Laoag Missionary Fireside

29 May 2021

Anatolin and I attended the Missionary Fireside tonight with our eldest daughter, Cerah Hennah. While Sister Peterson and President Peterson were sharing their message, it's as if God was talking to me directly. It was a revelatory moment.  As parents, we get frustrated especially during this pandemic when our children have irregular or abnormal activities. My husband and I grew up in the church. Recently, we would often ask each other how we could help our children have the same enthusiasm we had when we were in our youth, being anxiously engaged in missionary work, seminary and institute, personal prayer and scripture study, family council, family home evening, family history work and all. We have been a little more consistent doing those things as a family but we are sometimes unsure if our children just do things for the sake of doing them and just participate casually. But I was reminded today. Through the workings of the Spirit, the words of President Peterson were so powerful that at that moment, I could tell myself: I don't know the end of the story yet. I have to be patient. I will let God work His miracles. The Lord loves our children more than we love them. 

It is more clear to me that the theme this year, A GREAT WORK (I Will Do, I Will Serve) is not only for the youth but also to parents like me. We have a great work to prepare our children to enlist themselves in the youth batallion to help gather Israel. After all, missionary work and ministering begins and ends at home. Like the Petersons, we are thrilled to also witness our children, and even our grandchildren to serve missions, marry in the temple, progress in their covenant path and have multi-generational families living the gospel with joy. 

On our way back home, we asked Cerah what she learned this evening. She said she's more inspired to serve a mission and that she's planning to create a digital art related to missionary work. She has four years more to prepare herself and we are grateful for this inspired activity.


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