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.