News of the Church. Every Member a Missionary for 50 Years Fifty years ago this month, in the spring

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1 News of the Church THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS APRIL 2009 NEWS OF THE CHURCH, P. N1 AREA PRESIDENCY MESSAGE, P. N7 LOCAL NEWS, P. N8 LATTER-DAY SAINT VOICES, P. N11 MISSIONARY CORNER, P. N12 PHILIPPINES JUBILEE 2011, P. N15 PHOTOGRAPH BY CRAIG DIMOND Every Member a Missionary for 50 Years Fifty years ago this month, in the spring of 1959, President David O. McKay ( ) addressed members gathered in the Salt Lake Tabernacle for the 129th Annual General Conference of the Church. As President McKay closed the meeting, he shared his testimony of the restored gospel and left the members a charge that remains in effect today. President McKay related how in 1923, in response to negative public opinion in the British Mission, the Brethren sent instructions to the members stating: Throw the responsibility upon every member of the Church that in the coming year of 1923 every member will be a missionary. Every member a missionary!... Somebody will hear the good message of the truth through you. And that is the message today, President McKay said, extending the challenge to that 1959 audience. Every member a million and Fifty years ago this month, President David O. McKay encouraged every member to be a missionary. a half a missionary! He then quoted Doctrine and Covenants 107:99: Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence. That is the responsibility of every man and woman and child who has listened to this great and wonderful conference, President McKay said. God help us to be true to our responsibility and to our callings. (See Conference Report, Apr. 1959, 122.) With the Church growing from 1.5 million member missionaries to more than 13 million, prophets of the Lord have continued to echo the call. For years we have remembered the words of President David O. McKay: Every member a missionary, said President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, during the April 2008 general conference. I am confident that the day is coming that through the faith of the members we will see increasing numbers of people invited to hear the word of God who will then come into the true and living Church ( The True and Living Church, Liahona, May 2008, 20). NEWS OF THE CHURCH APRIL 2009 N1

2 PHOTOGRAPH BY STEVE BUNDERSON Saints Encouraged to Put Faith in the Lord s Financial Plan By Allie Schulte, Welfare Services Jason and Alanea Hanna faced many financial questions when Jason lost his job. Should they relocate and find another job? Should they try to find a job where they were currently living? After considering several options, they asked the most important question of all: What would the Lord have us do? We studied talks by prophets and apostles on topics like debt, budgeting, and saving to try and figure out what the Lord wanted us to do, Alanea explains. We knew that the Lord s plan was the best plan and that we would be blessed if we followed it. After prayer and contemplation, Jason and Alanea both decided to return to college and finish their bachelor s degrees. They took out minimal student loans to pay for their education, and both worked full-time to provide for their other expenses. They coordinated their work schedules to ensure that one of them was home with their children. They budgeted carefully, spending their money on the essentials and eliminating fast food, cable TV, and new Living the Lord s financial plan requires patience, temperance, sacrifice, and obedience. clothes. Jason even rode his bike to school and work to limit the costs of gasoline and car insurance. Now Jason works as an engineer. Alanea also completed her degree and is currently fulfilling her responsibilities as a full-time mother of five children. They still live within their means, budget carefully, pay tithing, and live according to the financial counsel of Church leaders. We re grateful for the trial and the experience, Alanea says. It ended up being a great blessing in our lives and taught us that the Lord will always bless us if we are obedient. The Lord s Financial Plan The Lord has told His Church, Ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world (John 15:19). Although members may be faced with financial trials, they can feel secure as they turn away from the philosophies of the world and rely on the gospel of Jesus Christ and the counsel of Church leaders. In the pamphlet All Is Safely Gathered In: Family Finances, the First Presidency asks all Church members to consider their finances and strive to become more spiritually and temporally self-reliant: We encourage you wherever you N2

3 may live in the world to prepare for adversity by looking to the condition of your finances.... If you have paid your debts and have a financial reserve..., you and your family will feel more secure and enjoy greater peace in your hearts. 1 The pamphlet outlines five basic principles: pay tithes and offerings, avoid debt, use a budget, build a reserve, and teach family members. While living these principles requires patience, temperance, and sacrifice, obedience to the Lord s financial plan will bring greater peace and joy than individuals and families could ever experience by living the way of the world. Pay Tithes and Offerings When Richard Moyer lost his job, he and his family ate food from their home storage, paid bills using their savings, and continued to pay tithing faithfully. Despite his unemployment, Brother Moyer was amazed to see that he made exactly U.S. $1.00 more income that year than the previous one. I have always attributed that miracle in our lives to paying tithing, Brother Moyer explains. The Lord always blesses you when you do the things He wants you to do. Blessings that come from sound family finances must be built on the foundation of paying an honest tithe and giving a generous fast offering. Church members have the opportunity of giving back to the Lord a portion of their income with the understanding that their contributions help to build the kingdom of God by building meetinghouses and temples, providing for those who are less fortunate, and sharing the gospel throughout the world. Members will gain a testimony of this principle by living it. By praying to understand its importance and learning more about how these contributions bless others, members will come to consider paying tithes and offerings a blessing. As members develop the habit of immediately setting aside tithes and offerings when they receive income, it will become a financial priority in their lives. President N. Eldon Tanner ( ) of the First Presidency taught that tithing is a commandment with a promise: As you discharge this obligation to your Maker, you will find great, great happiness, the like of which is known only by those who are faithful to this commandment. 2 Obedience to this commandment brings peace and security. As Church members pay tithes and offerings they will experience miracles in their lives, as the Moyer family did. Avoid Debt Spending less money than you make is essential to financial security. Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin ( ) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that consumer debt is a form of bondage that affects individuals both temporally and spiritually. He said, We think we own things, but the reality is, our things own us. 3 For this reason, the First Presidency encourages members to avoid debt with the exception of buying a modest home or paying for education. The Kloosterman family has The pamphlet All is Safely Gathered In: Family Finances teaches the Lord s financial plan. NEWS OF THE CHURCH APRIL 2009 N3

4 enjoyed the blessings of being free from the bondage of debt. When Kevin Kloosterman was called as the bishop of his ward in Illinois, USA, his family had some consumer debt. His stake president reminded him of the First Presidency s counsel, and Bishop Kloosterman left the interview determined to pay off the debt. We had always... tried to put the Lord first, he recalls. In this one case, we hadn t. The Kloosterman family studied the scriptures and modern-day counsel related to finance and debt and took the steps necessary to achieve their goal. It became clear that they were being blessed by the Lord for heeding the counsel of His servants. There is no affliction in mortality which the Savior cannot heal, Bishop Kloosterman says. If He can deliver us from the captivity of sin and death, He can certainly deliver us out of financial bondage. If Church members are in debt, they should pay the debt off as quickly as possible. A debt-elimination calendar is a great tool to help individuals create a specific plan to become debt-free. After creating a plan, members can make it a priority by making their necessary payments immediately after paying tithes and offerings. Above all, members should be patient with the time it may take to become debtfree by relying on the Lord for help and striving to follow His commandments. Use a Budget Another tool to help members live within their means is a budget. While individuals often think that financial security depends on the amount of money they make, President Tanner taught that controlling how money is spent whether the amount is large or small is the source of true financial peace and happiness. Many people think a budget robs them of their freedom. On the contrary, successful people The foundation of a sound family financial plan is a priority in paying the Lord first. have learned that a budget makes real economic freedom possible, 4 he said. The Jeffrey family, from Illinois, USA, recognizes the freedom that comes from managing their finances with a budget. When the Jeffrey children were very young, the family realized that three of them would be serving missions at the same time. Recognizing the financial strain this would place on the family, their mother, Olga, implemented a strict budget. Along with paying 10 percent of the family s income to tithing, Sister Jeffrey set aside an additional 10 percent to save for her future missionaries. I realized that finances could become a stumbling block and that we needed to be prepared to provide the means for our children to serve the Lord, Sister Jeffrey says. As the Jeffrey children began leaving on missions, their parents were financially prepared, and the Lord blessed them. Like the Jeffrey family, Church members can manage their spending by creating a budget. Using a budget worksheet, members can look at their income and spending from the last week or month. By determining where they spend most of their money, they can also look for ways to PHOTOGRAPH BY JOHN LUKE N4

5 cut back. Then they can create a budget by estimating income for the next week or month and planning where they want their earnings to be spent. After tracking their spending, members can evaluate whether they complied with the budget and make adjustments for the next week or month. Build a Reserve Even when individuals seem to be financially prepared, unexpected trials such as illness, unemployment, or major repairs can cause financial burdens. The First Presidency encourages Church members to prepare for these events by gradually building a financial reserve to be used for emergencies only. Saving a little money regularly, especially in times of prosperity, will help members to prepare for times of financial struggle or unforeseen emergencies. Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles suggests that after paying your tithing of 10 percent to the Lord, you pay yourself a predetermined amount directly into savings.... It is amazing to me that so many people work all of their lives for the grocer, the landlord, the power company, the automobile salesman, and the Additional Resources bank, and yet think so little of their own efforts that they pay themselves nothing. 5 While planning a budget, members can also determine a specific amount of their earnings to set aside for savings. It does not need to be a large amount. As long as they are consistent in setting aside that money, it will add up quickly. Develop the habit by putting the money into savings immediately after paying tithes and offerings and making The Church has provided online resources in English, German, Portuguese, and Spanish to help members manage their family finances, including talks by Church leaders, financial calculators, materials for family home evening lessons, and even an online financial course. For more payments on any debts. Do not be tempted to spend savings on unnecessary things. Instead, reserve them for emergencies. If Church members strive to discipline themselves, they will be prepared for financial trial. Once they have established a financial reserve, they can continue saving for future needs like missions, education, retirement, and other necessities. Teach Family Members Often parents feel hesitant in involving their children in financial matters. However, when we teach family members the principles of financial management and involve them in creating a budget with financial goals, we prepare them for their futures. Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles counseled, Parents need to teach children very early that a solid financial base is a very important information, please visit ProvidentLiving.org. The pamplet All Is Safely Gathered In: Family Finances is available online in 24 languages at ProvidentLiving.org/content/display/0, 11666, ,00.html. element in a happy home. 6 As members prayerfully study and ponder the principles in the All Is Safely Gathered In: Family Finances pamphlet, they should think of ways to teach family members and help them to live these principles. Parents can involve family members in creating a budget and setting financial goals. They can teach them the importance of working for an income, NEWS OF THE CHURCH APRIL 2009 N5

6 prioritizing their spending, and preparing their own budget to track expenses. They can also provide a way for them to pay tithing and to save money for missions, education, or other expenses. Family home evenings can be great opportunities to discuss and teach about financial topics. Each family member can contribute to the family s overall selfreliance, and the entire family will recognize the blessings that come from following the Lord s counsel for financial planning. Blessings of Family Finances The message of financial preparedness is not new. In this dispensation, Church leaders have encouraged members to prepare themselves by wisely managing their finances and have promised blessings to those who follow this counsel. The First Presidency said: Latter-day Saints have been counseled for many years to prepare for adversity by having some money set aside. Doing so adds immeasurably to security and well-being. 7 Families and individuals, both past and present, have witnessed the blessings of peace that result from their obedience to this counsel. As Church members follow the specific guidelines in All Is Safely Gathered In and utilize the other financial counseling the Church offers, they too will experience these blessings in their lives. NOTES 1. All Is Safely Gathered In: Family Finances (pamphlet, 2007). 2. Constancy amid Change, Tambuli, Feb. 1982, Earthly Debts, Heavenly Debts, Liahona, May 2004, Tambuli, Feb. 1982, Becoming Self-Reliant, Ensign, Nov. 1991, Providing for Our Needs, Ensign, May 1981, All Is Safely Gathered In: Family Finances. President Monson Biography DVD Now Available On the Lord s Errand, a new DVD about the life and service of President Thomas S. Monson, is now available in 14 languages through distribution centers. The 60-minute video, broadcast between sessions of the October 2008 general conference, includes interviews with President Monson, family members, colleagues, and friends. The available languages include: American Sign Language, Cantonese, Cebuano, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Tagalog. Virtue Added as Young Women Value The First Presidency recently announced the addition of the attribute of virtue to the Young Women theme and values. This addition will assist young women in developing high moral standards, stated the November 28, 2008, letter from the First Presidency. We invite parents and leaders to teach the doctrine of chastity and moral purity to help each young woman to be virtuous and worthy to make and keep sacred covenants and receive the ordinances of the temple. The list of values within the Young Women theme now states: Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice and Accountability, Good Works, Integrity, and Virtue. Young Women leaders were invited to include immediately the addition of virtue as they repeat the theme with their young women. Virtue is also being added to the Personal Progress value experiences and projects. Instructions on how to implement the change will be sent to leaders. N6

7 News Dateline Philippines AREA PRESIDENCY MESSAGE With an Eye Single to the Glory of God By Elder Won Yong Ko, First Counselor in the Philippines Area Presidency Often we are asked what our favorite verse of the scriptures is. This is very difficult to answer because the scriptures are all words of God and there are so many inspired verses. And one s favorite verse may change from one to another based upon the time and the situation. However, I always feel very special when I read the phrase, with an eye single to the glory of God. We find this phrase in Doctrine and Covenants 4:5 as one of the qualifications for a leader. Elder Neal A. Maxwell ( ) of the Quoroum of the Twleve Apostles said, Jesus has designated the attributes in that process for which we are to seek, such as faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, and patience. He further denotes the attributes of faith, hope, and charity, and having an eye single to the glory of God, and tells us that these qualify us for doing the Lord s work ( Testifying of the Great and Glorious Atonement, Liahona, April 2002, 7). As he said, this is truly a qualification for us to do the Lord s work, and this applies to every member because our Church is a lay-member ministry church, and every member is called for the Lord s work. Doctrine and Covenants 88:67 gives us another interesting aspect of this phrase, saying, If your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and Elder Won Yong Ko of the Seventy there shall be no darkness in you. In school we learned about the solar system, which is centered on the sun and has many planets, including Earth. However, the sun is the only luminous body; the planets are not. They shine only when they receive the light from the sun. This is an interesting fact. When we look at the moon it is a beautiful sight. We can even see the beautifully shining earth in a picture taken by an astronaut. But neither are the origin of the light; they only reflect the light from the sun. We can apply the same principle of the solar system to the relationship between God and us. We ourselves can only shine with the light of God because we are not a generator of the light in the Lord s work. We can see the moon sometimes but cannot see it other times. This is because the moon is sometimes located at the position where it cannot receive the light of the sun. Likewise, if we want to seek for our own glory or our own light in our service, we are moving away from the glory of God. Then, we eventually have no light at all, because the glory of God is not shining on us anymore and people cannot see us. It is the same as with the dark moon when it is not NEWS OF THE CHURCH APRIL 2009 N7

8 LOCAL NEWS illuminated by the sun. In another article, Elder Maxwell taught us about The Pathway of Discipleship, saying, Nevertheless, as striving disciples, you and I must strategically focus on the interaction of immortal individuals and immortal principles as applied to life s changing tactical situations. It is vital, therefore, for you and for me, in the words of Jacob, to see things as they really are and things as they really will be (Jacob 4:13). It s interesting that those who have eyes single to the glory of God are those who see the most of reality. He continued, But this road of discipleship which we are considering here is not easy. It requires sturdy, allweather souls who are constant in every season of life and who are not easily stalled or thrown off course. (Ensign, Sept. 1998, 7.) Even though it is not easy to follow this principle, the Lord gave us a promise of a great blessing in Doctrine and Covenants 88:68: Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will. Philippines Saints Hold Multistake YSA Conferences By Gelene Tobias Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness (D&C 58:27). Anxiously engaged in a good cause, young single adults from different areas of the Philippines gathered together in their local regions in October and November 2008 for oneday multistake conferences (MYSA). The separately planned conferences included group dynamics, games, devotionals, and dinner dances, which the young adults found enjoyable and edifying as they mingled with other Latter-day Saints their age. Since the event was just a one-day activity, the activities were designed to be concise. They were planned by the young single adults themselves, said President Robert Andrada of the Manila Philppines Stake, who chaired Young single adults travel from the Galo chapel to a hotel for a dinner dance activity. Young single adults pose with Jose Anthony Ballon, president of the Bacolod North Philippines Stake. Los Baños IRAC participants carefully listen to Elder Benson Misalucha's message. PHOTOGRAPH BY JOEL DOLOT PHOTOGRAPH BY REY PAMPLIEGA PHOTOGRAPH BY REY PAMPLIEGA N8

9 PHOTOGRAPH BY MARIA TERESA PANGILINAN Participants bond during group games. the MYSA region. The fact that the conferences lasted just one day and were held in local regions made it possible for many to attend especially single adults who are employed. The annual event has been an opportunity not just to have fun, but also to build lasting, eternal friendships. It was both a spiritual and fun experience, said Cherry Deuda, a single adult representative from the Novaliches Philippines Stake. Young single adults play water balloon volleyball PHOTOGRAPH BY MARIA TERESA PANGILINAN during group games. PHOTOGRAPH BY MARIA TERESA PANGILINAN PHOTOGRAPH BY MARIA TERESA PANGILINAN San Pablo Philippines Stake participants pose after Young single adults dine with stake leaders after the devotional. a group activity. NEWS OF THE CHURCH APRIL 2009 N9

10 Conference participants await the beginning of a devotional. PHOTOGRAPH BY EDA BROJAN-CALIMLIM PHOTOGRAPH BY EDWIN REDRINO PHOTOGRAPH PROVIDED BY ROXANNE MONTOJO Time was provided for some volunteers to apply their learning in the cosmetology workshop. PHOTOGRAPH BY EDWIN REDRINO Young single adults from Quezon City South Stake enjoy the scenery of their conference venue. PHOTOGRAPH BY EDWIN REDRINO Young single adults enjoy a dance at their multistake conference. N10

11 LATTER-DAY SAINT VOICES Making Difficult Choices By Allan Sere Ibecame a member of the Church at age 19. Just like other members, I experienced many trials and tribulations after I accepted the gospel. Although I was hesitant to listen to the missionaries in the beginning, my desire to learn the English language motivated me to read the English version of the Book of Mormon. After much thought and pondering, I felt the spirit and the truthfulness of the book. This led me to approach the missionaries and ask them to baptize me. I experienced challenges when my father found out about my planned baptism. He tried to prevent me from attending services and activities and from reading the scriptures as well, although he was not always successful. One Sunday my father followed me to church and took me back home. In anger, he asked me to choose between staying in the Church and staying in his home. I said to my father, If I choose to stay at home, you will not be able to know the Church, so I choose the Church. He made me leave the house. However, after a couple of days he accepted me back into our home and even allowed me to continue my Church activities. After a couple of years, my mother, sister and cousin accepted the gospel. They continue to be active in the Church. I have been married in the temple and am now working as a temple employee. Often my father visits the temple to see me. I wait for the day when he will finally accept the gospel and enter the temple to make sacred covenants. WORDS TO LIVE BY And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me (Matthew 25:40). I can say that I have tried to be a woman of service. At an early age, I took care of my sick mother before she died. I have had various other situations when I had the opportunity to serve, from tending a sick aunt to taking in a homeless woman. Although I have often helped people, I somehow felt this was not enough. After reading Matthew 25:40 I thought, Who is the least of my brethren? Is it the Allan Sere Family History Service By Rose Mary Cantina beggar, or the sick, or the widow, or the orphan? Surely there will always be the government or some charitable person willing to help these less fortunate ones. Then I realized that the least of them all are my ancestors, those who left this mortal life without a knowledge of the gospel. They are anxiously waiting in the spirit world for us to help them in their salvation. I serve them by doing my family history work. As a family history volunteer, I also help other members of the Church search for their ancestors and perform temple ordinances. I know that by giving my best in serving my ancestors, I am also serving God. NEWS OF THE CHURCH APRIL 2009 PHOTOGRPAH BY MARIA TERESA PANGILINAN N11

12 MISSIONARY CORNER Servants in This Marvelous Work By Abenir Pajaro President Eleazer S. Collado calmly drove through the many sharp and sudden turns of Kennon Road that connect the mountain city of Baguio with the lowlands. As president of the Philippines Baguio Mission, he has driven this steep and winding road countless times in various conditions, ministering to the needs of missionaries, leaders, and members. He carefully follows the road signs that keep travelers safe from the jagged mountain on one side and the steep cliffs on the other. He has expressed his deep respect for the people of this region, who are known for their industry, thrift, and courage. People of the area turned the challenge of surrounding mountainsides into the majestic Banaue Rice Terraces. Similarly, the gospel has been helping new generations turn their own challenges and mountains into opportunities for faith, hope, and service. Sister Mylene Lim Collado has developed greater love and appreciation for missionary work as she works alongside her husband in training sisters and serving the districts and branches. President and Sister Collado are grateful for and inspired by the gift of healing that Sister Collado received recently. Halfway through their mission, Sister Collado experienced a President and Sister Eleazer and Mylene Lim Collado with children Ciannen Maye, Ciarra Lynn, and Charmaine Anne. Their eldest son, Elijah Karl, is currently serving as a missionary in the Utah Salt Lake City South Mission. deterioration of her kidney functions that seriously threatened her life. In answer to their fervent prayers, her brother Aaron Lim graciously donated a kidney that was a perfect match. After a successful transplant, she returned to fulfilling her duties. This blessing fanned the flames of their testimonies and increased their resolve to serve the Lord and to serve Him well. President and Sister Collado are blessed with four children: Elijah Karl, 20 years old; Ciarra Lynn, 13; Charmaine Anne, 11; and Ciannen Maye, 9. Elder Elijah Karl is currently serving in the Utah Salt Lake City South Mission, where he was recently called to be an assistant to the mission president. He said, I have witnessed many special moments through the reality and power of missionary work. I can truly say that this work is of God and that He guides and directs it every single day, for the worth of souls truly is great in His sight. The call to serve a mission has allowed President Collado and his family to be instruments and witnesses of the power that comes from the gospel and the N12

13 Atonement. In life, we will have our own mountains. We will face sudden twists and turns. But faith and obedience to the commandments will help us and our family to overcome our difficulties and find peace and happiness in this world. Said President Collado: I testify that missionary work is directed by the Lord Himself. When we are in the company of young missionaries, our faith is strengthened, for we see the hand of the Lord in them. All over the world the Lord s business of missionary work is put on their shoulders, and I see that the Lord sustains their effort, sacrifices, and faith. Through their humble work and sincere desires, lives are being changed and blessed. I can feel that the Church is in good hands and will be established forevermore through this work. He continued, My life and the lives of my family have been blessed as we continue to magnify our callings. New horizons have been opened and shown to us by the Lord. Love, sacrifice, comfort, and assurance have taken on new meaning for us. It is my testimony that the promise of the Lord will be there for all who will serve Him in this work. PHOTOGRAPH BY NOEL MAGLAQUE President and Sister Lewis: Working alongside the Stripling Warriors By Ma. Teresa C. Pangilinan Almost three years ago, President and Sister Mark and Linda Joyce Lewis traveled 29 hours from England to serve in the Philippines Laoag Mission. A policeman by profession, President Lewis joined the service when he was 18 years old. Sister Lewis was a senior manager at a foundation that took care of the homeless in the West side of England. President Lewis has served in many capacities, from seminary teacher to stake president, and Sister Lewis has served as stake Relief Society president. Their President and Sister Mark and Linda Lewis with some of the office elders serving in the Philippines Laoag Mission. professions and callings prepared them for their call in the mission field. They acknowledge that the Lord indeed prepared the way. They were blessed to have a son, Daniel, but they longed for more sons and daughters. This desire was fulfilled when President Lewis was called as president of the Philippines Laoag Mission. President Lewis said that during the first months of his mission he developed greater trust in the Lord and learned to always seek the Spirit. He told how he has seen the challenges faced by young missionaries every day as they preach the gospel. The best part, he said, is witnessing the change in each missionary. These young men developed stronger testimonies and became more effective in the field. He and Sister Lewis not only provide counsel, but they have also learned to teach the elders and sisters not just as leaders, but as parents. President Lewis explained that his mission life would have been incomplete without his wife. He acknowledged Sister NEWS OF THE CHURCH APRIL 2009 N13

14 Lewis as a great source of spirituality and strength. Sister Lewis said that she was deeply pleased to be a companion to President Lewis in his work, adding that it was a wonderful experience to be the missionaries mother in the field. The Philippines Laoag Mission is composed of nine stakes and districts with 15 sister missionaries and 71 elders. The following are comments from some of the missionaries regarding President and Sister Lewis: Elder Hyde: President Lewis reminds me of my dad back home his love, care, and amazing wisdom. It is evident that he cares for all of his missionaries. Sister Uyco: I know that missionary work is a neverending responsibility. When you go home you will still do this work. As President Lewis said, no time and effort are wasted. Elder Rosa: I will never forget the joy and care that you gave me the jokes and smiles that make my mission worth it. Sister Fordunado: Thanks PHOTOGRAPH BY NOEL MAGLAQUE President and Sister Mark and Linda Lewis. for taking care of me when my foot was fractured. Thanks for being my parents here in the mission. Elder Kulbeth: President Lewis is a very inspired and beloved mission president. We all love him for his guidance and wisdom. I would not be the missionary I have become if it were not for him. Elder McKee: I learned a lot from President Lewis about leadership and being a good example. I am grateful to serve and learn with my peers. President Lewis said he considers their mission successful when the missionaries who serve with them go back home and stay active in the Church and become loving husbands and wives and the best fathers and mothers to their children. With tears rolling down their faces, President and Sister Lewis said that it will be hard to be away from people that they have learned to love when the time comes for them to leave. We cannot begin to express how we feel, said President Lewis. This opportunity to serve has been one of the sweetest and most rewarding experiences of our lives. It has been one of the most demanding and challenging as well! When we left home two and a half years ago we couldn t imagine being in the Philippines. Now as we contemplate our return home in just [a few] months we cannot imagine not being here. This beautiful land and its people have wrapped themselves permanently around our hearts. We feel we have been taught far more than we have been able to teach and we have both been deeply blessed and humbled by our mission experience. He continued, The greatest highlight for us has been working alongside our stripling warriors our beloved missionaries. How they have inspired us and blessed our lives forever! What have we learned?... Too much to be able to write in this short space. To try though, it would be simply this: A deeper and more profound love for our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. An absolute assurance that our Heavenly Father loves us. That prayers are heard and answered. That the Atonement of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ is the defining moment N14

15 PHILIPPINES JUBILEE 2011 in all human history, the purest evidence of the Father s tender mercy and infinite love. That Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, the chosen instrument in restoring the gospel of Jesus Christ following the long night of apostasy. That the Book of Mormon is the word of God another testament that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, our Savior and Redeemer. That we are led today by living prophets and apostles. We knew these things before we came of course they were the reason we came but something else has happened somewhere along the trail that has been our mission experience. The spiritual light that has burned within us has brightened in its intensity and clarity, said President Lewis. So too has our love for each other and our determination to go home and be better better parents, a better son and daughter, better friends. Just better. You see, a mission is about becoming becoming better, more Christlike, more committed to follow Him and endure to the end in order to qualify for our Father s greatest gift, even eternal life. For these things we are eternally grateful and further indebted to our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son. A Filipino Pioneer s Recollections By Ma. Teresa C. Pangilinan President N. Eldon Tanner ( ), First Counselor in the First Presidency, described a pioneer as one who goes before, preparing the way for others. He is a leader, first in his field in discovery and invention. He will be followed by settlers and developers who expand and exploit his discoveries ( Pioneers Are Still Needed, Ensign, July 1976, 2). Many Filipino pioneers were nurtured and prepared by the Lord. One who fits President Tanner s description is Ruben Lacanienta, from Cebu. At the age of 81 he still has vivid memories of the events that transpired in the 1940s, when Mormon soldiers from Utah arrived in the Philippines during World War II. The soldiers would often share the gospel and gather for sacrament meetings. In 1945, Church meetings held in Leyte, Manila, Clark Field, Pampanga, and Cavite were led by LDS servicemen until the end of the war. Brother Lacanienta s family Man of history, Ruben Lacanienta, shares his recollections of the growth of the Church in the Philippines. lived in Makati, where they met the missionaries in Brother Lacanienta said that he was receptive to the invitation to listen to the discussions but almost refused to be taught when he found out that the Book of Mormon contained stories of war. I told the missionaries that I was a guerilla of the World War and I wanted no more wars, he recalled. However, the missionaries were not deterred by his apprehension. The elders were prompted to discuss the war in heaven as related in the Bible, which Brother Lacanienta said convinced him of the truthfulness of the Church. His family was among the first Filipinos who were baptized in Maxine Grimm s well-known swimming pool. I also learned that families can be together forever, he said, which is the reason why PHOTOGRAPH BY TERE PANGILINAN NEWS OF THE CHURCH APRIL 2009 N15

16 we worked out our sealing at the Oakland Temple in In the 1970s Brother Lacanienta was called as district president and sent out the first two Filipino missionaries (Elder Lino Brocka and Elder Emil Antonio), who were assigned to serve in Hawaii. At this time chapel-building also commenced, with members involved in the construction. They had the assistance of labor missionaries from Manila, Subic, San Fernando Pampanga, and Cavite. The Buendia meetinghouse was the last one built by labor missionaries, Brother Lacanienta recalled. The Church s growth continued, and President Spencer W. Kimball ( ) announced in 1981 that the temple would be built soon. Filipino Saints persevered and complied with the financial requirements. We urged [the members] to consecrate and make offerings for the construction of the temple, and they complied earnestly, Brother Lacanienta said. Brother Lacanienta testified that miracles happened during the groundbreaking and dedication of the Manila Philippines Temple. He remembered that there was a typhoon the day of the groundbreaking, but that Ruben Lacanienta recalls past issues from Dateline Philippines. after the prayer, the weather improved. During the open house and dedication in 1984, a solar corona was seen on top of Moroni. We called those miracles a testimony of nature of the truthfulness of the Church, Brother Lacanienta added. Members were uplifted and filled with immeasurable joy as they came to open the temple the day after the dedication. Marriages, sealings, and endowments were performed. Tremendous growth is happening now in the country, as observed by Brother Lacanienta. I see the vibrancy of the fourth and fifth generation of members, which has resulted in the growth of the Church from a handful to some 600,000, he said. Brother Lacanienta is currently involved in Enterprise Mentors International (EMI), which provides business and employment training for returned missionaries. I can tell you that there is no other true Church on the earth today.... All we have here is true; Jesus Christ lives; and we belong to a living Church, he testified. PHOTOGRAPH BY TERE PANGILINAN PHILIPPINES AREA (ENGLISH) N16