For John and Florence Huber of the Sacramento 2nd Ward, Sacramento California Stake, serving in the Oakland Temple "is the closest thing to being in heaven without being there."
Since 1978, Brother and Sister Huber have been working at the temple in some capacity - regularly making the 180-mile round trip. For eight years, from 1982 to 1990, Brother Huber, who has lived in Sacramento since 1938, served as a counselor in the temple presidency with his wife as an assistant to the matron. "For eight years we were there every day," Brother Huber said.Since then, the Hubers have still made almost weekly trips. "We go on Fridays and Saturdays. We leave about 1 p.m. Friday and stay overnight in Oakland and go to the temple and get home the next day about 4 in the afternoon. There's nothing we enjoy more than working in the temple."
Brother Huber vividly remembers being called as a sealer in 1981 - most of all receiving the authority from President Spencer W. Kimball. He emotionally related how the prophet hugged and kissed him and his wife when they entered the president's office in Salt Lake City.
The heartwarming experiences continued for the Hubers. Sister Huber told the Church News how she helped one young woman who came to the temple before serving a mission. A year and a half later, the young woman came again to the temple and approached Sister Huber.
"You remember me, don't you?" the young lady asked. Upon learning Sister Huber remembered, she turned to a friend and said, "I told you she'd remember me."
Speaking of the blessings of service, Brother Huber said: "There's a lot of joy and happiness that comes from service. It's been the greatest blessing in our lives to work in the temple."
Brother Huber, 83, has been heavily involved also in researching the history of the Church in the Sacramento area. "I'm one of the oldest ones here now who worked with all the presidents of the stake. That's one of the reasons I wanted to do this history," he said. "A lot of things should be documented or they'll be lost forever."
