THE ECHOES OF ETERNITY: TO MY DEAREST LETTY ON HER 65th BIRTHDAY

By: Norberto G. Betita

The torrential rains of the season were pouring heavily overnight. The drenching showers generated thuds and thumps as it drop on the GI roofing and splashes down into the ground, creating penetrating echoes of splatters inside our room. The chilling breeze of dawn pricked into the unsealed splits of window jalousies and bathes our small room with coldness even intensified by the spinning fan. Of this I was awakened on the dawn of October 30, 2014, my beloved wife’s 65th birthday. I thought it not proper to disturb her deep sleep and instead just offered a prayer especially for her. As my petition and thanksgiving to God became even deeper and sincere, the unrestrained echoes of eternity flashed back before my mind and strike a chord in my heart as to set me in remembrance of that wonderful premortality I shared with the rest of the spirit children of Heavenly Father. I do have faith and conviction that I and Letty where in that premortal existence; “When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:7)” while gathered in that grand council in Heaven preparatory to our earthly sojourn in accord with the eternal plan of happiness. Then I noticed she was awakened while I was still in my prayer to the Most High. Just after my personal communion with God, I greeted her warmly with kisses of tenderness and firm loving embrace until my emotions broke my eyes in tears. 

As I long since understood the reality of our premortality as sons and daughters of God with divine potential and destiny in plain manifestations revealed through prophets both of old and the present, I have come to better comprehend that the friendship that I and my dear Letty once have which eventually brought us into our marital relationship was just a friendly relationship resumed or restarted. We once lived with God before we come to earth. We were there as Spirit children of Heavenly Father. We were part of “the intelligences that were organized before the world was, and among…the noble and great ones” (Abraham 3:22). We were cared by a magnificent Heavenly Mother in the Family of God. We are literally brothers and sisters. That Heavenly Family was an epitome and prototype of our earthly families. While the memories of pre-earth life were taken from us as we cross the veil of forgetfulness, yet we can know that such relationships were perfect and eternal as to be our model. Therefore, we are bound by the same ideal to perpetuate our earthly family relationships towards perfection and exaltation to live with God forever and ever. 

Thus, having my visions beyond the wonders of eternity, I envisage that perhaps as Letty and I wandered around the spirit world of the pre-mortal existence, we planned together of what we are going to do once our time will come to journey into the earth. We wanted that we will meet again in mortality, that we will be born in a place that is near for us to meet. We planned that we will continue to be submissive and obedient to the will of the Father in mortality---our second state. We desired that we will be joined together in a marriage and that we will have sons and daughters whom the Father might entrust to us. We pledged to perform all the necessary ordinances that are required for us to attain exaltation. We agreed to endure the refining tests that we may have to go through according to the plan of eternal happiness; to prove worthy of the blessings of eternal life back into the presence of our Heavenly Parents. We know, however, that our plans will be quite impossible to attain considering that our premortal awareness and perfect knowledge will all be forgotten as we are required to pass through the veil of forgetfulness, and so live by faith and no longer by sight.

These echoes of eternity remain to be my continued incentive to be always true and loyal to my relationships with my wife and children. As I reflected and pondered this day while in loving embrace with my dearest Letty, I asked her, “What could have been my life without you?” “How should have I endured the mounting hills of challenges; the painful battles with afflictions; the valleys and mires of haunting difficulties and deprivations?” Her reply was simple and honest: “What I am to you is exactly what you are to me. I love you very much.” Indeed, our marriage of 40 years was a ‘growing from grace to grace’, a proving to do all things what the Lord our God shall command us (see Abraham 3:25). Our relationship is far from perfection, but we are striving towards such a lofty end with God at the helm. We endeavor and make every effort to increase in wisdom and faith while in mortality; enduring well is a daily goal. We have faith that as we follow God’s plan we will attain happiness not only in this life, but in the life to come.

Letty and I knew that no matter what, our journey will go on into eternity. If we are worthy we will be able to return to where we came from---the glorified life with Heavenly Father. Our eternal journey leads into an uphill route, and we discover that it becomes even more difficult as we near the summit. Yet the blessings of the Atonement give us the power to endure defeating obstacles along the way. 

As my dearest Letty celebrates her 65th birthday today in an atmosphere of simplicity and family solidarity, I do not tire telling her how much I loved her and how grateful am I to be a part of her life. My deepest appreciations of her abiding love and affectionate devotions to her maternal and spousal duty bestow upon me such an assurance of an enduring relationship into eternity. My everlasting gratitude for her unbounded love and untiring effort to raise and rear our children has always been the substance deep in the chamber of my heart. The introspections of the echoes of eternity make us aware that we are right into the plan of eternal happiness and our journey seemed to correspond and resemble primeval expectations. On this very day I wrote these thoughts especially for her:

“LETECIA”

Joy and gladness your name implies
Your inner beauty our hearts’ delight
That saintly charm ever clear in our eyes
Never at any time demeans eternal flight
A goddess of abundance you’re meant to rise
Yet adversity reflects a life in sight.

Eternity’s your journey’s end
The path you trudge to God destined
Your motherhood was foreordained
A sacred trust your children had been
To you on earth eternal souls assigned
To guide and nurture by God’s design.

For every deed you’ve ever done
The family’s welfare is paramount
Worldly treasures will soon be gone
While eternal riches ever will mount
The worth of children in priority borne
Forever family eternally bound.

In this your birthday I penned these lines
Expressions of gratitude of your duty divine
Of endless love my heart’s inclined
Ever in my soul profoundly unbroken
I love you my dearest even in words unspoken
From echoes of eternity to exaltation refine.

May the wonders and echoes of eternity ever fill the voids of our lives together as we continue to trek the ever demanding race of mortality. May God grant for us added courage and faith to sustain us in our journey to the blissful shores of eternity.

RULON ASHER: AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM OF MY GRANDSON

Best Wishes for Rulon Asher on His 9th Birthday

by: Norberto Betita

When he was about five years old he started to learn about the value of prayer. After one of our family home evenings, the closing prayer was offered by our foster daughter Angelica. In her prayers were sincere petitions to bless each member of the family. He was busy playing something. We thought he was not listening. But after the prayer he complained why Angelica did not include in her prayer to ask Heavenly Father to heal him from coughs and colds that he was then suffering. From him we learned a lesson that even when little children seemed to be just snubbing or not paying attention to our spiritual family activities in the home, yet they are learning.

During our family prayers he would seek the assistance of his father to help him pray when it is his turn. Since then he has started to learn how to pray himself. 

RULON ASHER GARCIA BETITA, our beloved fourth grandson, is now celebrating his 8th birthday and is baptized by his father. His receiving the ordinance reminds me of the day, 26 years ago when I baptized his father. He told us he is very excited about receiving his ordinance of baptism. As a grandfather I am very proud of him to have such a desire at a young age for an ordinance that will give him entrance to the gates of the Celestial Kingdom. After baptism, he will be on his personal trek to his mortal journey into eternity. Of course he will be guided by his mortal parents along the way. While he is blessed with righteous parents, yet his life’s battles will be a personal one. He is now to exercise his moral agency to choose right from wrong. This is where he will start to grow and develop and progress towards his divine destiny. He is the only one that bears my name---BETITA amongst my grandchildren. And I’m confident he will bear that name with honor.

His name Rulon was described thus: “You are a law unto itself. Your tendency is to finish whatever you start. You are tolerant and like to help humanity. You are very active. You are generally warmhearted and gives freely of your time, energy, and sympathetic understanding. You have tolerance and acceptance of the frailties of others. Universal and humanitarian in outlook. This is very compassionate name. Emergencies may raise your intuitive abilities in order to resolve conflict or situation. You become very creative under the pressure, and have quite original ideas to make the best out of it.

“Position and social status is very important for you and you are always looking for way to improve your position in society. You have power and ability to choose your own destiny and achieve anything you want in life. You can expand in any direction according to your will and the set of values. You have passion for justice and belong to the position of authority. You have an inherent courage and endurance to accomplish "The Impossible Dream". With the power comes responsibility. You hold keys to the material world, but with this gift comes high spiritual responsibility to be fair and true to others. You are philosophical and mature, determined and intense with a desire to endure, often religious.” (http://www.sevenreflections.com/name/rulon/).

Asher on the other hand means happiness or blessed both in America and in Hebrew. It is well known that Asher is the son of Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid and of Jacob in the Old Testament and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel (see Genesis 35:26).

These meanings and descriptions of his names seemed to correspond fittingly even in this his early life. His parents had very hard times getting him to eat good food, but his energy just seemed never exhausted. His generosity is well shown even in his childhood. He doesn’t fight nor retaliate even if stricken by other boys. He is tolerant of others faults. He is a very happy boy. He has that ever yearning desire to create something and to enjoy his boyhood. He is trained to do his assignments by his own and his parents’ role is just to check the accuracy of his work. At times his mother wanted to hire a tutor for him, but his father would rather want him to enjoy his free time after all he only has a short time as a kid to build happy memories with classmates and neighborhood friends. When asked to study for periodical examinations, he would just tell his parents, “Don’t you worry I have stock knowledge.” Such phrase became a mantra in the family circle. He is very much younger than most of his classmates in the third grade. He is not in the honor roll but as a grandfather I observed innate talents in him which I believe will be developed in proper time. 

At home and in church he is such a good boy. However, like all other children he has his own frailties. Too much energy and untiring mobility at times irritates his parents, yet he is ever willing to be corrected. When he knew he is wrong he accepts parental chastisement with tears in his eyes. When he felt reasonably right he confronts with his parents. I love Rulon Asher as much as I love all my grandchildren.

Many times in our conversations with him together with his grandmother he would tell us, and he has repeated it several times, that he wanted to be an engineer so that he could build a beautiful house, and buy a car or two of the latest model so that it will not be difficult for us to go to church. What an impossible dream for a child! Yet I believe it is attainable as he reaches maturity. When his father was about four years old, we had occasional rides in the car of our District President who is a doctor. Then back home he would tell me, “Pa, I would like to be a doctor so that I could buy a car.” Although his interests changed as he grows older, yet that simple childish dream of buying a car probably became his motivation to do better in his quest for learning and education as he reached adolescence. He could have attained his simple childhood dream earlier. However, as his life moved towards responsible maturity, priorities changed as he learned to “…seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness”. But I know that necessary goals for material things will come for the Lord has promised, “and all these things shall be added unto you (see Matthew 6:33).”

I write this personally for Rulon Asher as my life is now in its final stretch. My life might not be long enough to constantly remind him that not only do I believe in the expressive description that his name brings, but I have real faith in his ‘inherent courage and endurance to accomplish the impossible dream’, upon which ‘power comes responsibility’. I do have confidence and profound conviction that one day he will ‘hold keys to the material world’, from which ‘gift comes high spiritual responsibility to be fair and true to others’. When for me tomorrow no longer comes, I will have left no lasting memory for him than this simple reminder that as a child he dreamed an impossible dream and my best wishes as a grandfather together with his grandmother is for him to follow that vision for surely that childhood dream will connect him to the future and doors will eventually open for the physical attainment of his wishes and aspirations.

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT BY COMMON CONSENT

by: Norberto G. Betita

Throughout my study of business management in graduate school and in my trainings from management consultants together with my years of actual experience as a bank officer provided me with so much understanding of the structural hierarchy in different types of organizations. Among the leading organizational structures are labelled vertical and horizontal or flat. Both had the concept and idea of collective motivation for subordinates to help attain corporate goals and objectives. Around these types of organizational structures, allocations of roles and accountabilities are centered on the culture prevailing in the corporate pattern. The flow of responsibilities is determined by the kind of hierarchy that is present in the organizational format. Many believed that applicable structures are influenced and established according to the size of the organization. Vertical organizations are generally employed for larger corporate operations where the chain of management comes from the top ranking CEO connecting down the level of middle managers. While the horizontal or flat structure is best applicable for smaller groups wherein the managers handle the day-to-day tasks interacting with customers and front-line personnel. Both have their respective advantages and disadvantages.

In my long years of voluntary service in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints I have found an even better leadership and management structure that can be most effective not only as it is used in the church, but even in a corporate community. I termed it as Leadership and Management by Common Consent. “And all things shall be done by common consent in the church, by much prayer and faith, for all things you shall receive by faith…” (D & c 26:2) This management structure however is significantly different from that of the corporate viewpoint considering that its origin is more from an ecclesiastical voluntary organization where workers are generally unpaid. Its goals and purposes are divinely manifested and the ultimate objective is to save souls. Yet its operation is similar to that of a corporate organization where there are appointed leaders and subordinate managers of ecclesiastical units. The same interactions that are present in a corporate organization are also extant in the church.


Prospective leaders in the church are called from all walks of life. They do not even know that they are to be called anytime until they are interviewed for a position. They do not apply for any office in the church; neither do they aspire for any calling of authority. They are appointed and chosen by inspiration or revelation to the person who holds a key to preside. When one is assigned to a position of trust he is not required to submit a resume or to be questioned about his capabilities. All that would be asked of him are his personal worthiness and his willingness and desire to serve. They are informed that the call is from God and it is a beckon of divine stewardship. Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained that “administrative affairs of the Church are handled in accordance with the law of common consent. This law is that in God’s earthly kingdom, the King counsels what should be done, but then he allows his subjects to accept or reject his proposals. Unless the principle of free agency is operated in righteousness men do not progress to ultimate salvation in the heavenly kingdom hereafter. Accordingly, church officers are selected by the spirit of revelation in those appointed to choose them, but before the officers may serve in their positions, they must receive a formal sustaining vote of the people over whom they are to preside. (D. & C. 20:60–67; 26:2; 28; 38:34–35;41:9–11; 42:11; 102:9; 124:124–145.)” (Mormon Doctrine, pp. 149–50.)

Once called, the leader is presented before the congregation upon which he is called to preside and his subjects who are the members of the group raised their hands to the square as a solemn manifestation of common consent that they are willing to support and sustain the man or woman whom they have mutual belief as being called of God. Therefore, the accountability of the leader is not to the people but to God who called him.

As in a corporate operation, these church leaders together with the members are called upon to engage, involve and participate in order to attain goals and objectives. They plan, organize and control. They set objectives; they take initiatives and respond to changing situations; they decide and take responsibility for wrong decisions; they persevere; they take positive attitudes and learn from failures; they develop the attitude of positive personal image; they delegate responsibilities; they listen, support and criticize constructively when needed; they undertake prayerful considerations on matters of importance; they persuade, motivate and create enthusiasm among members. All these they do on a part-time basis. In their stewardship accountability they are guided by the principle that, “Men will be held accountable for the things which they have and not for the things they have not. … All the light and intelligence communicated to them from their beneficent creator, whether it is much or little, by the same they in justice will be judged, and … they are required to yield obedience and improve upon that and that only which is given, for man is not to live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” (Joseph Smith ).

When called upon to lead, these men generally feel that they are inadequate of the responsibilities that they are assigned to do and so become hesitant to respond affirmatively. They understand however that they will be accountable only according to their present capacities and not on the magnitude of their responsibilities. But they know that they are required to obey and improve their capacities as to qualify for the call. They are told, “Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence.” (D & C 107:99). They know that this is not their work that they are doing, “It is the Lord’s work, and when [they] are on the Lord’s errand, [they] are entitled to the Lord’s help.” They are reminded, “…that whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies.” (Thomas S. Monson). This means that when one is called to be a Bishop in the church, generally he do not have the required knowledge of the many responsibilities attendant to the office. He is required to do his work only according to the limited capacity that he has at the moment. Then he slowly learns his duty precept upon precept, here a little and there a little as he is provided with the needed help to eventually qualify for the weight of his position. Further this is meant that when one is called to be a clerk he must work to become the best clerk that he can be. If he is to be the quorum president he must strive to measure up to the high calling of leading the brethren in the Priesthood. As he follows these admonitions he increased in knowledge and understanding of the nature of the work and improve his capabilities to do and magnify his calling. In the process he encourages engagement, involvement and participation in the achievement of goals and objectives of the ward.

These leaders and workers are not paid for their labors neither are they “compelled in all things,” but they “anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, [to] bring to pass much righteousness; for the power is in them wherein they are agents unto themselves.” (see D & C 58:26-28). They are self-motivated in accepting accountabilities. They knew that to be a good leader they should be a good follower and they take initiative to follow the Lord’s example of ‘Servant-Leadership’. They follow the admonition of Hugh B. Brown when he said, “[we] cannot effectively teach [what we do] not profoundly believe. … Our lives and our teachings must not be at variance.” (Eternal Quest, Bookcraft, 1956, pp. 179, 181.) They sit in council together to discuss goals and actions, and to measure accomplishments. They may have different ideas and opinions on matters affecting the organization, but in the end they unite in a common consensus and support and sustain the decision of the presiding authority. Therefore, their mind-sets are focused on a single path towards accomplishment and achievement of goals. They are taught and they learned that “Authoritarian rule is not the proper rule by which to govern Saints, but rather seek to administer in the spirit of humility, wisdom, and goodness, teaching not so much by theory as practice. Though one teach with the eloquence of an angel, yet one’s good practices, good examples, one’s acts, constantly manifesting wholeheartedness for the interests of the people, teach much more eloquently, much more effectually.” (Lorenzo Snow). It is no wonder that they accomplish much and achieve more.

I tried to incorporate some of these principles in my leadership responsibilities in the corporate setting. I found it to be more efficacious considering that I am dealing with men who are qualified and skilled in their respective positions, are working full-time, and are properly paid for the labors they performed. These are integral motivational means upon which the workers are enthused to function and accomplish. My role then was to utilize suggested leadership principles which I deemed preeminent in establishing an atmosphere of common consent. The response was beneficially and positively evident by the fact that for years I had gained a consistent outstanding performance until I retired.

HOW MY 1-YEAR OLD GRANDSON LONGS FOR A DAD

by: Norberto Betita

CIAN KENNETH

When our 7th grandchild was born our hearts were filled to overflowing with joy and gladness for having one grandson added into our posterity. His early exposure to adversity even in his early conception makes him unique and uncommon. His enduring character even as a fetus in the confines of his mother’s womb provided us with hopeful assurance that he will be able to go through and stand by the tests of mortality. Several times his conception was threatened for miscarriage, but he held on. He was conceived and born in adversity, but he came out a sturdy 3.5 more kilos boy infant with a glowing manifestation of courage and bravery. He was as if telling us, “I have successfully endured, there is no reason that the family should not. I have fought my battles and ended up victor, I am come to help fight our goliaths and win.” His life had to start with misfortune having been estranged from his biological father even from the time of his conception. The shudders of adversity were right at his naked tender body the very second he was delivered from his mother’s womb.

I have given him the most fitting name CIAN KENNETH, meaning, born of fire (adversity), and royal oath (a covenant son), handsome, and enduring. A combination name of Irish (for Cian), and Gaelic, Scottish, English (for Kenneth) origin.

Despite his earlier encounters with trials without a father in his daily life, he grows healthy and strong. He is now a year and three months old and can utter words as mommy and others. He learned to say daddy from his three-year old cousin Travis. Each time Travis’ father comes home from work he would open the door and cry out with excitement “daddy, daddy, daddy” and Cian Kenneth would follow and with kind of real thrill and eagerness for a father’s presence also cries “daddy, daddy, daddy”. And his uncle would cuddle and huddle him together with his cousin. Such a daily observation of ecstasy and jubilation from my one-year old grandson, hungering and craving for a father’s presence pierced my heart with sadness and sorrow. How I longed that his father grasped the message of an unknown author who said, “A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty.”

His father visits him and his three siblings occasionally. During a recent visit he and his elder brother went with their father. As they returned home his brother cuddled him and as their father left he screamed with penetrating wails which only the hug of his mother mends. I was touched by such a poignant scene consequential of estrangement and disaffection which I never dreamed to happen to my posterity. The awful display of alienation reminded me of the words of William Bennett: “Real fatherhood means love and commitment and sacrifice and a willingness to share responsibility and not walking away from one’s children.” I was prompted to write that perhaps in the years to come he might have something in his personal history that will provide him the courage to move on and to do better than what his early life’s experiences doomed.

I am grateful that two of my married children are living with us in the same roof, although we live as independent families, that there are his uncles who let him feel the love of a father. As a grandfather, I tried and will ever try to be the best substitute but my life is getting shorter as to perhaps see him grow to maturity. While his father provides him and his siblings a monthly sustenance, I have to temporarily perform together with my son and son-in-law the most important work which Ezra Taft Benson declared: “Fatherhood is not a matter of station or wealth. It is a matter of desire, diligence and determination to see one’s family exalted in the celestial kingdom. If that prize is lost, nothing else really matters.” I’m sure Heavenly Father will not forsake my posterity of their need to be exalted if they are worthy. His providence will provide in due time the missing requirements for exaltation---a father.

One night the silence and tranquility of early dawn was broken by the continual cries of Cian Kenneth. Not even her mother could stop him. My wife decided to take him in her arms and brought him into our room. He ceased crying. And as he was laid on our bed he stared at me very sharply. In his eyes I could discern a very deep, all-pervading and inquiring longing for a dad who would have carried his tender body in the grasp of his bare hands in a shared responsibility with his mother to relieve him of childhood anxieties during the weary night. 

We are very sorry that his family was subjected and penetrated by the wiles and deception of the evil one whose wisely designed purpose is to destroy the family. Gone are the happy days of more than twelve years of togetherness, replaced by the shadows of gloom and despair resultant of isolation and alienation. During the early days of quiet separation and parting many tears were shed and weeping a common sight, hearts broken, and feelings erred. Yet forgiveness heals and hopes and faith in the power of the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ reverberate into eternity. His elder siblings are already adjusted to their present environment and conditions. Their yearnings of their father’s presence now dwindle and wane. Gone are the excitements of occasional visits. However, to Cian Kenneth from whose birth had never experience a father’s permanent presence, visits only add profound and abiding longing for the presence and love of a Dad.