It's a Gift

We walked in to zone interviews the other day and found

Elder Zung and Elder Merriman reading their scriptures.  

Elder Zung, from China, was reading in English while 

Elder Merriman, from Utah, was studying his scriptures in Chinese.  

We don't stop to think often enough about the miracle that

takes place everyday in the mission as elders and sisters

serve in Spanish, Chinese and American Sign Language.  

Senior FHE: Goodbye and Hello

With Sister Malmberg's creative hand the tables are set and ready

for Senior Family Home Evening which is held once every six weeks. 

This was a night to say "Good-bye" to Elder and Sister Puskas 

and to welcome Elder and Sister Cook.  

We are blessed to have twelve full time senior missionaries

and nineteen part-time senior missionaries currently

serving in the mission with two more full time missionaries due to arrive

next month!  Below are Sister and Elder Heaton.  

Home Evening dinner is planned "pot luck".  We have some 

great cooks and dinners are always fantastic!

Our wonderful senior missionaries.  Truly, the mission would not run

without them!  The tend to finances, vehicles, housing, and health.  They 

also serve in specifically assigned wards.

After dinner we gathered to hear the testimonies 

of the Puskases' and the Cooks.  

We miss every missionary who leaves the mission, young or senior 

(notice we didn't say "old").  It's always hard to say good-bye.

Everyone will miss the Puskases.  

We are grateful for the Cook's and look forward to getting to know them.

Front row left to right:  Elder and Sister Puskas - departing

Sister and Elder Cook - newly arrived.  

Just Checking In

About three weeks after they arrive in the field, 

new missionaries and their companions gather

for the Trainer / Trainee Meeting.  It's a time for new 

missionaries who came together to see each other after

being scattered through the mission working in

their new assignments.  It's a time of training, but 

as often happens in the mission, it's  also a time to greet and eat.  

Sister Lineback and Sister Banks.  Three weeks

into their companionship, and they're already 

starting to look like each other!  

Look closely at this picture to see a very consistent

taste preference for Riverside Missionaries.  

We always have milk, but they always choose 

orange juice.  Is it loyalty to the most important

crop grown in Riverside?  

We're not sure what prompts the disappearance of 

the biscuits with honey butter, but they go as

quickly as the orange juice is drunk!

Breakfast is winding down.  Almost trim for training to begin.

Their comments in the meetings show that in only three weeks 

these new missionaries have grown a great deal and are well

on their way to becoming capable, diligent missionaries.  

MLC, It's a Work of Heart

Missionary work is aptly titled... it is work!  In addition to 

all they do in their regular service the missionaries of 

the Mission Leadership Council put in many extra hours

seeing that the mission runs smoothly, helping to train and encourage 

other missionaries, going on exchanges, making calls, etc. 

Here are the elders and sisters who served as zone leaders, 

district leaders and sister training leaders during this transfer. 

Plenty of work and training gets done at MLC meetings.  

Many lunches are working lunches where missionaries

have topics of discussion to cover while they eat. 

It doesn't slow them down much.  Here is what an MLC 

can do to four of the biggest pizzas you will ever see!  Add

some green salad and top that off with brownies and they're

ready for the second half of the day.  

Our very capable sister training leaders.  

After the meeting is over there's time to take a few pictures...

Talk over some additional thoughts...

And it's back to work!  Many thanks to the leaders who have

served this transfer.  

# Hallelujah

On Sunday, March 13, the Church began a worldwide initiative,

 #Hallelujah.  This initiative focuses on our witness to the world that 

Jesus Christ completed his earthly ministry and lives today.  

To help the missionaries prepare to share this message 

we held two training sessions, one on each side of the mission.  

The opening song for these training session was 

"I Know That My Redeemer Lives."  

It was a powerful experience to be with so 

many missionaries singing this hymn.  

 

The missionaries saw the new video, 

completed training using a powerpoint presentation, 

and brainstormed ideas on how they could use this initiate 

in their wards to help members introduce their friends 

to the mission of Jesus Christ.

First New Missionaries of 2016

January 19 the first group of new missionaries for 2016 arrived.

Sisters Bedingfield, Rodriguez and Banks

Elders Gallagher and Braunstadter

New missionaries always mark their home on either the 

United States or the world maps.

Sister Banks, Elder Gallagher, and Elder Braunstader. 

Missionaries from many places!

The new elders and sisters had been up since 2:00 a.m.!  They

were still smiling though.   We had a quick lunch before 

training began. 

Getting acquainted.  

Dueling cameras.  Everyone in the mission has a camera.  We

often find ourselves taking pictures of someone who is taking

pictures of us! 

It was a small group that gathered for the companion assignment

and testimony meeting.

Sisters. 

Elders.

Senior missionaries keeping us anchored on the back row!

Elder and Sister Just in front, Elder Hall,

Sister and Elder Puskas. 

Just before the meeting began... Pres. Mullen, Elder Mock,

and Elder Westenskow.  

New Companions

Sister Banks (R) from Texas and her companion, Sister Lineback

Sister Bedingfield (R) from Utah and her companion, Sister Cozzens

Elder Braunstadter (R) from Nevada and his companion, 

Elder Murphy

Elder Gallagher (L) from Mississippi and his companion, Elder Beck

Sister Rodriguez (R) from Texas and her companion, Sister Blanchard.

Welcome to the California Riverside Mission!

One and Done, But Not Exactly

This transfer only one missionary went home.  

Elder Greenberg came to Riverside with sister missionaries.
At the end of eighteen months they went home.  Elder Greenberg
completed his service on February 8th.  We wanted him to have
the same experienceas everyone else who goes home, sharing
memories with fellowmissionaries and celebrating together, so
we invited him to invite other missionaries to come to the
outgoing dinner with him.  When Elder Greenberg arrived at the
mission home at 4:00 p.m.it was pretty quiet, but as the specially
invited guests began to arrive at 4:30 lots of energy came with them.

The energy of the arrival carried into dinner where elders filled

the dining room.  (Side note:  the mission home had had to be 

repiped. An hour before this photo was taken all the dining room 

furniture was pushed to one side and Bro. Johnson was painting

the walls and ceiling so the furniture could be put back in place!)

Elder and Sister Puskas will be leaving the mission in March

before the next transfer.  The also came  for dinner and to

 share their out-going testimonies.  This photo is just 

before the meeting began.    

All the elders who came were invited to share brief testimonies.

Senior missionaries love to come to these meeting.  The Spirit

is always keenly felt, and it is wonderful to feel the strength of 

those who share their testimonies.  Sister Pendleton, one of the

mission nurses, and Sister and Elder Hall are shown here.  

After the meeting.  

Elder Greenburg checks out a photo on his camera.  

Tuesday morning Elder Greenburg in his "group going home" photo.

We wish him every success as he returns to his family.