Editors Note: This was written by Kerry Harding, a veteran leader of missionary efforts at the ward and stake levels, after talking with over 100+ missionaries about what they had learned about going home. He decided to write this article to give to missionaries the week before they went home. He has kindly shared this info with us for those who are coming home to transition in the best way. I have added some commentary and links to helpful articles that are related to what he said.
1) Accept that your mission is over. You spent your whole life preparing for that call. You spent two years magnifying it. When you take that tag off, your mission will officially come to an end. It’s okay to be sad. It’s okay to cry (more than once).
2) Prepare to talk about your mission. Don’t be one of those missionaries that just says “Great” when you are asked how your mission was. You made a $10,000 investment and worked 80+ hours a week for two years. Your missionary experience deserves better. YOU deserve better.