By: Norberto Betita
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| My genealogy |
The Lord declared from Mt. Sinai, “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” (Exodus 20:12.)
Until I came to understand better the value of our eternal relationships with our forefathers did I begin to develop an earnest desire to leave for my children and posterity a record of my family as far as my personal knowledge and family history research can provide.
The conditions of today seem to be in common with that of Noah’s era when the Lord speaks of smiting the earth with a curse, and the flood happened as to cleanse the earth. As it is declared by prophets after Noah this curse might be repeated if we fail to turn our hearts to our ancestors and our children. The Lord warned: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
“And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” (Malachi 4:5-6.)
In the light of the restored gospel and the restoration of the keys of the sealing power---the power which binds husbands and wives, and children to parents for time and eternity---by no less than the Prophet Elijah, I am, therefore, dutifully constrained to search out and turn my heart to my ancestors that they may be provided the opportunity to receive the saving ordinances of the gospel which they do not have the opportunity during their lifetime.
MY ANCESTRY AND ORIGIN
My paternal ancestral origin was traced from my Great-grandfather known only as Anco Arreza of Cantilan Surigao del Sur, estimated to have been born sometime in 1850. It was only recently that we learned of his marriage to Jacinta Esmero, estimated to have been born in 1852. Born to them in their marriage were five children: Jose – 1870; Dominga – 1872; Rafaela – 1874; Cornelio – 1876 and Juan – 1878. Records of their birth are all estimates. Their death records are also not available. For unknown reasons the family name was changed from Arreza to Betita.
Jose Betita---my paternal grandfather---migrated to Anao-aon, Surigao del Norte together with his siblings and stayed in the place until their deaths. He married Nieves Guhiting -1888 and begat Bernardo – 1907, and Millan – 11 October 1909-10 November 1994. Millan was to be my father.
My maternal ancestry can be traced back in Liloan, Leyte where my great-grandfather Catalino Luza Gasta – 1850 was born. He married Felomina Marqueda Gasta – 1853 and begat Porferio Marqueda Gasta – 1883. No other children were known.
Tecla Celino Mangle, my maternal grandmother, was also a native of Leyte, being born to Esteban Mangle -1865, and Vicenta Celino – 1866, my great grandparents.
Porferio---my maternal grandfather---married Tecla Celino Mangle – 1886 and migrated to Anao-aon, Surigao del Norte. In such marriage were born Teotimo – 1908; Mercedes – 23 September 1910-15 December 2002 (later married to Ramon Japzon); Pancrasio – 2 May 1916-26 February 1976 (married to Elvira Gesta); Fermin – 1919; Francisca – 9 March 1921-24 January 2004 (my mother); Felicula – 1923 (married to Julian Lopez); and Policronia – 17 February 1926 – 22 July 2018.
From the families of Anco Arreza (Betita) and his wife Jacinta Esmero , then to Jose Betita and Nieves Guhiting Betita; and from Catalino Luza Gasta and Felomina Marqueda Gasta to Porferio Marqueda Gasta; and from Esteban Mangle and Vicenta Celino to Tecla Celino Mangle, spawned the Millan Guhiting Betita and Francisca Mangle Gasta Betita family.
Until I came to understand better the value of our eternal relationships with our forefathers did I begin to develop an earnest desire to leave for my children and posterity a record of my family as far as my personal knowledge and family history research can provide.
The conditions of today seem to be in common with that of Noah’s era when the Lord speaks of smiting the earth with a curse, and the flood happened as to cleanse the earth. As it is declared by prophets after Noah this curse might be repeated if we fail to turn our hearts to our ancestors and our children. The Lord warned: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
“And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” (Malachi 4:5-6.)
In the light of the restored gospel and the restoration of the keys of the sealing power---the power which binds husbands and wives, and children to parents for time and eternity---by no less than the Prophet Elijah, I am, therefore, dutifully constrained to search out and turn my heart to my ancestors that they may be provided the opportunity to receive the saving ordinances of the gospel which they do not have the opportunity during their lifetime.
MY ANCESTRY AND ORIGIN
My paternal ancestral origin was traced from my Great-grandfather known only as Anco Arreza of Cantilan Surigao del Sur, estimated to have been born sometime in 1850. It was only recently that we learned of his marriage to Jacinta Esmero, estimated to have been born in 1852. Born to them in their marriage were five children: Jose – 1870; Dominga – 1872; Rafaela – 1874; Cornelio – 1876 and Juan – 1878. Records of their birth are all estimates. Their death records are also not available. For unknown reasons the family name was changed from Arreza to Betita.
Jose Betita---my paternal grandfather---migrated to Anao-aon, Surigao del Norte together with his siblings and stayed in the place until their deaths. He married Nieves Guhiting -1888 and begat Bernardo – 1907, and Millan – 11 October 1909-10 November 1994. Millan was to be my father.
My maternal ancestry can be traced back in Liloan, Leyte where my great-grandfather Catalino Luza Gasta – 1850 was born. He married Felomina Marqueda Gasta – 1853 and begat Porferio Marqueda Gasta – 1883. No other children were known.
Tecla Celino Mangle, my maternal grandmother, was also a native of Leyte, being born to Esteban Mangle -1865, and Vicenta Celino – 1866, my great grandparents.
Porferio---my maternal grandfather---married Tecla Celino Mangle – 1886 and migrated to Anao-aon, Surigao del Norte. In such marriage were born Teotimo – 1908; Mercedes – 23 September 1910-15 December 2002 (later married to Ramon Japzon); Pancrasio – 2 May 1916-26 February 1976 (married to Elvira Gesta); Fermin – 1919; Francisca – 9 March 1921-24 January 2004 (my mother); Felicula – 1923 (married to Julian Lopez); and Policronia – 17 February 1926 – 22 July 2018.
From the families of Anco Arreza (Betita) and his wife Jacinta Esmero , then to Jose Betita and Nieves Guhiting Betita; and from Catalino Luza Gasta and Felomina Marqueda Gasta to Porferio Marqueda Gasta; and from Esteban Mangle and Vicenta Celino to Tecla Celino Mangle, spawned the Millan Guhiting Betita and Francisca Mangle Gasta Betita family.
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| My Parents |
Millan Guhiting Betita and Francisca Mangle Gasta were married sometime in early 1935 when my mother was only 14 years old and my father was 26. They were both born in the small fishing and farming community of Anao, aon, Surigao del Norte. Their young marriage brought for them fourteen children one of whom was still born. From our eldest Senecia – 10 March 1935-7 October 2017 followed Flordeliza – 11 August 1937; Ismaelita – 27 January 1940-29 March 1977; Marrieto – 28 December 1941-24 December 1980; the twins Carlito – 16 December 1944------ and Manolito – 16 December 1944, Virginia – 28 January 1948; Janedina – 11 March 1950; Norberto – 25 August 1952; Clemente – 10 January 1955; Millan Jr. – 22 July 1957; Arnold – 4 October 1959; and Bernadette – 20 May 1962-May 1981, the special child.
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| The living siblings |
In January 23, 1974, I was married to Letecia Bullo Sitoy, daughter of Ricardo Golilat Sitoy and Basilia Anol Bullo of Mat-i, Surigao City. We begat five children---Hazel; Robert Sherwin; Lori Lynne; Kathleen Beth; and Shauna Megan, all of whom are now married and have their own families.
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| My children and grandchildren |
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| My ten grandchildren |
The prophet also said: “Mercifully, the invitation to “come unto Christ” can also be extended to those who died without a knowledge of the gospel. Part of their preparation requires earthly efforts of others. We gather pedigree charts, create family group sheets, and do temple work vicariously to gather individuals unto the Lord and into their families.” (The Gathering of Scattered Israel by Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles).
The Prophet Joseph Smith likewise declared: “And now, my
dearly beloved brethren and sisters, let me assure you that these are
principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed
over, as pertaining to our salvation. For their salvation is necessary and
essential to our salvation, as Paul says concerning the fathers—that they
without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we without our dead be made
perfect.” (D & C 128:15)
Since then my family had been doing vicarious works for the eternal salvation of our dead ancestors and relatives, in the temple. As of this writing I have 29 vicarious ordinances reserved and ready to be performed in the temple for my ancestors and relatives who are now on the other side of the veil.
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