California Riverside Mission 2017-2020: Redland Temple, Missionaries Coming and Going, and Chile Verde

Redlands Temple

As the new year came and went, so did one missionary—Elder Rodriguez—who flew home on New Year’s Day to Iowa, to be with his family although they live in Georgia. They happened to be vacationing with family in Iowa. Instead of trundling home to a warmer Georgia, cold Iowa it was. Nonetheless, he was happy to see his family after two years of serving the Lord in the California Riverside Mission, the greatest mission on earth.

Sister and President Hammon and Elder Rodriguez at the Airport

The week before Elder Rodriguez left, we went to temple with him. When he arrived, he was greeted with an incredible surprise: His grandfather. What a joyous reunion! They hadn't seen each other for a few years.

President and Sister Hammon, Brother and Sister Rodriguez, and Elder Rodriguez

Have you ever thought of starting a new year in a new place and with new people? That's what eight new missionaries recently did in the California Riverside Mission on December 31 and January 1, 2019.

Elder and Sister Shirley with the Office missionaries went to the airport on New Year’s Eve to welcome three new missionaries from the Mexico MTC—Hermana Frehner and Elders Atanasio and Wise. They fed them a delicious dinner at Elder and Sister Shirley’s apartment, and then took them to stay with other missionaries to await the coming of missionaries arriving the next day.

Elder Wilson (Office Elder), Elder and Sister Shirley (Office Couple), Hermana Frehner,
Elders Wise and Atanasio (new), and Elder Hite (Office Elder)

We picked up the other five new missionaries—Sisters Hernandez and Hindman; Elders Talataina, Stewart, and Lea—on New Year’s Day. They literally ran down the stairs and greeted us with glee. We grabbed their luggage and headed to the Mission Home where we connected with the other three missionaries who had come from the Mexico MTC.

Elder Lea (New), Sister Hindman (new), Hermana Hernandez (new),
President and Sister Hammon, Elders Talataina and Stewart (new)

Once they had all gathered at the Mission Home, we had a delicious dinner of Chile verde, rice, beans, cake, and ice cream. Delicious! They filled out a questionnaire, and then we heard a little bit more about each of them. Soon, the elders went to other missionary apartments, and the sisters stayed the night at the Mission Home. I interviewed all of the sisters before they went to bed.

Hermanas Grant and Hernandez (new)

Sister Hindman (New) and Sister McDaniel

Hermanas Frehner (new) and Caldez

Hermanas Longshore and Rane (new trainer for Hermana Longshore)

On Wednesday, we had a great training and lunch.

First lunch in the mission field

They learned about mission basics, mission goals, their missionary purpose, how to be good missionaries, health care, cars, apartments, mail, cooking, etc. During the training, I interviewed all of the elders. Then, after a delicious lunch, we gathered in the Relief Room where I made area assignments where they were going and who was going to be their new trainers. Once assigned, they each shared a short and powerful testimony with all of us. We have incredible new missionaries with equally incredible trainers.

Elders Escobar and Wise (new)

Elders Ballard and Lea (new)

Elders Stewart (new) and Bailey

Elders Talataina (new) and Staley

Well, they are now making their new “homes,” or what they will call home for the next two years or eighteen months, in the new areas where they have been assigned. For now, they will be here, serving the Lord and doing His will and growing and developing in ways they never thought imaginable. Oh, the joy of all that!