As a young man, how do I decide whether to go on a mission right after turning 18 or to wait?

Your decision about when to leave on a mission may be based on a number of factors: school and/or career plans, military or civil-service obligations, finances, physical or emotional health, maturity, and so on. These are things you should talk about with your parents, your bishop, and other appropriate advisers.

You shouldn’t feel pressure to leave on your mission as soon as possible after turning 18. When President Thomas S. Monson introduced the change in the missionary eligibility age, he said: “I am not suggesting that all young men will—or should—serve at this earlier age. Rather, based on individual circumstances as well as upon a determination by priesthood leaders, this option is now available” (“Welcome to Conference,” Ensign, Nov. 2012, 4–5).