Dear Family and Loved Ones,
We have had a beautiful week and the best is yet to come as we have the blessing of gathering most of our family together to celebrate Christmas (not having John and Sam with us will leave a BIG void!)
Monday we had a very special departure dinner and testimony meeting. One of the things that made it so special was the missionaries who were our guests of honor. They weren’t the flashy kind of missionaries that get a lot of attention but each was willing to give everything to the Lord’s work. Two of our senior couples who finish their missions in January also attended. Their wisdom and deep testimonies added so much tour testimony meeting!
Tuesday we welcomed five new missionaries into the great California Long Beach Mission. It was a rainy, gloomy, cold day but it made for an amazing view from Signal Hill – we could actually see LA, Catalina and Huntington Beach. This is a great group of missionaries who will be a good addition to our mission. We will be relying on all of our missionaries to provide a strong foundation when our numbers increase significantly this spring.
Our Christmas Conferences were held on Thursday and Friday in Huntington Beach North and Whittier. We enjoyed several Preach My Gospel teachings, testimonies from our missionaries who finish their missions this transfer, a delicious lunch and reading the Christmas Story from the scriptures in Luke 2 and singing Christmas Hymns. Ted gave a great Christmas message too! Our local members are so generous, they provide meals, gifts, rides, and support. They do everything they can to make Christmas special for our missionaries who are so far away from home!
Each transfer we send out a newsletter which includes a message from the Mission President :) as well as sacred experiences and insights from some of the departing missionaries. Here is the Christmas message that Ted wrote for our mission newsletter:
At this wonderful time of year, when we all celebrate the birth of our Savior, let us truly remember Him.
As we identify and emulate Christlike attributes so that we might pattern our lives after the only perfect life, let us also ponder the words of the angel who inquired of Nephi, “knowest thou the condescension of God?” The angel was asking him and us, “Do you get it?” Can you possibly understand the tremendous love manifested by the Father and the Son in sending Christ to the earth to dwell amongst us? What if He never had come? We would be lost, forever.
But He did come and all is not lost!
Our purpose as missionaries is to declare “the good tidings of great joy” and to testify that He did everything He said He would do.
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is give: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Might God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
What a blessing for each of us to know that this prophetic declaration came true. That He was made flesh and dwelt amongst us. His church has been restored to the earth in these latter days, in preparation for His return, to once again dwell amongst us.
I bear witness that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is “the way, the truth, and the life. He is our Exemplar, our Teacher, and our Redeemer”. What a blessing to share this wonderful message of truth and happiness with all those who will receive us.
Love, President Bubert
We love each of you! Our earnest prayer is that your hearts and homes will be filled with the joy, love and peace of the Christmas season, which is the Spirit of Christ, during this sacred Holiday and always,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
The Long Beach Buberts
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