfect!

4. Put Things into Perspective: When times get rough – remember to remind yourself that this mission that seems so long, and this transfer that is eternal alongside your not so favorite companion will come to an end sooner than you think. You won’t be able to go back and set things right, so set them right now. Hold your tongue when you don’t have anything nice to say. Don’t harbor ill feelings, because you don’t want any regrets when you go home.

5. Do Comp Inventory: You may not feel you need to do comp inventory, but you aren’t your companion. Do it and be sure to be open and listen.

6. Speaking of Listening, LISTEN: Often times when things aren’t really going as we think they ought to be in our companionships it’s because we aren’t listening to what our companion is trying to tell us. Just because they aren’t talking doesn’t mean they don’t want to. You may just be chattering too much to let them get a word in. So be considerate, wait for your companion to say something before you do even if it means silence for a bit.

7. Build Memories: While you are learning traditions or taking pictures – build memories. Bring out and encourage your companions wonderful qualities. Love your companion – do things with them that let them know how special they are. Contact to Krispy Kreme, workout to EFY music, do pedicures, it doesn’t matter – just do something together.

8. LIVE this Moment: Allow your companionship to have things that are unique to just you. Don’t spend your time talking about what a wonderful area your last one was, or what an amazing companion your trainer was. Focus on the now, and creating this your most wonderful transfer. Every companion is a wonderful opportunity!

9. Be the B’s: Grateful, True, Humble, Positive, Kind, Courteous, Thoughtful, Considerate, Clean and speaking of…

10. Be Clean: Be tidy. Just because you don’t mind mess, doesn’t mean your companion won’t either. Wash your dish, clean your area, especially common areas. Companions can forgive your desk being cluttered but not the sink. If you see your companion cleaning something up, join them, dust another area, vacuum another room. This isn’t your house, and they are not your mother. This is the Lord’s time and place and your companion’s too.

11. Stop Thinking You’re a Mind Reader: If your companion does or says something off beat. Don’t take it personally or assume they are trying to offend you. Don’t presume to have a 7th sense that can get into their mind and read and interpret what they are thinking. Sometimes it is better to ask and then just listen. They may be having a bad day, they may be worried, you should always care enough to find out.

12. Compromise: You may feel your investigator needs to see your Plan of Salvation, but your companion really likes their version. Who cares, meet in the middle, use theirs this time and yours the next. Talk about it together so that it does not become an issue between you.

13. STAND UP for You: If your companion has a disobedient moment, be brave and stand up for what is right. This mostly applies to breaking rules, not matters of opinion; For example, if you don’t see eye to eye with something your companion said during the lesson it is usually best to wait it out and discuss it after the appointment. There is a huge difference between being a good companion and being a push over, or dictator. Now, if your companion wants to do something not fitting into the mission rules, this IS the time to knock some sense into them and explain that it’s not the brightest idea. Never compromise the sanctity of YOUR call.

14. Love Your Companion Now- So what if they are totally different from all of your previous companions. They have a hard time getting up in the mornings. Not much of a planner. Guess what, the Lord wants you two together. So suck it up and love them for that reason alone, you’ll see how quickly you love them for all the things they are different for. Love your companion now, not tomorrow when they get up on time, not when they stop singing in the shower, today, now, just as they are.

15. Share your Talents: Use your strengths to build your companion. Whatever it is that you are good at or that you enjoy – share it with your companion.

16. Finally, Trust in the LORD and have fun: If you don’t remember any of these tidbits, remember to turn to the Lord for help, TRUST HIM. Take what you can handle, and trust that the Lord will take care of the rest.

Tomorrow is always new, free of mistakes.

Make a Missionary Folder – Print Off the Following Conference Talks and Stories:
A Printable is included in the MBM Kit for you to adhere to the front of your folder. Include the following Conference talks and stories plus some of the other printables and bookmarks inside.

General Conference October 2008: O Ye That Embark by President Henry B. Eyring

Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual: Section 4 – O Ye that Embark

New Era September 1985: The Success Formula of Section 4 by Elder Sterling W. Sill Of the First Quorum of the Seventy, Emeritus

General Conference April 2013: Come, All Ye Sons of God by President Thomas S. Monson

General Conference April 1974: Missionary Work: A Major Responsibility by Ezra Taft Benson President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Ensign January 2009: Treasuring the Doctrine and Covenants by Elder Steven E. Snow of the Presidency of the Seventy

Ensign November 1984: Why Do We Serve? by Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Ensign April 1984: Extending Our “Blessing Years” by Lettice O. Rich

Ensign February 2013: A Word for the Hesitant Missionary by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

D&C 4:2 “O ye that embark…” The part of this scripture I like the most is the admonition to “…serve him with all your heart, might, mind, and strength…”
I put together four badges that you could use to emphasize these four important qualities while on a Mission. I decided to keep “might” and “strength” separate. They overlap, of course, as all four of these qualities inevitably do. I think you could emphasize the importance of consistency, effort, and focus for a disciple of Christ during a study of “might.” Strength could be more about muscular Christianity and the power afforded followers of Christ.

I found four talks that coordinate well with each of the four qualities:
Heart: Serve the Lord with Love by Thomas S. Monson, Feb 2014
Might: Lift Where You Stand by Dieter F. Uchtdorf October 2008
Mind: First Observe, Then Serve by Linda K. Burton October 2012
Strength: Personal Strength Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ by Richard G. Scott October 2013

D&C 84:88
And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.

Fun Ideas of things to Include: (The Printable for each of these is included in the MBM kit.)

THROAT LOZENGES
“And thou shalt declare glad tidings, yea, publish it upon the mountains, and upon every high place, and among every people that thou shalt be permitted to see.”
Doctrine & Covenants 19:29

BEEF JERKEY / DRIED FRUITS / NUTS
“And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man – Every herb [and] every fruit in the season thereof…yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving…”
Doctrine & Covenants 89:10-12

KLEENEX / HANDKERCHIEF / ASPIRIN
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and their shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.”
Revelation 21:4

TUMS / ANTACID
“Be strong and be of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.”
Joshua 1:9

MOLESKIN / BANDAIDS
“Therefore, gird up thy loins for the work. Let thy feet be shod also, for thou art chosen, and thy path lieth among the mountains, and among many nations.”
Doctrine & Covenants 112:7

GRANOLA BAR / PROTEIN BAR
“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31

CHOCOLATE / GOODIES
“He hath filled the hungry with good things…”
Luke 1:53

LOTION / FOOT CREAM
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!”
Isaiah 52:7

BLEMISH CREAM / TIDE TO GO SPOT REMOVER
“That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
Ephesians 5:27

JOURNAL / STATIONERY / PENS
“Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be.”
Revelation 1:19

HAND SANITIZER / SOAP
“He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully, He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.”
Psalms 24:4-5

FLASHLIGHT / HEADLAMP / NIGHT LIGHT
“The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”
Proverbs 4:18

CANDY
“…to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.”
Proverbs 27:7

CHAPSTICK / LIP BALM / LIP GLOSS
“And thou must open thy mouth at all times, declaring my gospel with the sound of rejoicing.”
Doctrine & Covenants 28:16

BREATH MINTS
“And speak freely to all; yea, preach, exhort, declare the truth, even with a loud voice, with a sound of rejoicing, crying – Hosanna, hosanna, blessed be the name of the Lord God!”
Doctrine & Covenants 19:37

MUSIC CD
“For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.”
Doctrine & Covenants 25:12

COMPASS / GPS
“And from thence, whosoever I will shall go forth among all nations, and it shall be told them what they shall do; for I have a great work laid up in store, for Israel shall be saved, and I will lead them withersoever I will, and no power shall stay my hand.”
Doctrine & Covenants 38:33

STAMPS / ENVELOPES
“As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.”
Proverbs 25:25

MONEY / GIFT CARD
“Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For your heavenly father knoweth that ye have need of these things.”
Matthew 6:27-32

EARPLUGS / CALLOUS CREAM
“Let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.”
Alma 34:27

SLEEP MASK / MELATONIN
“Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28

Shopping List

Latter Day Saint YW
· Lip Balm – 2015 Mutual Theme, Embark, Boat $1.99
· Socks – Embark Theme on White Ankle Socks $2.95
· Socks – Anchor design crew socks $2.95

Deseret Book (In the Service of God 2015 Theme)  Deseret Book still carries these even though it is an old youth theme. 
· Journal w/Pen $2.99
· Plaque $2.49
· Magnet $1.49
· Bookmark $.60
· Pencil $.50
· Nail Polish $3.99 Each (For Sisters)
· Heart Mind Strength Bracelet $9.99 (For Sisters)
· Strength $9.99 (For Elders)
· January 2015 New Era edition $1.00

Seagull Book (Embark Theme Items)
· Bookmark $.79
· Journal $4.49
· Scripture Zipper Pull $1.79

Dollar Tree Store
· Fake Green Mustaches with adhesive
· St. Patrick’s Day Mini Hats (5-Pack)
– Pot O’Gold at the End of the Rainbow Bags (Skittles & Chocolate Coins)

Michael’s Craft Store
· St. Patrick’s Day Beaded Tie $3.99
· Green Fabric Cinch Sacks

Grocery Store (Green Stuff)
· Skittles
· Chocolate Coin Candies
· Caramel Apple Pops
· Quaker Warm and Crunchy Granola (Apple Cinnamon Flavor has green pkg)
· Jolly Rancher Green Apple Jello Boxes
· LifeSaver Mints (Wint O Green Flavor)
· Frooties Fruit Flavored Chews
· Pistachios Roasted and Salted Nuts
· Tic Tacs (Wint O Green Flavor)
· Jolly Fruit Roll Leather (Green Apple)
· Jack Link’s Turkey and Cheese Snack Sticks
· Idahoan Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
· Peanut Butter

Advice From Other Missionaries:

* Keep every single rule – every single time! Show the Lord (and your Mission President) that you can be trusted to always do what’s right.
* Pray as if everything depended on God and work as if everything depended on you.
* Be an example to every Missionary – even those who have been there longer than you.
* Be dedicated and devoted to your study time. It will make a HUGE difference in how much you grow spiritually the next two years.
* Things may be hard sometimes. But that’s OK… because YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS!
* Remember: things always look brighter in the morning.
* Support your Mission President in everything he does. Imagine if he were your Dad… and remember… he is doing the very best he can.
* Write LONG emails home to your family. Tell us every detail. We need to hear from you… it keeps us going!
* Just look at everything as a Big Adventure! Enjoy the Journey!
* Believe in Yourself. Whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies.
* Be loyal to your Mission President first – your Companion second. If your Companion (or any other Missionary) is doing something wrong, you have an obligation to tell the Mission President.
* If you ever get robbed, do NOT be brave. Just give them everything you have.
* Avoid the Missionaries who will pull you down. The Spirit will tell you who they are.
* Forget yourself – that is the quickest way to adjust on a Mission.
* Start a list of your favorite scriptures and read over them often.
* Don’t look too far ahead. Just look at today. YOU CAN DO TODAY!!!
* If your thoughts are turned outward (toward others) and not inward (towards your own needs, feelings, etc.) your Mission will FLY BY.
* Trust your instincts. You’ll know what to do in different situations. Your instincts are really the Holy Ghost… pay attention to those inner feelings.
* If anything is wrong or if you aren’t happy, don’t just let it fester. Email home. Talk to your Mission President. Do something about it so it doesn’t grow and get worse.
* Things will be hard sometimes. But you are a strong person. You have a strong spirit. You can do it!
* Be yourself as you serve the Lord, but also remember to be the Missionary the Lord wants you to be.
* Be respectful.
* Sustain your Mission President. Don’t second guess his rules. Believe me, he has a very good reason for every rule he makes, even if you might not know what it is. You don’t have to know the reason for everything. You just have to be obedient.
* I remember interviewing a Missionary when he first got to Boston. He said, “President, I don’t care where I serve or who I serve with. Just put me wherever you feel the Lord wants me to be. I’m here to work. I’m not here to mess around.” That was about the best thing a Mission President could hear. Have that attitude when you have your first interview with your Mission President. He will love you forever!
* Be nice to girls in the ward and the Sister Missionaries, but don’t get too friendly. Just a little attention and they will think you are flirting – and so will your Mission President. Keep your distance. Make sure your companion does, too.
* A mission is designed to focus your dependence on the Lord. It is the reason you leave your family and friends and also leave the world, so to speak. Go to Him often. He listens. He answers prayer. A mission forges a relationship between you and the Lord like nothing else.
* See the bright side of things. See the funny side of things. There is always a silver lining.