These are all the things many mom’s and dad’s wished they knew before their children left. It is my gift to you 

Things to bring that are not in the book: Patriarchal Blessing - I would shrink and laminate for his/her scriptures. Pictures of family members or family pets - I found a little photo album with about 15 pages. List of email addresses for close friends and family You can also load them in their LDS mail account before they leave  or mymission.com if you are using that. If you are able to record or take notes of his/her setting apart blessing - send a copy of that with him/her also. Temple recommend Drivers license Direct line of authority (for Elders) Medical insurance card 14 pair of garments - They can have an emergency transfer or have something happen that they don't get to do laundry on pday. Those extra 2 pair will get him through to the next week. Talk – The Miracle of a Mission by Elder Holland Talk – Presidents by Elder Hollands

1. Get all user names and passwords for ALL accounts (write them in a little notebook that won’t get lost or broken) a. LDS mail account b. All school accounts c. Facebook d. All email accounts e. Medical account f. Bank accounts g. Financial accounts h. Any other accounts that he/she may have

2. Make sure you have proper paperwork signed if you need to register for school, talk to a doctor, order a prescription, change a banks account or replace a lost or stolen debit or credit card, drivers license etc. A proper power of attorney form that is notarized should accomplish it, but I would ask the school about it just to be sure. 3. Make a copy of his/her driver's license and put it in a safe place. If it gets lost or stolen it will be a lot easier to replace if you have a copy and a power of attorney. 4. Explain how your medical insurance works. Especially "in network" doctors, least expensive medications etc. It might not matter if he/she is foreign, but he/she will be in the MTC and could have to use it there. If your child is foreign you need to have a current passport! If anything happened you will need to leave in a hurry! 5. Make sure he/she has a list of all important addresses and phone numbers. Make sure he/she has your phone number memorized! 6. Also make sure he/she knows how to address an envelope. I didn't realize these kids have never sent letters before. I would send some self addressed stamped envelopes with them if they are in the States.

7. He/she needs to memorize his/her social security number if he/she hasn’t already.

8. Show him/her how to treat stains, blood, ink, grass etc.

9. One mom asked the elders how they could have been more prepared. The elders wished they would have done their own laundry, shopped, budgeted, cleaned, made their own appointments for doctors, haircuts, oil changes.... So it's probably a good idea to suggest that if parents aren't already doing this, they should consider teaching their children these life skills over 6 months and then letting them practice for 6 months (so if they mess up, the parents can mentor them through it). They also say they wish they would have spent their time as a priest going on splits with the missionaries. 10. Open a primary bank account and a secondary bank account in case the primary account is compromised. Make sure your name is on all bank accounts so you can take care of business if you need to. Transfers – you can see where they are.

11. Before my DE left even though he informed his bank online that he would be leaving the country, he actually couldn't use his bank card. He had to speak to a banker in person, ended up having to make a phone call from Canada when he arrived. Also, make sure that personal debit cards or credit cards won't expire before the end if at all possible. 12. Collect all email addresses from friends and relatives. You can get quite a few at the open house, but I find you can read them better if they are sharing on FB. He/she can post that he/she would like them and they can just comment on the post. You can put all emails into mymission.com and they will get the email blast each week as his/her letters are published.

They will get their mailing address for the MTC in their email about a week before they leave. It will include their exit date and their unit number. You can make it available on mymission.com or your blog. 13. His/her email time will be very limited throughout their whole mission. I would try to educate (especially his/her friends) on how to use dearelder.com or write a letter. (It might be the impossible dream). The thing they don't know until they have served a mission, is how much they LOVE mail. There are many weeks my son cannot read a lot of the email he gets. He currently has more than 450 unopened emails in his inbox. If they are in an iPad mission they can read email anytime, but only respond on Pday (depending on the ).

14. SEND AN INDEX CARD WITH YOUR ADDRESS AND A STAMP ON ONE SIDE AND PDAY______COMPANIONS FULL NAME______ON THE OTHER SIDE. Have him/her mail it the day they go into the MTC. That way you won't be wondering for 10 days when you are going to get an email. ONLY IF THEY ARE IN THE PROVO MTC.

15. Make sure he/she knows how to shop for food and how to cook it.

16. I taught my kids to cook from scratch. Beans. Rice. Bread. Oatmeal. And to buy fresh fruits and veggies for nutritional support. Simply in part because the staples are cheaper... you can buy them in bulk...and they last a long time. Two... eating top raman and mac and cheese from a box...is NOT going to get them through long stressful months in good health.

17. Music.... If they have an iPod, that is the best, a Shuffle or Nano or MP3 player will work too. They just don't hold as much music. Every mission is different and has different guidelines. Make sure you check the mission rules on music.

18. I would also HIGHLY recommend getting a Portable Stereo Speaker that can use a flash drive. You will also find them on Amazon. They cannot use ear buds for listening to music on their missions. They became the favorite companion...because they had a good speaker and TONS of music that they could listen to...when they had time to turn it on.

19. We bought old iPods that did not have wifi. And a solar rechargable wireless speakers. We loaded them with over 1000 songs. Classical. Instrumental. Uplifting music. Church. EFY. Hymns. Some Disney songs. Enya. Some Josh Groban. Loads of fun stuff... Nashville tribute band... There is some great new upbeat pop style music done of primary songs now out there... Christmas music... Easter music... We have WHOLE files we have collected...since my kids are ballroom dancers of instrumental music that is good...

20. I would highly recommend a wifi camera that doesn’t have to be synced to a phone, Samsung is good unless they are in an iPad mission. A wifi camera means they can download pictures every time they walk into a church. I think they can even set it to automatically download to your email when they get in wifi range. Most of the kids just use their iPad if they have them. 21. The problem. Only allowed 30 minutes... on a slow connected internet computer... every week...especially slow in a foreign mission... with sometimes no ability to use a compatible chord or time to upload pics...(that happens even stateside)

The solution... There is a camera out there...that has limited wifi. That you can preprogram to auto upload pics to a pre determined email account...aka moms...

That backs up all the pics on the camera.. To you... whenever your elder or sister WALKS onto the churches buildings or property that have WiFi. It does it auto... so the kids don't have to fuss with it. And it happens randomly...when they walk on and off the property... So you get pics... randomly...all week long...and they are not having to DO anything for that to happen. I think it is the genius thing I have ever heard. One mom gave one to her son. The minute he was on the MTC campus in Spain... Pictures he was taking at the MTC and temple grounds...were coming into her email. Genius. https://www.amazon.com/Samsu.../dp/B00HV6KJPM/ref=sr_1_10...Samsung WB350F - 16.3MP BSI CMOS, 21X Optical Zoom, 3-inch…

22. Set a lower quality setting for pictures. If they are too many pixels they will clog up the email and you might not ever see them.

23. Open a Dropbox.com account. Make sure he/she has the user name and password for it. They can drop all their pictures and videos in that account and it doesn't bog up your email and is way faster for them to do. Make sure they know how to use it.

24. If they are not in an iPad mission. Send a pair of ear buds with them to use at the library so they can hear your videos or voice emails. You can send voice email through mymission and let me tell you they love that!!! 25. You need to forward his/her LDS mail to another dedicated account. It can be set up in about 10 minutes, it is way better to do it before they leave. They turn off the LDS account anywhere from 3 days to a month after they get back and they will loose all of it unless you have it copied into another account. If you are interested in knowing how to do this send an email to [email protected] to get instructions.

26. Fill out the pamphlet "My Family" before they leave on their mission. You may need to order them from LDS.org. If you just want to look at it, it is under family history on LDS.org.

27. Make sure they have all the family birthday dates (you laugh)! If they are BAD send them with birthday cards and stamped envelopes. I am not kidding!!! 28. Bikes, GPS, iPads are all extra expenses. Our son was told to bring a bike, but as we started talking to parents they told us it wasn’t necessary. He has not needed one for his whole mission. I would really do your research on that. Every mission and mission president are different ASK QUESTIONS! iPads are $300 and then another $80 if they want to keep them. 29. If you are interested in the time process and basics for filling out papers we can get more information for you. (doctors and dentist appts, meeting / scheduling with Bishop and Stake President, when papers are officially submitted to the church headquarters, when to set up appt for being ordained an Elder / Melchizedek Priesthood, temple prep classes, when to set up appt for Temple Recommend, etc.) Both my husband and I served missions, but a lot has changed since we went. Just what is next and responsibility of the missionary to schedule appt and when.

30. Studying the Bible is super important, especially if your child ends up serving in the Bible belt!

31. Satan will work hard on your family and your missionary as they are preparing and after the call. Getting to the temple ASAP is paramount and attending many many times is also very important. Coordinating Temple prep class early is very important.

32. In our family it seems like right about the time my first elder opened his call, we all had a big red target painted on our entire family by Satan. We've all had some pretty significant trials throughout our family since that time and for the past two years, and it seems like things had been going much more smoothly before that. You know how it's always said that families will be blessed when they have a missionary serving? I think it's supposed to mean blessed with trials and refinement. I don't mean this to sound all doom and gloom but I know it happens, it happened to us and it's happened to many we've known. I think it would help to remind them that it's more important than ever to be strengthening their testimonies and faith and to even step all their good habits (like prayer, scriptures, temple attendance, etc) UP a huge notch! 33. Luggage size. 1 large and 1 the next size down so they can store inside each other. You can get more in soft luggage than hard, but hard is more durable. 34. The “extra” things add up! It costs a lot to get a missionary out the door.

35. One mom says there should be a whole class on how to help them from afar when they have a difficult transfer/companion or homesick. If you need talks or articles that will help your Elder or Sister when they are struggling send an email to [email protected].

36. Remind parents their missionary is never alone. When troubles come or challenges arise, they have access to a leader, zone leader, APs, counselors in the mission presidency and the mission president. Trust the mission president. Follow his guidelines and counsel. If the parents experience an unusual situation that requires a different approach, counsel with the mission president rather than just disregard the guidelines. 37. Missionary Momma’s Facebook page. If you are interested in it please friend Lynette Schneiter Schloer on Facebook and let me know in a PM and I will add you to the page. It is a terrific resource and a great place to get information. There are 15,000 moms from all over the world and there is nothing that they don’t know. 38. Don’t subsidize your missionary! They need to learn to budget. It is an important life skill!

39. One mom said, “I wish I had been prepared for the emotions I would feel when she left, and what an experience and time of growth it would be for me. I think I was so focused on getting her ready to go that I hadn't given these things a second thought.”

40. We had a member of the mission presidency in our area come and talk to parents about things we as parents need to encourage our children to do before going out in the field so they are more prepared...1) help them develop positive attitudes--learn to wake up happy. Things will seem easier when you choose happy. 2) make them talk to people--especially adults. The mission presidency in our area have been seeing a large amount of missionaries that are very uncomfortable talking to other adults. 3) learn to study(take notes)--scriptures/school books, etc.. 4) learn how to use a budget(they've had Elders use their allotment on a pair of tennis shoes instead of food & personal items) and then they are out of food for the month 😳😳. And 5) Learn to work & clean(they've had Elders ask when the maid is arriving to clean their apartment. Well we don't have maids in our mission😏😏). It was a very informative sit down with this member of the mission presidency.

41. Have them take a phone card to use at the airport. (Or a Tracfone) The prices without it are astronomical!!!! They'll have it if they need it! 42. Parents need to know how to fill out the donation slip properly so the money gets correctly credited to their missionaries account. 43. Have your Elder give you a blessing before he leaves. 44. Please be transparent about any physical or psychological problems in the paperwork. It will alleviate a lot of grief down the road.

45. Our kids served foreign. Some of the issues we dealt with were...there was a mail strike in South Africa. So NO mail or packages got through for MONTHs. We were so grateful we could just deposit 100 dollars for Christmas and his birthday and say... When you get the chance...please Buy a great birthday present for yourself. Something you can only get in Africa...to bring home and have for your memories...or on your PDay experience a cultural experience... to remember where you served. He came home with pictures of him feeding baby lions...and playing with them...and with scriptures covered in leather from Africa... meaning zebra skin...and Ostrich skin...and with paintings from the village he served in when he was north up by Zimbabwa... He used his money that way. He also needed money from time to time for other things. Like when he broke his camera...and needed a new one, and for coming home, paying for his checked bags... meals while he flew...etc. We had different issues when our daughter was in Russia... But she also did not want stuff from home for gift time. She wanted money to buy herself Russian gifts and experiences. I found out later other parents were struggling to get money to their kids. Or they sent 18 packages to Honduras...and only 3 were ever delivered... because of high theft rates.

45. Become comfortable with Skyping before they leave or before the big call.

46. Dearelder.com is a great resource.

47. www.missionarypackagemx.com/ For missionaries in the Mexico CCM

48. As you send out their first email you might want to write a note at the top of the email telling everyone to write dearelders to him/her instead of emailing. It will re-enforce that idea. Make sure your missionary knows #1 Group email #2 Parents/family #3 Friends. If they run out of email time it will be on the friends......

These are all optional: 49. There are these things called "Holy Tabbs" available through Deseret Book. Great scripture marking method that goes hand in hand with Preach My Gospel

50. Duct tape is WONDERFUL for blisters. I cut strips and wrapped them around all the chap sticks.

51. (optional) Tape his/her voice if you are sentimental and want to hear it while he/she is gone. 52. (optional) Write a bunch of little sticky notes - put them in his/her shirt or pants pockets, scriptures, luggage etc. for him/her to find when he/she gets to the MTC. 53. (Optional) Send a journal type book that his/her investigators and members can sign while he/she is on their mission. If they will do it, it will be something they will treasure forever.

54. (Opt.) for the open house put cards out that people can write thoughts on that you can mail to the MTC or even when they get to the mission field. 55. (Opt.) Get a digital voice recorder if you think your missionary would actually use it. It is a wonderful way to meet his/her companions and is like manna from heaven to hear his/her voice. 56. A lanyard is a great thing. Send a couple with him/her. He/she will absolutely use them in the MTC

57. There are collapsible canvas shelves at Walmart for $10. They are by the irons and ironing boards. This is something he/she can use at the MTC as well as in the field. Several missionaries from our area have taken one and really used it. 58. Get a spring loaded laundry basket from Walmart. It doesn’t take any room in their luggage, but is a great thing to have.

59. Get a family picture taken before your missionary leaves!! You will want it!

60. I just remembered one other thing we did that has been awesome. I have two children my elder and his 9 year old brother. (Who was 8 at the time he left) Before my Elder left he went to Build a Bear and made a bear dressed him in a tux and bought a future missionary name tag for it. He added his own voice recording in the bear's hand. He gave him the bear as we stopped at the Provo Temple just before we dropped him at the MTC. His mission Canada Toronto. The bear's name? Toronto. Toronto has been a huge comfort to our little one. Sometimes in the middle of the night when he rolls over on the bear and my Elder's voice comes out I freak out, but honestly one of the best things ever.

61. There are wrist bands that you can have customized for your family members. https://www.reminderband.com/

Extra ideas:

Paper and envelopes and stamps for letters

Stain stick for collars of his/her shirts and clothes

Work out 6 days a week, pack accordingly

Take an extra pair of shoes if going foreign

Make sure he/she knows how to use the camera and upload pictures

Have him/her leave a voice mail that you can listen to for the next 2 years.

My email is [email protected]

I have many files that I have collected over the last 22 months. I am willing to share them.