Worldwide Young Men and Sunday School Leaders Instruct and Edify Filipino Saints

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Philippines Area feasted on inspired counsel and instruction as two general Church officers visited the country last November 15-24. President Paul V. Johnson, Sunday School General President, and Brother Bradley (Brad) R. Wilcox, First Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency, ministered to the Saints in various locations. Joining Brother Wilcox was his wife, Sister Deborah Wilcox.

The Church leaders were accompanied during their ministry by members of the Philippines Area presidency and their wives, namely: Elder Carlos G. Revillo Jr. and Sister Marie Revillo; Elder Chi Hong (Sam) Wong and Sister Carol Wong; and Elder Michael B. Strong and Sister Cristin Strong. Area Seventies were also on hand to assist during their visit.

Camiling / Cebu City

Brother Wilcox began his Philippine ministry by providing training and sharing inspired messages at Camiling Stake Conference in Tarlac on November 16-17, with Elder Revillo presiding.

“One valuable lesson I learned from Brother Wilcox was his story about a father who asked, “What will my son gain if he gets baptized in the Church?”, relates President Restituto Bajarin, the stake president. “Among the many answers he gave, one that truly stood out to me was the advantage of being part of a strong network of people—individuals you can rely on because they are members of the Church.”

Even though she serves as a counselor in the stake Primary presidency, Sister Liaa Nicolas listened intently as Brother Wilcox outlined the Church’s renewed emphasis for a home-centered, Church-supported youth program. “He emphasized this in our leadership training session,” she noted, “and we’re grateful that he discussed this with us.”

In Cebu City, President Johnson graced the launching of the Church’s #LightTheWorld Giving Machines at Robinsons Galleria Cebu mall on November 16. This Christmas season initiative consists of unique red-colored vending machines where donors can select items intended to help designated beneficiaries, such as food or water kits, educational supplies, hygiene kits, and other essential resources.

“People can come and put their money in the Giving Machine and make a donation to a great cause that will bless people’s lives,” President Johnson shared during the launch. “It’s a great time to focus on our fellowmen and our Savior Jesus Christ.”

President Johnson, Elder Strong, and other Church representatives also met with members of Cebu’s business sector at Lahug Stake Center. The guests were introduced to the Church’s educational system, and discusssions followed on how the Church and the business community could collaborate on furthering educational, livelihood, and career opportunities for Filipinos in general.

Pasig City

On Monday, November 18, President Johnson and Brother Wilcox paid a courtesy visit to Assistant Secretary Georgina H. Yang of the Department of Education (DepEd) in Pasig City. Together with Elder Strong and Elder George Kenneth Lee, Area Seventy, the leaders acquainted Secretary Yang with the Church’s educational initiatives in the country, such as the BYU Pathway program, the Perpetual Education Fund, and the BYU Hawaii Philippines Track. They also discussed how the Church could help support the department’s goals and objectives.

Philippines MTC

Brother Wilcox and President Johnson met with the missionaries at the Philippines Missionary Training Center (MTC) on November 19, where both leaders gave timely messages.

“It’s the weak things, but those who are meek enough,” President Johnson emphasized to the missionaries, “that the Lord will turn into strong things and make powerful.” For Elder Macalisang, called to serve in the Japan Fukuoka Mission, this message was powerful “because I’ve often seen myself as weak.” Wonderfully, “President Johnson’s words opened my eyes to the fact that through the Lord, I can grow, become strong, and be powerful.”

In his message, Brother Wilcox recalled the words of a famous hymn: “Because I have been given much, I too must give”. Sister Rodriguez, a missionary for the Japan Tokyo North Mission, was led to ponder: “Heavenly Father has bestowed upon me a precious birthright and an abundance of blessings, both of which come with great responsibility.”

Earlier that day, President Johnson and Brother Wilcox met with National Youth Commission (NYC) Chairperson Joseph Francisco Ortega, who visited the Philippines Area office along with his staff. Together with Elder Revillo, the two global leaders shared with Ortega the Church’s strong focus on the rising generation and how Church programs are blessing the lives of Filipino youth.

Mandaluyong City / Tanay

FSY Continuing with their focus on the rising generation, President Johnson, Brother Wilcox, and Elder Strong formally turned over science laboratory equipment to the City of Mandaluyong Science High School in Mandaluyong City on November 20. The Church leaders interacted with Grade 11 students, who happily shared with them their science research projects.

Later that day, the Church leaders also toured the For Strength of Youth (FSY) Facility in Tanay, Rizal, and spoke on the importance of setting worthy, gospel-oriented goals to newly returned missionaries (RMs) at a My Plan Conference held at the site.

Urdaneta City / Tacloban City

“Happiness is found if we do God’s way,” Brother Wilcox declared to the youth and Young Single Adults (YSA) attending a devotional on November 21 at Urdaneta Stake in Pangasinan. “Brother Wilcox’s words reminded me how foolish I was back then when I always relied on my own ways rather than His,” intimated Hans Sagabaen, an Aaronic Priesthood holder from Urdaneta 2nd Ward. “Following His ways has shown me that genuine happiness can only be found through Him.”

When Brother Wilcox reassured that “your leaders love you, and Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love you,” Lea Baliton, a Young Women from Asingan 1st Ward, was touched. “I realized that there are people who love me, especially Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ,” she mused.

“The whole devotional was a Spirit-filled experience for me,” beamed Carmillete Lee, the stake Young Women president. “What stood out to me the most was . . . when he reiterared that ‘Jesus Christ is the strength of the youth’.”

That same day in Tacloban Stake, President Johnson taught Sunday School officers that “each of us is eligible for inspiration in our respective sphere of calling,” during a Focus Group Discussion on gospel teaching. “I realized that for me to improve as a teacher,” shares Joy Alban, the stake Sunday School president, “I need to seek for heaven’s help and guidance from the Holy Ghost so I could best help the needs of my students.”

President Johnson capped his Leyte visit with a member devotional. “Take it more seriously to read the scriptures and Come, Follow Me [gospel study guide],” the Sunday School leader counseled, “and the promised blessing is, the Lord can guide us to a more direct course out of our own ‘wilderness’.”

Quezon City

President Johnson and Brother Wilcox welcomed guests and representatives of designated beneficiaries to the Church’s #LightTheWorld Giving Machines launch at Trinoma Mall in Quezon City on November 23. Just like in the earlier launch in Cebu City, mall-goers can use the Giving Machines to select worthwhile gifts for people in need.

Later that day, Brother Wilcox and President Johnson also took part in a stake seminary class at the Quezon City Philippines Institute of Religion (QCPIR) in the Quezon City South Stake Center, where they both urged seminary students to personally apply the counsel given in Doctrine and Covenants 6:36: “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.”

Johndrick Labrador of Bayanihan Ward took to heart two important things President Johnson and Brother Wilcox imparted: “First, have quiet time for us to hear and feel the Holy Ghost, and second, strive to listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost for you and others to recieve the promised blessings.”

Makati East / Lubao

“We feel like there should be no more winds, no more waves, no more challenges in life,” President Johnson alluded to the physical and spiritual calamities Filipinos face during his talk at Lubao Stake Conference in Pampanga on November 24. “But these winds and waves help us be the people we should become.”

Ceejay Lapuz, who serves in the bishopric of Dinalupihan Ward, paused to think. “For a long time, I thought life should be free of hardships and that we should just be smooth sailing,” he recounts, “but I then saw that these trials are Heavenly Father’s way of directing me towards the promised land.”

Speaking at a multi-stake youth devotional at Makati East Stake Center in Comembo, Taguig City also on November 24, Brother Wilcox introduced a common term from Chile where he served as a mission president: “A mi manera”. Literally meaning “my way”, Brother Wilcox explained that it also conveys an attitude of “doing things our way.”

Brother Wilcox pointed out that such an attitude won’t help us attain our heavenly potential. “He wants us to be happy,” the Young Men general officer reiterated, “but we can only find happiness if we learn to do it His way and not our way and when we do, we can find all kinds of happiness.”

EJ Silva looked back at all the choices he had made. “I remembered what I felt when I do things “His way”, especially when making goals and keeping up with them,” Brother Silva, a ward Young Men adviser, relates. “It’s a reminder that even though we have different priorities in our lives, we should do thing “His way” no matter what.”

Brother Wilcox also shared: “God has given us His phone number. He has given us His commandments. He has told us how we can connect with Him, and we can’t do it our way; we have to do it His way.” These words led Abish Orilla, a Young Women class president, to think: “Sometimes we get angry because we can’t do things our own way, but Heavenly Father teaches us He’s omniscient, knowing what’s best.”

As the Young Women president of Bonifacio 6th Ward, Joanna Liahona Leoncio felt a deeper responsibility to help the young women she serves. “Brother Wilcox’s words remind me that teaching obedience and trust is not just about sharing rules,” she now sees, “it’s also about helping them see how their choices affect their relationship with God.”

A Common Theme

During their ten-day ministry, one could discern a common theme shared by both President Johnson and Brother Wilcox: Draw closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and we promise you that you will be immeasurably blessed. This was evident in the feelings shared by the Filipino Saints they reached out to.

“The higher law includes the lower law,” Brother Wilcox instructed the youth gathered at Makati East Stake Center, “and it helps us lift ourselves to not just doing the right thing but doing it for the right reason, doing it with the right desires, and the right motivation.”

Kevin Chester Benitez felt very grateful for Brother Wilcox’s talk, as it reminded him that “the harder way is the one with the greater rewards, and the reward that we must aim for, is to have eternal life and live closer to Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.”

When President Johnson mentioned to Lubao Stake members the physical and spiritual challenges Filipinos face, he also taught them that all these ultimately lead to a glorious destination: “The waves, the challenges in our lives, the furious winds, push us toward our promised land. They help us become the kind of people we should become.”

Jillian Caryl Santiago, a counselor in the stake Relief Society presidency, was reminded of “the dark and difficult years” she had endured. Now, she confesses she is in “a much better place.” Her testimony would surely make President Johnson and Brother Wilcox glad: “I know that as we rely on the Lord for hope and strength, we will eventually overcome the storms in our lives and become a more Christlike version of ourselves.”