Running to the Finish Line

The month of June 2020 was a blurr. It was a combination of lots of meetings, preparations to leave the mission in good working order, lots of teaching, lots of preparations to head home, lots of goodbyes, lots of lasts, and lots and lots of emotions.  

Ever since the lock down in March I had been worrying that we wouldn't be able to gather with our missionaries in person before we went home.  We longed to be with them in person and teach them one last time.  Our prayers were answered in that the restrictions were lifted a bit and we could meet for small gatherings.  That meant that we couldn't gather 4 zones at a time for our final zone conferences, but we could gather in small groups, one zone at a time.  At first we thought we could only meet with one district at a time, and with 11 zones and 25 districts we wondered how that could be done, just with all of the time it was going to take.  It ended up that we were able to meet with each zone together and that was the greatest blessing.  I kind of longed for our big zone conference gatherings, and I really longed to hug each of our missionaries, but if Covid taught me anything, it was to be grateful for each opportunity we had to gather in any way.  We had quite a schedule to keep, but we had a wonderful, full, 5 days of zone conferences.  

Since we also couldn't do any food, we planned a very condensed version of zone conferences. We planned for two zones each day for 5 days. The first zone would come from 9-12 and the second zone would come from 1:30-4:30. We just had a training by the assistants and then Scott and I taught.  It was wonderful to be together, but it was also kind of exhausting doing each training twice in one day, for 5 days. But so so worth it to be able to gather. 

It was also emotionally draining saying goodbye to so many of our beloved missionaries.  We knew that for many of them, it would be the final time we would be together on the mission.  After each conference, we went into the cultural hall to take pictures. We would take a picture of each district together, and then we took an individual picture of each missionary with Scott and me. (I am just putting the district pictures in this blog, way too many individual pictures to include here). After the pictures I gave them all cookies I had made and individually bagged, we gave them all one of our birthday key chains, for any who hadn't already gotten one, and we had them sign our mission banner.  At the first of our mission I had two mission banners made.  One that hung in our mission home and departing missionaries would sign it, and one to keep for our last zone conferences where the currently serving missionaries could sign before we went home.  Then we had them sing our version of Called to Serve and As I Have Loved You, as we did at every zone conference lunch.  I cried every. single. time.  It was beautifully hard.  We love our missionaries, we love the church buildings we meet in, we love Sacramento, and we love this work. It is going to be VERY hard to leave.

This was our schedule:

Tuesday June 16: Deseret Building

    Carmichael Zone 9-12

    North Sac Zone 1:30-4:30

Wednesday June 17: Temple Hill

    El Dorado Zone 9-12

    Folsom and East Sac Zones 1:30-4:30

Thursday June 18: Wissemann Building

    Cordova Zone 9-12

    Sacramento Zone 1:30-4:30

Tuesday June 23: Vintage Park Building

    Elk Grove Zone 9-12

    Lodi Zone 1:30-4:30

Wednesday June 24: Brookside Building

    Stockton Zone 9-12

    Manteca Zone 1:30-4:30

Day 1

Carmichael Zone, Fair Oaks District

Elder Brown, Elder Paul, Elder Burnette, President Hymas, Sister Hymas, Sister Langford, Sister Sorensen, Sister Olsen, Sister Pace, Sister Lindsay, Sister Nicoll

Carmichael Zone, Carmichael District

Elder Radford, Elder Foster, Elder Wood, Elder Pitt, Elder Swainston, President Hymas, Sister Hymas, Hermana Bretzing, Hermana Rowland

North Sacramento Zone, North Sac 1st District

Elder Torbenson, Elder Keller, Elder Figueroa, Elder Burke, President Hymas, Sister Hymas, Sister Kengike, Sister Va'enuku, Elder Rawson, Elder Hawkins, Elder Moulton

North Sacramento Zone, North Sac 2nd District

Elder Xiong Elder Ly, Elder Oti, Elder Capron, President Hymas, Sister Hymas, Hermana Smith, Hermana Willden, Elder Farnworth, Elder Young

The assistants teaching a Companionship Unity lesson

Last batch of cookies, bagged and ready to go.  I figured I probably made around 5500 cookies that I gave out at interviews over three years. I figured it was only fitting to give them cookies one last time, on the last time we would be with them all.

Day 2

East Sacramento Zone

Elder Wilkes, Elder West, Elder Johnson, Elder Gibbs, Elder Maw, President Hymas, Sister Hymas, Elder Prentice, Elder Peterson, Elder Kleinhenz, Elder Christensen, Elder Blood

Folsom Zone

Elder Decker, Elder Atkinson, Elder Jones, Elder James, Elder Fuller, President Hymas, Sister Hymas, Sister Taylor, Sister Abraham, Sister Ballantine, Hermana Christensen, Sister Fink, Sister Fonoimoana

El Dorado Zone, El Dorado 1st District

Elder McLeod, Elder Primero, Elder Clark, Elder Staheli, Elder Thompson, President Hymas, Sister Hymas, Elder Vest, Elder Naegle, Hermana Fullmer, Hermana Perez

El Dorado Zone, El Dorado 2nd District

Elder Anderson, Elder Underhill, President Hymas, Sister Hymas, Sister Hutchins, Sister MacQueen, Elder Vave, Elder Taylor, Elder Grover, Elder Watson

Day 3

Cordova Zone, Cordova 1st District

Elder John, Elder Ficklin, Elder Simmons, Elder Jensen, Elder Bickmore, President Hymas, Sister Hymas, Sister Golightly, Sister Ferrin, Sister Ball, Sister Durfey

Cordova Zone, Cordova 2nd District

Elder Robbins, Elder Scholl, Elder Schoenman, President Hymas, Sister Hymas, Hermana Nelson, Hermana de Alemeida, Sister Romney, Sister Buettgenback

Cordova Zone singing to us

Sacramento Zone, Sacramento 1st District

Elder Rammell, Elder Quintana, Elder Geng, Elder Jergensen, President Hymas, Sister Hymas,

Sister Hunt, Sister Rew, Hermana Valdespino, Hermana Ashcroft, Sister Kassinger, Sister Slade

Sacramento Zone, Sacramento 2nd District

Elder Jones, Elder Dowell, Elder Wilson, Elder Blake, Elder Cooper, President Hymas, Sister Hymas, Sister Smith, Sister Asay, Sister Lee, Sister Rawlings, Sister Saole, Sister Peapealalo

Sister Kassinger knew one of my favorite candies are Reisens and she gave me this bowl of reisens with a note on each one of why I make her smile.  It was so sweet, and of course, it made me cry.  

The following week, we had two more days of conferences, but on Monday I had a virtual Sister's Conference.  It was planned to be in person, but there were just too many of us to gather so I had to be creative and do it over zoom.  I was planning on having another sister's clothing exchange and I had bags of my clothes that I had gone through and was planning to leave behind. I was going to let them all take what they wanted at the Sister's P Day but since we weren't meeting there I just took them to the office and set them out on tables and told all of the sisters they could come to the office and take what they wanted.  Apparently, that was a lot of fun for them. Sister Mair said so many sisters came and they were trying things on and remembering where they had seen me in this or that. She said even sisters who didn't fit into anything still took something of mine to remember me by.  That made my heart happy. 

Our zoom Sister's P Day looked different from those we have held in person, but the spirit isn't constrained by technology and we felt it as we talked about important things. Truths about how God feels about His daughters, what He knows we can become, and how He gives us access to His priesthood power because He loves us. And how, if we stay focused on Jesus Christ, everything is going to be ok.  And we all shared truths we know for sure and lots and lots of love. It was such a special time, and although we longed to be together in person one last time as sisters, the spirit and the love was felt strongly over zoom.  How we adore these beautiful bonus daughters of ours. 

Just look at those beautiful smiles, and all of that love!

We finished up our conferences that Tuesday and Wednesday.

Day 4

Elk Grove Zone, Elk Grove 2nd District

Elder Haynie, Elder Jex, Elder Smith, Sister Lewis, Sister Ritchie, Sister Hymas, President Hymas, Elder Luke, Elder Klimes

Elk Grove Zone, Elk Grove 1st District

Elder Baker, Elder Denton, Elder Palmer, Elder Duron, President Hymas, Sister Hymas, Sister Henderson, Sister Stuart, Elder Walkenhorst, Elder Franz

Assistant's companionship unity activity

Lodi Zone, Lodi 1st District

Elder Johnson, Elder Feldman, Elder Miller, Elder Manger, Elder Houghton, President Hymas, Sister Hymas, Sister Southam, Sister Bingham, Hermana Beck, Hermana Danneman, Sister Bodily, Sister Brandley

Lodi Zone, Lodi 2nd District

Elder Lawrence, Elder Carman, Elder Motes, Elder Christensen, President Hymas, Sister Hymas, Elder Brock, Elder Fry, Elder Bartlett

Grabbing a quick lunch in between the two sessions. We had to get our favorite tacos that were right across the street from the Vintage Park building

Day 5

Stockton Zone, Stockton 2nd District

Elder Warnock, Elder Lee, Elder Lawrence, Elder Farmer, President Hymas, Sister Hymas, Sister Prettyman Sister Smith, Elder Biggs, Elder Hancock

Stockton Zone, Stockton 1st District

Elder Erb, Elder Luque, Elder Ashcroft, Elder Betancourt, Elder Ammons, Elder Fuller, President Hymas, Sister Hymas, Hermana Hall, Hermana Rose, Hermana Clark

Manteca Zone, Manteca 1st District

Elder Ruiz, Elder Ferrin, Elder Dawe, Elder Buckley, Elder Rowland, President Hymas, Sister Hymas, Sister Styers, Sister Smith, Elder Johnson, Elder Seely

Manteca Zone, Manteca 2nd District

Elder Belnap, Elder Fonua, Elder Bott, Elder Norton, President Hymas, Sister Hymas, Sister Hamilton, Sister Bonnett, Sister Jones, Sister Davis

After we took pictures with the Manteca Zone, our very last ever zone conference, they sang the normal songs and then, to our surprise, finished with God Be With You Til We Meet Again. I was a mess, but will never forget the spirit and the love we felt. And the gratitude that we were given the opportunity to love and care for so many wonderful missionaries with whom we will have an eternal bond.

The assistants got a taste of their own medicine when they had to try the comp unity activity

Our Faithful assistants, we couldn't have done it without them. Elder Pitt, Elder Swainston and Elder Wood

Another quick lunch on the run

Once our Zone Conference meetings were over, the next day, Thursday, we were on to the next item facing us and that was the next month's transfers.  We told President and Sister Zimmerman that we would do the transfer board for their first transfer since it would be just two weeks after they arrived in the mission.  That was the same transfer schedule we had and it was really overwhelming to do a transfer board for the first time ever, not knowing anyone, or even any of the zones.  And we had 135 missionaries when we arrived, they would have close to 235. We knew it was going to be a big job, we normally would meet at our home on transfer day, but the house was all packed up, and we had to be at the office that day anyway, so we did it at the office. We had never had a transfer board that wouldn't fit on one page. 

We knew it was going to be brutal, we had talked with our assistants about how we needed to come prepared to battle, and they were ready with their 'helmets' on. We had a good laugh about that one!

On Friday of that week we were able to have a 4 week new missionary meeting with the new missionaries and their trainers. We met in person because there weren't that many of them.

We then were able to have our final Mission Leadership Council on June 26 in person, though masked and socially distanced, at the Wissemann Building.  There was no lunch, like we would have normally had, but again, we were just so grateful to be able to gather these wonderful mission leaders in person for one last MLC.  What a blessing they are to us, and to the mission. 

We passed the torch to them, to maintain the mission culture we worked so hard to develop over the past three years, and to welcome President and Sister Zimmerman with open arms and open hearts.

Leaving the Wissemann Building in Cordova for the last time. This was my favorite tree when it was in bloom, and we spent SO many hours at this building. It was a home away from home for us, and we had so many special and sacred meetings at this building. It's even hard to say goodbye to buildings we have grown to love. 

Our last Saturday in the mission we were able to have one final 10:00 devotional. We had stopped doing them for the last few weeks of the mission because we didn't want the Zimmerman's to come in and either think they had to start doing them, or the missionaries to be bugged that they stopped right at they arrived.  But we did one final one thanks to Elder Foster Johnson.  He called me about a week before and asked if we could do one more with a man named Dusty Smith. He was someone he had heard about and reached out to him on Facebook and asked him if he would do a devotional for our mission. He had left the church and been very anti for many years and then had a miraculous re-conversion story. We were a bit skeptical at first, but we checked him out and he was really legit. Scott called him and had a great conversation, so we were able to have him come, and had one last devotional right before we left.  He was incredible.

Another wonderful thing about June is that we could start having baptisms at the churches again. We had to keep them small, but how grateful we were that we could start doing them again.  I can't even begin to figure how many baptisms we were able to attend in our three years in Sacramento, we did go to a baptism the very first Saturday we were in the mission, and we were able to attend a baptism on the very last Saturday we were in the mission.  We were able to go to Lodi to see Eldon baptized.  We met Elden at a gathering in our ward, he was dating a lady in our ward. Scott talked to him a lot about having the missionaries teach him and he agreed.  He stopped dating the lady in our ward, but kept meeting with the missionaries and his was the last baptism we attended before we came home. 

One very special baptism we were able to attend in June was the baptism of Bill Burns and his wife.  We had taught Bill earlier in the year with some sweet sisters. There were a lot of things that had to happen before he could get baptized and Scott was the one who had to make those things happen.  It was complicated, but he kept in touch with him and visited him and interviewed him numerous times. When the approval for him to be baptized came through he asked Scott if he would be the one to baptize him. Bill was the only person he physically baptized on our mission and it was so special that he was able to do it before we went home. We had prayed hard that he could get baptized before we went home, but didn't think Scott would be the one to baptize him. It was a special experience for us. 

Missionary work during a global pandemic

When you are a missionary during a global pandemic things tend to look a little different than ever before.  We are still not going to church in California, we are mostly working from home, and we are getting a lot of newly reassigned missionaries joining our ranks.  Gratefully, our Area Presidency just this week has given new directions that allow our missionaries to start doing service for people, we are asking them to try to do service outside or for a reputable charity. They are also allowed to teach members and friends, if invited into their homes.  There is still no door knocking or street contacting, and they are not to ask if they can come to a home and teach, but if invited they can do it, as long as they wear a mask and social distance. We prefer them teaching in this order, first in a church, second outside, and third inside a home. We have also been given the go ahead to have in person District Councils.  It is amazing how by giving them just a few more things they can do makes such a difference.  We are grateful they have been given a few more things they can do, but are also always concerned for the health and safety of our missionaries.  These new guidelines were introduced the first week of June. Prior to that we were still in a pretty tight lockdown, so we continued to have missionaries teach us over Facebook Messenger or Zoom. 

We loved our missionary lessons, and the spirit each companionship brought into our home.  It was also a great time to have some one on one time with each of our missionaries.  The last week of May we were taught by:

 Sister Hamilton and Sister Davis

 Hermana Nelson and Hermana Christensen

 Elder Lawrence and Elder Farmer

 Elder Scholl, Elder Robbins and Elder Schoeneman

 Sister Lee and Sister Hansen.  Sister Hansen came to us as a reassigned missionary from Taiwan.  She was only here for about 4 weeks when we got word she was heading back to Taiwan. We were so sad to see her go, but happy for her.  Although she was sad and happy too.  When President called to tell her she was going back she started to cry. She said she had prayed to go back to Taiwan but also that she would love where she was reassigned to. She said, I got both of my prayers answered. I love it here and feel like I still have work to do, I don't really want to go back.  We are so grateful she came to us, we miss her here but know she is doing good work in Taiwan again. 

 Sister Sorenson and Sister Langford

 Elder Simmons and Elder Jensen

Elder Burnett and Elder Ficklin

Elder Kleinhenz, Elder Lawrence and Elder Maw

Hermana Perez, Hermana Johnson and Hermana Fullmer

We also continued our daily devotionals each morning at 10:00. What a blessing those have been to us and to our missionaries. We get to see them daily. Every morning we start out with 'Good Morning Elders and Sisters, it's great to see you all this morning!' We have been so blessed to have so many wonderful people who have been willing to spend an hour with our missionaries and help them in more ways than they could ever imagine. I think all of our testimonies have grown, our appreciation for the gospel and our Savior and His Atonement. 

 Dick and Brenda Miles: They served as Mission President and Companion and Sister Miles is President Nelson's daughter and she told some great stories of her dad. 

We were blessed to have Hank Smith teach us.  Our missionaries went nuts when they realized who was on our devotional for that day. One thing I loved that he talked about was how when Jesus said 'be of good cheer' it was a commandment, not a pep talk. Train your brain to see good things, look for the hand of God in your life.

Elder Wood, Elder Pitt and Elder Swainston taught on how to use the Church's new Ed App, which helps with online proselyting. We are blessed to have so many tools at our disposal. Of course, they are young and figured out how to break into smaller discussion groups. The missionaries loved it. 

Ganel-Lynn Conde is a friend of our office Sister Smith and she agreed to speak to us, it was a great discussion about helping others through challenges.

Stephen Sharp Nelson, the cellist from the Piano Guys is the uncle of our Hermana Nelson and he graciously accepted our invitation to speak to us.  He had so many great things to talk about, the destructive nature of comparison, defending our faith, being faith filled rather than fear filled. So so good.

Scott and I did another devotional. I talked about What I know for sure, and Scott talked about lessons from Nephi and Lehi in Helaman 3-5, growing up unto the Lord

Elder Whiting did a virtual mission tour on June 10, he did a meeting with us and President and Sister Zimmerman at 9:00 a.m., a Mission Leadership Council at 10:00 and a Zone Conference with the entire mission from 10-12. 

Jeff and Heidi Swinton spoke on miracles, some experiences of her writing President Monson's biography while she was on a mission (I can't even imagine) and how faith in Jesus Christ allows us to do what we have been asked to do. 

Our friends from the Silva Valley Ward, Jared and Julie Danielson spoke on the power of the rescue and the power of member missionary work.

Stephen Clark continued to teach us important principles as our mission institute teacher.  I think all in all he taught about 7 of our devotionals. He is very beloved in our mission and taught us so much.

Steve Lund, the General Young Men's president spoke to us about the blessing and honor and privilege it is to be a missionary, on the front lines, with the God of Israel going before us. We are part of the greatest thing that has ever gone on in the history of the world.

We had Brother Bruce Pitt speak to us a second time, he spoke about covenants. A covenant is a binding promise to live, think and act in a certain way-in the way of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. 

June 1-3 were transfers and we had a big one.  We were receiving 32 new missionaries over the course of 3 days, with missionaries coming in on three different flights for three different days.  We had a planning meeting with our assistants, and with our office staff to figure it all out.  I said we needed a supply chain expert to get all of the missionaries where they needed to be, when they needed to be there.  It was quite the feat. I had typed up a paper with all of the assignments for everyone, it was all hands on deck.  We were going to the airport, Elder Mair and Elder Smith had airport runs, and the assistants had times they were on pick up duty.  We hate to not be at the airport when new arrivals come, but with this many we had no choice because we had to be training new missionaries at the same time more new missionaries were arriving.  Sister Mair and Sister Smith were on food duty, and the Bartletts were doing a million different things with medical and bikes and transportation, etc.  Everyone had a job and everyone did their jobs incredibly well.  This was the transfer schedule I put together.

It was crazy, but with everyone's help, it all worked out. Especially with the Lord's help!

We always take our assistants out to lunch the day we do our transfer planning, we started going to Jimmy Johns at the first of our mission, but when we found Mr Pickle, we quickly switched and have gone there ever since.  It seriously is the best sandwich I have ever had, and I only wish we would have found it sooner.  This time we brought it back to the office and tried to eat (socially distanced as much as possible) and work at the same time.

We welcomed Elder Pitt and Elder Wood to replace Elder Balser who was going home this transfer.

Monday was the first trial run of our three day transfer. We had four sisters who were arriving and they were all coming in on Monday so we decided to transfer all of the sisters in the mission on Monday instead of waiting until Tuesday like we usually do.  It worked really well and make Tuesday go a little smoother as well, only having the elders transfer on that day. 

Hermana Bretzing and Hermana Rowland made this darling sign and hung it in the gym where the new missionaries could see it.  It was such a nice gesture, something they could do to help these wonderful missionaries who had been reassigned to the Cal Sac Mission.  Our mission goal was to be the most welcoming mission in the world for these missionaries to land. I think we did a pretty good job. We picked up the first group and they were met at the church with a delicious lunch, and this pattern was repeated 9 times!  Bless Sister Mair and Sister Smith!

Hermana Rowland's cousin, Elder Rowland was reassigned to our mission. It was fun for them to meet up, but hard for them to not give each other a big hug!

The first of our Monday groups: Sister Romney, Sister Jones, Sister Fonoimoana and Elder Rowland

Our Second Monday Transfer Group: Elder Jergensen, Elder Rowland, Elder Farnworth, Elder John, Elder Belnap, Elder Bott, Elder Carman and Elder James

Sister di Almedia came in later that night and our first day was finally done, Time for a quick sleep and back at it, with our regular transfers on Tuesday morning bright and early.  When we got home that night I had time to set the table and ensure that all was ready for our departing dinner Tuesday night. 

Scott and I made our first airport run at 11:00 a.m. and got back to get our first group trained and to get transfers started

Sister di Almedia, Elder Wilkes, Elder Southwick, Elder Paul (who came from Mike and Cristin Strong's mission in Peru) and Elder Biggs

Our second group arrived at 4:00 p.m. and consisted of Elder Rawson, Elder Luke Elder Christensen, Elder Lund and Elder Naegle

Then it was off to our house to have our very last ever departing dinner.

We initiated Elder Pitt into the apron club, and since it was the last one, Elder Wood and Elder Swainston decided to wear my aprons, one last time.

California limited in person gatherings to 10. We were so grateful that we were small enough to legally gather, since we couldn't last transfer. I would have been devastated if we hadn't been able to have our last departing dinner in our home. It was a sacred night that is hard to put into words, but will forever be in my heart.  Needless to say, I cried through the whole testimony meeting. I am going to miss this more than I have words to express. 

We have watched well over 300 missionaries sign this banner on their last night in the mission. This time it was our turn, and I wasn't prepared for how emotional it was going to be to sign our own banner. 

Our last departing group: President Hymas, Sister Hymas, Hermana Osmond, Hermana Johnson, Elder Balser, Elder Allred, Elder Hart, Elder Peterson

Hermana Osmond and Hermana Johnson had early morning (6:00) am flights, which meant we left our home at 3:30 so they stayed the night at our house.It was crazy, we got Hermana Osmond to the airport and went back to the office, with Hermana Johnson in tow. We were taking her back in an hour when we got word that her flight had been cancelled and she was not getting back to Florida that day. Everyone except for her about died. Sister Mair worked her magic and got her on the flight out the next morning.  Such is the life on transfers during Covid.

Hermana Osmond

Elder Hart's parents picked him up so we got to meet them

Saying goodbye to Elder Balser. These four got us through the last few months!

Elder Hart

Elders Peterson, Allred, and Balser

Elder Balser

Elder Allred

Elder Peterson

We didn't have too much time to cry and be sad because we had 3 more groups of missionaries coming in that day and we had to pick up, train and get them to their areas. No time for sentimentality when there is still much work to be done.

                                              Picking up Elder Duron and Elder Cooper

And our last group of this never ending transfer: Elder Jones, Elder Taylor, Elder Baker, Elder Peterson and Elder Haynie. Once we got them settled, we drove to Sacramento to say a real goodbye to Hermana Johnson who would be heading out at 4 a.m. the next morning.

And.... we did it. Over three days we welcomed 30 amazing new and reassigned missionaries. Who arrived on 11 different flights and 2 parent drop offs. 6 orientation meetings. 6 meals. While at the same time doing the rest of the mission's transfers over 2 days and 3 more airport runs with departing missionaries. Thanks to our incredible senior couples, Elder and Sister Mair, Elder and Sister Bartlett and Elder and Sister Smith, and our amazing assistants Elders Balser, Swainston, Wood and Pitt, we pulled it off.  It was a logistical sight to behold. When we got back to the office after seeing Hermana Johnson, we walked in and saw this....

It made us laugh right out loud, but it couldn't have been more indicative of how we all felt.  They say a picture is worth a thousand words.