But after graduation, and in the midst of adult life, how many of us have accidentally let education slip from our list of priorities? Is education just for the young, or is there more we can do to continue learning, no matter what our age?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints puts so much importance on education. Growing up in the Church gave me the right mindset and has guided me as I have worked to continue to educate myself.

Ancient Prophets Teach of The Value of Education

Proverbs 1:5 emphasizes that those who are wise will seek learning. The scriptures are replete with lessons of how important it is to teach and to learn. The Savior of the world lived on the earth increasing in wisdom (Luke 2:48) and teaching in any way and at every opportunity He could. His example is a light to us all as we strive to improve. It is important to understand how the world works, and that takes a lot of effort. How much more effort is needed to understand how heaven works? No wonder we are taught to elevate ourselves from ignorance by doing all we can to obtain education. There is so much to learn in order to go through life and much more in order to grow through it.

Modern Prophets Exhort Everyone to Acquire Education

Russell M. Nelson, prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said,

“Your mind is precious! It is sacred. Therefore, the education of one’s mind is also sacred. Indeed, education is a religious responsibility.”

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is led by people who foster this sacred and strong desire for learning among its members. “The glory of God is intelligence…” (Doctrine and Covenants 93:36) and Heavenly Father, with all His glory, wants His children to have the quality of life that would bring the greatest joy and happiness. This is His mission, not only in this life but also in the next – “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).

President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency of the Church, in the April 2009 New Era magazine, said:

“The Lord and His Church have always encouraged education to increase our ability to serve Him and our Heavenly Father’s children. For each of us, whatever our talents, He has service for us to give. And to do it well always involves learning, not once or for a limited time, but continually.”

As much as we teach each other in Sunday school, we are not limited to spiritual learning alone. President Eyring teaches of the importance of total education,

“That spiritual element, when it is effective, refines and uplifts the aims of our total education. …Remember, you are interested in education, not just for mortal life but for eternal life. When you see that reality clearly, you will put spiritual learning first and yet not slight the secular learning. In fact, you will work harder at your secular learning than you would without that spiritual vision.”

To achieve the “work and glory” of God, President Eyring warned that “education must never stop. If it ends at the door of the classroom on graduation day, we will fail. And we will need the help of heaven to know which of the myriad things we could study we would most wisely learn….

“The real life we’re preparing for is eternal life,“ President Eyring said. “Secular knowledge has for us eternal significance. Our conviction is that God, our Heavenly father, wants us to live the life He does.”

The fundamental principle of education in the Church, then, is based on the eternal goal to become like our Heavenly Father. This is what drives the leaders as well as the members of the Church to pursue all possible means of education – to gain “more knowledge and intelligence in this life through… diligence and obedience…” in order to “have so much the advantage in the world to come.”

Available Church Resources

The heart of the education system of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints started with the School of the Prophets in 1833. Now, the Church operates three large universities in the United States – Brigham Young University (BYU), BYU-Hawaii and BYU-Idaho. It also runs LDS Business College in Utah. The Church also runs an online education program that makes it possible for many more students to get their education from these larger campuses remotely. The PathwayConnect program prepares students for that opportunity. More information about these opportunities can be found at www.besmart.com

The Church also invests in the seminary and institute programs, which are intended to further students’ religious education and give them a gospel-orientated preparation for life. These programs are free to ensure that anyone interested can participate. The following links will help in understanding these programs.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/si/seminary?lang=eng

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/si/institute?lang=eng

Continuing Your Education

Since learning is an eternal principle, that means that education is meant to last far longer than the years of our initial schooling. This entire planet was created as a learning experience for us, to help us grow. Our Heavenly Father’s ultimate goal is to help us be like Him, and He is very, very smart. He knows all there is to know, so our eternal journey is and will continue to be one of higher and higher learning until we reach the level where He is.

Even though we can’t learn everything in this life, we should still try to make continuous learning a part of our everyday lives. So sign up for that class, watch educational videos online, study current events, study and pray to receive more spiritual knowledge, read a book, or try something you’ve never done before.

We can take more responsibility in our lives by continuing to educate ourselves on everything we can. After all, this mortal life is meant to be a time of growth and learning guided by a Heavenly Father who is the greatest teacher there is.

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“47 Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.

48 And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.”

Such valiant mothers! But we are left to wonder about their fathers.

The Fathers of the Stripling Warriors Provided for Their Sons

When we read in the same chapter verse 27, however, we see the big role the fathers of the stripling warriors played.

“27 And now it came to pass in the second month of this year, there was brought unto us many provisions from the fathers of those my two thousand sons.”

We can see that the stripling warriors received great support from their Dads. I can’t  imagine how it must have felt for these fathers to see their teenage sons go into battle. The parents of these young men had made a covenant with God never again to take up weapons of war. So seeing their sons going to war to do their duties in defending their families and their liberty must have been scary, but at the same time something they must have been very proud of. Sending provisions is the next best thing they could have done to support their sons. The fathers of the stripling warriors provided for their sons not just to feed them or give them what material things they needed, but they brought provisions to give their sons moral support and to boost their morale. It must have been their way of saying, “I am here for you, my son. I am rooting for you! Hurrah!”

The Effect of Their Fathers’ Support

Because these young men were provided for, they must have been well fed and in good spirits. However, this was not the only outcome of their fathers’ support.

“29 And the Lamanites, thus seeing our forces increase daily, and provisions arrive for our support, they began to be fearful, and began to sally forth, if it were possible to put an end to our receiving provisions and strength.”

Their enemies, upon seeing that they were getting support, felt rattled. They saw their strength, not just in numbers or physical force, but they also saw their backing and they were shaken. It created a psychological threat that made the Lamanites think they were facing an even more formidable opponent. This may or may not have been a part of Helaman’s strategy, with some sort of a psychological warfare, but it is natural to think that if someone is well provided for, he will not be easily destroyed.

The Essence of the Father’s Role to Provide for His Family

The fathers of the stripling warriors, through their efforts to provide for their boys, proved that the role of fathers as providers goes beyond just taking care of the physical needs of the family. It creates a protective shield. It paints an image of strength for their wife and children. The family is more secure. Children have increased self-confidence because they have a sense of identity belonging to a good family. This, in turn, radiates to the people around them. People more easily see the family as a strong unit because the father is a good provider. Such a family is less susceptible to insecurity, bullying, shaming, etc. People respect them when they see a father who is able to provide, not just physical support, but emotional and moral support as well.

As we celebrate fathers, may we learn from the fathers of the stripling warriors. They may not be a popular lesson from the epic story of the mighty 2000, but their influence and their effort can’t be overlooked. They were a crucial part of the victory of Helaman’s “little sons” and a paragon for all fathers to emulate.

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Times Were Tough

At that time, my father had just graduated from college and my mother was working as a teacher. With 2 kids and one on the way, my father could hardly make ends meet with his salary as a casual government employee. I can vividly remember my parents eating salted fish so they could buy milk for me and my little brother. I can imagine how much they must have sacrificed just so we could be provided with the basic things we needed. As a father, it must have been hard for him to see his family have so little. I am sure that all he wanted was to provide a good life for us.

My Father’s Desire to Have His Family Forever

My father wanted a good life for us, but, more importantly, he held dear the promise of the Lord that his family could be with him for time and for all eternity. When he found out that a temple was going to be built in Manila, he made all the preparations needed to be able to bring his family there. It would also be his first time to be in the temple because the temple had been so far away during his Missionary Training that he had not been able to go and get his personal endowment. During his mission, he used to imagine what it would be like to go to the temple, so it was an exciting time for him preparing to go to the temple with us, but it was daunting as well. After evaluating his and my mother’s income, they discovered that there would not be enough to pay for both our fare and our board and lodging.

His Decision to Sell His Little Possessions

At that time, my father only owned a few things that he had bought previously. He had a little TV for our entertainment and he owned a watch that he’d had for years. He also had a scientific calculator from his years studying to be an electrical engineer. These were the only things of value that he possessed. We had no land and no house. He just rented a small room to house his small family. The TV and the watch were sold first but the scientific calculator was a hard thing for him to give up because it would be very useful in his future career. But, judging from the sale of the TV and watch, the scientific calculator had to go to raise the funds needed for travel to Manila.

Then Miracles Happened

When finally my father was able to buy tickets for the four of us, he could only afford the lowest form of accommodation. It was not comfortable. My mother was pregnant with their 3rd child and morning sickness plagued her. The journey to Manila took 3 days and after the first day of travel, my mother was already weak with morning sickness and seasickness. But then, as my father was out getting food for us, he met a missionary couple who offered us better accommodation. They sponsored an upgrade for us, and soon my mother felt a lot better. My father considered it to be a miracle because if she had continued to get weaker, he was afraid they would not have been able to continue the journey. When we were sealed, my mother felt the little baby in her womb kick as if to say, “Hurray!” The journey home was smooth sailing, without any discomfort and my father was empowered with a feeling of assurance that he had done the right thing in his efforts to provide for, protect and preside over his family.

We have now been sealed as a family for 35 years and it has blessed my parents’ lives and our lives as well. What my father sacrificed so we could be sealed was a strong testimony of his love for my mother and for his love for us. He taught us the difference between things that are of temporary value and things that have eternal significance. He was able to buy another TV and another watch and another scientific calculator but he said, “if I lose my family forever, that would be a great loss – something I can never replace.”

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This is the time of year in the Philippines when graduation and recognition rites are usually held. But this year, there are no graduation marches, no students wearing togas, no proud parents presenting medals to children who did well this school year. The Co-VID-19 pandemic has put a stop to all big gatherings and that includes graduation and recognition exercises. Even the school year was cut short as enhanced community quarantine has been strictly implemented for public safety. A number of questions are raised by students throughout the nation. One of them is, “Will we still be able to continue with our education?”

With the current global situation, formal education in a school setting is hard to accomplish if not impossible. Yet in the context of continuous education, there are a lot of ways we can “increase in wisdom.”

Learn From Your Own Quarantine Experience

It is quite amusing that in these trying times, there are a lot of things we discover about ourselves and our capacities. People all over the world are now facing an unseen enemy and because of this, their sense of curiosity is elevated. Questions keep popping into people’s minds, questions such as:

“What is this virus?”

“How does it spread from one person to another?”

“How do I stay away from this virus?”

“Why do we need to be quarantined?”

These are the things that people are asking. In addition to these questions are the musings that people have about other aspects of life.

“Am I prepared for what is to come because of this pandemic?”

“How can my family cope with all the changes that are happening?”

“What are the things that I need to do to rise from this bleak situation?”

“Will life get back to normal again? When?”

What is beautiful about questions is the fact that they awaken the faculties of the mind as we search for answers to them. This global pandemic, like the virus itself, is novel. It has never happened before. Not in this kind of situation. Although there have been a lot of disease outbreaks in the past, this one is unprecedented. Being in such a situation makes us all newbies when it comes to experiences that come with it. Isn’t it a good exploratory opportunity? Through this experience, we can learn to stretch our budget like we have never done before. Families can create stronger bonds as they are concerned of each others’ welfare. The human mind has rarely awoken to such creativity when it comes to health and survival.

Our family for one has explored how we can increase our immune system and better our family preparedness. Education is continuing as we come together in family council and talk about what we can do to improve our health and stretch our means to provide for this time of crisis. And what is amazing is that there are a lot of creative things that we learn from our children. For example, one of our daughters took charge of sounding an alarm every hour so we can all drink a glass of water to keep us hydrated throughout the day. It is beautiful how the learning experience can feel so new and refreshing as we face this trial of our day.

The Beauty of Home Schooling

There are a lot of ways to accomplish “formal” continuous education in the home setting. My children began home schooling when the Department of Education decided to cancel all classes. We are using the Khan Academy program available online for their academic and enhancement activities. But that is not the only avenue that we use to continually educate them.

Being at home all day long has been a blessing. Yes, at first it was chaos having all five of our children “breathing each others’ air.” But it challenged us to make a schedule that works for everyone. We saw it as an opportunity to school them in polishing their household skills. Tasks were added so they could learn more housekeeping: cooking, babysitting, gardening, sewing, cleaning – the list just goes on. It keeps them busy doing worthwhile activities and it keeps their parents’ sanity. It did not happen overnight. We have tried a couple of schedules that did not work until we finally came to one that kind of works but still needs polishing.

Let’s face it! We are not sure when this will be over. Even world leaders cannot give a specific timeline as to when things will get back to normal. Given this, let us grab it as a chance to sharpen the saw or be better at what we do. One way to do this is to avail ourselves of degrees and courses offered online. The Pathway program is definitely a great source for this. One can also take the time to research or review about your current profession and skills. I have not expanded my culinary skills for quite a while now. But because there is a need to make home cooked meals for the whole family everyday, I have tapped into the wide array of cooking knowledge on “Youtube academy.” There are a lot of webinars available to help us increase our efficiency and effectiveness. Training is made possible through technology and the internet. My husband continues to meet with his professors and classmates through Zoom. Continuous education in this trying time can be exciting and very rewarding.

Revisit Your Resolve to #HearHim

I strongly feel that the train of events that happened before the Co-VID-19 pandemic until now is a wake up call to #HearHim. In the recent General Conference, President Russell M. Nelson said,

“Family preparedness especially includes filling our personal spiritual store houses with faith, truth, and testimony.”

Continuous education must happen, most importantly, in our quest for eternal truths. The scriptures has never rung truer before, especially in the comfort and strength they provide. The “Come Follow Me Program” is such a powerful tool to anchor us when in despair. Prayers have become more sincere as we reach out to heaven for healing and peace. And because we are admonished to “stand in holy places and be not moved,” we have tried harder to make our homes holier, our language better and our service more sincere. Being able to experience this global pandemic gives us the opportunity to slow down so we can truly #HearHim.

President Nelson promised that as we strive to prepare ourselves to #HearHim, we will hear messages that will “bring peace to (y)our soul… heal (y)our broken heart(s)… illuminate (y)our mind…” and “help (you)us know what to do as (you)we move ahead in times of turmoil and trial.”

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“You look so drained. Stop having children already!”

People see parents around them looking so tired taking care of their children and that is true. Having children takes much of our time and energy but please don’t tell us to stop having children especially if you do not know the whole picture. “Children are an heritage of the Lord…” (Psalm 127:3) The decision to have children is made by husband and wife and the Lord. However sincere our intentions are, we may make parents feel limited and guilty. When people tell us to stop having children, it makes us feel like it’s our children’s fault that we feel and look exhausted. It is so unfair for the little ones. It feels so unfair to us. We want to have children and we are paying the price to have them in our lives. I am sure parents who spend most of their time taking care of their children are happy. They may look tired but that doesn’t mean they do not feel rewarded for their efforts. A word of appreciation can go a long way if we want to help parents who seem to be spread thin. We can compliment their efforts and if they need us to, let us lend a helping hand.

“Stop feeling that way. It’s a matter of choice.”

Thank you for reminding us of our agency but please allow us to be human. We have all the right to feel angry, exhausted, silent, disappointed, elated – and these feelings need to be validated. It is already hard, and enough pressure is put on our shoulders, without thinking that we shouldn’t feel this way. Sister Reyna I. Aburto said, “My dear friends, it can happen to any of us — especially when, as believers in the plan of happiness, we place unnecessary burdens on ourselves by thinking we need to be perfect now. Such thoughts can be overwhelming. Achieving perfection is a process that will take place throughout our mortal life and beyond — and only through the grace of Jesus Christ.”

All of us are fighting battles, whether we can see them or not. Kind words of encouragement are very helpful. However, let us be more sensitive and remember that sometimes a listening ear weighs more than unsolicited advice. We can talk to them and validate their feelings of exhaustion or fear or anger. A simple word of appreciation for the good they do as parents will definitely brighten their day.

“Don’t worry! Everything will be okay.”

We are already worried and everything will not be okay – at least not right away. Things will sometimes – if not most of the time – go wrong. The plans we make will not always come to pass. Things will at times go bad and sometimes bad things will take a turn for the worse. That is part of our mortal journey.  If we worry, that is normal. Please don’t get us wrong. We want things to be okay all the time. Who wouldn’t? But if someone tells us, “Let’s grow through it!” that would make us feel a lot better. Let’s realize that every reason for worry is an avenue for lessons to be learned. We can work hand in hand as parents by asking each other how we can parent better. We may have different circumstances but we have one thing in common – we want to be the best parents for our children. So let’s use that common ground to plant the seed of empathy and compassion and reap the blessings of team work.

There are a lot of reasons why parenthood can be such a Herculean task. That is more so because of the different roles parents need to fill, especially in troubled times. Communication is a vital tool in all relationships. Through proper and sincere communication, walls between people are broken and relationships are strengthened. There are times when, however sincere our intentions are, we sometimes fail to put into the right words what we want to communicate. One thing we can do is to listen. Taking time to listen and to understand someone is an act of charity and when we do listen, we may better console and serve each other.

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The Challenges

My husband prepared the bread and water the night before. He placed two slices of bread on a plate and readied the mugs (yes mugs!) for the water. He covered them so it will be ready early in the morning. When he woke up one of our daughters have spread hazelnut on the bread and made a sandwich out of it. It turned out that we did not have extra bread since the kids ate the rest of the loaf. So we made do with “yummy” bread because we used the sandwich which was the only bread we had in the house. The mugs were replaced by glasses since my husband didn’t know where they are stored, so he used what he could easily see in the kitchen and those were mugs.

Another issue we needed to address was how to help the kids feel more reverent, and not as at home. It was quite a challenge because they didn’t feel it was as solemn when we were just sitting on our couch holding Sacrament Meeting.

The Sacrament

It was a bit strange watching as my husband make all the preparations being the only Priesthood holder in the home. We have 5 daughters and none of us could help in the preparation. It was an eye opener for us because we usually look past the preparation part of the Sacrament. We just see the sacrament table all set when we sit in the pews during sacrament meeting. It was such a humbling experience being able to see how gently my husband selected white sheets to line and cover the sacrament emblems. We were filled with reverence as we saw how the seemingly mundane task of breaking bread became holy and sacred. Seeing it so close opened our eyes to the sanctity of the things we usually see as routine.

The Closing Hymn

For our closing hymn, we sang “Keep the Commandments.” It was a hymn my daughter selected because it is one of the few hymns she can play on the piano. I tried my hardest to hold back tears as my heart swelled with a testimony of the truth that the hymn teaches. When the COVID-19 pandemic first began to spread fear in the hearts of people worldwide, our daughters were also alarmed as information on the phenomenon reach them. We have tried our best to comfort them and keep them in their bubble of normalcy. But we cannot seem to do that because these kids are so informed. When we sang,

“Keep the commandments; keep the commandments!

In this there is safety; in this there is peace.

He will send blessings;

He will send blessings.

Words of a prophet:

Keep the commandments.

In this there is safety and peace.”

It was like the Holy Ghost enveloped me with the assurance that my children will be fine. The world will not always be an ideal place for them, but they will be taught the ideal principles that will mold them to be resilient and constant. My husband and I expressed our gratitude for the blessing of having a living prophet, and our children understood that if we listen to the words of the prophet, there is always safety and peace.

The Reminder

When we asked the girls what they thought of the special Sacrament Meeting we had, my daughter said, “I gained confidence because even when I make mistakes in playing the piano, it’s ok because I’m with my family.” Our sense of family was strengthened by this beautiful experience. And our hearts were one with people all over the world who worshiped with us that morning as we prayed for the healing of our nations. There was a spirit of being one big congregation under one God despite holding Sacrament services at home in family units or even as individuals. As I searched the hymn “Keep the Commandments,” on lds.org I was humbled by what a seemingly hidden second verse revealed:

“We are His children; we are His children,

and we must be tested to show we are true.

Hold to His promises;

Hold to His promises,

Heeding the prophets:

Keep the commandments.

In this there is safety and peace.”

In these trying times when we can’t do all the usual day-to-day things because we can’t go out, we can find safety and peace in the four corners of our homes. When we have our faith and our family with us, there is a sense of security that comforts and strengthens. Once again, we are reminded of what matters most.

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Saying “sorry” is only the beginning. Apologizing is just the start of the process of restitution. Whether it is at restitution of trust, stolen things or stolen time – it is only the first step of many.

Apologize ASAP

Whether you are at fault or not, take the initiative to apologize first and apologize quickly. Relationships become strained when late apologies are common. Don’t be afraid to say sorry because you are too occupied with looking for the perfect words. Look people in the eye and acknowledge your mistake. In simple words, say why you are apologizing and do so calmly, perhaps after taking a few deep breaths.

Validate Others’ Emotions

In the rush to gain back favor from people, it is usual to say something like, “Don’t make a big deal out of it,” or “Just forget it! It’s nothing…” Yes, taking offense is a choice; but to fully dismiss that you have hurt someone by telling them to forget what they are going through, is like rubbing salt in the wound. We are human and being such we sometimes feel hurt, betrayal, offense, and many others. I don’t think feeling these things is wrong. It is natural. We need to acknowledge that. The Savior has felt all of these emotions as well. He felt pain and wept when He knew that his friend, Lazarus, had died. (John 11:35) He must have been very frustrated when He saw that the Temple had been made into “a house of merchandise”. (John 2:13-16) Even the Son of God went through all these human emotions, for that is how He is able to understand and succor us. Must we not acknowledge those same emotions in the people we are dealing with especially among those that we have offended? “The son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than He?” (Doctrine & Covenants 122:8)

Consistent Effort

Strive to mend broken relationships and strengthen them continuously. Make apologies an opportunity to give true sincerity instead of just taking forgiveness. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, keep working on your relationships. Investing in human connections empowers us to repair lives. It empowers us to repair the world. No effort is ever wasted. When we sincerely  acknowledge our mistakes, saying “sorry” is more meaningful. Showing remorse and empathy makes saying “sorry” more acceptable. Working hard to restore of what has been lost – may it be good reputation, material things, or confidence – makes saying “sorry” more active and effective.

There is beauty in apologies. In our quest to be forgiven and make things alright again, we find ourselves changed. That is where the power lies. For it doesn’t just make the offended one feel better, it makes the offender become a better person. It is a refining process through which the natural tendencies of man are replaced by heavenly virtues. So we see, saying “sorry” is never enough, but it is a very good place to start.

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The Wonder and Joys of Childhood

When I look back at my childhood memories. I am amazed at how awesome my imagination was. I grew up not having a lot of toys because my family only had enough for the basic necessities. But I look back and I feel like I didn’t lack anything. I remember playing outside and imagining that I was a soldier and scraping my knees from crawling trying to dodge bullets. There was a time when I believed that I was a mermaid. My skin got burned from staying on the beach for long periods of time. I learned to cook rice from playing house – sneaking into our kitchen to get a fistful of grains and cooking them in a can – with real fire made from twigs. Then my father, who was a fireman, would lecture us about fire safety when we got caught. Those moments were priceless! I am grateful for them all – the mischief and the learning moments.

Dating, Courtship & Marriage

Falling in love is a great adventure. People may or may not agree but love is a beautiful journey. My encounter with love started with the crushes that I had when I was a teenager. With the butterflies in my stomach, I learned that love is not always thrills and excitement. It can also involve heartaches and betrayals. I look back at the strange and funny feeling of liking someone. There were also moments when I needed to give way to other girls because we had the same crushes. When I remember those moments, I can’t help but laugh and also realize that some relationships are more important that other relationships. No wonder love is the most common story and song topic of all time. It takes us on a roller coaster ride. But for me, the greatest adventure was finding that one true love and choosing to stay together. I am now in an adventure that I consider the most important. My marriage has been nice, warm, scary, joyful, weird, lovely, and all the other emotions rolled into one. It is a great opportunity for me to be experiencing this type of adventure.

The Journey Towards the Golden Years

I consider myself to be in the middle of my life. I have a goal age when I want to “retire” and I am about half of it right now. At this stage, I look forward to what the coming years have in store for me. Of course I feel the fear of the unknown, but also the excitement of someone who is trying to make a fallout shelter for the end of the world. Now, my adventure is preparing for the sunset of my life. There are still a lot of things to do and sometimes I get overwhelmed. But I have family and friends on this adventure with me. I feel passionately the need to fight for things that I know are important. Although I choose my battles wisely, I am very vocal about a few things that are precious to me. I fight for women and family, for truth, and for the environment. Part of my advocacy is wellness and good health. We have things we need to fight for in life and doing so is a great adventure in itself. I think aging is graceful if we are striving for something better.

As I look at life, we are all on a great adventure. It is sad that some people think their lives are less than those of others because nothing much is happening. There are a lot of things that are happening. We can make a lot of things happen. Our lives are not the same but life is a great adventure in itself. We fight villains and we stand with heroes everyday. As we journey home to our God, let us make every day count. May we leave a legacy of joy, learning, love and purpose as we live our own adventures.

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Strength as a Family

I grew up watching my parents grieve. I heard their “could-have-beens” – how if they had been better parents or if they could have done things better, then they would not have lost their little boy. It pained me seeing them go through that, but those times became opportunities for me to comfort them. My siblings and I try our hardest to reassure them that they are good parents. We try to make every moment as a family a happy one. We used to talk about our loss as bleak and sad but as the years rolled along, we have learned to remember the joy we felt at having been given the chance to be the family of that very special child. We have recommitted ourselves time and time again to be good people and to work as a family so we can be worthy to be with him someday.

A Better Knowledge of the Afterlife

Losing my little brother made me ponder more often about death and what happens after. I have even read a lot of literature about the afterlife. However, the most comforting and reliable information does not come from scholastic studies. I have come to understand more about death from the sacred scriptures. Learning from the Word of God gave me comfort and staying power. I have learned that truly, death is not the end of life. It is but a door all of us needs to go through so we can go on to the next chapter of a much grander, continuing of life. My brother is not lost or forgotten. He is just in another state and is waiting for me and my whole family. We can all be together someday through the goodness and mercy of God. Knowing these truths fortified my resolve to go on with life purposefully. All the good that we do here on Earth will not be wasted then, because life goes on. It will go on even after all the pain and sorrow of mortality.

The Will to Improve Daily

With the knowledge that I can be with my brother again, I am inspired to do all I can to make his life with us worth remembering. There is something inside of me that tells me that I need to be worthy to be with him someday. He died innocent and pure. Because of that, I know I need to live a life that will merit being allowed to be where he is now. I do not have a manual that gives specific steps on how to do this, but in the every day decisions that I make, I know I make the steps that either bring me closer to him or take me farther away. I am grateful for commandments that serve as a guide to base our life choices on. Every time I am faced with situations where I have to choose between right or wrong, I remember my little brother and that he is waiting for me. Losing my little brother left an imprint in my being that helps me make better choices.

A loving Heavenly Father created the family structure. It is the best way to bring children into this world. This is something very special and very sacred. I know He would not allow death to destroy the sacred connections between family members. He wants us to live as families – secured and bonded – throughout life, and even after death. He made a way. He devised a plan for this to happen. Knowing this Plan has provided great comfort and hope after our loss. We feel our baby brother close to us and God has given us an assurance that we will see him again.

You, too, can know of His beautiful plan… Talk to us or visit lds.org to know more.

The post What I Gained After I Lost My Little Brother appeared first on morefaith.ph.

I have been a mother for 12 years now. And as my children increased in number, my excitement for Conference somehow diminished. I asked myself, “Am I going inactive?” “Have I gone so far from the straight and narrow path?” These questions may sound dire but although I’m probably just overthinking, deep in my heart, I fear positive answers to them. During General Conference Broadcast, I am faced with a myriad of challenges and I am pretty sure, in one way or another, we can all relate.

Do I Listen to the Speakers or to My Child?

My children cannot keep quiet for long. They always have something to say and questions to ask. They ask pretty good questions but there are times when they are plain silly. “Mum, why is President Nelson’s head so shiny?” How can I then keep a straight face and keep quiet dignity when faced with questions like that? I needed to remind myself that I am a mother to my children first, before I am a member listening in the congregation. My children first learn from me before they learn from General Authorities speaking in Conference. So I brace myself and answer their questions the best way I can.

Do I Take Notes or Do I Carry my Sleeping Child in My Arms?

Taking down notes for impressions I get and words that inspire me has been one of the highlights of my General Conference experiences, and it is important to me that I keep a notebook for that specific reason. Another perk for taking down notes is that it keeps me awake throughout the 2-hour sessions. But now, in my years of motherhood, my children doze off during Conference and I have needed to carry them. Maybe it is because of the Tabernacle Choir’s music or the perfect chapel temperature and lighting — they doze off almost altogether and obviously, taking down notes sometimes becomes impossible. Their sleeping spell is even contagious. I sometimes find myself dozing in the middle of a talk. Feelings of frustration can be overwhelming at times like this but then I ask myself, “Would you rather have other people carry your children and smell their head and feel their heartbeat?”

Do I Attend General Conference Broadcast or Do I Stay at Home?

Despite all the craziness, I’d still choose to gather with the Saints in chapels for General Conference Broadcast. I understand that I can’t “perfectly” prepare for General Conference, but I want to “intentionally” prepare to do so. Even if I cannot listen well, I think it’s okay. I gather with the Saints and bring my children with me. I know that if I do this, my children will eventually see the importance of gathering for Conference where possible. They may not learn from the speakers but they will surely learn from us. They will be able to see the reverence we give to this sacred event.

There are times when situations do not allow us to watch General Conference with the Saints as a congregation. But I strongly feel that if we can, and if circumstances allow, it’s good to go to Stake Centers or Chapels and bring our children with us. I really feel that when the Saints gather, the heavens smile and miracles happen. Things will get better. It will not always be chaotic. Our children will grow up and we will miss all the mess they create. So for now, while we still can, we should experience General Conference with them. These will be moments we can remember for the rest of our lives.

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