>Did you actually convert anyone? Or is that not even the point? It does happen, but it's not the point. A mission is the ideal maturing experience. You get d

>Did you actually convert anyone? Or is that not even the point? It does happen, but it's not the point. A mission is the ideal maturing experience. You get dropped off in what is essentially a random place, anywhere in the world where Mormons are allowed to go (most places). My brothers went to Philly and Auckland. My dad went to Japan. You have to pay a few hundred bucks a month to go, which means you have to save up through your teen years. The missionary program will pay for your apartment and give you a little bit of money for groceries, they'll provide transportation (which is frequently bikes, not cars), and that's it. The rest of the experience is committed to volunteer work; missionaries cannot have other employment. Once you're there, you're expected to go out and talk to as many people as you can. You spend your time helping people, dedicated to teaching them religion and providing service. Every day. For two years. And you pay for the privilege. You meet all kinds of people this way, literally anyone who is willing to talk to you. You learn religious fundamentals well and see how it affects peoples' lives. You learn to be persistent and diligent. You learn how to handle rejection; most people don't want to talk to you, and will slam the door in your face. Sometimes people will even spit on you. You develop toughness. Making a generation of hard-working, committed, and grateful adults, with at least some perspective on something outside of their own comfort zone, is the true point of the missionary program. Utah is an underappreciated testament to how well it works.