The Greatest Gift I Give to my Parents

Christmas is just around the corner. I already hear Christmas songs over the radio especially early in the morning. Everyone at home is so excited for they're expecting a party, exchange gifts or gift-giving may be held.

Kids are so happy in this month of December. They're expecting to receiving gifts from their parents, from their godparents.

To borrow a line from the song popularized by the late world-known singer, Michael Jackson, which says "people making lists/ buying special gifts", the people all over the world are beginning to do this.

Thus, they're making a long lists of things to buy for their Christmas presents to be given to their loved ones, relatives, friends, and business associates and clients.

Testimony Sunday

December 1 falls on the first Sunday of this month. It is observed by our Church as the fast and testimony Sunday. Every member is given the time to share his/her faith-promoting experiences.

My Current Family

A handful of Church members including the leaders did share their testimonies on the truthfulness of the gospel, the divinity of Jesus as the son of the living God, and the Church herself as the true Church which has been restored through the instrumentality of the young boy named Joseph Smith.

I was sitting in one of the pews with my wife, Rebing; youngest daughter, Gigi, and with our 10-month old granddaughter, Sophie Lory who is carried by my wife, and in pensive mood of what spiritual thoughts I should share as my testimony.

Since Christmas time is just around the corner, I have made up my mind to share the greatest gift I had given to my parents. Alas! Before I realized it was already time. Well I was unable to share my testimony so I wrote it down and share it here.

Greatest Gift to my Parents

It was the late September sometime in 1986 when I brought my famiy back to the Manila Philippines Temple in Quezon City, Metro Manila for a temple ordinance.

My wife, my kids and I were all dressed in white ready to enter the sealing room. There my wife and I together with my  children were sealed for time and eternity by a priesthood holder authorized to perform the ordinance and the late Bro. Ruben Gapiz was the witnessed.

On the following day, my wife and I did another ordinance, baptism for my late parents. I proxied my father, Hilarion for his baptism and my wife acted in behalf of my late mother, Lorenza.

My extended family

This baptism for the dead was done solemnly by a priesthood authorized to do such temple ordinance. The baptism was done in a separate session. My wife and I had a similar pleasant, spiritual experiences while a minute after we did the baptism. We felt and saw a spirit standing besides the baptismal font smiling, with a pleasant countenance. We know that those were my parents looking at us while we performed the baptism for them.

The proxy baptism that my wife and I perform inside the temple is the greatest gift I ever gave to my late parents.

I know they're happy about it. I know their salvation is not complete without us and also without them our salvation is at stake too. This is in accordance with the prophet Elijah's ministry as mentioned in the Bible: thus, "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;6, KJV)