"Endure to the End"

Dear Family and Loved Ones,

     This past week was packed, especially the weekend.  I’m off to a late start with our weekly letter but wanted to at least get off a quick e-mail to share some of the amazing highlights of the last week.

     Ben and Mari had a wonderful experience at our Stake Pioneer Trek.  The theme of the trek was “Endure to the End”.  The trek was held at Riley Farms, in Oak Glen, California.  The Rileys have an apple orchard and farm, they also host field trips to the farm where they have living history activities for school children.  They reenact Civil War and Revolutionary War events and also have a California Gold Rush experience that kids can participate in.  During the summer the Rileys, who are members of the Church, take youth groups on a pioneer trek at the farm.  They provide all of the equipment, activities and food!  Ben was very impressed with Brother Riley he said that he is very spiritual and that he gave them a great talk about listening to the Spirit.  There were times when Brother Riley didn’t heed some promptings and he ended up having some serious accidents that could have been prevented.  He encouraged the youth to not make the same mistake and to listen to those quiet warnings.

     The trek fireside last night was wonderful, many of the youth shared their feelings about the event and it was evident that their faith had been strengthened as they walked in the footsteps of their ancestors.  Nearly everyone mentioned that a spiritual highlight was pulling their carts up “Testimony Hill”.  It’s evident that we grow the most when we are tried. The hill is very steep and it required a lot of effort and teamwork to get the carts to the top.  It was easy to see that being a pioneer takes a lot of hard work and enduring to the end.

     I was able to spend a few days in Utah, I went to witness a sealing at the Bountiful Temple.  It was great to be in the temple with so many family members.  Of course I loved every minute I was able to spend with our children and darling granddaughters!  Another highlight was visiting with my Dad who is an amazing example of someone who continues to endure to the end.  At eighty five he is still working at the temple, takes care of himself, manages his home and business and does all he can to keep his family united and on track. He is a great example to all of us!

     This past weekend was the 75th Anniversary of the Long Beach Stake. It originally was comprised of the wards in Palo Verde, Downey, Long Beach, Anaheim and Santa Ana (there may be more cities but that is all I can remember). That same area now is many Stakes and three missions of the Church.  Unfortunately we weren’t able to participate in the festivities held on Friday.  They had dancing, skits and also celebrated the diversity of the Stake, which is made up of brothers and sisters of many ethnicities, predominately Polynesian and Hispanic. Saturday evening many of the past Presidents of the Stake spoke in the adult conference session.  These are great, loyal men, who served well and continue to endure to the end.

     Last night we had a departing missionary fireside. Our twelve Elders who complete their missions this transfer invited their converts and those they are currently working to come to a testimony meeting at the chapel adjoining the mission office.  The meeting was very well attended and everyone loved hearing from the missionaries and enjoying some musical numbers performed by some of our talented musicians in the Long Beach Mission. We heard about this idea from our nephew Riley Edgington and others so we decided to give it a try.  The results were great and we will now make it a Long Beach tradition. Our twelve departing Elders will be arriving at the mission home shortly for dinner and a final testimony meeting.  They have endured well, teaching up to the end.  They can feel the satisfaction of knowing that the Lord is pleased with their sacrifice.

We are grateful to you for your love, support and prayers!

  The Long Beach Buberts