And I'm a Mormon

Dear Family and Loved Ones,

We had another amazing week but very different from most.  Weds. Ted and I drove to San Diego to attend a Mission President's Seminar which was held at the Bahia Hotel on Mission Bay.  The Mission Presidents and their wives from America West and America North West Areas of the Church were invited, those two areas have twenty six missions.  We spent three amazing days being fed (spiritually, emotionally and physically).  President Whitney Clayton, Elder Shayne Bowen and their wives were the hosts, they are AMAZING!  We asked ourselves many times, "what are we doing here amongst these incredible people"?  It was humbling to say the least.

Some of my favorite power statements from the seminar were:
"All that is unfair about this life will be made right through the atonement."
"The tongues of angels is saying what Christ would have us say."
"You have the Holy Ghost, get to work."
"Starve your problems, feed your successes."
"Turn your missionaries to the Lord."

Of course the list could go on and on  . . . 

Another highlight of the seminar was learning about the great results coming out of mormon.org.  Since our missionaries don't get a chance to get online, except to write e-mails, most of them are unfamiliar with the Church's new site and aren't referring their contacts to take a look at the new web page.  Have you had taken the time to look at Mormon.org?  It is GREAT!  I especially love the "portraits" about members of the Church from all around the world and from many different backgrounds.  They tell about their lives (which are all amazing) and end by saying, "And I'm a Mormon".  There has been a very good response to these messages.  The Church also encourages each of us to put our own profile on the site (the goal is to have 100,000) and to be prepared to respond to questions that may be directed to us. We live in a day when most people get their information online and this is one of the ways the Gospel message will be spread to many who won't open their doors to the missionaries. We will be encouraging our missionaries to send their contacts to the site.

A minister in Texas told his congregation that they should not look at mormon.org.  Many of the women of his church discovered the site and were angry with the minister.  They said, "you told us that Mormons aren't Christian but we went to mormon.org and found out for ourselves that they believe in Jesus Christ".

If you aren't sure how to share the Gospel you could start by getting your profile on mormon.org and sending your friends to that site to take a look.

While we were sitting in meetings Ben and Mari were being thoroughly entertained by the Edgingtons and Boswells who took them to the Queen Mary, Disneyland and Sea World.  They had a GREAT time!  We didn't get much time with all of us together, but enjoyed a bit of time Saturday night and Sunday afternoon before they had to head back to Utah.

Sunday Ted and I spoke at the Huntington Beach Stake Conference.  The leaders of our stakes are so capable, they are men of God and dedicated to their callings.  A couple who joined the Church less than a year ago spoke,  you would think they were life long members.  They expressed joy in finding the gospel and for their new life style that makes them much better people.

Sunday night Mari and I attended a baptism in the Park Ward (Cambodian speaking ward), those baptized shared their feelings and expressed how grateful they were to feel clean, to start a new life and to be on the path that will take them back to their Heavenly Father.  That is what missionary work is all about, helping our brothers and sisters find their way home.

We love you all!
The Long Beach Buberts

P.S.  We are not just surviving early morning seminary, Ben and Mari love it!