Perfect for Our Family

Dear Family and Loved Ones,

     This past week was another very busy one, especially for Ted who besides taking care of many missionaries had to finish up a very complicated transfer. The transfer had to be done by Wednesday so leadership calls could be made that night.

     Friday was MLC (mission leadership council). The sisters who have been invited to participate are adding so much and are eager to be a part of the leadership in the mission. Once our newest sister missionaries arrive tomorrow we will have enough sisters in our mission for them to go on exchanges, they are so excited about that opportunity.

     This weekend was our stake conference. Ted was asked to participate in every meeting except the youth meeting. Elder Packer of the Seventy was our visiting authority, he is very energetic, loves people and is able to connect with everyone. Ted spoke for thirty minutes in the leadership portion of the conference. Originally he was asked to take fifteen minutes but the temple president wasn’t able to come so at the last minute they said please take thirty minutes! That would make me very nervous but Ted is amazing at being spontaneous.

     Saturday night was the adult session of conference. It was great – especially the young single adult choir from the stake. Sunday morning we were invited to attend the youth session of conference. Although it was early many youth attended and were well rewarded. Two young men who leave soon for their missions spoke first. It was especially exciting that one of the two future missionaries was baptized just over a year ago. His parents are from Vietnam so he speaks Vietnamese but has been called to serve in Cambodia! He told how he was first introduced to the church because he noticed a girl in his Chemistry class who seemed to have a certain light about her. One of the first things he asked her was which church she belonged to. He was curious when she told him she was a Mormon. About the same time this girl’s brother was transferred into the young man’s math classes. They were able to have many gospel conversations and he soon began taking the missionary lessons in the home of this great family. Even though he liked what he was learning he didn’t feel the need to make a commitment to be baptized until he went on the stake pioneer trek. During the trek he took the time to really read and pray about the Book of Mormon, that’s when he got his confirmation that the Church was true and that he should be baptized. Elder Packer used this story as he talked to the youth, he reminded them that they are to be a light in the world, that others are looking to them for their example and that they can be a great influence for good. He also taught them about the importance of the Savior, repentance and commitment in their lives.

     Elder Packer made a big fuss over Ben and Mari. He is a former mission president and said during one of the sessions of conference that his assignment as a mission president was his hardest church assignment times fifty :) There is no doubt it is challenging but the blessings are immense as well. He said to Ben and Mari, “I’m sure this wasn’t an easy adjustment for the two of you.” I loved Ben’s response, he said, “It was hard until we went to Church the first Sunday.” What an amazing tribute to the members of the Church here who were so welcoming and warm! We have been so blessed to serve where our family was immediately embraced by our ward and stake family!

     The general session of conference was really good. I especially loved the counselor in the temple presidencies talk about the gifts we receive at the temple. Elder Packer called two young men from the audience to share their testimonies. Both young men have been less active but he had visited with them earlier that weekend and had encouraged them to be at conference. After the initial shock wore off (one looked like he was going to pass out when he heard his name) they both shared powerful testimonies. I’m sure it will be a life changing experience for those two special young men. All of the other talks were awesome as well and Ted shared a powerful testimony!

     Last night was our last departure fireside. It was very well attended since we have ten missionaries finishing this transfer. They did a great job inviting their recent converts, investigators and friends from the wards where they have served. Since it was our last chance to share our testimonies at the fireside we asked Ben and Mari to participate as well. They were nervous about it but did an incredible job of expressing their feelings and their testimonies. We were so proud of them and continue to be amazed at what a blessing our mission has been for Ben and Mari. They have matured so much and have a great foundation for the future.

     Ted did a great job as well but I felt totally inadequate at expressing all I was feeling and was very disappointed that I wasn’t able to really say even a fraction of what is in my heart. Oh well, everyone else more than made up for my weakness in public speaking and the testimony meeting was a big success.

     We were asked to write a message for the mission newsletter, as are all of the missionaries who are finishing their missions each transfer. Here’s our message: 

In February of 2010 we received our long awaited mission assignment. We had been called to preside over a Spanish speaking mission in October of 2009 and had been given a list of over thirty missions which would be available in 2010 – most of the missions were out of the States and since both President Bubert and I spoke Spanish we were certain we would be asked to serve in a foreign country, maybe we would go to Mexico, a country we had grown to love, or to Ecuador where we had served as young missionaries. When our assignment arrived we immediately found a quiet spot in President’s home office and opened our call. We quickly scanned the call from a Prophet of God. I spotted the assignment first and said out loud, almost in disbelief, “California Long Beach?” President Bubert thought I was joking and then he saw the assignment too. Even though I was surprised that we had been called to serve a state side mission I immediately felt an incredible peace that this was where the Lord wanted us to serve and I heard the words in my mind, “This mission will be perfect for your family.” From that moment on I have felt that confirmation over and over again.

     Our call to the Great California Long Beach Mission has blessed our family in miraculous ways! It has blessed me personally with an increased understanding that Heavenly Father knows us, He loves us, He knows what is best for us and He is in the details of our lives. Elder Scott taught, “God will respond with what in His eternal plan is best for you. He loves you to a depth and completeness you cannot conceive of in your mortal state. Indeed, were you to know His entire plan, you would never ask for that which is contrary to it even though your feelings tempt you to do so. Sincere faith gives understanding and strength to accept the will of our Heavenly Father when it differs from our own. We can accept His will with peace and assurance, confident that His infinite wisdom surpasses our own ability to comprehend fully His plan as it unfolds a piece at a time.” We can always trust our Heavenly Father!
     Of course, the greatest blessing of having been called by God to serve here in the California Long Beach Mission is that each of you were called here as well. As we have watched you arrive at our adorable Long Beach Airport we recognized you as ours. We immediately loved you and felt that heavenly connection of being eternally bound together as fellow servants of the Lord. We have also been blessed to serve with angels in the form of senior couples (as well as Lisa and Amy) who have loved and ministered to our missionaries as they have served in our mission office. They are gifts from our loving Father in Heaven. We can never thank them enough for their selfless service – they are our heroes!
     Elders and Sisters, this is the Lord’s work! I know it is a work of miracles both for our investigators and for each missionary. Heavenly Father lives, He is always available and we should pray to Him constantly.  Jesus Christ is my Savior, I love Him and want to continue to serve throughout my life. I know that Joseph Smith, a young boy, saw the Father and the Son in answer to his humble prayer and that this was the beginning of the great and marvelous work of the restoration. 
     The blessings of the restoration are too numerous to recount here but for me one of the greatest is the restored Priesthood power which allows families and friendships to be eternal. So I start where I began, this mission has been perfect for our family, of which you are all now a special part. May God bless each of you is our constant prayer!
     
We were told at the beginning of our mission that the assignment for a mission president is a marathon not a sprint so we should take opportunities to rest and recover whenever we could (that happened occasionally). Now that we are nearing the end of our mission there is no doubt this has now become a sprint, there is so much to do in preparation for turning this mission over to President and Sister Tew. We are planning on running through the tape but need your continued faith and prayers!

We love each of you!
The Long Beach Buberts