“In Cagayan, Philippines,” For the Strength of Youth, Mar. 2022.
How We Worship
In Cagayan, Philippines
Photograph from Getty Images
Magandang araw! Kamusta?
(That means “Good day! How are you?” in Tagalog.)
My name is Agravaine L.
I’m from a small town in Cagayan in the Philippines. I live with my great-grandma and great-grandpa, my grandma, my mama, and my two sisters. Yes, we definitely have a big family! That’s pretty common here in the Philippines. Filipinos are known for having strong family ties. That’s my favorite part about living here. The tropical weather is just a bonus!
My favorite hobbies are reading magazines and listening to podcasts and uplifting music. I also like to write letters addressed to my future self, husband, and children!
Studying and Sharing
My favorite part about being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the knowledge that I am in Christ’s true Church. I love visiting the temple, sharing the gospel, and going to seminary with my friends. I learn so much from all these experiences.
I struggle sometimes with enduring to the end. But I do my best to study my scriptures every night. Come, Follow Me helps my personal study a lot! I also love reading stories from other youth in the Church magazines. I use the Gospel Library app so I can have uplifting messages in my pocket, no matter where I am.
Most of my friends at school are Church members. I used to think that meant I didn’t have any opportunities to share the gospel. But I’ve learned that sharing the gospel doesn’t have to be with people from different faiths. I love sharing my testimony with my best friend at school, and she’s a member too!
The Sabbath
Our house is far from the Church building, so my sister and I have to plan ahead to get to our meetings on time (or early, hopefully)!
We wake up at 4:00 a.m. and walk to my aunt’s house, which is on the way to the Church building. We change from our walking clothes into our dresses. Then we walk again for another 30 minutes to get to the Church building (or sometimes 25 minutes if we walk really fast). Because we prepare for Sundays ahead of time, we’re never late! Well, almost never. The road gets really muddy when it rains. One time it rained so much that I got stuck in the mud and couldn’t move!
But it’s all worth it once we get to church. I feel peace and joy talking about the gospel and spreading the glad tidings of our Savior. I love sharing my testimony every fast and testimony meeting! My Sunday School classes are also a great place to share my insights about the gospel of Jesus Christ and learn from others too.