By: Norberto Betita
 |
| Elder Tomas S. Merdegia---right |
I love conferences, whether it be a General Conference rebroadcast or a District Conference, as much as I love Sacrament Meetings. I always spare the whole of those conference and Sacrament Meeting hours as precious times. These to me are the best times, aside from daily scripture reading, to be refreshed of the principles of truth and righteousness that are in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and partake of spiritual renewal away from worldly influences.
The Surigao Philippines District Conference we have of last was a kind of spiritual feast. The presence of two Area Seventies, one presiding---Elder Tomas S. Merdegia---and Elder Ryan Pagaduan who served as the interim Mission President of the Philippines Butuan Mission, provided the best spiritual menu for the conference. Not to mention the added spiritual recipes that were provided by other speakers who are among the local district leaders.
The trainings as conducted were different from the usual way of teaching in conferences, but it strengthens and edifies. The messages are truly in focus to the current concerns among the membership of the District.
During the scheduled Sunday General Session, as it is our habit, I and my wife came very early, excited of what God’s message would be from his servants. It was timely that Elder Merdegia was still giving his message and direction to the youth of the Surigao Philippines District. We tried to find a temporary seat at the back and listened while waiting for the youth session to conclude. My attention was caught by Elder Merdegia’s illustration of taking from his wallet a crisp P500 bill and crumpled it hard. Then he asked the youth whether the process of crumpling or deforming the bill had changed its worth. As the youth responded favorably, he explained more clearly and brilliantly that like each of us, no matter how crumpled our lives may be, the worth of soul remains precious in the sight of God. He then quoted from memory a favorite poem by Bradley Ray Wardle ---The Diamond in the Rough:
A diamond in the rough,
is a diamond sure enough:
And before it ever sparkles,
it is made of diamond stuff;
But someone has to find it,
or it never will be found:
And someone has to grind it,
or it never will be ground;
In the hands of the master,
it is cut and burnished bright:
Then that diamond's everlasting,
shinning out its purest light...
He explained that as it is, a rough diamond cannot be refined without somebody finding it and working to grind it towards becoming a sparkling precious gem. So it is with a crumpled soul, through the ever extended hand of the Master refiner it can shine bright its purest light into eternity. Danette Kettwich in another version of “Diamond in the Rough” copyright 2007, so beautifully expressed:
I was once a hopeless, lost diamond, concealed in the dark.
In a wretched and dismal cave where, no light could touch my heart.
The Lord reached in and found, this rough and filthy stone.
From out of the immense darkness, He claimed me as His own.
He set to labor immediately, His love always prevailed.
The reductions made with clarity, using a hammer and three nails.
The cuts were not without, struggle, growth and pain,
But with each came a brighter glow; a new lesson gained.
After the cutting was complete, His brilliance now could shine.
Luminous for all to see, a radiant diamond now refined.
I am far from being flawless; He's perfecting my luster still,
This diamond in the rough, being transformed within His will.
I occasionally become tarnished, I still can find the dirt and grime,
But He always finds and inspires me, once again to shine.
I know someday I will reflect, with His pure and flawless light,
In the radiance and presence of Jesus, the Illuminator of my life.
The assaults of the evil one are getting stronger and fiercer each and every passing day. Many are deceived and dragged into the devil’s enticing and alluring bait down the greased slide towards greater submission to sin and error and have their lives scrunched and squeezed to spiritual ruin. The physical and spiritual consequences are hard to bear. The agony of pain and sorrow for sin are just as real as wrestling against harrowing torment and falling into the dark abyss. Yet we are not lost in the Lord’s sight from the eternal heavens. He finds, invites and guides us back towards regaining our spiritual worth, no matter how defeated and confounded our souls may have been. President Henry B. Eyring quoted George Q. Cannon as saying: “There is not one of us that He has not desired to save, and that He has not devised means to save.” (Henry B. Eyring, “To My Grandchildren,” Ensign, November 2013, 71; quoting George Q. Cannon, Contributor, October 1890, 476).
Hence, however rutted our souls, Elder Boyd K. Packer assured us that, “Save for the exception of the very few who defect to perdition, there is no habit, no addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, [and] no crime [is] exempted from the promise of complete forgiveness. That is the promise of the atonement of Christ. . . . This knowledge should be as comforting to the innocent as it is to the guilty [such as] parents who suffer unbearably for the mistakes of their wayward children and are losing hope.” (Boyd K. Packer, “The Brilliant Morning of Forgiveness,” Ensign, November 1995).
During times of loneliness and despair, seemingly stripped of the influence of the Holy Ghost in consequence of sinfulness, we need not feel alone. Sister Janice Rosero, District Young Women President eloquently explained that our intimate relationship with the Lord is never lost. She quoted from the song by Michael McLean “You’re Not Alone”:
“You’re not alone, even though right now you’re on your own,
You are loved in ways that can’t be shown; your needs are known;
You’re not alone.
And when you cry, you’re just letting go of heartache deep inside,
And tomorrow there’ll be sunshine and sky and love close by;
You’re not alone.”
President Howard W. Hunter taught: "The scriptures … indicate that there will be seasons of time when the whole world will have some difficulty. We know that in our dispensation unrighteousness will, unfortunately, be quite evident, and it will bring its inevitable difficulties and pain and punishment. God will cut short that unrighteousness in his own due time, but our task is to live fully and faithfully and not worry ourselves sick about the woes of the world or when it will end. Our task is to have the gospel in our lives and to be a bright light, a city set on the hill, which reflects the beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the joy and happiness that will always come to every people in every age who keep the commandments." (Howard W. Hunter, Teaching of the Presidents of the Church)
Indeed, in our walk in this telestial world, we are not left without a compass. The Lord has given us commandments to help keep us away from distortions and distractions that are very much common in the world today. President Pagaduan compared these commandments with the modern global positioning system (GPS). He explained that like the GPS if we only follow the commandments of God we will not be lost. He then related one experience when his GPS directed him to a different route. He tried to disobey the GPS confident that he knew better the way because he had been following the same very familiar route for years, only to find himself trapped in front of a bridge under repair. The GPS correctly points the detour as a way to safety, so are the commandments of God are always guiding us towards spiritual security.
However, many of us, steered by our pride and personal conviction that we know better according to the best experiences and brilliant ideologies in life, succumbed to temptations and disobey detour warnings. Soon we find ourselves spiritually wrecked and broken; become tainted and ruined in consequence of our disobedience. The once bright light that illuminates our lives turned dark and dreary to the end that our minds are blurred and brains worn out into a state of spiritual amnesia.
Yet it is promised that the Lord will come, “like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap; and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness” (D & C 128:24; see also 3 Nephi 24:2-3).
Thus, no matter the extent of damage brought upon the crumpled soul, there is always hope for the Lord’s refining process to turn its dismal and ugly past to its crisp condition and shine back in spiritual luster and great worth.
The Surigao Philippines District Conference we have of last was a kind of spiritual feast. The presence of two Area Seventies, one presiding---Elder Tomas S. Merdegia---and Elder Ryan Pagaduan who served as the interim Mission President of the Philippines Butuan Mission, provided the best spiritual menu for the conference. Not to mention the added spiritual recipes that were provided by other speakers who are among the local district leaders.
The trainings as conducted were different from the usual way of teaching in conferences, but it strengthens and edifies. The messages are truly in focus to the current concerns among the membership of the District.
During the scheduled Sunday General Session, as it is our habit, I and my wife came very early, excited of what God’s message would be from his servants. It was timely that Elder Merdegia was still giving his message and direction to the youth of the Surigao Philippines District. We tried to find a temporary seat at the back and listened while waiting for the youth session to conclude. My attention was caught by Elder Merdegia’s illustration of taking from his wallet a crisp P500 bill and crumpled it hard. Then he asked the youth whether the process of crumpling or deforming the bill had changed its worth. As the youth responded favorably, he explained more clearly and brilliantly that like each of us, no matter how crumpled our lives may be, the worth of soul remains precious in the sight of God. He then quoted from memory a favorite poem by Bradley Ray Wardle ---The Diamond in the Rough:
A diamond in the rough,
is a diamond sure enough:
And before it ever sparkles,
it is made of diamond stuff;
But someone has to find it,
or it never will be found:
And someone has to grind it,
or it never will be ground;
In the hands of the master,
it is cut and burnished bright:
Then that diamond's everlasting,
shinning out its purest light...
He explained that as it is, a rough diamond cannot be refined without somebody finding it and working to grind it towards becoming a sparkling precious gem. So it is with a crumpled soul, through the ever extended hand of the Master refiner it can shine bright its purest light into eternity. Danette Kettwich in another version of “Diamond in the Rough” copyright 2007, so beautifully expressed:
I was once a hopeless, lost diamond, concealed in the dark.
In a wretched and dismal cave where, no light could touch my heart.
The Lord reached in and found, this rough and filthy stone.
From out of the immense darkness, He claimed me as His own.
He set to labor immediately, His love always prevailed.
The reductions made with clarity, using a hammer and three nails.
The cuts were not without, struggle, growth and pain,
But with each came a brighter glow; a new lesson gained.
After the cutting was complete, His brilliance now could shine.
Luminous for all to see, a radiant diamond now refined.
I am far from being flawless; He's perfecting my luster still,
This diamond in the rough, being transformed within His will.
I occasionally become tarnished, I still can find the dirt and grime,
But He always finds and inspires me, once again to shine.
I know someday I will reflect, with His pure and flawless light,
In the radiance and presence of Jesus, the Illuminator of my life.
The assaults of the evil one are getting stronger and fiercer each and every passing day. Many are deceived and dragged into the devil’s enticing and alluring bait down the greased slide towards greater submission to sin and error and have their lives scrunched and squeezed to spiritual ruin. The physical and spiritual consequences are hard to bear. The agony of pain and sorrow for sin are just as real as wrestling against harrowing torment and falling into the dark abyss. Yet we are not lost in the Lord’s sight from the eternal heavens. He finds, invites and guides us back towards regaining our spiritual worth, no matter how defeated and confounded our souls may have been. President Henry B. Eyring quoted George Q. Cannon as saying: “There is not one of us that He has not desired to save, and that He has not devised means to save.” (Henry B. Eyring, “To My Grandchildren,” Ensign, November 2013, 71; quoting George Q. Cannon, Contributor, October 1890, 476).
Hence, however rutted our souls, Elder Boyd K. Packer assured us that, “Save for the exception of the very few who defect to perdition, there is no habit, no addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, [and] no crime [is] exempted from the promise of complete forgiveness. That is the promise of the atonement of Christ. . . . This knowledge should be as comforting to the innocent as it is to the guilty [such as] parents who suffer unbearably for the mistakes of their wayward children and are losing hope.” (Boyd K. Packer, “The Brilliant Morning of Forgiveness,” Ensign, November 1995).
During times of loneliness and despair, seemingly stripped of the influence of the Holy Ghost in consequence of sinfulness, we need not feel alone. Sister Janice Rosero, District Young Women President eloquently explained that our intimate relationship with the Lord is never lost. She quoted from the song by Michael McLean “You’re Not Alone”:
“You’re not alone, even though right now you’re on your own,
You are loved in ways that can’t be shown; your needs are known;
You’re not alone.
And when you cry, you’re just letting go of heartache deep inside,
And tomorrow there’ll be sunshine and sky and love close by;
You’re not alone.”
President Howard W. Hunter taught: "The scriptures … indicate that there will be seasons of time when the whole world will have some difficulty. We know that in our dispensation unrighteousness will, unfortunately, be quite evident, and it will bring its inevitable difficulties and pain and punishment. God will cut short that unrighteousness in his own due time, but our task is to live fully and faithfully and not worry ourselves sick about the woes of the world or when it will end. Our task is to have the gospel in our lives and to be a bright light, a city set on the hill, which reflects the beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the joy and happiness that will always come to every people in every age who keep the commandments." (Howard W. Hunter, Teaching of the Presidents of the Church)
Indeed, in our walk in this telestial world, we are not left without a compass. The Lord has given us commandments to help keep us away from distortions and distractions that are very much common in the world today. President Pagaduan compared these commandments with the modern global positioning system (GPS). He explained that like the GPS if we only follow the commandments of God we will not be lost. He then related one experience when his GPS directed him to a different route. He tried to disobey the GPS confident that he knew better the way because he had been following the same very familiar route for years, only to find himself trapped in front of a bridge under repair. The GPS correctly points the detour as a way to safety, so are the commandments of God are always guiding us towards spiritual security.
However, many of us, steered by our pride and personal conviction that we know better according to the best experiences and brilliant ideologies in life, succumbed to temptations and disobey detour warnings. Soon we find ourselves spiritually wrecked and broken; become tainted and ruined in consequence of our disobedience. The once bright light that illuminates our lives turned dark and dreary to the end that our minds are blurred and brains worn out into a state of spiritual amnesia.
Yet it is promised that the Lord will come, “like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap; and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness” (D & C 128:24; see also 3 Nephi 24:2-3).
Thus, no matter the extent of damage brought upon the crumpled soul, there is always hope for the Lord’s refining process to turn its dismal and ugly past to its crisp condition and shine back in spiritual luster and great worth.
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