IN SERVICE TO LITTLE CHILDREN IN THE CHURCH

By: Norberto Betita 

Lori Lynne Betita-Preciosa

She was once a child taught in the church Primary Organization by diligent and dedicated teachers who had supplemented our parental teachings and guidance at home. She’s one of those children from three to eleven years old who remained a very active participant in the affairs of the church in continued service. As a young woman and even at this time as a mother, she always acknowledged with deep and abiding gratitude her teachers in the primary and young women organizations.

As she eventually was called to the same responsibility to teach little children and preside over the children’s auxiliary organization, she took to heart those exemplary attributes that she observed from her primary and young women teachers and leaders. Her diligence and dedication to serve little children eventually placed her in an expanded responsibility of presiding over the District Primary Organization as District Primary President. She now supervises the primary organization activities in the six units under the Surigao Philippines District of The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-Day Saints.

With family on Travis's Baptism

She always believes that the voluntarily service she does in the church is a call from God and as such she is bound to honor that Divine trust. She knows that “when [she] is on the Lord’s errand, [she] is entitled to the Lord's help.” (Thomas S. Monson).

She is a licensed professional teacher still seeking for a better and more secured employment to be able to assist her husband in providing for the family’s needs. She had tried her best to qualify for government employment and had prayed to God for help. But time for her has not yet come. She still waits for God’s timing after she had done her best. 

With family in Cebu City

Through the challenges of her life, she has learned to be more faithful to God. She knows that “Faith in God includes faith in God's timing.” (Neal A. Maxwell). She’s a very creative teacher. She learned modern teaching tools although she had not been trained in school or had taken a course through government skills training. This somehow discourages her when she realized that her competitive skills in so far as creative teaching is concerned could not be given credit only because she doesn’t have the certificate.

Life’s opportunities may have been somewhat aloof from her, but she believes and have faith that Heavenly Father will not forsake her in her quest for growth and development. While thus waiting for better opportunities, she keeps herself busy with caring for her two children and doing some part time tutorials.

District Primary Activity

No matter her present struggles, she always believes that there will be an end to waiting and a dawn of a blessed day will always come in the Lord’s due time. Her service in the Lord’s church remains to be her expressions of her deepest love for Him and Heavenly Father and her most sincere gratitude for the blessings she received together with her family.

She’s been a very obedient daughter ever since. She lives her life in humility and meekness which makes her a good teacher not only in the church but in her professional career. She’s one easy to be entreated for help and counsel among her peers and of those whom she is called of God to preside. She does her duty in the Primary Organization with deeper concern for their spiritual welfare.

Training meeting with Primary leaders

As a ministering sister, she always cares for her assigned families and sees to it that in their needs she’s there to extend the hand of the Lord in service and let them feel of Heavenly Father’s love. She’s on call and makes herself always available to her ministering families in times of serious needs and concerns. She has in mind the words of King Mosiah: “When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” (Mosiah 2:17).

I observed in her a willingness to learn of things that she felt can be utilized in her quest for self-reliance with her family and spiritual maturity. I trust in her capacity to handle her life in accord with God’s plan of happiness. And I am confident that no matter what, she will always take priority to walk the covenant path of life and salvation. In the economy of heaven, there is no better growth area than service to others and in God’s kingdom.

As she now celebrates her 35th year in mortality, it is our wish that she will continue to labor in service to little children in the church and kingdom of God. Such is one great opportunity more than any other. As much as she values the legacy of her previous church teachers and mentors, we wish that she too will remain to honor and value the call that the Lord has given her at this time. May Heavenly Father bless her with better opportunities for growth and development both temporally and spiritually that she may even serve well in His kingdom.