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| President Russell M. Nelson |
We were witnesses to a grand event in
this dispensation. On Tuesday morning, prior to our first multi-zone conference
with the La Sierra, Corona, and Jurupa zones, we were privilege to watch the
announcement of the new prophet. The initial picture was the Salt Lake Temple,
and then Elder Christofferson stood before the camera and introduced himself as
one of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles and the Director of the Church’s public
affairs. He spoke about the process and how it is all done with the senior
apostle becoming the prophet of the church. He said, “This way there needs to
be no novice trainer. There is no posturing in the Church.” Then he announced
that the President Russell M. Nelson to be the 17th President of
Church with Elder Dallin H. Oaks as First Counselor and Elder Henry B. Eyring
as Second Counselor.” The acting President of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles
would be Elder M. Russell Ballard. All this came from inside the Salt Lake
Temple. How wonderful and sacred was all of this!
With that, President Nelson, the prophet of God, spoke about the Quorum of the
12 Apostles holding “all the Priesthood keys in this dispensation.” He then
talked about the release of Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf from the Presidency. He
said, “He is where he is needed the most.” He then went on to say that all of
us needed to “keep on the covenant path so that we can open the door for every
spiritual blessing. He also said that the “temple is the place to help us
resist the attacks of the adversary and where we will receive increased
revelation and peace.” Then, both President Oaks and President Eyring spoke.
President Eyring said, “This is a great time in the history of the Church” and
that “the best is yet to come.”
We held four multi-zone conferences this
week Tuesday through Friday in Jurupa, Moreno Valley, Lake Elsinore, and Hemet.
Multi-zone conferences were spiritually fantastic!
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| Jurupa Zone |
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| Corona Zone |
On Monday and Friday mornings,
President Norman of the Mission Presidency opened with his discussion of “Hope.”
He focused on “hope in” and “hope for,” stating we need to look at both of
them. He mentioned that one of his bosses
used to say, “Hope is not a strategy. What is your plan?” Hope is like this: “If
you are on the right path, you will get run over if you just sit there.” Hope
requires movement forward and then focused on how the missionaries could apply
hope, utilizing both faith and charity, understanding the faith, hope, and charity
go together as a bundle. One with the other two may not help us at all.
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| La Sierra Zone |
President Hansen, another member of the
Mission Presidency, initiated Tuesday and Wednesday mornings with his discussion
of “desires.” He asked the missionaries what they truly desired or what are
their desires? He talked about Nephi, Enos, King Benjamin, Ammon and his
brothers, and others about their desires. He told them that Elder Ballard had
told a group of saints in California that the most important word was “desire”
and then had the missionaries read Ether 12:6.
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| Mt. Rubidoux Zone |
Sister Hammon presented the Addiction Recovery
Program to help missionaries and their investigators with addictions and
challenges. She discussed the program and how it can help with the repentance
process.
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| Riverside Zone |
I spent some time on the new Mission
goals that the Mission Leadership Council (MLC) put developed at the first of
the year. Plus, I spent the bulk of my time on the conference theme and the Mission
theme of “Centering our Lives on Jesus Christ: An Eternal Focus. I discussed
the following ten focuses:
1. We make Christ our Center as we see Him as the refiner and
finisher of our faith.
2. We make Christ our Center as we accept Him as our Savior and understand and apply
His Atonement.
3. We
make Christ our Center by partaking of the Sacrament each Sunday and keeping
the Sabbath Day holy.
4. We make Christ our Center as we endure to the end.
5. We make Christ our Center by reading, studying, pondering, and testifying about
the Book of Mormon.
6. We make Christ our Center by serving others.
7. We
make Christ our Center by being obedient to His teachings and coming unto Him.
8. We
make Christ our Center by speaking of, teaching, and testifying about Him and
His doctrine.
9. We make Christ our Center by loving Him with all our
hearts.
10. We
make Christ our Center by believing that the Father and He are the sources of
all light, understanding, inspiration and revelation, and eternal blessings.
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| Moreno Valley Zone |
We read a few scriptures under each of
these topics and discussed how we can make Christ our center this year. It was
a delightful discussion, with many missionaries participating. The spirit bore
witness to me that these things are true.
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| Menifee Zone |
The sister training leaders (STLs) tackled the topics of “Overcoming and
Working Through Fear.” The zone leaders presented on the following topics: “How
to Teach the Sabbath Day,” Having and Exercising Great Faith,” and Contacting and
Navigating with the Book of Mormon.” The Assistants provided insight as to the “Whys
of Missionary Work.” One of the comments from one set of zone leaders was: “Don’t
let Celestial goals be distracted or affected by telestial activity.” The main
reason we are here is help Heavenly Father bring His children home. We need to help
them come to the remembrance of who they are by inviting them to become clean,
so they can come unto Christ.
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| Lake Elsinore Zone |
Overall, the multi-zone conferences with
our 170 missionaries touched the spiritual cords of everyone. We laughed, cried,
and sat in silence to together, felt the spirit, and listened to strong
testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The outgoing missionaries—Sister Ford,
Hermana Padilla, and Elder Braunstadter—bore strong testimonies of their missions
and what they had learned. Powerful! Then, the incoming missionaries—Sisters Adams,
Brown, Reese; Elders Evans, Francis, Gregson, Johnson, Moon, Nelson, Quinton, and
Victorino—bore strong testimonies as well. They all have been here in our
mission for four, almost five weeks. I am impressed by their growth and their
progress.
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| San Jacinto Zone |
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| Hemet Zone |
We were fed well—from spaghetti and
meatballs to an array of soups to lasagna to sloppy joes, plus desserts that
were divine. The Relief Societies from the Jurupa, Moreno Valley, Lake
Elsinore, and Hemet stakes were wonderful! Thank you!
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| Hemet Relief Society |
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| A new year theme |
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| Eating great food |
One of the highlights at each multi-zone conference is we sing "Armies of Helaman." It can be an emotional time for many of them and us as some of sisters have family members serving a mission somewhere in the world. One of the sisters is the former Ann Fullmer of Menan, Idaho. We had a great visit. It truly amazes me when you meet people who know someone or is from somewhere you have been. The Church family is closely connected.
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| Jurupa Relief Society + High Councilor |
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| Menifee Relief Society |
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| Hemet Relief Society |
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| Lake Elsinore Hemet Relief Society |
We also celebrated birthdays at each of the multi-zones! We sing to them while they stand and soak it in (or be embarrassed!).
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| Elders Roper, Goodrich, Lewis, and Wilder; Sister Marks |
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| Elders Hunt, Overman, and Day; Hermana Grover |
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| Hermana Padilla; Sisters Davies and Harris; Elders Wilson, Parata, Escobar; Hermana Garcia; Sister Van Quakebeke |
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Elders Evans, McCracken, and Guymon; Hermana Whitaker; Sister Davis;
and one of the sisters in the Hemet Stake Relief Society Presidency |
We also had baptisms this weekend and on
Tuesday. President Norman, President Hansen, and we attended the different baptisms.
What wonderful sources of spiritual awakening and commitments! The commitments and
changes these people make are amazing. What forces of good they will become in
their families and communities.
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| Elders Yang, Phister, Kurt, Elders Maughan, and Crowther |
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| Hermanas Troncoso y Flores; Rafael (baptized his family), Berenice, Jimpaul, and Khatibjun |
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| Sister Price, Dirk, Sister Gray and Greenhalgh |
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| Let the cotton ball competition begin! |
President and Sister Hammon
