And off they go: Home and to India!

Time again to see some of our wonderful missionaries go home and others leave California to complete their missions in India. Two left for home: Sisters White and Briggs; and two to India where they will complete the missions: Elders Clawson and Quigley. They spent some time in the California Riverside Mission while they waited for their visas to arrive.

February 20, 2020 We went to the Redlands Temple with the outgoing missionaries prior to them leaving. Oh, how we love the peace and love we feel at the temple. Plus, we love being with our missionaries for the last time as missionaries in our mission!

Elders Quigley and Clawson, leaving for India, President and Sister Hammon, Sisters White and Briggs

February 25, 2020

Sister Pendleton, Sister and President Hammon

We also said good bye to Sister Pendleton who has been a mission nurse for over six years. She has worked with hundreds of missionaries over the years with a plethora of illness and health challenges. So many thanks to her for her incredible and memorable service to the California Riverside Mission!

Front: Sisters White, Griggs, and Hammon; Standing: Elders Abraham and Chase (Assistants);
Elders Quigley and Clawson (to India); and President Hammon

Study time with the missionaries!

One of the events we do at the Mission Home before missionaries is "companion study." We love the time we spend with these incredible missionaries discussing gospel topics. Tonight's topic was "light." We were definitely enlightened!

And off Sister White goes back to Texas 

Sister Briggs heading back to Colorado

And they are off..........Good luck to you both.

Elder Quigley heading to the Bengaluru India Mission

Elder Clawson heading to the Bengalrur India Mission

God speed, Elders. 

What a delight to be with these missionaries one last time! We love them, and we wish them good luck! May the Lord bless them at home as they are fulfilling their "My Plan" and in India while they are fulfilling their missionary purpose.

President and Sister Hammon

Multi-Zone Conferences: Spirituality Oozing!

Multi-Zone Conferences
February 12-14, 2020

We were all instructed and uplifted in this series of multi-zone conferences. We always enjoy our time together with the missionaries as we feel the Spirit and enjoy learning together. We also enjoyed wonderful musical numbers all three days from these disciples of Jesus Christ. We just have incredible missionaries serving in the California Riverside Mission!

Riverside Zone

Ontario Zone

Our topics included:

• Following and implementing the Covenant Path and the Mission Training Plan
• Faith to Hush our Fears
• Developing and asking inspired questions Asking and following through with invitations
• Repentance and Godly Sorrow: Lifting Our Burdens via the Atonement of Jesus Christ
• Utilizing time wisely: How to plan the whole day effectively
• Focusing on the bigger picture: Christ and exaltation
• A sense of urgency by eliminating casualness, instilling a sense of quiet dignity, eliminating false limitations, and infusing an excitement for the work
• How to Implement the California Riverside Mission Plan 2020
• Measurements of Improvement from the Mission Plan 2020

Corona Zone

One of the things we do in our zone conferences is ask "What did the Spirit teach you today?" The responses are phenomenal! Here are just a few:

              “I have gained a closer relationship to my brother. I want my brother to know that I am better.”

              “That I have kept on….come back strong.”

              “Reading my mission call has reminded me of the excitement of my mission.”

              “I have learned how burdens can be lifted.”

              “Blessings come true.”

Lake Elsinore Zone

Moreno Valley Zone

Here are some more revelations from the Spirit from Friday's multi-zone conferences:

“I am a powerful being, but I cannot do it alone. If I trust in Heavenly Father, then my power is 10X.”

The Atonement of Jesus Christ helps us repent from our sins and prevent us from sinning.”

“I have a better understanding of how to be more obedient.”

“I have an honest heart knowing the Gospel truths are ingrained in us.”

“Just be obedient.”

“We know we have afflictions, but I have discovered that these afflictions/burdens are lifted for a higher purpose.”

“The Atonement of Jesus Christ really means giving our lives to be the Lord and experience Godly Sorrow.”

Menifee Zone

Hemet Zone

Jurupa Zone

Multi-zone Conference Invitations

• Will you involve the Savior and His Infinite Atonement on a daily basis?
• Will you re-center your mission on Jesus Christ?
• Will you hold a companionship inventory and use these [communication] principles?
• Will you exercise faith in your Savior Jesus Christ, so that He can help you hush your fears, and become instruments in His hands as true and faithful disciples of Jesus Christ? How will you do this?

Temecula Zone 

More multi-zone invitations:

• Will you follow and implement the covenant path in your area as the Savior would?
• Will you and your companion follow and implement the mission training plan daily?
• Will you use the 2020 Mission Plan as a tool and not as a souvenir?
• Will you send a recommitment statement to President Hammon this coming preparation day and to the Lord in prayer?

Murrieta Zone

LUNCH! These sisters always make us such wonderful lunches. We love them!

Corona Stake Relief Society Sisters

Menifee Stake Relief Society 

Murrieta Stake Relief Society

Elders Larsen, Wise, Tellez, Schultz, Heaven, Yumisaca, Huffaker and Rowe are all enjoying their lasagna and salad

Elders McCarty, Petersen, Chase, Lai, Bailey, Stewart, Rodriguez, Christensen and Ottman

Hermanas Smyer, Giles, Frehner, Butikofer, Anderson, Thompson, Longshore, and Briggs.

Elders Eskelsen, Crichfield, Aamodt, Gonzales, Campbell, Sanofsky, Higbee, Woo Ching, Myers, and Tran

Happy Birthday to you all!

Sisters Bassett, and Dyer; Elders Reeves, Lea, Huffaker, and Tran. Another year older and wiser too!

Elders Walpole, Edwards, Lewis; and Sister Jarman

We love to celebrate their birthdays. No presents, just singing happy birthday songs to them and then seeing their happy faces! They are the real gifts!

Sister Griffiths, Hermana Linton; Elder Vaenuku, Bistline, and Howard.

Golden Plunger for the cleanest apartment goes to........

Sisters Freeman and Reed-Caswell  (Corona Zone) with Sister and Elder Hunt

The "Golden Plunger Award" goes to the missionaries who have the cleanest apartment after inspections. The Golden Plunger is a "traveling" award that goes from apartment to apartment. Yes, we have some missionaries who clean their apartments, no matter where they go. The housing coordinators in each stake tell us it is becoming more challenging to select the winners because the missionaries are keeping their apartments clean. Parents, you would be proud!

Elder Hunt with Sisters Briggs, Moore, Smyer, Hunt, (Sister Hunt blends right in with the other sisters),
and Giles from the Jurupa Zone 

Sister and Elder Hunt with Elders Syme and Jacobs from Ontario

Sisters Kron and Griffiths from the Hemet Zone, with Sister and Elder Powell

These Hermanas won the Golden Plunger Award two transfers in a row!

Hermanas Hernandez and Mecham from the Menifee Zone with Sister and Elder Powell 

Elders Doutre, Killpack, Rich and Larsen, who live in a tiny little apartment. Good job Elders
with Sister and Elder Dickinson from the Moreno Valley Zone.

Elder Mascio with Sisters Jeppsen, Taramon, and Bowlden from Lake Elsinore Zone

Elders Latimer and Harp; Sister and Elder Troxel; Elders Reeves and Josie from the Riverside Zone.

Elders McIntire and Emry from the Murrieta Zone with Sister and Elder Powell

Elder and Sister Powell with Sisters Sickels and Gunnel from the Temecula Zone.

Singing and Reciting
At the end of each lunch, the missionaries recite 2 Nephi 25:26 and then sing "The Armies of Helaman," which really brings the Spirit into the room. Some of the Relief Society sisters have children and even grandchildren who are on missionaries. They become very teary! We love the Relief Society sisters and all they do for us!

We were so blessed being in the multi-zone conferences this past week! We appreciated the participation and the musical numbers. Overall, the Spirit was strong in all sessions. We now hope these missionaries will reflect upon and ponder their copious notes they took, then change those things that need to be changed, and instill those things they were inspired to instill. 

May the Lord continue to lift and elevate us to new spiritual heights.

President and Sister Hammon

Mission Leadership Council and District Leaders: Phenomenal Leaders Doing Incredible Things

January 31, 2020
Mission Leadership Council

We begin each month off with a Mission Leadership Council training. These leaders are dedicated to the work of the Lord. We feel very blessed to work along side them all.

Mission Leadership Council for January 2020

In the January Mission Leadership Council we spent a bit of time in strategic planning. The Council decided on the following vision and priorities:

Vision

Be Disciples and Bearers of Light unto the World

Missionary Purpose

“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.”

Mission Priorities

To fulfill our vision and missionary purpose, we will 

1. Become disciples of Jesus Christ.
2. Become Preach My Gospel missionaries.
3. Encourage members to help gather Israel.

Each one of the priorities has four goals. We are excited to implement the Mission Plan 2020!

Mission Leadership Council for February 2020

I began differently than I usually do. For the February Mission Leadership Council I felt I needed to talk to them about lifting burdens. We spent about 20 minutes in the scriptures, discussing how the Savior can lift burdens through His Atonement and our obedience to the commandments. Everyone was engaged, and we felt the Spirit in enormous quantities. After I finished, then we began preparations for multi-zone conferences. They all gathered in groups and began preparing their presentations. While they didn’t finish completely, they had a good head start.

Sisters Foster and Reynolds trained on planning for the whole day. Elders Abraham and Chase  trained on “Asking inspired questions and following through with invitations" and "Accountability as a Mission."  Sister Hammon talked about some of the "Missionary Standards for Disciples of Christ.”

January-Sister Training Leaders- Sisters Corder, Foster, Killian, Briggs, Hindman, Thompson, Longshore, Moore, and Durham 

February- Sister Training Leaders- Sisters Reynolds, Sands, White, Briggs, Sisterr Hammon,
 Sisters Killian, Moore, and Foster. Missing are Hermanas Thompson and Longshore

One thing we love to do at Mission Leadership Council is eat. Sister Shirley and Sister Davis make sure we do not leave hungry. Take a look at the desserts below.

Elders Mackay, Greathouse, Bytendorp, Sister and President Hammon, Elders McIntire, Emry and Abraham

One of the traditions that the missionaries do after lunch is sing to the those who prepare the food. Plus, they recite 2 Nephi 25:26: "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins."

Sisters Byrne Cowan, Shirley, and Davis; Elder Shirley

District Leaders
Right after transfers we gather all of the new and continuing District Leaders to train.

District Leaders in January 2020

We introduced eight new district leaders and 20 “seasoned” district leaders.  Elders Abraham and Chase taught “District Leadership 500: An Advance Guide to District Leadership.”

District Leaders working on the new training plan in January 2020 

We spent a bit of time in the morning doing some strategic planning as we aligned the new Mission Plan 2020 with the Mission Training Plan. It was a great exercise in developing a training plan that encompassed the new mission priorities for the entire mission. The district leaders divided up into six groups and created/developed a revised Mission Training Plan. I will be putting all of their suggestions into the Training Plan and then posting it on the portal to be implemented.

Singing after lunch. 

Sisters Davis and Shirley, thank you for a delicious lunch.

We were fed haystacks. Everyone loved them!  Some of these young men had never had them before. 

After a delicious lunch of “haystacks” and cake, we return to the training where Elders Abraham and Chase taught about “Elevated Exchanges.” I have to add that some of the missionaries had never had haystacks. They loved them. Sister Shirley told me she made 33 cups of rice. Now, that’s a lot of rice, and they ate pretty much all of it. I definitely helped do this. 

Delicious cake for dessert!

Time continues to trundle on in our mission! People continue to come and go. New leaders emerge, and we will continue holding trainings to train our new leaders. These Elders may be young, but they are definitely future leaders in the Church. They learn quickly how to learn and be servant-leaders, truly learning how the Savior was simultaneously a servant and a leader.

We love these young men and enjoy watching them grow and develop!

President and Sister Hammon