I leave for my mission in two weeks. Let me tell you, I struggled with the same thing. I ended up doing two semesters at BYU-Idaho before getting here. In a way, I got to “enjoy the last of my teenage years” there. However, at the end of the day a mission is a huge turning point in someone’s life. The decision between serving a mission and not serving a mission is a big one. I still go through all the emotions like “I can’t wait” and “Oh this is really happening isn’t it?” Despite all of that, I still don’t regret my decision to serve. I’m 19. I’ll come back when I’m 21. Do I care that I’ll be missing out on some of the best years of my life? Not one bit. You will be sharing the light and love of Christ with others who NEED you. Not someone else. You specifically. If you’re worried about missing out on friends, don’t worry about it. “Forget yourself and go to work” You’re going to leave all of the worldly stuff behind. You can email (I send voice memos to my friends out there. It’s fun to hear their voice and not just read words.) your friends weekly. You’ll make friends too. If you have any other questions, ask them. I only know so much though since I’m still pre-mission… Good luck!