Divine Signatures

Dear Family and Loved Ones,

Another Transfer is here - that means five of our precious missionaries are finishing their missions today and fourteen new missionaries arrive tomorrow.  This is always an exciting time in the mission but their are also a lot of mixed emotions.  One of our Elders sent a little message last night saying "It was a great mission.  My last day doing full time missionary work." These missionaries have dedicated everything to the Lord's work, now they will move forward with school, career and marriage.  They are worried about making the transition but they will take all of the incredible skills and they have learned in the mission and apply them to their new lives and find great success and joy.

We had Ward Conference yesterday, it was great.  Our wards and stakes are very strong.  Our ward Relief Society President gave a wonderful lesson so I wanted to thank her for her thoughts. She loves to read so I offered to lend her my copy of Elder Lund's book "Divine Signatures".  She told me she already has the book and is in the middle of reading it.  She then said I have a story that needs to be added to the book.  Elder Lund defines divine signatures as, "blessings that come in such an unusual manner and with such precise timing that they accomplish something in addition to blessing us.  They so clearly confirm the reality of God's existence that they buoy us up in times of trial." I think the story Sister Ahlstrom shared certainly qualifies as a divine signature.  Sister Ahlstom's future daughter-in-law lost her Mom when she was sixteen.  Her Father remarried last year and they now have a blended family of ten children.  They have been making plans for the upcoming wedding and decided that they would love to have all of the girls in matching dresses.  They found dresses to purchase for the older girls but they couldn't find dresses to match for the three youngest sisters.  The step Mom decided she would have to have them made.  They had recently moved into a new ward so she asked if there was anyone who could help her with her sewing project.  Someone recommended a less active sister in the ward, they said she was an expert seamstress.  The step Mom went to visit the sister to ask for her help.  As they were visiting and getting to know each other the woman became emotional she said, "I knew the mother of these three girls, she was one of my best friends." She said that years earlier at a service auction she had pledged to make three matching dresses for her friend's three daughters.  Now years later she was able to complete that promise and make the matching dresses. Each person involved in this experience felt the hand of God in their lives.

Recognizing God's hand in our lives brings us closer to Him.  He is aware of each of us and often brings about miraculous events to let us know how very close He is and how involved He is in the details of our lives. 

We see His hand very often here in the mission.  The missionaries are called to our mission by inspiration and each of their assignments are made by inspiration. We love hearing about the miracles they see each day. 

May each of you see Our Father's hand in your lives.  I know He loves and cares for each of His children.

Thank you for all your love, prayers and support,
The Long Beach Buberts