• Holland: Lincoln and Righteous Leadership
Orem Institute Devotional President Holland (Elder Holland's son) gave a devotional on the Christ centered leadership of US President Abraham Lincoln. Truly inspiring.
• Close your eyes and you'll hear his father
President Holland is clearly the ipitemy of his father. His educational background is truly inspiring.
• Ashley, a fellow lover of the word, the most important education
Another lover of institute, I met Ashley who like me is enrolled in a full load of institute classes. It was great to meet someone else who's entire day is willfully consecrated on gospel learning.
• Blessing of a returned voice
My sister lost her voice the day before our house show for my birthday party. She miraculously had enough in her to sing three songs anyway. TerraQ!
• Barongs at my birthday
A group of friends arrived to my birthday/farewell open house wearing barongs! Yes!
• Testimony to a dear unchaste friend
As I was farewelling one of my close friends, a missionary experience opened up in which I was able to bear my testimony on the law of chastity.
• A brother's counsel
Up on Saturday night until late late, I received much counsel and safety tips from my closest friend Carlo
• Saturday is a special day
Contrary to the laws of probability, I was able to finish all my preparations by Saturday night and thus had Sunday to just relax and prepare myself spiritually.
• Courage to come clean, accountability and the atonement
In spiritual preparations, I recommitted myself to be accountable to The Lord and my proper priesthood authorities and partook of the blessings of the atonement. Exact obedience brings great blessings.
• Keep your sins small and confess them regularly
I was so happy to apply this principle.
• A bishop's blessing for health and success
My bishop's blessing was with me on this genealogical venture.
• Three from Brisbane, mission bound
Every airport I stopped at had missionaries. The first ones I spoke with were Australians. An elder on his way to São Paulo Interlagos, a sister to DC, and a sister to SL Temple Square.
• Dolores' prayer, spiritual sensitivity
I met the most caring and spiritually in tune pastor/missionary. She inspired me with her works and stories and made the longest stretch of my flight into a pleasant and uplifting experience.
• The Good Lie: genealogy culture
The first film I watched on the flight was based on family and even showed a game based on genealogy.
• The Book of Life: divine help from your ancestors
This second film was about exercising agency to write your own destiny, with the help of your spirit and ancestors, you can set the best legacy for your future posterity.
• Bears: the divine nature of a family
A beautiful family audienced documentary showing how family is a huge part of the natural world.
• Stand By Me: agency and divine help from posterity
This movie focused on agency and helping your ancestors to attain a happy marriage and lead a life full of joy and righteous choices.
• Elder and Sister Gardner, see you in Olongapo
I met a missionary couple on their way to the Olongapo mission!!
• Remember the counsel of the friends
While in the airport the spirit kicked in and helped me remember the hours of counsel I received from Carlo and his family. These spiritual promptings protected me from many minor traps and dangers I faced while entering the country.
• Are you mormons?
Traveling around Manila and up to Olongapo with purpose in our walk and countenances, wearing Sunday dress, we were often and obviously recognized as LDS.
• Underground tunnel to the temple
From the temple patron boarding house to the temple grounds there is the coolest secret underground passageway!! Feeling like a general authority traveling through salt lake!
• Young elders going through for the first time
Elders from Davao and other provinces chatted with me while waiting for our session. So great to see their bright eyes as they were entering the temple for the first time.
• Barongs in the temple!
Yes!
• A spiritual prompting "get in there now!"
The elders going in for the first time were escorted in early. The patron I was with insisted we wait to also be escorted in. After some time and without a clock nearby, I felt a strong prompting to end our conversation and get up an in there immediately. We managed to enter as the doors were closing for our scheduled session. Safe!
• At home in the celestial room
Long after other patrons left to go home, I lingered to converse more with The Lord in the celestial room.
• My gospel library is bigger than yours, a desire to bless the Philippines for opportunities to read local literature
A lover of gospel inspired literature, I was disappointed at how basic the Manila temple lds bookstore was. It was literally the Book of Mormon, church magazines, and a few manuals. Nothing like the Deseret Book shelves of Utah, and what I carried in my luggages held thirty times more sources for inspiration. We need to do something about that. The scriptures of course are the foundation. But saints can benefit much by hearing and reading from testimonies from other pinoys.
• Palengke with Nanay
This made me feel at home.
• Nanay has cousins in Gordon Heights!
More sources for family history!!
• A spiritual practice
Invited to serve and multiply our talents, we felt the spirit strongly as we practiced our special musical number with our new YSA friends, and as we shared our testimonies on the topic of the song and its inspired lyrics
• Missionary week
So great to meet the local missionaries and see the youth have their day of missionary schedule and experiences.
• Sharing talents
We performed musical numbers in te Cabalan Branch
• Finding lola
Dozens of family stories, hundreds of photos!
• Cooking with ate Rye
Service! Yum!
• FHE
An inactive part of the family joined us and had much fun!
• Official
Rhea, my genealogy your companion, and I are now officially dating. She's so great!
feeling blessed in