by: Norberto Betita
I once sit beside the baptistery at the Cebu Philippines
Temple while waiting for my assignment to do confirmations for the dead during
one of the scheduled youth temple trip of the Surigao Philippines District. My
wife Letty was at my side. I observed a very old Filipina temple worker, probably
between 80 to 85 years of age. She was thin and pale with her back bent by age.
She was patiently mopping the wet floor resulting from the young women’s wet
baptismal dresses after being baptized for the dead and going back to the dressing
room. Suddenly I noticed Letty as she went to the old Filipina temple worker
asking the latter to rest a while and allow her to do the mopping. But
according to Letty the elderly sister explained that it was her assigned duty,
and she should fulfill it. I saw the aged Filipina as she lifted up her curbed
body and exhibited her sweetest smile leaving Letty no other option but to smile
back at her. The American Temple worker
also smiled to Letty signalling that the old worker was right, she enjoyed her
assignment. I wondered how she could be enjoying such a work with a heavy mop which
I thought is intended only for the younger and able. During my other visits at the temple after that experience I have never since seen that elderly sister. She must have probably gone beyond the veil, or totally worn out by age. But each time I see old women and men working at the Temple, I will always remember the smile of that old, frail and bent petite Filipina sister and her expressions of joy for a lifetime of service in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
For many years I had been inspired by the messages/internet
mails, I received from one of the mature missionaries once assigned in our
Branch. Since Sister Alice Heater was assigned in the Branch of the church
which I presided as a welfare missionary together with her partner, Sister
Elaine Bard sometime in 1986, she has been diligently and regularly writing to
me and my family. She had been retired
from her medical related career and since then had been working on her small
pasture land where she raised animals which include, cows, pigs, goats and
others. She plants a garden during summer. When she was younger the work just
seemed easy for her, but now it had become a little difficult because of age
and affliction. And yet in all that she does, and even in severe afflictions she
still finds time to serve regularly in the Temple and does her visiting
teaching assignment. Her letters continued to inspire us through the years. She
is now 75 and will be 76 years old by December and alone. Her faith, courage
and perseverance have been a continuing inspiration to me and my family. Recently
she had undergone a critical hip surgery and had difficulty using her legs.
While moving towards recovery she still think of the welfare of others and does
her visiting teaching even in crutches. I quote from one of her letters:
October 4, 2013 – “When the hay is out of the field I will
turn the cows into it to clean up the edges and get the grass. Then I can get
the cows in and pull off the yearlings so they can be taken to the slaughter
house for the people I have raised them for.”
I never thought that she had been raising her animals for
others and that even in her difficult condition still her concerns were focused
on the welfare of others, particularly for those whom her cows were purposely
raised.
Last September 20, 2013 she wrote, “Lacy and I have done out
VT (Visiting Teaching) faithfully for a year and we always leave a message from
the general authorities. One of our sisters was on drugs and I gave her the
talk 3 months back on drugs. Then we could never catch her. Found out she had
gone to the 12 step program for drugs and then 3 Sundays ago she bore her
testimony about her VT not giving up on her. I know that VT and HT (Home
Teaching) is the vehicle of the church. Many are reactivated because someone
never gave up on their stewardship. I love the gospel and the peace it brings
to the obedient.”
At her present age and physical condition it is sometimes
unthinkable for me and perhaps for others that she still would be willing to do
visiting teaching and perform her regular assignment in the temple with the
help of her Indian friend. But for the Latter-Day Saints who understood and
experienced the joy of lifetime service, her acts are of no wonder and
surprise. As Latter-Day Saints we love to serve because we know that service to
others is a crowing principle in the Kingdom of God.
Her missionary partner and long time friend, Sister Elaine
Bard also suffered severe heart problems and was recently hospitalized as a
result of an accident. Yet in all her sufferings, she thought not of herself
but instead tried her best to work for the genealogy of her ancestors for them
to receive the blessings of the temple. While many of their counterparts and
contemporaries may have been resting in hospital care or nursing homes, these
exemplary women are wisely using their remaining time in mortality in service
to God and His children.
By the many missionary letters that had been forwarded to me
by Sister Alice Heater, I got acquainted with a couple missionary, Randy and
Esther Golding. I have read much of their inspiring experiences as
missionaries, but what touched me more was their letter dated February 18,
2013. It imprinted some memories in my heart that when I decided to write this
article, my memory seemed to run back to their experiences of that day.
I quote, “I injured my back, put myself in bed, left Esther
to find companions, attend our appointments, prepare food and bring me stuff to
keep me occupied and unmotivated to move. Saturday night she took me to the
hospital...lifted me from the truck to the wheel chair and then showed the
nurse how to transfer me to the gurney in the emergency room. We arrived back
home at the apartment at around 1:00 AM. I was still unable to walk or stand so
Esther lifted me and scooted me to a place where I could support myself with the
truck door, turned around and with my arms wrapped around her shoulders she
carried me into the apartment. The trip was about 100 feet and included
climbing 5 steps. (I have not yet used the bedpan as Esther prefers to carry me
to the bathroom rather than deal with the pan.)”
Even in his sufferings, Randy still hooked up his pains with
humor as he wrote, “The food has included doughnuts, bacon, eggs, broiled
potatoes, fried eggs, fruit, ice cream, Costco frozen corn and the pies de
resistance. Costco wrapped and marinated tenderloin steak. Mmmmmhhh. I feel
better and am able to sit up now. (Who in their right mind would want to get
well?)” Then he added a humor for Esther’s sacrifices for him, and I loved this
part so much, “All is well. We are richly blessed. Esther is happy as Bugs
Bunny in a fight with Daffy Duck. It especially shows when she has a minute to
reflect on it. She is an amazing devoted missionary. I think things are going
better with me in bed. However, she expresses a heartfelt desire to have me
accompany her in which I can detect no betrayal so I am fully charged to
recover and redeploy.”
At my retirement from a banking career I was asked where I
might spend a vacation. I told them that should I have enough resources, I
would rather serve a full-time mission in the church. Indeed, I prepared to
serve, but our resources do not permit. So I took the option to serve on a live-at-home
mission and filled up an on-line missionary application. Fortunately, I was
called to serve as counsellor to the President of the Philippines Butuan
Mission. When I was released on July 31, 2013, I talked with my wife and we
both decided to proceed to serve a live-at-home mission. However, to my
surprise I received an appointment for an interview by the new Mission
President and a call was again offered to serve for the same office. When the call was extended to me by President
Pastor Torres, with tears in my eyes and in broken voice, I told him, “Who am I
to refuse the Lord?” In my long years of almost uninterrupted
service in the Lord’s church, I have experienced immeasurable joy and indescribable
gladness notwithstanding the valleys of sufferings and winds of adversities. My
wife and I wanted that the remaining years of our lives in mortality will be consecrated
to the Lord in service to His Kingdom on earth. I am sure we will find an even greater and
timeless happiness as we give of our time, talents and resources to God’s
purposes than spending the same in fruitless vacations.
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