Temple Trip to the Redlands Temple with Outgoing Missionaries: Truly a Blessing and a Privilege!

California Redlands Temple

Once every six weeks, we have the marvelous privilege of attending the Redlands Temple with our outgoing missionaries. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving was that day, and marvelous it was! It was truly a "thankful" day!

Front row- Hermanas Schmutz, Lindstrom, Sister Hammon, Hermanas Brown, Christensen, Weston;
Sisters Johnson, and Preator; and Hermanas Grant and Rane. Back row- Elders Evans, Royce,
 Liddell, Sato, President Hammon, Elders Jensen, Victorino, and Randall

It was a rainy day Wednesday, something we truly have not seen since maybe June of this year. How apropos it was to attend the Temple, the House of the Lord, He who is the Living Water on a rainy day that brought so much needed moisture to southern California and so much spiritual rejuvenation for all of us. 

Left to right- Hermanas Schmutz, Christensen, Lindstrom, Brown, Hammon, Weston, Grant;
Sister Preator, Hermana Rane and Sister Johnson

Truly the temple is a place where we feel peace, a place where we can quietly worship, a place where we can and shall receive personal revelation, a place where our vision is open and we see things as we have not seen them before, a place where we can feel safe and secure from the evil elements of the earth, a place where the spirit of the Lord whispers to us, a place where renewal of our spirit and soul culminates and we become one with our Father in Heaven.

Elders Sato, Liddell, Evans, President Hammon, Elders Victorino, Royce and Jensen

Wednesday was all that, a time and place where renewal of our spirit and soul culminates, and we become one with our Father in Heaven.

Beautiful Redlands Temple

We love these missionaries are who are going home. As they entered the Celestial Room, Sister Hammon and I greeted each one, a hug from Sister Hammon for the sisters and a hug for elders from me. The power of those moments in the Celestial Room was almost overwhelming. 

It was a rainy day, but our spirits were high.

Hermanas Grant, Weston, Sisters Preator and Hammon

These missionaries have honorably served for 18 months or 24 months. They are finishing their missions, more spiritually prepared than they ever would have been without serving a mission. We know they will do well. They may not be able to wear their missionary name tags anymore, but they will always be able to wear their "discipleship" names tags, now and forever! 

May the Lord bless them as they go home and continue their missions as disciples of Christ.

We love them very much! 

President and Sister Hammon

Sister and President Hammon. It was a bit windy at the time of this photo, but the sun was still shining.

New Missionaries Arrive in the California Riverside Mission to await to go their missions in Hong Kong!!

Often some missions receive missionaries whose visas do not arrive on time or because there are some challenges in their originally assigned mission. Consequently, we receive them in the California Riverside Mission while they wait.

At the Ontario Airport! 

Recently, we were blessed to receive four missionaries who had been assigned to Hong Kong. We were excited to see them at airport. Fortunately, we were able to share a delicious meal with them at the Mission Home that evening, and the next morning they received some training before they met their new trainers. They each were assigned fantastic trainers to help them have a great beginning to the mission.

Dinner at the Mission Home

Sister Tanner and Sister Blair

Sister Tanner and Sister Blair (waiting to go to Hong Kong)

Elder Stewart and Elder Van Wagenen

Elder Van Wagenen (waiting to go to Hong Kong) and Elder Stewart

Elder Bytendorp and Elder Barnes with Elder Williams

Elder Bydendorp, Elder Williams (Hong Kong) Elder Barnes

Elder Ottman and Elder Bannink

Elder Ottman  and Elder Bannink (Hong Kong)

One of our goals is to train these missionaries so well that their mission president in their mission where they are going will say, "Wow! These missionaries were trained so well we are going to have all of our missionaries "red shirt" in the California Riverside Mission before they come to our mission!"

We love having these missionaries serve with us! They are incredible young men and young women and fit nicely into our mission. In fact, we consider them a part of our mission, no matter how long they stay.

Mission Leadership Council: Where Leaders Emerge and Flourish!

At the beginning of each month, we meet with the Mission Leadership Council, our mission leaders: zone and sister training leaders, some of the finest missionaries and leaders in the entire world! We wish you could all join us to feel of their spirit and their power. 

November 6, 2019 Mission Leadership Council

Our Vision is to "Be Disciples and Bearers of Light unto the World"

Our Missionary Purpose is to “Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.”

Sister Training Leaders: Front row left to right:
 Sisters Foster, Corder, Killian, Johnson, Durham, White, Weston-
 back row Sisters Briggs, Hammon Moore, Thompson 

Pizza, Salad, and Texas Sheet Cake and Ice Cream on the menu. Always a favorite at MLC.

We asked four questions: 1) What is a disciple of Jesus Christ? 2) How do we become disciples of Jesus Christ? 3) What are we doing to become and be a disciple of Christ? and 4) Am I living the gospel of Jesus Christ as His disciple?

Left to right around the table: Elders Evans, Hull, Barnes, Sister and President Hammon, 
Elders Abraham, Bytendorp and Mackay

Elder Uchtdorf teaches us: “The gospel is the way of discipleship…. As we walk in that way, we can experience confidence and joy—even during times of peril, sorrow, and uncertainty….When we hear the transcendent truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ, hope and faith begin to blossom inside of us. The more we fill our hearts and minds with the message of the risen Christ, the greater our desire is to follow Him and live His teachings. This, in turn, causes our faith to grow and allows the light of Christ to illuminate our hearts. As it does, we recognize the imperfections in our lives, and we desire to be cleansed of the depressing burdens of sin. We yearn for freedom from guilt, and this inspires us to repent” (Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Ensign, May 2009, pp. 75, 76, 77).

Often exaltation can be seen through a small lense, one that is hard to keep in focus as the myriad of challenges cloud the small aperture. Yet, once you see beyond the minuteness of the world and its plethora of distractions, climbing over them and then squeezing through the keyhole of what we sometimes see as our myopic life, you discover the larger and much more important view: eternity and your own exaltation!

Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the world!

“Behold, [we are disciples] of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. [We] have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life” (3 Nephi 5:13).

Our two Assistants: Elder McLaughlin and Elder Abraham

Elders McLaughlin and Abraham taught this principle from Chapter 8 in Preach My Gospel: “Do all you can to leave your area [area of exchange] stronger than you found it. Meaningful goals and careful planning will help you accomplish what the Lord requires of you.” 

Sister Hammon spoke about the importance of temple and family history and will talk about it in multi-zone conferences. Stay tuned!

The Idaho Falls Temple (photo courtesy of Dennis D. Hammon, my photographer brother)

We had such a great time with these great leaders. It is no wonder we are continually blessed by serving here in the California Riverside Mission with these wonderful young people, truly servants and disciples of Christ.

Sunset on the Columbia River