A Preview of Heaven

Dear Family and Loved Ones,

     This past week was very eventful, both here in the mission and back home in Utah. I left for Utah on Friday the 22nd. It was shocking to leave sunny California and to arrive to winter weather in Utah. Spending time with family and friends during my visit made up for the cold weather.

     Saturday we enjoyed a wonderful open house for Ian and Shelly at one of the local ward buildings in West Bountiful. So many family and friends helped make it a special night and we are so grateful to each of them and could not have done it without their thoughtful service! Ian and Shelly made the drive from their new home in Rancho Santa Margarita and were able to enjoy visiting with the many friends who braved the snowy night to come to the open house. We understand that many others would have been there if the driving conditions would have been safer. Thank you again to everyone who made this a special night for Ian and Shelly!

     I spent the rest of the week in Utah taking care of a few appointments and more importantly soaking up every minute I could with family.

     Fortunately the timing was right and I was able to be in Utah for our nephew’s marriage to his sweetheart in the Draper Temple on Friday. It was beautiful! The sealer was excellent, the weather was nice, the bride and groom were adorable and it was a joy to be with so many loved ones in the temple. There were a few highlights for me during the sealing. One was when the sealer had Cody and Kelsey look into the beautiful mirrors hanging opposite each other in the sealing room as they were standing in front of the altar. He pointed out that they were the welding link of the generations before and the generations to come. I remember President Hinckley saying that he didn’t ever want to be the weak link in his family :)

     I also loved a story the sealer told about the importance of family prayer. He promised them and each of us great blessings if we would gather our families in a sacred family circle of prayer each day. He told us about a special and touching experience his family had after losing a premature baby many years ago. He gathered his five children together and had them kneel in a circle for family prayer. He told them their mom (who was recovering at the hospital) would be fine but their baby brother had not survived. Their five year old son asked, “How will I recognize my brother when I go to heaven?” The father was thinking about how he should answer his son’s question when the young boy answered it himself saying, “I know, he will be the one standing next to Grandma.” This story was especially meaningful to many in the sealing room who have lost infants. We all felt the Spirit testify that families are eternal.

     The sealer also was very thoughtful about mentioning how much we must be feeling my Dad’s absence who we all wished could be the one there performing the sealing for Cody and Kelsey. He said, “I am a grandfather and there is nothing that could keep me from the sealing of one of my grandchildren. Your grandfather is here by appointment.” We all felt the truthfulness of his words and were comforted knowing that many of our loved ones who have passed on were among the angels in the sealing room.

     I returned to Long Beach Saturday and found all well here. Ted, Ben and Mari took good care of each other and the mission home. Ted had an extremely busy week with many, many interviews and three very successful zone conferences. We are all ready to get back to our normal routine after a month of juggling special family events and caring for our ever growing mission.

     I love these words from President Monson who reminds us where true joy is found, “To hear the laughter of children, to witness the expression of love by parents and to feel the embrace of brothers and sisters provide a preview of heaven and the eternal joy to be found there.” We have felt this great joy in recent days and it gives us an even greater appreciation of the Gospel plan which we want to share with all of our Heavenly Father’s children.



We love and appreciate each of you!

The Long Beach Buberts