A TIME TO BE SINGLE

By: Norberto Betita

While the skies may have been darkened by thick clouds of a coming rainy day this early morning of November 23, 2017, still the poetic words of Parley P. Pratt (1807-1857) rings ever anew:

The morning breaks, the shadows flee;
The dawning of a brighter day,
Majestic rises on the world.
(Hymn No. 1)

The dawns of life come in glitters of unending sequence while her mortal journey is yet in its forward trail. As the new day and the new year of her existence shine brighter, the shadows of the past fade and a brilliant hope of tomorrow is majestically flashed in immaculate panorama of a new and broadened horizon.

While new challenges may arise and some hard times frustrate; the stifling power gained from the seasoned past may well administer and disperse such barriers for her to move forward to a glorious day and satisfying moments of a contented life. 

Once she posted, “Betita forever.” She might have been dismayed for not being married soon enough as to enjoy the blessings of motherhood. But God will never in anyway deprive His daughters of that opportunity. The blessings of eternal happiness with God, in which sphere, “neither is the man without a woman, neither the woman without the man” (1 Corinthians 11:11), is promised to all the faithful, “whether in life or in death” (D&C 58:2).

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:3). A time to be single and happy and a time to be married and attend to the greatest responsibility of being a “mother,” magnificently described as, “…she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take” (Cardinal Mermillod). The timetable, however, is well written in God’s calendar. While such wished-for event remained on hold, she may for the moment, enjoy her youthful eternal summer, which will never fade no matter the refining tests of life, nor lose its hold on the beauty she owns, not even when she grows to a ripened age. So thus Shakespeare wrote:

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date;
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm'd;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st;
Nor shall death brag thou wander’st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st:
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.
(Sonnet 18)

As the 365 days circle of life opens anew and the stadium and showground of life’s race is cleared of past failures, frustrations and impediments for a fresh start, it is our best wishes and hope that the gifts of the Spirit which she had been so abundantly blessed may ever contribute best and influence further her quest for personal growth and development.

She is now 27; the last of the best age to be married in so far as preparing for motherhood is concerned. For her this is yet a time to be single. Marriage can wait until the man of her choice and of whom he can trust appears in God’s appointed time.

HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR LAST BORN---THE BEAUTIFUL SHAUNA MEGAN! May you enjoy the wonders of a single life, while ever looking forward to the day when you will have been given an eternal partner. May it be so, is our prayer!

TO BE AS A CHILD

By: Norberto Betita

My 2-year-old granddaughter Rohan Ashlei

Sunday, November 12, 2017 was an exciting day for us in the family. Five of our grandchildren---ages eleven, seven, six, four and two---are participating in the Sacrament meeting presentation of the Primary Organization in our branch. All five have already memorized their parts. Saturday before practice I asked the youngest of them all---Rohan Ashlei--- to recite her piece. She stood high on the arms of two linked Narra chairs in the living room and excitedly recited, “Good morning brothers and sisters. I am a child of God.” I appreciated her and encouraged her to speak in the pulpit.

The presentation day came. The weather was very good and we went early to church. Perhaps fearful of the almost packed chapel, the two youngest of our grandchildren and another two among the primary children never made it to the pulpit. Yet the wonderful experience of witnessing those primary children performed their parts, declaring words to live by and singing songs of praise touched my heart. The performance may not have been that splendid, but the message that the presence of those twenty six primary children brought into such a simple Sacrament meeting presentation was one of reverence and admiration; a reflection of their willingness and humility to follow the Lord’s teachings; a reminder of the Lord’s admonition for us to be as a child in order to gain eternal life. In them I saw in contemplative imagination the meaning of the label on Greg Olsen’s painting---The Dandelion---posted on the artists Facebook account which reads: “The flowers of tomorrow are in the seeds of today.”

The Sacrament meeting presentation was then concluded with a message from my son, our district President. He stood with already misty eyes. After a brief introduction about his experiences as a child in his primary years in the church and how he had grown spiritually since those formative years, in a voice choked with emotion he quoted a scriptural block in Matthew 19: 13-15: “Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.”

What dumbfounding and staggering such statements might have been to the disciples who first rebuked the children purportedly for reason that they do not want the Lord disturbed by those little ones, only to be taught of an underlying core principle and truth about the need to develop childlike character and humility if they are to be a part of the Kingdom of God. In the account of Luke the Lord added: “Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein” (Luke 18:17). Such was a touching account which stirred the heart and brought tears into the eyes of our District President whose mandate it is to minister and guide his small flock into developing qualities that is required “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). His wish must have been that the sheep of his fold might be able to grasp the wonderful message of humility and submissiveness that the passage portrays and shun the dirty appearance of pride, arrogance and pomposity which are prevalent in our present society. Those performing little children brought into our Sacrament Meeting a sunbeam which light reminds us of the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ and His submissiveness to the Father.

Our District President then related of an event during the visit of Jesus Christ to the Nephites in ancient America, where after healing the sick and afflicted with love and compassion upon them, the Lord also exhibited his deepest love and concern for the Nephites children. He quoted verses from 3 Nephi 17 thus:

“And it came to pass that he commanded that their little children should be brought.

“So they brought their little children and set them down upon the ground round about him, and Jesus stood in the midst; and the multitude gave way till they had all been brought unto him.

“And it came to pass that when they had all been brought, and Jesus stood in the midst, he commanded the multitude that they should kneel down upon the ground.

“And it came to pass that when they had knelt upon the ground, Jesus groaned within himself, and said: Father, I am troubled because of the wickedness of the people of the house of Israel.

“And when he had said these words, he himself also knelt upon the earth; and behold he prayed unto the Father, and the things which he prayed cannot be written, and the multitude did bear record who heard him.

“And after this manner do they bear record: The eye hath never seen, neither hath the ear heard, before, so great and marvelous things as we saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father;

“And no tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak; and no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto the Father.

“And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of praying unto the Father, he arose; but so great was the joy of the multitude that they were overcome.

“And it came to pass that Jesus spake unto them, and bade them arise.

“And they arose from the earth, and he said unto them: Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, my joy is full.

“And when he had said these words, he wept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.

“And when he had done this he wept again;

“And he spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: Behold your little ones.

“And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them.

“And the multitude did see and hear and bear record; and they know that their record is true for they all of them did see and hear, every man for himself; and they were in number about two thousand and five hundred souls; and they did consist of men, women, and children” (3 Nephi 17:11-25).

The Lord has always been deeply compassionate and loving to those who suffered misery and woe as consequences of sin. In His prayer, He expressed to the Father His sincere concern for the wickedness of the house of Israel. He groaned and knelt in pleadings for them. The expressions of those present listening and witnessing the Lord’s earnest petition to the Father were awe-inspiring. What makes the account even more sentimental was that after the Lord had prayed, “he wept.” His intense and passionate prayers and supplications for the Nephites’ relief brought tears into His eyes. His weeping was not only about his concern for the sufferings of the sinners, but those were also silent tears of joy for the faithfulness of the Nephites people.

The Lord Jesus Christ is no stranger to weeping. He has been described by Isaiah as “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3). Accordingly, in His ministry crying must have always been a part. He “wept over” (Luke 19:41) Jerusalem because of her rejection of Him. “He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto” the Father who “save him from death” (see Hebrews 5:7). Showing His sympathy and compassion to the grieving sisters and friends, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35) at the death of Lazarus.

In that Nephite visit account, after the Lord blessed the children one by one, he wept again. And the event of the angels coming from heaven as it were in the midst of fire, ministering to the children, showed us a glimpse of how Heavenly Father through His only Bogotten Son---Jesus Christ--- loves His children and how he feels of their afflictions, anguish and pain as to send heavenly ministers to comfort them. He provided us a quick clear look and an aura of the eternal possibilities of living in the celestial mansions in His heavenly kingdom in joy and glory, surrounded by ministering angels.

In one earlier account of Matthew, Jesus’ disciples asked Him the question, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” His response must have startled His listeners as He “called a little child unto him and set him in the midst of them,” at which instance He then said, “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Then He declared in no uncertain terms and without reservation, this most profound admonition and assurance: “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:1-4).

We are in the times when the world is ripened in inequity; when worldliness and abomination has impregnated the substance of our moral caricature and pervaded the air of vice and evil; when hate has become a common language and “pride,the great vice” (Ezra Taft Benson)commonplace. His unequivocal declaration for each of us to be as a child in order to be able to enter into the kingdom of heaven should leave for us no room for doubt. He is simply teaching us that to be humble is to develop the attributes of a child as enumerated by King Benjamin in his sermon: “For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father”( Mosiah 3:19).

Becoming as a child is a process of ongoing spiritual growth and development in which the ultimate goal is to acquire childlike qualities and other higher virtues of spiritual submissiveness such as, but not limited to, gratitude, reverence and service to others, and willing submission to the will of our Heavenly Father.

A PECULIAR CHURCH, A PECULIAR PEOPLE

By: Norberto Betita

April 2017 General Conference

The Lord instructed Moses while they were encamped in the wilderness of Sinai to “tell the children of Israel” thus, “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people… And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation” (Exodus 19:3, 5-6).

Such intentions of the Lord for the House of Israel was echoed by the apostle Peter to the saints in New Testament times: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” (1 Pet. 2:9.)

Of these President Russel M. Nelson explained: “In the Old Testament, the Hebrew term from which peculiar was translated is segullah, which means valued property or treasure. In the New Testament, the term from which peculiar was translated is peripoiesis, which means possession or an obtaining. Thus we see that the scriptural term peculiar signifies valued treasure made or selected by God. For us to be identified by servants of the Lord as his peculiar people is complement of the highest order” (Introduction – Deuteronomy, LDS Media Library, lds.org).

The fundamental and basic tenet of being peculiar is that of being different and unique from that of the worldly norms and social patterns. “A peculiar people is one whose relationship to God is out of the ordinary, who partake of his divine nature in a very special way. Jehovah said not only that Israel would be distinct from all other nations, but also that that distinction would lie in their moral and spiritual superiority. In other words, they would be a peculiar people because they were a holy people” (Rodney Turner, The Quest for A Peculiar People, Ensign, May 1972, lds.org).

This peculiar identity has also become evident among the members of the Church---the modern Israel. Although the effort to be distinctive is a personal quest of each member it becomes a part of the whole---The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints---as such it has been known as a peculiar church, a peculiar people. This peculiarity of the church and its people has now been recognized by the world as the members continue to live moral and spiritual ascendancy. While the Lord’s objective to make us peculiar is more on our spiritual makeup, yet the moral values and righteous principles that we each attach into our daily living are recognized with respect in the temporal modern world, whether it be in business, politics and other religious organizations. The goodness that we share to others as a church and as a people and the religious faithfulness that we demonstrate speaks well of our uniqueness and admirability.

John A. Widtsoe, a member of the Council of the Twelve from 1921 until his death in 1952, enumerated five reasons why Latter-Day Saints are a peculiar people in which he described the fifth reason thus: “most astonishing of all, the most peculiar thing about the Latter-day Saints—so it seems to our weak generation—is that its members have the courage to live up to their beliefs in the face of adverse practices. The Latter-day Saint rejoices in his larger and more complete knowledge and in the privilege of using this knowledge for his good. In a social gathering he refuses the cocktail with a smile and a “thank you.” Among companions who smoke, he keeps his mouth and lungs clean and sweet. When others make Sunday a boisterous holiday, he spends part of it attending to his church duties. Amid immorality, he keeps himself clean and goes to his wife as pure as he expects her to be, and continues so throughout life. He tries to follow the admonition of the Savior—to be in the world, but not of the world.

“The world marvels at such daring, but admires it. Men who love truth above all else, who are guided in their lives by the principles of truth and who dare to conform to them, despite temptation or scoffing companions, are the truly honored ones in the minds of saints and sinners. They are the ones the world is hoping and praying for to lead humanity into peace and happiness. But such courage makes of us a peculiar people.

“We should indeed be proud to exchange error for truth, to seek urgently for all truth, and to build truth every day and everywhere into our lives. By that path we shall reach individual and collective happiness and power and become able to serve better our confused and unhappy world. If these be peculiarities, let us thank the Lord for them.

“The Latter-day Saints are a peculiar people. So were the former-day Saints” ( Why are the Latter-day Saints a peculiar people?, Originally published in the Improvement Era,Sept. 1942, pp. 577, 607, lds.org).

“We are a peculiar people. There is a wholesomeness about you that is beautiful and wonderful. We don’t smoke, we don’t drink, we don’t even take tea or coffee. That is strange for a lot of people. We do vicarious work for the dead. We teach that marriage in the house of the Lord is for time and for all eternity, that families can actually be forever. We are a peculiar people, and thank heavens we are. If the world continues to go in the direction it is going, families breaking up, pornography everywhere, drugs and things of that kind, we will become an even more peculiar people. God has blessed us generously and kindly and greatly. How thankful we ought to be.” (Gordon B. Hinckley, Fireside, Sydney, Australia, 14 May 1997, lds.org).

Not only are we noted for being peculiar by the way we live our lives, but the church is just as peculiar for the kindness and generosity that it extends to those who desire to come to our meetinghouses and enjoy the wonderful spirit that it provides. In a recent article by Karen Kimball for the Deseret News, published October 19, 2017 is a story entitled “Mormons Lend Meetinghouse to Jewish Congregation for One Year.” I quote:

“Imagine,” he said, “what it’s like when a rabbi goes knocking on a door of the Mormon Church asking to move into their house for a whole year.” He said they “opened the door with love and kindness.” The members who came to host would help clean up, prepare classrooms and even join in the services. It was as if “the call of duty knows no bounds,” Rabbi Steinberg said.

“The rabbi expressed appreciation for the commitment of Church members to put aside their basic tenet to share the gospel while his congregation was in the building. “Not one person would even ‘missionize’ to us,” he said. Through the year, he had gained a greater understanding of why Mormons want to share the truths they believe. Yet, he saw how they refrained from proselytizing “in order to achieve a higher religious value.”

“As an expression of gratitude, Rabbi Steinberg wanted to give three things to the members of the Church. All the Mormons in attendance were asked to come up to the rostrum where the Rabbi pronounced a blessing upon them. He then presented a certificate to President Eyre, indicating SHM would dedicate a space in its new synagogue in honor of the Church as a reminder that the Church’s “graciousness, hospitality and kindness are a model for all religions.” All the Mormons were invited to attend the grand opening of the new synagogue. The Rabbi expressed a hope that, “the world around would see the friendship between these two communities as a model.” (https://www.deseretnews.com/article/865691338/Mormons-lend-meetinghouse-to-Jewish-congregation-for-one-year.html).

Yes, people appreciate our willingness to open the doors of the church to accommodate evacuees in times of calamities, when others are closed. They enjoyed guided tours in our family history centers and meetinghouses. They welcome our invitations to come and witness our church activities and Sunday services. They willingly abide by the high standards of the church and acknowledge with deep gratitude the generosity and benevolence to allow the occasional use of church meetinghouses for some private and public activities.

I was three times privileged to be the resource speaker of the annual spiritual enhancement program of different districts in the Department of Education in Surigao City headed by a member of the church, conducted at the church meetinghouse upon her request. Such were an audience of between 130 to 150 learned teachers, school heads and principals. I voluntarily obliged to do such rare opportunities as a duty to share the truth to people in the academe. Although there was no proselytizing involved, yet the gospel principles and doctrines I taught and discussed were all taken from church materials---videos and quotes from apostles and prophets. While I tried to discuss commonality of beliefs, yet questions of deeper gospel truths and uncommon doctrines were asked and answers appreciated. At least during those events, we had been able to introduce some of the principles of the restored gospel. What was in the mind of this member---schools district supervisor---was to open the doors for more people to know about the church, especially that these learned men and women were impressed of her own peculiarity, asking from her many questions about her beliefs.

Another member who owns a small elementary school near the church meetinghouse has the same thoughts about opening the doors of the church to more families and people. In more recent years she has requested to conduct the rehearsals of school activities at church which were readily approved by the local leadership. Final program presentations are always performed in larger commercial rented facilities.

During each of these events, these groups of learned men and women in the Department of Education, and parents and guardians, teachers, and pupils of the elementary school were properly apprised of church standards of cleanliness and some principles to live by---such as the words of wisdom---while in the premises, which they willingly, dutifully and most respectfully abided. Of such we have offered them a simple trial and expirement of obedience to principles.

Yet sometimes these peculiarities are obscured from the eyes and misunderstood by members and non-members when wisdom and inspiration of key leaders, as a result of the constant renewal of leadership, changed.

Most recently the opening of the doors to these groups of people and for members to invite non-member groups to come to church and conduct activities in accord with church standards was already restricted. While the local leadership does not in any way question the wisdom and inspiration of higher key leadership and the physical facilities department in our area, they felt it a missed opportunity for the church to have more people feel its “graciousness, hospitality and kindness [as] a model for all religions” the same way as did Rabbi Steinberg and his Jewish congregation, and other groups, felt with expressions of gratitude. The local leaders felt the church will be missing the prospects and opportunity for more of these people to open the doors of their homes and hearts for the gospel of Jesus Christ as they recollect and reciprocate those times when once we “opened the door with love and kindness” for them to enter. However, they sustained the policy changes in accordance with the law of common consent as best understood (see D&C 26:2).

Art by Brent Borup

Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles observed, “One complaint we often receive from those who are interested in the Church is that they build up the courage to stop by one of our buildings only to find it locked and empty. So we have also decided to open our meetinghouses for guided tours. The missionaries will be at meetinghouses to greet interested individuals and guide them through our houses of worship, where they can be taught and invited in a place that rests under the strong influence of the Spirit” (Missionary Work in the Digital Age, lds.org).” To the affected local leaders this statement appears paradoxical in relation to the new local directions. But they believe that “church officers are selected by the spirit of revelation in those appointed to choose them (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine).” Consequently, they are bound by the same law of common consent to sustain and abide and not put their ultimate salvation in God’s Kingdom at stake.

As an ordinary member I kind of take the personal courage to accept the possible ignominy and disrepute that maybe thrown against me for writing my stand against this ironical change as above explained, in behalf of the members and local leaders. I am not in any way against the wisdom and inspired decision of the local key leaders, nor do I diminish my sustaining support to the church leadership in our locality in accordance with the law of common consent. But I wanted to be clarified of the seemingly conflicting applications of principles and policies which may redound to the church being labeled as “double standard.” I am encouraged and motivated to raise my opinion by the apostolic statement of Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in his recent commencement address at BYU-Hawaii on February 25, 2017, entitled “Push Back Against the World” where he said, “…this counsel to love, to avoid contention, and to be examples of civility is not meant to discourage us from participating in discussions, debates, and even taking adversarial positions against what we believe to be wrong or inadvisable. Within the limits of our own resources of time and influence we should take a position, make it known, and in a respectful way attempt to persuade others of its merit, at least for us. Positive action is essential to our responsibility to push back against the world.”

My memory echoes an experience during the Stake organization of the Butuan Philippines Stake in 1989 attended by then Area President George I. Cannon, Elder Richard G. Scott, and one Area Seventy, during which time I was sustained as counselor in the Stake Presidency. While President Cannon was being ushered by all the leaders in the Butuan Philippines District upon his arrival at the parking area of the District Center along Montilla Blvd., Butuan City, he observed that the basketball goals were without rings. He then asked the agent branch president why they detached the rings. The branch president explained that it was all because many non-members in the neighborhood usually clambered up the fences to play basketball inside the church premises. In that informal setting when almost all of us Branch Presidents were present, he asked the question “Was the church built only for the members?” Then he taught us the lesson that all those people in the neighborhood and in Butuan City for that matter, are children of our Heavenly Father, and therefore all meetinghouses are built purposely for all. Such information and related instructions had since been the basis for stake and branch leaders to approve of requests in accordance with the framework of church policies on the use of meetinghouses, until this unexpected change.

We are a peculiar church, a peculiar people and this peculiarity of opening the church’s door in graciousness, hospitality, love and kindness for those who knock, is not just permitted and effected in selected areas or in some favored countries where the church is located. There is no double standard in the church. The Lord’s call to “knock” and His divine assurance that “it shall be opened unto” (see D&C 4:7) is not just to a few but to all of Heavenly Father’s children.

It is our hope and prayer that the obscured view and misunderstood peculiarity of the church in our local area in the Philippines may soon dissipate, and the clouds of doubt bordering the minds of members and non-members dispel, as the issue is clarified and resolved in the same spirit of inspiration, revelation and divine guidance, until the same peculiarity shines back into its pristine majesty to the delight of our local community and people.