“A missionary, called to serve for a period of 18 to 24 months as a representative of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, returns home with well-used clothes, a hole or two in the soles of the shoes and a set of well-studied scriptures.
“Returning missionaries carry home a wealth of knowledge and experiences that set the course of their life: firm faith in God; an increased knowledge of the teachings of Jesus Christ and the restored gospel; an exposure to cultural diversity, even when serving in their homeland; a new language competence, possibly with a foreign language, but often with an improvement in their communication skills; an increase in confidence; and an overwhelming love for the people with whom they have served.”