Dear Family and Loved Ones,
We’ve had another beautiful week in Long Beach. I am still in awe of our perfect weather. We are so spoiled by our mild temperatures that the young women were complaining that Stake Girl’s Camp was too hot because it was eighty degrees one day.
Our week started off very busy, we had a departure fireside Sunday night, Ted had exit interviews Monday and we had our departure dinner and testimony meeting Monday night. Tuesday three of our missionaries returned to their families and our newest missionaries arrived from the MTC. The rest of the week was not so fast paced, in fact we got a chance to catch our breath and relax a bit.
The fireside was extra special. Three of our missionaries finished Tuesday and seven others will be finishing sometime before the end of the transfer so all ten of them had a chance to share their testimonies. The testimonies were all amazing but a highlight was to hear from our beautiful senior couple who will finish at the end of the month. They have accomplished so much in the short six months they have served here. They are so dear and will be greatly missed. The music was also excellent. Many members and investigators attended.
Early Tuesday morning our two Elders and one Sister left for their homes in SLC and Baltimore. They are ready to start their post-mission life. As always we are expecting great things from them. They were excellent missionaries, including one of our incredible Assistants.
After getting Mari off for Stake Girls Camp we returned to the airport to pick up our six newest missionaries – that brings our total to 156. That’s a lot of missionaries for such a tiny mission! This is a great group of missionaries, which includes an Elder from Mexico, a Sister from Philippines and another Sister from Samoa. I am almost always very impressed with how well our international missionaries speak English. Even those who seem to struggle in the beginning quickly improve and are soon communicating very well. After showing them our mission from Signal Hill we trained at the mission office. The Sisters were especially sleepy since their fire alarm had gone off at 1:00 a.m. in the MTC dorms :) After lunch at Sizzler and interviews they were out working with their new trainers by late afternoon.
When I called the families to tell them who would be training their missionary and where they would be serving I mentioned to one of the Father’s that his son would be serving with an Elder from Korea. He said, “Perfect, he will feel right at home since his sister-in-law is Korean!” Another Elder had an emergency transfer to one of our Samoan Wards. I reminded Ted that the Elder’s Grandfather had served in the islands and that their family feels a special connection to the Polynesian people. In both cases Ted was surprised. It’s great the Lord is in charge of the details and makes sure that our missionaries serve where He has designed for them to be and with the right companions.
Our house was extra quiet with Mari at Girl’s Camp and Ben still visiting family and friends in Utah. I should have taken advantage to do some deep cleaning or other worthwhile projects instead I really took it easy and caught up on some rest. Mari returned Saturday, she said it was probably her favorite camp ever . . . possibly because they were staying at the Irvine Ranch which is more like a resort than camp grounds. Mari loved the zipline, rope course, swimming pool, delicious food (prepared by the resort staff), etc. Mari made some new friends and she was a junior leader, she really grew to love the girls she was mentoring, especially two adorable Cambodian young women from the Park Wark. Testimony meeting was also a highlight for Mari, she sent me a very sweet text to say, “I shared my testimony and I felt like Grandpa was there with me.”
We are truly missing my Dad and somehow his passing makes me miss Grandma Camille even more. Shelly mentioned how much she had enjoyed reviewing Elder Scott’s talk from our most recent General Conference in April. I had gotten to it yet on the Conference CD’s but because of Shelly’s suggestion I fast forwarded the talks and have now listened to it several times when I’m out driving. It is a great comfort, here are a few of his inspired words: Anyone who stands at this pulpit to deliver a message feels the strength and support of members throughout the world. I’m grateful that that same support can come from a beloved companion on the other side of the veil. Thank you, Jeanene.
The Holy Ghost communicates important information that we need to guide us in our mortal journey. When it is crisp and clear and essential, it warrants the title of revelation. When it is a series of promptings we often have to guide us step by step to a worthy objective, for the purpose of this message, it is inspiration.
An example of revelation would be the direction that President Spencer W. Kimball received after his long and continued supplication to the Lord regarding providing the priesthood to all worthy men in the Church when at the time it was available to only some of them.
Another example of revelation is this guidance given to President Joseph F. Smith: “I believe we move and have our being in the presence of heavenly messengers and of heavenly beings. We are not separate from them. … We are closely related to our kindred, to our ancestors … who have preceded us into the spirit world. We can not forget them; we do not cease to love them; we always hold them in our hearts, in memory, and thus we are associated and united to them by ties that we cannot break. … If this is the case with us in our finite condition, surrounded by our mortal weaknesses, … how much more certain it is … to believe that those who have been faithful, who have gone beyond … can see us better than we can see them; that they know us better than we know them. … We live in their presence, they see us, they are solicitous for our welfare, they love us now more than ever. For now they see the dangers that beset us; … their love for us and their desire for our well being must be greater than that which we feel for ourselves.”1
Relationships can be strengthened through the veil with people we know and love. That is done by our determined effort to continually do what is right. We can strengthen our relationship with the departed individual we love by recognizing that the separation is temporary and that covenants made in the temple are eternal. When consistently obeyed, such covenants assure the eternal realization of the promises inherent in them.
Such beautiful, comforting words!
We have an exciting week coming up – Johnny and Sam’s wedding on Wednesday and a visit to our Long Beach Mission from Elder and Sister Ballard! I am so excited for both events!
We love each of you,
The Long Beach Buberts
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