"Angels Round About You"

General Conference, what a weekend!

I love General Conferences because they remind me about beauty in simplicity & that the Heavens are open. The meetings are usually composed of talks & singing of sacred hymns. It has remained that way since its inception—a simple program, yet profound in effect. Here is when the will of the Lord is revealed because His prophets and apostles speak.

The messages, the music, the prayers, the ambiance were so reminiscent of how I’ve been raised up—a clear reflection of my parents’ principles. It reminds me of my childhood days. It’s wonderful to find the church still the same in a world of shifting values & eroding morals. President Hinckley used to liken the church as a solid rock standing amidst the ravishing storms of the day—that regardless of the immensity of changes around us, the church holds up the values and standards the Lord has given as never changing.

This past weekend, I’ve been enthralled by the powerful messages of the Lord’s servants & the lasting effects of the music rendered. All contributed to an ultimate retreat from the world.

One specific talk I loved was Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s “The Ministry of Angels”. It gave this scripture an intimate meaning: “And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up” (D&C 84:88).

This promise meant so much during my 2-year full time missionary service for the church. I could not even begin to imagine what I would have been like without the Lord’s assistance in such a magnanimous endeavor. This scripture was intended for missionaries—that they wouldn’t have to worry on how to go about their missions, because the Lord will be with them.

After listening to Elder Holland’s conference piece, the last part of that verse began to glow with a special implication.

Here’s part of Elder Holland’s talk:

In the course of life all of us spend time in “dark and dreary” places, circumstances of sorrow or fear or discouragement. Our present day is filled with global distress over financial crises, energy problems, terrorist attacks, and natural calamities. These translate into individual and family concerns not only about homes in which to live and food available to eat, but also about the ultimate safety and well-being of our children and the latter-day prophecies about our planet.

More serious than these—and sometimes related to them—are matters of ethical, moral and spiritual decay seen in populations large and small, at home and abroad. But I testify that angels are still sent to help us, even as they were sent to help Adam and Eve, to help the prophets, and indeed to help the Savior of the World Himself.

Matthew records in his gospel that after Satan had tempted Christ in the wilderness “angels came and ministered unto him.” Even the Son of God, a God Himself, had need for heavenly comfort during His sojourn in mortality. And so such ministrations will be to the righteous until the end of time. As Mormon said to his son, Moroni , who would one day be an angel:

“…Has the day of miracles ceased?

“Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?

“Behold I say unto you, Nay; for…it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; for behold, they are subject unto [Christ], to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and a firm mine in every form of godliness.”

I ask everyone within the sound of my voice to take heart, be filled with faith, and remember the Lord has said He would “fight [our] battles,…[our] children's battles, and [the battles of our] children's children.” What do we do to merit such a defense? We are to “search diligently, pray always, and be believing. [Then] all things shall work together for [our] good, if [we] walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith [we] have covenanted.” The latter days are not a time to fear and tremble. They are a time to be believing and remember our covenants.

He then went on to speak about mortal angels. He talked about how an angel his mother was to him—that in our lifetime there will be people who will bring so powerful & meaningful an influence that they, too, can be regarded as angels in their own right.

I couldn’t help but think of the angels who had gone my way along the paths of life. It is true that once a person lifts off from being a child into becoming an adult, that the “dark & dreary” circumstances come. Childhood fears become insignificant, but are replaced with consequential ones—e.g. financial stability, building a family, etc. Sorrow & discouragement almost always take over emotional strength. It’s a struggle. Life will always be filled with battles, but angels do come to the rescue. They may not necessarily be immortals. My parents were angels to me. They have such an overwhelming influence in my life.

Now, angels continue to come. When the Lord said, “…mine angels [will be] round about you, to bear you up”, He really meant that, especially in these difficult times. Despite how strong we think we had become in facing the challenges and troubles of our time, there will be unhappy or near to the ground moments. These circumstances will merit our friends’ and family’s support.

I’ve always looked up to myself as being strong since my Mission. The conditions after my missionary service really tested me. Grateful will I always be for the powerful influence of angels in my mission, such as my Mission President & his wife, my 10 companions, and all of the member friends I gained. The people I’ve met whom I was able to share the gospel to, were also angels. Without them, I would not have been able to appreciate and realize the purpose of service & the real meaning of charity or the pure love of Christ.

In this time of day, I wouldn’t deny that fear, sorrow, & discouragement still take over my human side. My friends, both in and outside the church, take the role of angels. Without their watchful reinforcements & constant reminders, being alone, without a family, may take its toll in me and would possibly drive me nuts. Along the way, angels seem to come to the rescue. I am aware that in spite of having been able to govern myself accordingly in conjunction to the correct principles taught to me, and while I battle or struggle to walk in righteous paths, the adversary will always look for ways to distract my determination. My principles, the fortress that I take refuge from—the church, & the covenants that I made with the Lord, will be rallied against. I know it is difficult.

I believe in the promise of the Lord that He will send His angels. They are “round about” me. If I do my best “walking uprightly” & doing my part in keeping the commandments of the Lord, I need not tremble and fear in this “dark & dreary” place & time. The immortal angels will surely come if necessary, but the mortal ones will be there to bear me up and keep me on my feet.

In Memoriam: Rue Ann "Jagurl" Salvador

January 1, 1979-August 18, 2008

A confidant.

An adviser.

A counselor.

A friend.

A girlfriend.

A best friend.

A sister.

A daughter.
A loved one.

These are but a few descriptions of Jagurl in our lives. She has even been more than the designation.

Jagurl was an extraordinary person who had a knack in making friends. I got acquainted with her in the company I'm working at right now. We were transferred from different accounts to a newly opened Line of Business (LOB) in a Sales/CS account. I was a newbie in this call center industry and I was only a week old in my previous account. I was nervous to take calls & terrified by the fact that I have not fully internalized my product knowledge. She was a veteran. At that point in time I was somewhat standoffish. I only talked to my batchmates who were transferred along with me. I couldn’t forget how she started talking to me & making me feel comfortable. She was an initiator, a proactive type of person—especially when it comes to friendships. She was thoughtful & very sensitive to one’s feelings.

Eventually we became good friends. We had a great time being team mates in the first part of the LOB we pioneered in. I learned from her. She was a very good communicator. With that talent, I looked up to her & did my best to communicate with my callers in the same way that she did. I had the opportunity to listen to her calls many times and her callers just loved her. She knew how to build rapport in a timely manner. She brought gladness to her calls the same way she brought sunshine to the team.

She was a happy person—someone you can take on to brighten up any gloomy day. She can also be a wacky kind of individual. She can take you out of depression & bring you to a totally different world of excitement & fun. She was much uncomplicated—very simple, yet she could always dress up in style, & can be classy. With that, however, you could notice her innocence to subjects carnal in nature. She was a very religious person. She valued spirituality in a different level—a higher level than those who share the same lifestyle. She employed life with great sensibility, maturity, & responsibility.

She did not deserve the kind of passing she stumbled upon. Those cruel bandits didn’t have to kill her. She died in the arms of cold blooded, selfish individuals who disparaged her plans, obligations, & loved ones—let alone the value of her life.

We see and hear about crime all over. Murders, fatalities, all manner of horrible exploits flash through media every day of our lives—even accidents that involve the loss of thousands of lives. Every time we see the remains of the victims & reactions of those left behind, we feel an affinity with them. We feel for them. We ultimately pray that none of the same nature will happen to our loved ones.

If it does happen, even to a beloved friend, it can be as heartbreaking as losing a dear family member: painful & distressing. Once you hear the news, you wouldn’t believe such brutality would occur to someone we dearly love. At times like these, we come to realize how subtle life is—that in one quick & small moment, it can be taken away from us. How evil are those perpetrators who played in being god in taking away somebody else’s life. They didn’t have the right to do so.

It was Edwin Markham who said: There is a destiny which makes us brothers; none goes his way alone. All that we send into the lives of others comes back into our own.

Those who did this merciless act to Jagurl will have no where to run. If their conscience had been numbed with their repeated commission of crime, they will surely be pursued by life’s boomerang.

Speaking about the subject, the apostle Paul in Romans 13 discusses that this type of crime can not be set aside. In verse 4 he explained about God’s avenging authority: that He “executes wrath upon him that does evil”.

We, the friends and family whom Jagurl left behind, can only be consoled by the fact that she had already passed on to a better life. She lived a life of principle. She feared & loved God & devoted a considerable portion of her life demonstrating that love. In modern scripture found in the Doctrine & Covenants 42:46, the Lord said: And it shall come to pass that those that die in me shall not taste of death, for it shall be sweet unto them.

I couldn’t even bear to imagine the details of how Jagurl died. It must have been physically grueling and painful; but I know as soon as her spirit left that mortal body, a feeling of sweetness & joy enveloped her soul as she was taken back to God who gave her life.

Jagurl had finished her earthly journey and has moved on to the next sphere in the eternal scheme of things. We are all part of this journey together. We were born, as was Jagurl, to experience mortality—to obtain physical bodies & to prepare to meet God. Now that our dear friend, Jagurl had passed on, may we make her memory our inspiration to live our lives in such a manner that we may be worthy & be granted the privilege of meeting her again in the eternities. This reality, therefore suggests that that we consider the real meaning of “goodbye” as an interjection. It means “see you later”. The word “goodbye” or “farewell” appropriately, should be succeeded by phrases such as, “we’ll see each other again”, or “we’ll meet again, some time”.

However, no matter how we look at it, the word “goodbye” is a sad word. I would rather look at it the way Tasha Yar of Star Trek: Next Generation, explained it—she said: Death is when we exist only in the memories of others. So this is not goodbye, but good memories.

Good memories, Jagurl! We love you. We will miss you. We shall see each other again.

Almost Perfect Getaway (A Photo Essay)

Bantayan Island, Cebu

QA Outing-Summer '08

Our seemingly endless wait for a ride back to Cebu and the woes that came with it almost ruined our Bantayan summer escapade. Toby became fidgety, as Ting remained somewhat calm as everybody else. Ann would rather ride a V-hire, yet Paul proposed that we head to Bogo and take our chances there for a bus ride. However, there is not anyone more concerned about the situation than Lainy, while Jan patiently grins buoyantly to keep the team together. There is exhaustion in Marc’s eyes as Cedie expresses his dismay about the matter. Mira smiles her braces out as she, too, tries hard optimistically to see the situation through.

Our QA team capped Summer 2008, and successfully froze the moments in Bantayan Island. We began our retreat leaving the office in a rainy Saturday dawn. The sun was still behind the clouds when we arrived at Hagnaya. It was drizzling. The weather was tolerable in such a way that it wasn’t warm yet it was far from being chilly. I loved it as I’m not the type of person who’d appreciate a hot weather. It takes the energy out of me and drains me eventually. I’m probably just getting old. I take on the vigor of my youthful friends.

I can’t recall when I last immersed myself in seawater. It was probably more than 10 years ago. I was actually waiting for Ting as she beseeched me prior to the outing that I should get wet and indulge myself. Juvi had to leave early. She, too, entreated me to take a dip. Both Ting and Juvi’s pleas were not without a condition. Afraid that I might lose them as friends (pun intended), regardless of how long it has been since I bathe in the beach, I had to go and took the plunge. Watching Lainy, Jan, Cedie, and Juvi from the terrace of our room, enjoying the Bantayan seawater, somehow gave me the yearning to join them. I did. I almost forgot how it felt like to be in the water that I’d never felt so cold in my life. It was still drizzling and the sun wasn’t out. I almost quit and wanted to run back to the resort room. The guys had to convince me to keep my body in the water. That, eventually, kept me warm. I was glad I stayed. I didn’t want to get out of it.

Ann, Marc, & Mira had their own adventure while we were reveling in the beach. Thanks to them we were fed well during the trip. I’m amazed at how these guys express initiative, take inconveniences & turn them into funny experiences. They had to go to Bantayan proper to buy food. Ann recounted that the ride to and from the place seemed endless. While in that seemingly incessant journey, imagine holding your breath naturally because of the poultry stink. You believe It will only take a few turns before you get a grasp of fresh air again. To your dismay, the poultry covered what seemed like 48 acres or 99% of your entire travel time. You have to accept the fact that you’ve taken in the foul-smelling air into your system and hope that it will refresh itself once you reach the fresh air zone.

We missed Juvi’s company overnight.

The Iron Chef Marc took care of our cuisine for dinner. We were all in the room after, having delightful exchanges until some, including I became heavy eyed. We thought to hit the sheets. Marc, Ting, & Toby remained awake until later. Marc said he took the dive before bidding Saturday goodbye.

During the night, I was awakened by the animated sounds of snoring. I found I wasn’t alone. Ann and Paul were awake. It didn’t take long before I found myself in my dreams again, leaving Paul absorbed by his video game, and Ann reading the silly text message of Gwendee. It was a fun-filled night just listening to the snoring episodes. To a musically inclined person like me, I thought there was music in the wheezing sound. (Pun intended)

Nothing compares to a Sunday Breakfast treat by Iron Chef Marc. The Tuna Cheese Omelet, the Hamonada, and the Tuna Omelet (without cheese this time). The presentation itself was half the treat! It was a good way to start the day as the sun was already out.

Ogtong cave resort was just beautiful! There’s a loch enclosed in a cave, which was the main attraction of the resort. There was also a fresh water swimming pool, aside, of course from the open beach.

Lunch was taken cared of by Tristan Beach Resort—our refuge for this getaway. Getting ready to move out was as eventful as our arrival. I lazed around gripping on the air conditioner, as I know it will be excruciatingly hot outside. We took off and headed for the pier. The same as how we came in, we RORO’d our way out of Bantayan.

What’s amazing from this outing is that despite some trouble or difficulty, the team’s diverse strengths came into play as the inconveniences were turned into positive experiences. Each member of the team, despite some display of frustration & exhaustion, rose above adverse moods and faced the trip head on.

Until the next QA outing, we just had a blast of exciting moments—enough to keep us going and to keep us strong as a team. From such familiarity as this, we come to know each other and bond—to strengthen friendships and create lasting memories.

We had fun, even in the bus ride on the way home.