Happy Together at 68

What a surprise for my wife's and I's birthday!

The wife of our youngest son, Ma. Carissa is one of our thoughtful family members who had planned out for a surprised synchronous birthday celebration for my wife and me.

Synchronous 68th Birthday

Inday Rose, the best friend of our 2nd daughter told me to wake up early in our natal day. I was flabbergasted why should I have to get up in bed early.

Actually a day before our birthday I had sent message to all our children that we wouldn't celebrate our birthday for I don't have a budget for it. But it turned out that it hadn't work.

Family outing Keeps Family Together

The family outing is one of the activities we have had for 2019. We are alway hoping and have a strong faith that family can be together forever as what our Church has taught us. We keep on nurturing our relationship among us in our family. We are doing our best to keep our family as strong as ever and be united as opportunity says so.

Camporazo Family 2019

It is our family tradition to go out for an outing every first day of the year. Yes, January 1 is our family day. We go out for a family outing to our favorite beach hangout. We spend our New Year to Soleo Beach, San Enrique, Negros Occidental.

We wear the Tshirt colored orange through the courtesy of our 3rd elder daughter, An An. Last year, we wore yellow Tshirt. And my 6 children were complete. But this year 2019, our eldest son, Dondon is not able to join with us. He is residing at Manalo Fortich, Bukidnon. His other 5 siblings are present: Dona, Gingging, An An, Gigi, and Toto Jun.

'Self-Reliance Is the Beginning of Progress'

Self-Reliance

“Self-reliance is the ability, commitment, and effort to provide the spiritual and temporal necessities of life for self and family” (Handbook 2: Administering the Church [2010], 6.1.1).

President Sumagpao

President Thomas S. Monson has counseled, “[Self-reliance] is an essential element in our spiritual as well as our temporal well-being.” (“Guiding Principles of Personal and Family Welfare,” Ensign, Sept. 1986, 3)

With the above context, President Elmer Epifanio Sudario Sumagpao of Bacolod Philippines Mission in his message to the 27 Self-Reliance 3-month Workshop and Seminar completers pointed out that self-reliant is not only for temporal aspect of the completers but also for their spiritual self-reliance. He further said that they have to work hard to sustain their family.

The Government and the Church Are for Family Sanctity - Jalandoni

The government and the Church have a sure foundation for the family, said the Mayor of La Carlota City in a statement. He is as one of the 4 key persons invited by the Church of Jesus Christ in La Carlota during its culminating activity.

Jalandoni III

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, La Carlota Philippines District kicked off their closing Family Week celebration by a foot parade in the main thoroughfares of the city. Though rains were pouring early in the morning, the said activity wasn't affected. It carried as plan.

The members and leaders of the units or branches of San Enrique, Ayungon, Masville, Manggapsang, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, La Carlota First, and La Carlota Second joined the whole day affairs of uplifting messages, parlor games, and cultural presentations.

This culminating activity of the 26th National Family Week celebration 2018 of La Carlota Philippines District is centered on its theme: "Tungo sa Maginhawa, Matatag at Panatag ng Pamilya 2018".

Working for the Dead Is No Joke

Can the dead be saved spiritually? This is debatable or others may regard this as ridiculous for it is impossible. It is nonsensical for it has no bases. Well, I don't have to argue for I have known it from the revelation which the Church has received. Baptism for the dead is the way which our dead forebears may be saved spiritually and it is done inside the Holy Temple.

Manila Philippines Temple

For your information, one of the three purposes of the Church which I am a member for 38 years now is redeeming the dead. With this work, we are urged to work with our dead ancestors. I have started with my parents, then with my grandparents. I was able to have a baptism by proxy for my own parents inside the temple in Manila, Philippines.

Our Church has a Family Search program to search the dead from billions of sources all over the world. When I wrote this in 2016, there were 10 million records were saved in three days, that is 72 hours. That is a great achievement of the Church as far as genealogy is concerned.

How Do I Find My Four Dead Siblings?

I work with the genealogy of my family as inspired by the Prophet Elijah by "turning the heart of the father to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers" (Malachi 4:6), In so doing I could bring salvation to their souls through baptism of the dead.

Since I was a kid, it's fixed in my mind that I was the youngest son of the 6 children of my parents, Hilarion Camporazo and Lorenza Iligan.

It's out of my mind that there were still more than 6 of us in our family. My late mother never ever told me about that. I have just learned it later when I worked my personal family lineage.

Why Monday Is for the Family?

I would say that a Monday evening for the family is the good opportunity for the whole family to communicate with everyone. The father, the mother, and the children would take their time to discuss matters pertaining to their well-being. And I would also say that this really helps a lot.

This particular Monday evening, we call it as the Family Home Evening (FHE) and this is not new. This has been introduced as a simple program for the family to strengthen its members in all aspect of their development from social, economic, educational, and spiritual. It won’t take a two or three hours. The father is the one presiding with the participation of every member who takes charge of the opening and closing prayer, leading the singing of the hymn, game playing, serving the snacks after the program.

The father gives the spiritual insights as supplemented by the wife in addressing the personal problems of the children from financial, educational, to love life. Before the program closes, everything is settled, agreed and in consensus. Everything is spiritually uplifted, inspired and full of God’s love and hopes to live as a family together forever.

How to Make Marriage Last Forever

(This is a repost of my article posted in Literacy Base site entitled "Making Marriage Last Forever" written on November 27, 2016.)

When we first exchanged our “I Dos” 44 years ago (1972), we kept in mind that our marriage would last till death. The officiating city judge told us that our vow was binding “till death do we part”. That’s it. We were 21 years old at that time and we were still studying in college.

The first year, the second year until the 7th year of our married life was full of challenges in various extent. We had even a time that we’d been separated for several months and later we were able to reconcile and started all over again. It was the greatest trial we ever had in our marital relationship.

At the 8th year of our marriage, everything had changed. We had found the secret of making our marriage stays as inspiring and loving all the time even as of this posting time. We had found the truth that marriage is ordained of God, that everyone of us has the spiritual responsibility for our children by letting them grow up according to the “nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

Epithet: 'When something's Lost, Something's Gained'

This is a retold heart-breaking life story of a wife who lost her husband and leaving her their 5 kids. I am referring to Sister Roda Ligahe whose husband, Rojie Belarmino is a returned missionary and Branch President of La Castellana, Branch, La Carlota Philippines District, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and died untimely of a disease, hypokalemia (low potassium).

Roda

Here's her sad story of her life (translated from her local dialect, Ilonggo and posted in Tumandok, another website of this blog admin):

"I started growing up from my grandparents for my parents were separated. I was 8 years old when I became member of the Church (Mormon) in which I had a personal testimony of the Church. After 2 years of my membership in the Church, I met my first husband. I was 11 years old at that time and he was 17 years old. Before our friendship started to bloom he went in a mission in 1993 and returned in 1995. Our communications were difficult for there's no Internet. We're just sending letters and I knew he was assigned to Nueva Ecija.

When I'm Sixty-Five

Is there something that reminds you, especially the lovers of music? Yes, you have come across with that line especially the avid followers of The Beatles. You see it is similar to The Beatles' song, "When I'm Sixty-Four."

Rebing and me

Now, I'm definitely 65 years of age on October 13. I'm old enough. By the word Old, we could derive a lot of wisdom. My pastor friend, Leo Claridad a day after my birthday sent me a text message on the importance of OLD. And I quote his message,

"Old wood is best to burn. Old wines are best to drink. Old wise men are best to ask advice from. Old friends are still the most precious like gold.
"So it's not that bad to be old at all because the older we get, the better people we are supposed to become."

He quoted Psalm 92:14 the Bible (New International Version), "They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green."

I replied him. I sent this: "God provides everything. He always there. Therefore, take the letter G from God and append to the word OLD and you will have GOLD. That is why old persons are as precious as the gold. My pastor friend didn't reply.

Family Week: Strong Family, Progressive Tomorrow

"Matatag na Pamilya Maunlad na Bukas" (Strong Family: Tomorrow's Progress) is 2016 theme. The Family Week Celebration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is participated in by various units/branches in the district. Aas one of the pioneer members of the Church in our place, we have something to present to prove that family is important.

My wife and I are happy indeed to reach our 44 years of married life. I remember that it was in 1972 when we got married at the age of 21. I never had a penny in my pocket in that momentous day of our marriage. It was the late City Judge Mate who officiated our marriage in his office at the second floor of the city hall.

Family Week: What It Should Be?

My Family of Six from the eldest, Dondon to the youngest, Toto Jun.

My wife and I have been living in a happy marriage for 44 faithful years. We have six children, four of which have families of their own. Two daughters are unmarried. We have eight grandchildren. With such a big family, we want to provide them with the spirituality they need. I have had the privilege and the authority to bring them down to the water of baptism when they were yet kids. We belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We have been nurtured in that faith for 35 years now.

It is a great family activity we have when we reunite on the fourth Sunday of September. It is the most momentous day of the year for us as a family. The former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos issued a proclamation on the 28th of August 1996, giving families the big opportune time to get together on the 4th Sunday of each September.

Proclamation on Family

Our Church issued "The Family: A Proclamation to the world". The late President of the Church, Gordon B. Hinckley, read it before the Relief Society members of the Church in September 1995. We believe that a husband and wife are the procreators of our Heavenly Father. We have to nurture and rear up His Spirit in our children and we should greatly honour and value our respective family.

Last year we had a lot of fun. We had a short program. We listened to the local government dignitaries giving their uplifting speeches about family. Our Church leader did inspire us with their spiritual thoughts about taking care of our family. They had pointed out to us that family could be together forever. We have a strong testimony for that; that it could be done.

We avail ourselves of such great privilege to be sealed in the temple of the Lord for all time and eternity as a family. In 1986 I brought my family to the Manila Philippines Temple. We performed the sacred ordinances in the temple led by the authorised Priesthood holder. That's a great covenant we had made in the temple. We are spiritually prepared to stay together forever. We should be faithful to the covenant we have made.

It may sound confusing but we do believe that it is true. It is our unwavering faith that makes us believe. How happy we are living together as a family in this life and in the afterlife! So be it!

Carissa's Day

Today marks the 22nd birthday of Ma. Carissa Trenuela-Camporazo Inday Carissa as we fondly call her is the wife of our youngest son, Gilbor Camporazo, Jr.

Carissa

She had been married to our youngest son to Cebu Philippines Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

She is a woman whose affections are enthusiastic and expansive. She does her best in a relationship where she can have plenty of space to roam free and explore unknown territories.

She has a sense of being philosophical. She has her own outlook in life to treat any trials and challenges as an opportunities to prove her worth. She is optimistic. For being a such, she tries her luck on some business which she believes could make her successful and be able to help her own family.

DepEd Lauds LDS Family Week Celebration

La Carlota Department of Education (DepEd) represented by its schools division superintendent who was among the honored guests lauded the Church program on family in a culmination program held at its local Church meetinghouse.

SDS Mallorca

La Carlota Philippines District of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) has culminated its own unique activities of National Week Celebration after having a selected Family Home Evening (FHE) in the barangay, in the school.

The city of La Carlota through its acting city mayor, VM Jacky Jalandoni attended the morning program of the Church culmination activity with other invited guests from government's Pantawid Pampamilya Program of the marginalized members of the society and also from the Philippine Anti-Children's Trafficking (PACT).

"Gender Equality and Children's Right for the Contemporary Filipino Families" is this year's theme for the National Family Week celebration.

The Day My Family Visits The Temple

I remember it was sometime in the month of September 1986 when the whole member of my family visited the Manila Philippines Temple somewhere in Greenmeadows Subdivision, Quezon City.

Manila Philippines Temple

I brought along with me my six children, Dondon, Dona, Gingging, An An, Gigi and Toto Jun, our youngest son. It was the first time that my family went to Manila especially in going to the Temple of the Lord to do some temple ordinances.

In my case, I had already gone there sometime in 1975 when I underwent a two-training at the Central Bank of the Philippines in the Savings and Loans Department of the said agency and I was temporarily residing at the residential house of the owner of the bank where I am about to work with. I had no idea that the present Temple would be built in that area.

I remember I had to take three rides in going to the Central Bank. While in the case of my family in going to the Temple, they had to take two rides from Baclaran to St. Corinthians Gardens (White Plains Avenue now).

Father's Eternal Principles

The parents, teachers, and other school stakeholders gather for the first PTA assembly inside our school campus.

My son giving me a token of gratitude

As a school head of Balabag Elementary School, La Carlota City, I share to them the eternal principles behind a father. This is a reminder to all of them that the coming third Sunday of the month of June is a special day. It is Father's Day.

Father is always used when we say our prayer. We address our heavenly Father for He is the great provider. Father, therefore is a divine, sacred title for that matter. It is no joke to be addressed as a father. Likewise, it should be respected in a most reverent manner.

With this special occasion for a father, I am also reminded of the eight values which my late father has taught and influenced me when he was still living. One of them is "taking time out for God".

What Do We Do in Summer?

Summertime is the best opportune time for every member of my family to be together, to have  bonding time, to strengthen our relationship, patching family problems, among others.

Actually, this is what comes to our mind every summer. Summertime is washing time. Summertime is cooking. Summertime is swimming. Summertime is playing time. Summertime is praying together. Summertime is spending Church activity together. Summertime is to watch wholesome movies. Summertime is writing and reading. Summertime is to enjoy an ample rest and a sound sleep at siesta and at night. But what matters most is summertime is a family time.

Summer Vacation

Summer vacation starts right after the closing exercises or commencement exercises of elementary and high school respectively.

In my family, we have four grandchildren who go to elementary school, one programming teacher, and one instructional manager; and I am a school head of Cubay Elementary School, Division of La Carlota City.

Family Outing: Wholesome, Bonding Tradition Ever 2014

2014 FAMILY OUTING AT LAS OLAS , BEACH, San Enrique, Negros Occidental, PH kicks off, up, up and away. This is our yearly tradition to spend together as a family, edifying our family relationship in one-day bonding of various activities, highlighted with "kainang pampamilya" (eating together as one family) for time and even in eternity so to speak at the onset of every new year.

Joining us in this New Year tradition of beach  excursion was our  youngest son, Gilbor Jr. who is one-year married and his wife Ma. Carissa Trenuela. As usual our eldest daughter, Dona Greece, her lone daughter, Adgel, and her husband, Almon Tolones were with us. Toto Bryan, our adopted grandson and our youngest daughter, Geeree kept their camaraderie and cooperation as ever in this memorable beginning day of the new year.

Past 12 noon, our third eldest daughter, Gynrey (An An) together with her three kids, Bulaklak, Panyang, and 1-year old daughter, Inday Sophie and her hubby, Stephen came, then we started eating our first lunch for 2014.

This Man Influences Me and My Family

This man whom I met in the temple of God in Manila has made me realized how important is the family. I am fully convinced then that family could be together forever after I performed the temple ordinance for my wife and me, and my children.

This greatest experience is a part and parcel of my spiritual being for 33 years of my membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I have strong testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and even the truthfulness of this Church as I stay close to the Church and nurture my faith together with my family all-out support.Because of our faithfulness to the Church and as we keep our covenant too, we have received many blessings which are beyond measure so to speak. They take several forms. We know that God really loves us. He wouldn't forsake us especially when we are in our dire needs. He really answers our prayers. He wants us to follow His plan of salvation for our redemption from the Fall.

Rebecca: Enchantress of My Life

No other woman who had greatly influenced my whole life and everything I do, except this woman, Rebecca.

In my teenage years, in my studies in high school and in college, in my work, in my Church activities, and most especially in my family well-being, this woman is indispensable.

Rebecca had enchanted me when I first met her in late 1968 somewhere in an open study hall of La Carlota City High School.

Rebecca captured my heart beyond expectation that every time I slept at night I couldn't take enough sleep. I kept on waking up hastening the time for a day break, for another day to see her again in school.