Dear Family and Loved Ones,
This past week was the last week of school for Ben and Mari. They had a chance to sign yearbooks, take their finals and say good-bye to the many dear friends they have come to love at Los Alamitos High School. We are so proud of how well they adjusted to life here in the mission – their cooperation and support (as well as the support of our children at home) made it possible for us to have an incredible experience as a family.
Friday the counselor called from Bountiful High to register Ben and Mari for classes. They needed ten more new students to qualify for another teacher so they wanted to take care of their registration as soon as possible :) Ben and Mari were really pleased with the many electives they were able to consider. The schools in Southern California focus on core classes and don’t offer many electives so they are looking forward to a fun Senior year at BHS. The counselor had already selected the classes she thought Ben and Mari would like, it was obvious she doesn’t know them well . . . Ben was registered for three or four art classes, computer design etc. He was able to let the counselor know he has all of the art credits he needs so he would like to take classes to prepare for a medical career: Medical Anatomy, Sports Medicine, etc. Mari didn’t need to make as many adjustments but she is the one who loves to be creative and have a more hands on learning experience. They are both excited about Released Time Seminary!
Ted continues to spend long, long days with our missionaries in interviews and taking care of the ever present serious matters that are a natural part of looking after so many young men and young women. Mari said, “I’m going to call him the Phantom Father because I haven’t seen him for weeks.” He needs your prayers to have the physical, emotional and spiritual strength to make it through this very strenuous part of our mission. We have never had more missionaries and they have never needed him more!
Saturday night we were invited to speak in the Whittier Stake adult session of stake conference. We remembered when we first arrived in the mission we arrived late for our first stake conference in Whittier. To make it even more embarrassing they held the meeting for us! We thought we gave ourselves plenty of time to get there and since it was a Saturday night we didn’t anticipate any traffic. We got on the freeway and within a couple of minutes the traffic was at a complete standstill. Needless to say we are still remembered for arriving late. We have learned our lesson about California freeways – there is ALWAYS heavy traffic and you can never over estimate how much time you need to travel from point A to point B. There was a lot of traffic last night but we arrived fifteen minutes early :) One of the counselors in the stake presidency was cleaning out his garage and came across an old Church News with the announcement of our call in it. The photo was taken the fall of 2009, when Ted saw the photo he said, “I think mission presidents must age in dog years.” The announcement was made so long ago that one of our assistants saw it and said, “2009, I wasn’t even a member of the Church then!”
Church was great, two recently returned missionaries spoke, an Elder who served in Alabama and a Sister who was in the Netherlands. They both gave great talks on Christlike Attributes. We were in the ward when they left so it was fun to see how much their missions helped them to develop confidence and stronger testimonies. There was also an amazing musical number by a young single adult brother who is very talented. He sang “Come Thou Fount” The Father’s in the ward received a sweet serenade from the Primary children and a couple of cookies for Father’s Day. Ted and I will be in another stake for conference next Sunday so it was our last week in our home ward and it was very hard to say good-bye.
We invited Shelly and Ian for Sunday dinner to celebrate Ted on Father’s Day and to have a farewell dinner for the mission home. It was perfect to have them here with us since we shared many great memories in the mission home including their first dates and their open house following their temple sealing in Newport Beach Temple. Shelly wanted to take one last look at the balcony where she stood to throw her wedding bouquet. What wonderful memories!
Well, we can no longer be in denial about our mission coming to an end soon, we spent much of this week cleaning, organizing and packing. The movers come tomorrow to load up our personal items. We’ll be living out of our suitcases in a nearby hotel for our last two weeks here in Long Beach.
As I have been cleaning out closets and kitchen cabinets I have been thinking so much about the Tews. I can imagine how many wonderful experiences they will have here in the mission home – both with their family and their missionaries. It is fun to prepare for their arrival and also very sad. I had no idea how sad I would feel about leaving our mission since I’m so excited to be reunited with family and friends in Utah. It is an emotional time for us leaving behind our missionaries, friends and Ian and Shelly.
I also realized one of the things I will miss the most is the beautiful Spirit that is always present in the mission home. It is a sacred place, dedicated to the Lord’s work and we feel how special it is. Last week when President and Sister Devereaux were here for lunch President Devereaux said, “This home feels like the temple.” I couldn’t agree more – no wonder it’s hard to leave - it’s as though we have been living in the temple these past three years!
In the Bible Dictionary it says, “Only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness.” Whether we are living in the mission home or our home in West Bountiful, or wherever we find ourselves we want to make our home a sacred place.
I loved this little story from the Ensign, “Amy Adams of Washington, USA, was trying to decide which activities would be best for her three young children when a conversation with her mother changed her mind. ‘What if you gave your children something better than training in sports or dance?’ Amy’s mother asked. ‘What if by staying home, they could learn to feel the Spirit more?”
“Amy and her husband, Brett, prayed about and pondered this counsel and felt it would be a good idea for their family to spend more time together at home. For one year, they chose to forgo dance and sports; instead they prepared meals, learned Primary songs, visited museums, and played outdoors. ‘Our children were able to feel the Spirit … because we took the time to stop and listen,’ Amy says. Their children may not be the top sports and dance stars, she says, ‘but they have a testimony of the Savior.”
Of course wholesome recreational activities should play a part in our children’s development and every family’s capacity for interests outside of the home should match their energy levels and desires but I liked the thought that the more time our children spend in our homes the more chance they will have to feel the Spirit and to grow close to the Savior.
I’m so grateful on this Father’s Day to have grown up in a home where my Dad made sure we had many opportunities to feel the Spirit so we could come to know our Savior. He led our family by teaching and training us but it was his example that meant the most. We miss him terribly today (and every day) but his righteous influence lives on.
On this Father’s Day I couldn’t be more proud or grateful for the way that Ted has led our family, the youth he taught in Seminary and in his church callings. I’m especially amazed that over these past three years hundreds of missionaries have been forever changed through his testimony, love, patience, counseling, etc. His influence and teachings will have an impact on thousands in the future as our children and our missionaries form their families and pass on what he has taught them to their own children. What a beautiful legacy!
I’m grateful I have been able to share my weekly journal with each of you. We have felt your love, support, faith and prayers and can never than you enough for all you have done for us.
We love and appreciate each of you – and hope to see you soon!
The Long Beach Buberts
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