Forty-two kilometers south of Bacolod is a city named La Carlota—a peaceful city adorned with scattered remnants of old Spanish architecture, with warm and hospitable people.
The setting was ideal for the gospel. Elder Dee Rosenbaum and his junior companion, Elder Scott Paul opened the area on July 21, 1974. They held their first Sunday services in a house owned by the Yee family at Rizal street. Prior to that, they had contacted seven individuals whom they invited to attend their meetings. They were:
• Elenita Jayona
• Antonio V. Custodio
• Jesus Salomon
• Enrique Gomez
• Gloria Detoyato
• Augusto Diamante
• Bodoy Diamante
After four months, Elenita Jayona and Antonio Custodio were baptized, followed by Jesus Salomon and Enrique Gomez a month later. However the remaining three didn't make it to be converted to the Church.
Those 4 baptized members were the pioneers which formed the nucleus of La Carlota group that became a branch on December 29, 1974.
President Carl D. Jones of the Philippines Cebu Mission called the place as "Mormon City" for the impressive growth of the Church in the city.
Three of the four who joined the Church were called to a leadership positions. Antonio V. Custodio was the new stake president, Elenita Jayona was the stake Relief Society president. Jesus Salomon was formerly a bishop of a unit in Bacolod North Stake.
On July 7, 1981, La Carlota Branch became a ward on July 7, 1981 under the Bacolod Philippines Stake. It continued to grow rapidly that it was divided into two wards - La Carlota 1st and La Carlota 2nd wards.
The title of "Mormon City" is aptly applied to La Carlota City due to hard work and determination among its members. Bro. Noel Gamilla, the ward mission leader of La Carlota First Ward, said there are sixteen (thirteen sisters and three brothers) active stake missionaries in their ward and ten (eight sisters and two brothers) in the second ward. They have an average of five convert baptisms per month.
Image Caption: The first meetinghouse where Elders Dee Rosenbaum and Paul Scott held their meeting.
Source: Tambuli, the official Magazine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Philippines, date issue: October/November 1985
No comments:
Post a Comment