by: Norberto Betita
In seeking for an eternal companion, luck is never a preference, neither is waiting for the perfect match an option. Choice is the one and only alternative for a searching soul to find a possible best consort along the narrow road that leads to eternity. Decisions then are made crucial as priorities are determined and aligned.
Such was the case of Robert Sherwin and Analiza. They meet a few occasional moments during their full-time missionary service in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; they choose to get better acquainted with each other after their service, then in the bleak of circumstances and around an uninviting status quo, they decided to get married at the Manila Philippines Temple.
As parental permissions were sought, we fall short of reasons to convince them to postpone for a while until some temporal requirements and considerations are meet. They have chosen each other and were determined to establish an eternal partnership and no amount of other considerations withheld their excitements to enter into the new and everlasting covenant of marriage. They were then unprepared in so far as material requirements are concerned. Yet they are spiritually prepared for the impending battles with challenges. As a result, I and my wife and family were never granted the opportunity to even witness as they together knelt in the holy sealing room in the Manila Philippines Temple on May 20, 2005. There was no formal reception, but a simple dinner hosted by my ever generous elder sister Janedina, who lives in Quezon City, Metro Manila.
One best reason which Robert Sherwin reviewed to us was the same principle we taught him always before he even left for his mission from the words of President Spencer W. Kimball, when he said: “Often the cost of a reception or a holiday or expensive gifts would more than pay for a temple wedding. When Sister Kimball and I were married, we had no ring nor costly reception. Eight years later I bought her a small diamond. She was content to wait until then.
“One can have all the blessings if he is in control and takes the experiences in proper turn: first some limited social get-acquainted contacts, then his mission, then his courting, then his temple marriage and his schooling and his family, then his life’s work. In any other sequence he could run into difficulty.” (The Marriage Decision, by President Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, February 1975, lds.org.)
True to their faith, they followed such a difficult prophetic pattern as recommended by a prophet of God with a few deviation. After their temple marriage, they have nothing to start on, so they began working and immediately started a family of their own. However, without education, advancement was a thing of naught. We offered help, but they wanted to do it by themselves.
I am grateful that Analiza took the rare opportunity of joining the Filipino diaspora abroad to help in Robert’s educational pursuit. It was such a tough decision and a firm resolve as regards their family finances and other relative future considerations. Yet it was done with ardent prayerful deliberations and thoughtful planning and sincere spousal commitments. Two years was for them too long a time of temporary separation, but technology helped fill the vacuums of family intimacies, love and affection. The decision proved to be a significant blessing to the family as Robert Sherwin finally completed his college degree accordingly as planned.
It has been 14 years since and they now have two children and had been winning their battles with adversities and leaping the continuing high hurdles all along their marital journey. Until now we parents on both sides of the family had never once meet yet. However, I most sincerely express my gratitude to my one and only daughter-in-law for showing exemplary patience and perseverance during those moments of their crossing the gulf of early destitution and moving past the overwhelming trials forward to a contented present and the grand prospect of a brighter future.
She may have been just an extended bough, but she’s such a magnificent addition in the family tree. In our hearts she’s not just an ordinary extension but a broadening solid branch that helps strengthen the trunk of our family structure. Indeed, her love for the family circle increases the potency of the bonds that fastens us together against the winds of adversity that may continue to blow in our direction. She’s kind of a delightful blooming fantastic flower that dims the thorns all along the way and instead adds panoramic glory and grandeur to the hopeful family expectations across the paths of life. Sure enough she’s a branch that we could lean on and a glitter that increases the illumination of our collective family light through the dark nights of our eternal journey.
She may have her own tantrums common to all, and I accepted this as just part of human imperfections as I have mine own. After all the gospel of Jesus Christ do not teach a no-fault theology. But I admire her ability to handle sullenness and silent resentments providing each time a room for course correction. In fact she’s been one good pacifier in the family and sometimes ‘a bridge over troubled water’ amongst her siblings-in-law.
As a father I just love to know that she’s cherishing and always remembering the marital covenants and sacred vows that she and Robert Sherwin made before Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ as they together with hands clasped knelt in the holy altar in the House of the Lord. Their marital partnership is growing ever stronger as they set their common vision to a single star while trekking the tangled and congested wilderness of life.
Whilst each dawn unveils the beautiful and glorious panorama of this Telestial mortality, so assuredly will the magnificent heavenly majesty of the Celestial realms in God’s kingdom dawn upon those who made themselves worthy to inherit a space therein.
However, I would like to remind Robert Sherwin and Analiza that they should not be complacent about their spiritual growth and development. Satan’s war against the family is real and vicious. He wants families destroyed. But we are sure to win in this battle. The power is long granted to us---our agency. It is by our choice that we can inevitably defeat the devil’s minions. Elder George Q. Cannon declared: “We talk about Satan being bound. Satan will be bound by the power of God; but he will be bound also by the determination of the people of God not to listen to him, not to be governed by him. The Lord will not bind him and take his power from the earth while there are men and women willing to be governed by him. That is contrary to the plan of salvation. To deprive men of their agency is contrary to the purposes of our God.” (George Q. Cannon, Gospel Truth, 1:86. CHAPTER 37 The Millennium and the Glorification of the Earth, Doctrines of the Gospel Student Manual (2000), 104–6.)
Sure enough they can choose not to be governed nor listen to Satan’s lies and thus free their home from the adversary’s assaults. In the words of President Spencer W. Kimball: “When Satan is bound in a single home—when Satan is bound in a single life—the Millennium has already begun in that home, in that life.” (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 172.)
Therefore, I have my wish and earnest expectations that their love for each other as husband and wife will continue to enlarge and intensify its shield and defense against every storm that mortal life brings in their marital partnership as days and years go by, and may their family life forever bloom in beauty and magnificent splendor forward into eternity which the Prophet Joseph Smith described as, “…the glory of the celestial, which excels in all things—where God, even the Father, reigns upon his throne forever and ever;
“Before whose throne all things bow in humble reverence, and give him glory forever and ever.
“They who dwell in his presence are the church of the Firstborn; and they see as they are seen, and know as they are known, having received of his fulness and of his grace;
“And he makes them equal in power, and in might, and in dominion.
“And the glory of the celestial is one, even as the glory of the sun is one.” (Doctrine and Covenants 76:92-96).
I know that such prophetic promises to those who are faithful in their marital covenants, particularly the sealing covenants and promises in the temple will come to pass. Elder L. Whitney Clayton reminds, “In the happiest marriages both the husband and wife consider their relationship to be a pearl beyond price, a treasure of infinite worth.” (Marriage: Watch and Learn, Elder L. Whitney Clayton - LDS.org.)
Time and again, and from the deepest chamber of my heart, I express my most profound and wholehearted gratitude to my one and only daughter-in-law for her being a part of the family circle.
To Analiza, I personally wish that Heavenly Father will continually imbue your life with His choicest blessings in store for you and Robert Sherwin and your children---Rulon Asher and Rohan Ashlei---and even upon your coming posterity, throughout your ride in life’s toughest thoroughfare. Please know that surviving requires patience and perseverance; faith and courage; and determined action to reach to the summit of your desired glory. May your love for each other ever continually bloom and blossom as the beautiful rosebud after the thorns.
It has been 14 years since and they now have two children and had been winning their battles with adversities and leaping the continuing high hurdles all along their marital journey. Until now we parents on both sides of the family had never once meet yet. However, I most sincerely express my gratitude to my one and only daughter-in-law for showing exemplary patience and perseverance during those moments of their crossing the gulf of early destitution and moving past the overwhelming trials forward to a contented present and the grand prospect of a brighter future.
She may have been just an extended bough, but she’s such a magnificent addition in the family tree. In our hearts she’s not just an ordinary extension but a broadening solid branch that helps strengthen the trunk of our family structure. Indeed, her love for the family circle increases the potency of the bonds that fastens us together against the winds of adversity that may continue to blow in our direction. She’s kind of a delightful blooming fantastic flower that dims the thorns all along the way and instead adds panoramic glory and grandeur to the hopeful family expectations across the paths of life. Sure enough she’s a branch that we could lean on and a glitter that increases the illumination of our collective family light through the dark nights of our eternal journey.
She may have her own tantrums common to all, and I accepted this as just part of human imperfections as I have mine own. After all the gospel of Jesus Christ do not teach a no-fault theology. But I admire her ability to handle sullenness and silent resentments providing each time a room for course correction. In fact she’s been one good pacifier in the family and sometimes ‘a bridge over troubled water’ amongst her siblings-in-law.
As a father I just love to know that she’s cherishing and always remembering the marital covenants and sacred vows that she and Robert Sherwin made before Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ as they together with hands clasped knelt in the holy altar in the House of the Lord. Their marital partnership is growing ever stronger as they set their common vision to a single star while trekking the tangled and congested wilderness of life.
Whilst each dawn unveils the beautiful and glorious panorama of this Telestial mortality, so assuredly will the magnificent heavenly majesty of the Celestial realms in God’s kingdom dawn upon those who made themselves worthy to inherit a space therein.
However, I would like to remind Robert Sherwin and Analiza that they should not be complacent about their spiritual growth and development. Satan’s war against the family is real and vicious. He wants families destroyed. But we are sure to win in this battle. The power is long granted to us---our agency. It is by our choice that we can inevitably defeat the devil’s minions. Elder George Q. Cannon declared: “We talk about Satan being bound. Satan will be bound by the power of God; but he will be bound also by the determination of the people of God not to listen to him, not to be governed by him. The Lord will not bind him and take his power from the earth while there are men and women willing to be governed by him. That is contrary to the plan of salvation. To deprive men of their agency is contrary to the purposes of our God.” (George Q. Cannon, Gospel Truth, 1:86. CHAPTER 37 The Millennium and the Glorification of the Earth, Doctrines of the Gospel Student Manual (2000), 104–6.)
Sure enough they can choose not to be governed nor listen to Satan’s lies and thus free their home from the adversary’s assaults. In the words of President Spencer W. Kimball: “When Satan is bound in a single home—when Satan is bound in a single life—the Millennium has already begun in that home, in that life.” (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 172.)
Therefore, I have my wish and earnest expectations that their love for each other as husband and wife will continue to enlarge and intensify its shield and defense against every storm that mortal life brings in their marital partnership as days and years go by, and may their family life forever bloom in beauty and magnificent splendor forward into eternity which the Prophet Joseph Smith described as, “…the glory of the celestial, which excels in all things—where God, even the Father, reigns upon his throne forever and ever;
“Before whose throne all things bow in humble reverence, and give him glory forever and ever.
“They who dwell in his presence are the church of the Firstborn; and they see as they are seen, and know as they are known, having received of his fulness and of his grace;
“And he makes them equal in power, and in might, and in dominion.
“And the glory of the celestial is one, even as the glory of the sun is one.” (Doctrine and Covenants 76:92-96).
I know that such prophetic promises to those who are faithful in their marital covenants, particularly the sealing covenants and promises in the temple will come to pass. Elder L. Whitney Clayton reminds, “In the happiest marriages both the husband and wife consider their relationship to be a pearl beyond price, a treasure of infinite worth.” (Marriage: Watch and Learn, Elder L. Whitney Clayton - LDS.org.)
Time and again, and from the deepest chamber of my heart, I express my most profound and wholehearted gratitude to my one and only daughter-in-law for her being a part of the family circle.
To Analiza, I personally wish that Heavenly Father will continually imbue your life with His choicest blessings in store for you and Robert Sherwin and your children---Rulon Asher and Rohan Ashlei---and even upon your coming posterity, throughout your ride in life’s toughest thoroughfare. Please know that surviving requires patience and perseverance; faith and courage; and determined action to reach to the summit of your desired glory. May your love for each other ever continually bloom and blossom as the beautiful rosebud after the thorns.
