Letter from President and Sister Smart

As many of you may know, Jon was called to serve in the California Riverside Mission.  Subsequent to his mission call, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced the formation of 58 new missions.  Part of that process was through realigning of current missions and the California Riverside Mission was part of that realignment.  This change will go into effect July 1, 2013.  Below is the email we received from President Smart of the Riverside Mission explaining the changes: 

Dear Brother and Sister Wixom,

Last February the First Presidency announced the creation of 58 new missions.  That announcement included modifications to the California Riverside Mission boundaries. Beginning in July, those boundary changes will move four of our zones (Palm Desert, Redlands, Yucaipa and Yucca Valley) into the California Redlands Mission.  A fifth zone (Murrieta) will transition to the California Carlsbad Mission.  Seven zones (Corona, Hemet, Jurupa, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Moreno Valley and Riverside) will remain in the California Riverside Mission.

Separating our mission into three pieces has been a difficult assignment for us, even though we realize the growth and opportunity it represents for the progress and maturity of the Church here.  With this change, about 40% of the missionaries we currently serve with will be working in a different mission with a different mission president.  This is a hard thing for us; kind of like sending about 100 of our own "adopted" children off to the mission field, all on the same day.  I tried to describe the change to our missionaries as a "longer transfer than normal" and look forward to having opportunities to see everyone from time-to-time when we finish our missions.

Beginning in July please begin sending mail to Elder Wixom to the following address:
Elder Jonathon D. Wixom
California Carlsbad Mission Office  
451 W Bobier  
Vista, CA   92083.

We love Elder Wixom, and have loved serving with him.  He brings great strength to the work here and our association with him has been a great blessing to us as well as all those he has served.  Thank you for your love and support.

Sincerely,


President and Sister Smart