Robots

It's always been interesting to me to see how missionaries change after being away from home for two years. It's quite obvious that missionaries only get out of this experience what they're willing to put into it. Too often young men come home and haven't changed at all. Other times the whole ward practically needs to wear sunglasses so they aren't scorched by the returned missionary's celestial glory. I think it's safe to say most missionaries would like to come home as the latter, but how does one actually attain such a realm?

Many missionaries come out into the field with the intention of completely changing their lives, denying all their passions and becoming a robot. They lose their personality and turn into a scripture-crunching, door-knocking zombie. They get so caught up in the "work" that they forget who they are and practically give themselves stress-induced strokes.

Don't get me wrong. I'm all about the wonderful changes that happen to a young man as he leaves the security bubble of his home and turns his life over to the Lord. But God didn't call me on a mission to become a robot.

The problem with missionaries who come out and drastically change their conduct is that when they go home, they aren't in an environment which will continually motivate such behavior, and they quickly revert back to their old lifestyle.

The best missionaries are those who come out here with the intention of being completely obedient, working hard, but not denying their personalities. We're not here to change the core essence of who we are, but to refine the person that already exists. So when I get home, I don't want to be some unrecognizable weirdo. I want to be the same Sven, with a lot more experience and a closer relationship with my Maker.