May 2020 outgoing missionaries--Masks, video conferencing, tears, and no tres leches!

Seeing missionaries go home every six weeks is traditional. They come for 18 months or 24 months, work hard, gained incredible testimonies of truth and of the Book of Mormon, grow and develop into these incredible young men and women, truly emerging leaders, and then they leave to go home. Traditions for outgoing missionaries are wonderful--dinner with all of them, meeting together for testimonies and study, taking pictures together, spending the night at the mission home, etc. Unfortunately, this outgoing transfer was a bit different.

Our virtual testimony meeting. Still powerful! Still spiritual!

First of all, we could not congregate because of California's stay-in-place rule. So, we congregated online to have our outgoing testimony meeting and companion study. While it was not the same as seeing them face to face, we had an incredible testimony meeting, full of the Spirit and powerful testimonies.

We still loved studying "light" together!

We did have to congregate at the airport but in two different shifts in two different terminals.

Sisters Sickle and Anderson; Sister and President Hammon; Elders Howard and Rich 

Elders Mackay and Seegmiller; President and Sister Hammon;
Sisters Hernandez, Gaughan, Foster, Moore, and Reynolds

One of the regrets of all of us is that we were not able to have our traditional outgoing meal together at the Mission Home, which meant that we did not have the privilege to sample Sister Hammon's phenomenal and legendary tres leches cake. We will have to do all of this once we arrive home and settle. Plus, we will need to go to the temple with those who left without being to attend our traditional outgoing temple trip.

President and Sister Hammon; Elder Rowe and his parents, Brother and Sister Rowe who picked him up.

Sister Frehner and Sister and President Hammon. Sister Frehner's parents came to pick her up.

Tears have always been a part of outgoing, and this was no different. Despite the masks, despite the almost empty airport, despite not having an escalator in one of the terminals. the tears still came as they walked up to and through security. We waved good bye until they disappeared.

And off they go!

On the stairway to security!

We loved these young people and what they have done to serve their fellow beings and the Lord. Yes, there have been sadness, home sicknesses, and challenges along the way, but they have experienced overwhelming joy and satisfaction that they have served well and honorably. These are some of the finest emerging leaders in our day.

We went into the office on Monday (transfer day) and were able to see these sweet sisters who were leaving the mission on Tuesday. As a special treat, Sister Moore made us all a candy leis.

The sisters top: Sisters Foster, Moore, Anderson, Gaughan, and Frehner;
Sister and President Hammon. Front: Sister Sickels, and Reynolds. The wind was really blowing for this photo.

Sister Foster with Sister and President Hammon

At the airport: Sisters Hunt, Gaughan, Foster, Moore, Reynolds, Hernandez, and Hammon

"[These outgoing missionaries from the California Riverside Mission] had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men [and women] of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.

"But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God" (see Alma 17:2-3).

Yes, these are our missionaries!

President and Sister Hammon