Family Matters: For Time and All Eternity

Child abuse is wrongly or improperly treating a child in a way that causes injury or serious offense. It can take in many forms: -Physical abuse or neglect -Emotional abuse -Sexual abuse Family members can help stop abuse and protect and get help for those who have been injured. Children who have been abused need kind, caring attention from family members and others.  TO KEEP THE ABUSE SECRET OFTEN ALLOWS IT TO CONTINUE. Join our discussion at https://youtu.be/PMNveyJZkrE

It is so comforting to know that the  universal  bond  created  by  listening to  songs  and singing together can provide support as our children begin to explore the art of music and associate feelings of comfort, love, and  bonding  with music in general.

And because Cerah has recently received her earnings from her own YT channel, she bought herself a gift! Her glasses plus a gift to her mom, a GL-290 keyboard! 🥰

I am grateful beyond words.I can't thank my family enough for putting so much effort into making my day absolutely unforgettable. That feeling of belonging and love when you get surprises. They will be in my heart forever. It's definitely worth getting a year older.

This time last year, despite our tight schedule, we prioritized enrolling in BYU Pathway Connect because we knew it would help us elevate our practical, professional and university skills, and we were right! We completed the course after a year. It has helped us become better disciple leaders. It has increased our ability to serve our family and everyone around us. We have developed good habits and skills that have eternal consequences. Our desire to be more self-reliant has deepened. We were reminded that support, understanding, and spiritual guidance cannot come from the emotionally starved and spiritually weak. In his talk, " Two Principles for Any Economy " President Dieter F. Uchtdorf has said: "Education is not so much the filling of a bucket as the lighting of a fire. For members of the Church, education is not merely a good idea—it’s a commandment." In the April 2009 Ensign article "Learning and Latter-day Saints, " Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught: ...

So just recently, we made dad's morning routine. This is his other routine early morning before going to the market or sometimes in the afternoon after doing other more urgent tasks. Our dad is a farm boy. He grew up in the farm. One of his dreams is to be an agriculturist. We think our dad is really the best at everything he does! We love you dad! 

Our dad loves cooking! In fact, he cooks better than our mom. He says this is his small way of showing his love to his wife and to his children. We are so lucky to have such a handsome chef in the family!

In the morning, mom and dad usually have companionship prayer and scripture study but today, mom woke up earlier than dad to finish some projects. We came up vlogging his morning routine because we are impressed everyday that when everyone wakes up, dad surprises us with a nice breakfast he buys himself from the market. We have the best dad ever!  Video Edited by Ammon Jarom 

ISANG PIRASO NG LANGIT (LYRICS) Composed & Arranged by Mon del Rosario  Performed by Lani Misalucha Tahanang itinayo ni Nanay at Tatay PAG-IBIG ang bubong Ang dingding ay PAGMAMAHAL Bintana at pinto Pinatibay ng TIWALA RESPETO ang haligi ng aming abang dampa Ang aming tahanan Isang piraso ng langit Kahit na sa ginto’y di ko ipapalit Walang saysay ang tagumpay Kung malungkot ang tahanan Pamilyang masaya Langit lamang ang kapantay Dalangin ko sa Maykapal Pamilya’y makapiling Magpakailanman

Today, I commend my reading buddy, Anatolin,  who also finished reading President Dallin H. Oaks' book, LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED, Personal Reflections. President Oaks gets personal sharing his experiences that helped shape his life, from being raised by a widowed mother, losing his wife to cancer, to making the transition to full-time Church service as a General Authority. Anatolin shared learning more deeply the purpose of adversity, the importance of respecting those with whom we disagree personally or politically, the merits and limitations of law, the blessings of tithing, the seeming conflict between science and religion, the Lord's use of imperfect people to further His work, and the power of the Atonement to recover those who have fallen behind. President Oaks'  powerful testimony of the Savior and His mission were woven throughout the book.

Today in our family home evening, we had a glimpse of the majesty and glory of our Heavenly Father’s handiwork. We spent the evening outdoors observing the night sky and stargazing. Fortunately, everyone saw a shooting star. For  some people, it is the sign of a good beginning; while, others take it a symbol of ending. Whether it is true or not, one thing is absolute: THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD. Heavenly Father, through His Son, is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. To Moses, He declared: “I am the Lord God Almighty, and Endless is my name. … “And worlds without number have I created; … and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten” (Moses 1:3, 33). Astronomers, with the aid of powerful instruments, are helping us glimpse the extent of God’s dominions. The more we learn, the more incredible our view of God’s creations becomes.

It’s been difficult not to be stressed by everything that is happening due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We have less income, less projects with clients, less liberty, less association with friends and relatives, not to mention the disrupted routines. Yet there are many things to be thankful for. Enhanced quarantine would mean enhanced family time. Surely, we have more of the most valuable currency — time. We are grateful for this privilege of slowing down. We get to have every meal with all family members and enjoy nice conversations without rushing. We have more time organizing our homes than ever. And to me, more time writing. To enliven the quarantine experience, we can  find many things to do with our family to keep us busy and productive.  How about you? How are you keeping yourself and your family busy while under community quarantine?

“I urge all the people of this church to give serious attention to their family histories, to encourage their parents and grandparents to write their journals, and let no family go into eternity without having left their memoirs for their children, their grandchildren, and their posterity. This is a duty and a responsibility. ... Those who keep a book of remembrance are more likely to keep the Lord in remembrance in their daily lives. Journals are a way of counting our blessings and of leaving an inventory of these blessings for our posterity.”   - Spencer W. Kimball In the days of Adam, genealogy was kept. In the days of Nephi, how glad the people were when they received the records of their fathers, and hundreds of years after Lehi came to the promised land, men could rise up and say, "I am a descendant of Nephi, or Jacob, or Zoram," because they kept these records. In the early stage of our marriage, Anatolin and I did our best to capture memories o...

Millions of people’s lives have been put on hold because of this COVID-19 pandemic the world is currently battling. It is challenging to stay positive and level-headed especially when we have children to protect. The   effects it’s having on our mental well-being is undeniable. However, my husband, Anatolin and I do our best to stay calm and keep going. In this time of uncertainty and fear, we teach our children that we are stronger together.  Though this virus outbreak is an unprecedented phenomenon for us all, our family had a strong impression that   what’s in front of us may be serving us in valuable ways we don’t even understand right now.  While it is true that the situation is constantly evolving and we are presented with a new set of challenges every day, it also is impacting our communities in so many positive ways. While stargazing the other night, Anatolin shared how grateful he was of our choice to be together 24/7 since the beginning ...

Due to the developing concerns over the spread of the coronavirus, gatherings of church members were temporarily suspended worldwide and leaders asked members to hold Sunday meetings in their homes. We know that the Sabbath is a special day and we want it to be a spiritual day amidst these trying times. We know we will reap blessings of stronger family relationships, kinder communication, spiritual depth, and more family fun. Our family has carefully gathered the following activity ideas after the Sunday service at home: 1. Make a family storybook: Everyone picks a memory, draws their version of it, and writes a short summary about it. Share your memories with each other. 2. Create a family mailbox to keep inside your home that you fill with sweet letters to each other. 3. Make a wall of favorite quotes from the general conference and leave it up for 6 months until the next conference. 4. Book of Mormon Puzzle: Draw your favorite scene or character from th...

Part of our Family Home Evening last 25 February 2020 was watching the Face to Face event for children, youth, parents, and leaders, where President and Sister Oaks answered questions from around the world focusing on the Children and Youth program which is to strengthen the rising generation’s faith in Jesus Christ, and help children, youth, and their families progress along the covenant path as they meet life’s challenges. Our children then made a resolution to follow the process more intentionally: discover, plan, act, and reflect. They have also set personal goals that challenge and stretch them and continue to discover new talents, interests, and skills. This morning, when my husband and I woke up, we were surprised to see the house already sparkling clean. They worked together to do the house chores after their personal prayer and scripture study. The opportunity to counsel with our children to discover the areas of growth and learning they are interested in is a blessing to us. ...

When the First Presidency announced a new resource to help Church members and their families study the scriptures at home:  Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families,   our family counseled together to include it in our daily family morning devotional as part of our homeschool program. Since we have been studying together as a family in January 2019, we have deepened our testimony that our  home is the best place to live, learn, and teach the gospel. In other words, ministering begins at home. So when gatherings of church members were temporarily suspended worlwide because of conditions related to COVID-19, leaders asked members to hold Sunday meetings in their homes. Our family morning devotional that we do everyday as part of our homeschool program prepared our whole family for this trying and difficult times. We had an added measure of the Spirit in our home when my husband and 12 year-old son administered the sacrament. In our closing hymn, we couldn...

So this is a photo of my husband, Anatolin teaching his 38-year old Chinese student online early this morning. In China, the English language has become increasingly significant. It wasn't long before businesses were hiring more and more people with English skills, and over the next few years it's set to become a mandatory qualification. The English language has become so important in China because the country wants to successfully promote internationalism and keep the lines of communication open for trade and business matters. We have been in the ESL industry for 15 years and we have seen how Chinese, Koreans, Japanese, Vietnamese and other nationalities invest a lot of their resources to feel confident and relaxed when they speak English. As a result, they advance in their career, grow their business, gain international friends and become globally successful. This also makes us wonder why Filipino parents don't give much importance teaching the language to their childre...

The digital world that we live in has opened the door for many to stop commuting to work, and avail an opportunity that allows them to work from the comfort of their own homes while enjoying all the benefits of obtaining a better work-life balance. One of the major benefits of a home-based job is the proximity to family.  This thing is not new to us at all. It was in 2008 when my husband, Anatolin and I decided to embrace this work-at-home opportunity, leaving our typical 8-5 job. If you’re a parent, working from home can add increased peace of mind knowing you are close to your children should an emergency arise. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, may everyone stay alert, stay updated, and to stay healthy while our governments and health professionals help us resolve the situation. Meanwhile, we at ESL Hive continue in our advocacy and passion in helping our students achieve their dreams, advance in their career, grow their business and be globally successful with our Internat...