"I can't smile..."

Dear Family and Loved Ones,

     I was slow getting my last letter off and early this week :) I’ll be in Utah next week for Ian and Shelly’s open house and I won’t have a computer so I thought I’d plan ahead a little and get my letter out early.

     I totally forgot to mention Ben and Mari’s big adventures last Friday. Ben went with his Priest’s Quorum had so much fun with their “MOMO Day”. I’m really not sure what momo stands for but it must have something to do with the fact that they had more fun in one day than you would think is possible. The boys met early Friday morning and headed to Seal Beach to surf. Even though we’ve been in Long Beach for awhile it was Ben’s first experience with surfing and he loved it! He said it was a lot of work (he had very sore muscles the next day) and a lot of fun. From the beach they headed to the mountain for snowboarding. There aren’t too many places where you can surf in the morning and snowboard on the same day! He enjoyed the snow adventure too but decided he likes surfing more. Of course they had great food throughout the day.

     Mari and her friend Jenny went to Catalina Island Friday and enjoyed an adventure. Jenny’s mom found a package that included the boat ride to Catalina and a zipline tour. They had such a great time. Mari is great at taking videos and photography so she documented their adventure and even made an incredible video of her ride down the zipline. It was nice to have both Friday and Monday off from school for a much needed break and I’m glad Ben and Mari made the most of it!

     We found out this week who will be replacing us in July. Their names are Ryan and Melanie Tew. They are from Gillette, Wyoming where he has worked as an attorney.  We are so happy for them and know they will soon find out how blessed they are to have been called to the Great California Long Beach Mission. We are praying for them as they prepare to serve and know they are probably feeling anxious and can use your prayers and faith as well. We will be able to communicate with them in the coming weeks and look forward to getting to know them.

     Tuesday we received three new missionaries, two Elders and one Sister. The Missionary Department had contacted us to let us know that they wouldn’t be holding missionaries in the MTC who didn’t need to be there. These three amazing missionaries already had the language skills they needed so they sent them to us mid-transfer so they could make room for more missionaries. The Elders are both Hispanic and speak both perfect English and Spanish. Our new Sister is from Hiroshima, Japan but has great English and is ready to serve here in Long Beach. Their plane was an hour late getting in so we skipped the visit to Signal Hill and went straight to our orientation at the mission office. After lunch at the Sizzler they were interviewed and went to work with their trainers by yesterday afternoon.

     Wednesday we had the missionaries who arrived this last transfer come to the mission office for a “Tune Up”. We served rice bowls (from a nearby Hawaiian Grill), rolls and brownies. Our newest missionaries including those who had just arrived the day before all looked great! They are so enthused and will add energy and faith to our mission.

Thursday I took care of some errands including returning some wedding items to Shelly’s friend in Huntington Beach. The drive down the PCH was beautiful. I had a little extra time so I took some photos at the pier in Huntington Beach and the marina in Sunset Beach. We have such a beautiful mission! I also made some phone calls to Bountiful High and went by the High School here in Los Alamitos to start working on the process of transferring Ben and Mari to Bountiful High for their senior year of High School. It’s very hard to believe that they are that old and that next year they will have to adjust all over again. Good thing they are so cooperative.

     Friday is ZLC. Our Senior Sisters in the office offered to fix lunch for the Zone Leaders since I’ll be on my way to Utah for Ian and Shelly’s open house. We continue to be amazed at all that our office staff do to take care of the many needs in our mission. We could not do our assignment without them!

     We came out of the temple after Ian and Shelly’s sealing to find Violet with a frown on her face and a Bandaid on her chin – she tripped and fell while we were in the temple. Ben gave her some TLC and put his new first aid kit to good use. She was all patched up but still very sad. Every time we tried to get Violet to smile for a photo she would say, “I can’t smile, I have a Bandaid on my chin.” It was cute and heart breaking all at the same time. Of course we knew she could smile despite her injury but she was convinced she couldn’t be hurt and smile at the same time. I thought about how often we feel picked on, offended, ill or hurt and decide to be unhappy. 
     Elder Neal Maxwell encouraged us to be cheerful even when we are experiencing difficulties, he said, “Brothers and sisters, these are our days. This is our time on earth! These are our tasks to be done!”
     “And in these days, being of good cheer is part of being valiant in the testimony of Jesus."
     “Finally, in those moments when we feel the pain which is a necessary part of the plan of happiness, we can remember that there was an ancient time when that plan was first unveiled. Then the perceptive among us voted not secretly, but audibly—by shouting for joy! Let us not go back on those feelings now—for we saw more clearly then what we are experiencing now!”
     “May God help us to be of good cheer, for this is the forerunner feeling which precedes that glorious condition when our joy will be full!”
     “Meanwhile, He who knows the path perfectly has promised, “Be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours … and the riches of eternity.”  

We love and appreciate each of you!
The Long Beach Buberts