What my mission has meant to me thus far:

My mission has meant EVERYTHING to me... From what I've observed and come to a realization of... is the reason why so many people miss their mission so much... is not because they miss the culture, or the people, or wearing proselyting clothes every day, or getting feeds from members. Although they play a significant role for certain missionaries... but no it's not any of that. It's because... they will not experience the huge capacity in which they were able to feel the spirit as much as they felt it when being a full-time missionary. When you have your own Sacred Grove experiences... when you see miracles, when you teach and testify and feel the gospel... I mean really feel the gospel for the first time working in you as if it were your own DNA... when you gain a rock solid testimony.. when you make eternal friendships with the people whom you will dedicate your full-time service to.. when you forget yourself and give every thing you have to God.... when you come to the point where nothing else matters... where you can never go back to being the same.. you answer just as Peter answers when Jesus asks "Will ye also go away?".... "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life" ... And when you realize that... is when you now understand what God has sent us on this earth for... There is no other way to live... at least not happily... but by serving God and being a Disciple of Christ... forever.... For this is what the mission has made me become... Living every day... by the words of eternal life.. I still remember in the MTC... Elder Pearson of the Seventy... said "The first miracle you will see... will be the miracle of your own conversion"... And I thought to myself... that's rubbish.. Witnessing someone else's conversion is why we're coming on missions..... 

Now I know what he means... This mission... is not 100% intended to convert others... it is to convert the missionary.... the Lord is investing these 18-24 months in you... so that you may be a Kingdom builder.. And that's exactly what it's done for me....