Stay in the Ship

 Dear Family and Loved Ones, 

     This past week was amazing! We especially enjoyed being in Stake Conference with Elder Holland. 

     Ben and Mari finished their last full week of school. This week they have two days of reviews and two days of finals – they are ready to be done. Knowing that their friends are already on Summer break in Utah makes them a little more anxious to be finished for the year. They’ve done well in their classes, they’ve worked hard and need some time off from their studies.

     Wednesday we had a training meeting with our Zone Leaders and District Leaders. They are all outstanding missionaries but I still marvel at how new they all are in the mission. It just goes to show that these young people are so capable when they are given the chance to step up and take on big responsibilities. 

     Saturday night we drove to Whittier Stake for the adult session of Stake Conference. Elder Holland and Elder Bassett (Fifth Quorum of the Seventy) were there to reorganize the Stake. It was amazing to shake hands with an apostle and to have him ask, “How are things in the great Long Beach Mission?” Elder Holland took time to visit with Ben, Mari and Shelly. He couldn’t resist reaching out and touching Ben’s hair, which is naturally a little spiky when it is cut short. He said, “Ouch, I think I’m bleeding.” The whole night really felt like a dream. 

    The conference was amazing. Several members from the Stake gave short talks and Ted was asked to share his testimony. Elder Bassett and Elder Holland took the rest of the time, about 45 minutes. The chapel and cultural hall were filled (unusual for an adult session of conference). The counselor in the Stake Presidency acknowledged that there were a few visitors when he welcomed the members from the Whittier Stake, the former members of the Whittier Stake and those who wished they were members of the Whittier Stake :) Some of the visitors included our five senior missionary couples and the Ted’s assistants. 

     Sunday we were asked to speak in another Stake (Cypress Stake) for their general session of Stake Conference. The Cypress Stake is amazing, it is the most organized, well run Stake I’ve ever seen. The Stake President is a great teacher and always gives wonderful, timely talks which I really look forward to. Some of the hot button topics he has addressed in the conferences we have attended are; Intimacy and Same Sex Attraction, Grace, and yesterday’s topic, Vicarious Temple Work. Each of those talks was very well prepared and doctrinally sound. One of our Senior Missionary Couples have actually used copies of his talks to help less active members they are working with who are struggling with these issues. 

     Ted and I were both asked to speak. I was sitting next to the Stake Primary President who also spoke. She was literally shaking with nerves. She asked me if I was nervous and I told her I used to be as nervous as she seemed to be but speaking so often has really helped me overcome my fear. She gave one of the best talks I have ever heard on following the example of the Savior. I’m glad she was willing to depend on the Lord for the strength to share her testimony and insights. We were all blessed by her faith. 

     Back to the Whittier Stake Conference, when Elder Holland got up to speak he said, “Well, the talk I prepared isn’t the one I’m going to give tonight.” He went on to explain that because he could see a theme in all of the other talks he knew what the members of the great Whittier Stake needed to hear about. The obvious theme of the previous talks was relying on the Savior to get through hard times. Elder Holland spent about five minutes talking about all of the hard things that we may go through in mortality; death, illness, divorce, wayward children, economic challenges, etc. By the time he had listed all of the challenges of life there were many tears being shed amongst those in the congregation, it was evident that nearly everyone was dealing with a trial of some kind. He also reminded us that if we weren’t currently struggling we may have already had a turn or would have one shortly. Elder Holland said we need to remember that this life was never meant to be easy, we are here to learn and grow. How can we become like our Savior and our Father in Heaven if we are never asked to do godly things. 

     Elder Holland then gave us a couple of suggestions to help us through the difficulties that are a part of the telestial world we live in. He told us to remember that God loves broken things and He can heal them, He wants us to give Him our broken hearts so He can give them back to us whole and healed. He also taught us the importance of “staying in the ship”. Elder Holland quoted Mark: 4:38-39, “And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: (Elder Holland said, “I am so grateful that someone thought to give the Son of God a pillow”) and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind and said unto the sea, ‘Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm”. Elder Holland then taught us very powerfully, when we are on troubled seas and our worlds are falling apart, we should remember to stay in the safety of the ship. He said that too often when we go through hard times or even tragedies in life we get angry with God and the Church. He compared the ship to the Church and the loving care of the Savior. When we are faced with life’s challenges and difficulties that is when we need the strength we will find in remaining active in the Church and the Gospel and turning to the Savior. 

     We were all inspired by the words of an Apostle of Jesus Christ and left the meeting understanding the importance of “staying in the ship”. In times of uncertainty Jesus Christ can and will bring peace and calm to our troubled hearts if we will reach out to Him. 

 We love and appreciate each of you, 

         The Long Beach Buberts