Finishing Strong! It’s hard to imagine as you watch your newly set apart Sister or Elder embark upon an 18 month or 2 year journey – that at some point they will be returning back home. Can it actually be possible to make it to the Fourth Quarter, the Last Round, the Final Period, and the Closing Credits of our child’s missions – when in the beginning it just seemed so far away? But somehow the end arrives – and what a surprising wonderful blessing to both our Missionaries and to our families!

To honor and to celebrate their wonderful achievements we wanted to send them all a
‘Finish Strong ~ Forever Strong’ Care Package Box.

This box was based around two things: #1 The New Era article from President Gordon B. Hinckley entitled ’10 Gifts to Bring Home from the Mission Field.’ (This is a great article to give Missionaries at both the beginning and then again at the end of their missions so, as they near the finish line of either eighteen months or two years, they can gauge how far they have come in each of these 10 areas and be determined to Finish Strong.) Then for #2 we based it also from the movie ‘Forever Strong’ and gave the ‘Box’ a Sports twist. You can modify this to reflect whatever your missionary was interested in prior to their missions. (Dance, Cheer, Basketball, Band, Wrestling, Soccer, Gymnastics, Academics, etc.)

If you would like to send your own ‘Finish Strong – Forever Strong’ package to your Missionary – check out this kit we put together to help you do just that!

Your 18-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.
✔ 6-Pages with 11 Custom Tags that Can Be Used to put together your ’10 Things to Bring Home from a Mission’ card set.
✔ 2-Pages with Custom Tags to use on gift bags or as desired in your box.
✔ 4-Pages with Custom Printables that can be used as desired throughout your box.

Haka 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, pictures, and 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 all 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!

Print off the following Conference Talks and Stories:

New Era March 2007 talk: ‘Gifts to Bring Home from the Mission Field’ by President Gordon B. Hinckley.

General Conference April 2004 talk: ‘The Finished Story’ by Gayle M. Clegg – Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency.

Viewpoint – Church News November 2013: ‘Finish the Race’.

First Presidency Message June 1989: ‘Finishers Wanted’ by President Thomas S. Monson.

General Conference April 2006 talk: ‘Your Mission Will Change Everything’ by David F. Evans Of the Seventy.

UVU Address January 2010 talk: ‘The Tradition of a Balanced, Righteous Life’ by Elder L. Tom Perry.

General Conference April 2014 talk: ‘Your Four Minutes’ by Bishop Gary E. Stevenson – Presiding Bishop.

Ensign October 2007 talk: ‘The Football Game that Changed my Life’ by Alexander M. Solorzano.

Included in your MBM kit are 11 cards that correspond to the President Gordon B. Hinckley talk ’10 Gifts to bring Home from the Mission Field’. Cut them out, laminate if desired, and put them on a split ring.

Also included in the kit are some fun ‘Sport’ related tags and gift item ideas.
(Shopping List and Ideas Below.)

Tag: ‘Something to wear when you are out of Uniform!’

Gift Idea: Finish Strong T-Shirt or Air Mormon T-Shirt, Finish Strong silicone band bracelet, Nike Elite Socks or Stance Socks.

Tag: ‘Pure Protein to Recover and Rebuild after a Tough Scrimmage!’

Gift Idea: Power Bar, Cliff Builder’s Bar, Jack Link’s Turkey & Cheese packs.

Tag: ‘Hydration is a Key Component in Any Game! Stay Hydrated!’

Gift Idea: Propel Powder Packets.

Tag: ‘Highlight your Playbook!’

Gift Idea: Bic or Sharpie Highlighter Packs, Mini Journal BYU Fan 3-Pack..

Tag: ‘Vitamins to Keep you in Good Shape to Play Well and Become an MVP!’

Gift Idea: Airborne Chewable Tablets.

Tag: ‘Take Care of Your Feet – They will Take You Everywhere!!’

Gift Idea: Gold Bond Foot Powder, Mini First Aid Kit, Foot Care Instruction Pack.

Tag: ‘Play Hard – but Smell Good!’

Gift Idea: Deodorant, Body Spray, Burt’s Bees Lip Balm, Mission Mints.

Tag: ‘Notes and Additional Instructions from your Assistant Coaches!!’

Gift Idea: Ensign, New Era, LDS Living, Conference Talks.

Tag: ‘Every Half-Time Party Needs Treats!’

Gift Idea: Betty Crocker Peanut Butter Cookie Mix, Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix.

Tag: ‘For a Little Fun During Time-Outs!’

Gift Idea: Desktop Football Game, Finger Soccer Game, Nerfoop Basketball and Net Game.

Tag: ‘Simple Carbs for Quick Energy!’

Gift Idea: Favorite Candy Bites – I sent mini Snickers bars.

Lead, Kindly Light by Simon Dewey 5X7 Card Print

Guardian 5X7 Card Print by David Bowman

Shopping List (Links Provided Below):

Finish Strong Store
T-Shirt: ‘Finish Strong – Live the Attitude’
Silicone Wristband: ‘Finish Strong’

Grocery Store
Propel Powder Packets
Cliff Builder’s Protein Bars
PowerBar Performance Energy Bars
Quaker Real Medley’s Multi-Grain Fruit and Nut Bars
Gold Bond Foot Powder
Airborne Chewable Vitamins

It’s Sugar Store
Big League Chew Bubble Gum
Sour Patch Kids Lineups Candy

Wal Mart
Nerfoop – Nerf Basketball Hoop and Ball
Burt’s Bees Lip Balm
Snicker’s Mini Bites
Deodorant
Body Spray
Mini First Aid Kit
Sharpie or Bic Highlighter Packs
Jack Links Turkey Jerky and Cheese Packs

Barnes and Noble Book Stores or Amazon
Finger Soccer Game
Desktop Football Game

Deseret Book
BYU Fan 3-Pack Journals
Bookmarks (Take Pride Have Faith, Life’s Truest Happiness)
Mission Mints Candies
5X7 Guardian Print
5X7 Lead Kindly Light Print
Ensign, New Era, LDS Living Magazine

Ross Dress for Less
Nike Elite Socks $5.99 each