An evening with four generations of mission presidents and spouses in the California Riverside Mission!

We recently enjoyed a delightful evening and dinner at John and Jana Mullen’s home in north Salt Lake. They had also invited Mel and Linda Reeves and Paul and Karen Smart. We all served as mission presidents and spouses in the California Riverside Mission and represent four generations of missionaries who served there. The following represents our times in the mission:

• Darrel and Joanne Hammon, 2017-2020
• John and Jana Mullen, 2014-2017
• Paul and Karen Smart, 2011-2014
• Melvyn and Linda Reeves, 2008-2011

Darrel and Joanne Hammon, John and Jana Mullen,
Paul and Karen Smart, and Mel and Linda Reeves

We had such a fun and enlightening time with them. They are all wonderful, spiritual, and powerful examples of disciples of Jesus Christ. President and Sister Reeves are currently serving as the President and Matron of the Bountiful Utah Temple. President and Sister Mullen are currently serving as a senior couple in the Missionary Department working with service missionaries in the north-central area.

Our conversations focused on the gospel, what we learned on our missions, funny and spiritual stories, miracles, and how the mission has changed over the years.

Sisters Smart, Reeves, Mullen, and Hammon

For example, President and Sister Reeves only had a few sister missionaries. Our mission was comprised of about 40% sister missionaries. President and Sister Reeves initiated conversations about having Mandarin-speaking missionaries, and we were the beneficiaries of those conversations and interventions because we had a Mandarin-speaking branch with several Mandarin-speaking missionaries.

In President and Sister Reeves' mission, the California Riverside Mission covered much of the current San Bernardino Mission (formerly the Redlands Mission). During President and Sister Smart's time, the age change for missionaries happened, and a few new missions were created, and some of their missionaries were assigned to the new missions, which was a challenging time to have these missionaries leave and go to another mission.

Presidents Hammon, Reeves, Smart, and Mullen

During our time, two of those missions collapsed, and we gained an additional 54 missionaries from those two missions. We also became a technology mission. Plus, COVID hit during that last four months of our mission. We all were part of major changes that strengthened us and helped us see the hand of the Lord in our lives and the lives of our missionaries.

We all expressed how we enjoyed watching the growth and development of these young men and women, from the moment they arrived to the mission to the final event/dinner/testimony meeting at the mission home when they prepared to go home. They had all become spiritual giants and incredible leaders, poised to do great things in their lives.

From the Mullen's street

One thing that we all agreed on was that changes were inevitable, and how you adapt to the changes will determine attitude and latitude. We all had wonderful missionaries in our missions and felt such love for all of them. We probably could have stayed all night, reminiscing, telling spiritual and miracle stories, and just enjoying the spiritual nature of the evening with wonderful people.

We truly enjoyed ourselves and the association with these incredible and loving leaders! We felt honored to be invited!

A view from the Mullen's deck overlooking part of the Salt Lake Valley