Mission the greatest time of your life?

[MikeWaters]

We hear this phrase a lot. What is generally not talked about is if the mission wasn't a very good experience.

In my case, I had a wonderful time, would do it all over again, and "greatest experience" applies.

So what about you?

[Mormon Red Death]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

We hear this phrase a lot. What is generally not talked about is if the mission wasn't a very good experience.

In my case, I had a wonderful time, would do it all over again, and "greatest experience" applies.

So what about you?

a very rewarding experience that helped me tremendously afterwards.

[Indy Coug]

It was virtually a complete waste of time from a proselyting standpoint.

However, I became a better person and strengthened my testimony.

Did I enjoy my 2 years? No.

Was it a waste of time overall? No.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Excellent question. Tough to answer.

By any measure, my mission was the biggest adventure of my life (other than my wedding night, but that was too brief to count in this discussion). It also radically changed me in terms of maturity, communication skills, independence, leadership, etc. And I have never worked that hard 24/7, before or since. On the other hand, it was grueling in many ways.

[MikeWaters]

I'm sure glad I didn't go to Europe. I think I would have become disillusioned.

I was in a pretty-hard-to-baptize but-not-impossible missions.

I think I had about 20 people baptized where I was the missionary of record. Far different that missions where it is 20 per month per mission companionship.

[Cali Coug]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

It was virtually a complete waste of time from a proselyting standpoint.

However, I became a better person and strengthened my testimony.

Did I enjoy my 2 years? No.

Was it a waste of time overall? No.

I had the opposite experience. Fantastic 2 years, loved it all (after the first month which I hated) and would absolutely do it again. Of course, I was in a part of the world where there were a lot of baptisms, so I wonder how much that plays into feeling like it is worthwhile. I don't know that I ever went more than 10 days without a baptism.

I also agree with Lebowski that it was the biggest adventure of my life. At times I thought I was in a National Geographic special.

[SeattleUte]

No good books, poverty, bad food, no college, no movies, no newspapers or magazines, bad music, a Lord of the Fliesesque social structure, no Utes, no love. Freaking A. Greatest time of my life.

[Archaea]

The mission provided a good foundation of work, mental discipline and willingness to serve.

From a standpoint of witnessing loads of baptisms, I did not. I was missionary of record for more than average but not tons. However, I was young, naive and ill-informed given my recent decision to join prior to the mission.

The sum total of my Church training included having read the BoM twice through, the Bible once through. I believe I also had read a few anti-Mormon tracts.

Working with the German people gave me a good appreciation for intellect, history, culture, and diligence. It also created a sense of distance, disaffection, isolation, and at times hopelessness. An interesting contrast of hope versus antiseptic hopelessness.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

No good books, poverty, bad food, no college, no movies, no newspapers or magazines, bad music, a Lord of the Fliesesque social structure, no Utes, no love. Freaking A. Greatest time of my life.

If you understand the phalanx, then you understand missions.

[pelagius]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

We hear this phrase a lot. What is generally not talked about is if the mission wasn't a very good experience.

In my case, I had a wonderful time, would do it all over again, and "greatest experience" applies.

So what about you?

I enjoyed my mission a lot, and it was a lot of fun. I also thought it was pretty easy. No real stress or worries. Lots of camaraderie with your fellow missionaries. Of course, I was in a state-side English speaking mission (not smart enough to go foreign) so I never had to deal with a foreign culture, foreign language, or my mission president asking me to strap a bomb to my chest.

On the other hand, I have enjoyed post mission life more. I've liked marriage, college, graduate school, children, normal church life, and work more than my mission. By and large I have found the combination of the previous list more rewarding than my mission.