Homesickness

This can apply to both missionaries and anyone away from home. What causes is? There are 7 reasons.
1. New Environment
2. New schedule
3. New Language
4. New Customs
5. Strange Companion
6. Separation from Family, familiar.
7. The constant buffeting by the adversary

Will everyone experience it?
There may be a few who do not but most will-- even if you’ve lived away from home for long periods of time.

How do you recognize it?
When you wake up and look at the ceiling and think, I’m not cut out to be a missionary! It is as normal and expected as can be. The same thing will likely happen in marriage. All it means is that the honeymoon is over.

When will it hit?
Anywhere from the day you arrive at the MTC until you’ve been out four or five months.

Does it mean you’re a bad or weak missionary?
Certainly not. It means you’re human-- or almost!

What can be done about it?
Thankfully a great deal. Admit to yourself that you are struggling.
Get out of bed and explain how you are feeling to Heavenly Father
Serve your companion. Polish his shoes, iron her dress, fix breakfast--unless that could be misinterpreted as a hostile gesture.
Study with companion and alone
Get out on time and stay out until the prescribed time to come in.
Talk to everybody you meet.
Teach, testify, talk gospel.

Pres. Ezra Taft Benson (Teachings p. 200)
One of the greatest secrets of missionary work is work. If a missionary works, he will get the Spirit; if he gets the Spirit, he will teach by the Spirit; and if he teaches by the Spirit, he will touch the hearts of the people; and he will be happy. There will be no homesickness, no worrying about families, for all time and talents and interests are centered on the work of the ministry. That’s the secret-- work, work, work. There is no satisfactory substitute, especially in missionary work.

When you come back in, you’ll discover that 90% of your homesickness is gone.

Will it ever come back?
It could. Birthdays, family celebration times, deaths in the family, special events like marriages, baptisms, etc. Break-up with girl/boy friend, particularly difficult companion or area.

Reverse homesickness--no real cure.
Starts about six months before end of mission.
Time goes 10 times as fast as first part
Know you’ll never be with your beloved people again
Young missionaries envy you and want to trade places with you
Members claim you’ll forget them and never write-- don’t make promises you can’t keep.
Some even threaten the Mission President. It won’t work.
Last day comes and you are sure you will die-- you won’t.

If you allow your mission to go through you as well as you going through your mission, you will never lose your love for the people and the country. How many missionaries have you heard say their’s was the best mission in the whole world? They are right all of them.
---Randy Bott, BYU Religion Professor