for four hours. Despite the heat, everyone worked with a smile and was productive in many different ways.

The officiating lead-ers assigned each auxiliary to play specific roles in the activ-ity. The youth actively re-painted the railings around the Quezon City Memorial Circle while the young single adults and full-time mission-aries helped in sweeping the entire area. Altogether, they advocated a greener and healthier environment with their bare hands, brooms, and rakes.

The members of the Relief Society were sent off to Wildlife Center near the QC Memorial Circle to sweep leaves and other garbage us-ing their broomsticks and rakes. The Primary children also helped in the beautifica-tion effort. The Priesthood holders were the ones who

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints suc-cessfully held last April 28, 2012 its National Day of Ser-vice at the Quezon City Memo-rial Circle and Wildlife Center in Quezon City.

Wearing their Mor-mon Helping Hands vests,

church members from Fair-view, Marikina, Novaliches, Pasig and Quezon City (North and South) rendered a total of 150,000 volunteer hours for the said clean-up drive. The service project started at 8:00 AM and lasted

Church members take active part in National Day of Service 2012 pushed around the wheelbar-rows with mounds of waste.

In a statement, Shane Corpuz of Marikina 4th said, “masaya, feel mo ang spirit kasi alam mo work of the Lord.” Another YSA from Marikina 6th, Elizabeth Laulita expressed, “you get to know people from other wards and stakes, and truly when we are united we can make a big change.” As Nanay Emy Reyes of Marikina 6th shared, “natutunan natin ang kahala-gahan ng pagbibigay natin ng lakas hindi lang sa sariling bakuran kundi sa ating bansa.” Indeed, it was a day of countless helping hands and immeasurable love for the community—the heart of the National Day of Service, a yearly event sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. -Patricia Reyes, M6

Marikina Stake holds first Stake Presidency Devotional The Marikina Philip-pines Stake has embraced yet another high as its leaders extend to its members a spe-cial program under the ban-ner Stake Presidency Devo-tional. By way of inspira-tion, President Jose G. Manarin invited the members in a spiritual caravan that would journey them through a string of devotional meet-ings. The first of its series commenced last July 1, 2012 in Parang Chapel. The theme and mes-sage was inspired by this year’s goal of deepening the spiritual foundation of each member by engaging them-selves in activities worthy of the spirit.

Sister Alice Manarin, wife of the stake president, gave an inspirational message drawn from personal experi-ences about the blessings of attending and performing temple ordinances. She in-vited the congregation to gain their own testimony of the Lord’s fulfillment of His prom-ises that comes from regularly giving our time and service in the temple. She also encouraged members to seek divine guid-ance in overcoming their per-sonal challenges that may hin-der them from performing these sacred duties. President Manarin sealed the meeting with a compelling message to “take the time to be holy; for the Lord God [is] holy (Leviticus

19:2).” He called unto the members to learn and prac-tice holiness in their own homes, in the church, and in the temple, in the mission field, and in the community. He admonished everyone to seek this virtue through fast-ing and prayer; regular scrip-ture study; and by standing in holy places through frequent temple visits. He assured every-one of the Lord’s promised blessings in this life, such as peace and eternal happiness, as we strive to follow the attributes of our Savior Jesus Christ. “The counsel and encouragement from the [stake president] to us mem-bers should be followed be-cause it is the Lord’s way of

helping us succeed both in our spiritual and temporal quest,” said Bishop Rhoel Samson, who conducted the first engagement under the direction of the stake presi-dent. Succeeding sessions are scheduled to be hosted by other units in different meeting houses across the stake , namely the chapels in Molave, Lamuan, Provident and Sumulong. The Marikina Stake Choir was enlisted to render musical numbers to help invite the spirit. Indeed, the devo-tional was spiritually uplift-ing. -Mike Bala, M4

Marikina Stake youth enthusiastically painting the railings around the Quezon Memorial Circle

Volume I Issue I | September 2012

Stake Presidency Message: The Vision by Pres. Jose G. Manarin

“ Now my beloved Brothers and Sisters, I, Jacob (your Stake President), accord-ing to the responsibility which I am under to God, to magnify mine office with soberness and that I might rid my garments of your sins, I come up into the temple (to you) this day that I might declare unto you the word of God. And ye yourselves know that I have hitherto been diligent in the office of my call-ing; but I this day am weighed down with much more desire and anxiety for the welfare of your souls than I have hitherto been. (Jacob 2:2-3)." It has been eight months now since we all started the program in studying the Book of Mormon as fami-lies and as individuals. I know you are all reading the Book of Mormon daily. Thank you for being con-sistent in your study of this great book. I know many of you have been richly blessed by the power of the Book of Mor-mon. It has improved your life because of your obedience to the counsels. I have heard many testimonies of how it has impacted your lives. At one sacrament meeting where I attended, the pulpit of the chapel went aflame with your testimonies and the spirit of the Book of Mormon messages. “I have a vision of home alerted, of classes alive and of pulpit aflame with the spirit of the BOM messages. I have a vision of home teachers and visiting teachers, ward and branch officers, stake leaders counseling our people out of the most correct of any book on earth – The Book of Mor-mon. I have a vision of the whole Church getting nearer to

God by abiding by the pre-cepts of the Book of Mor-mon.” (Pres. Ezra Taft Ben-son) May I again remind you of the BENEFITS AND BLESSINGS of reading and studying the Book of Mormon. You will go nearer to God. You will know the truth-fulness of the Book of Mor-mon. You can find greater power to resist temptation. You will avoid deception and stay on the strait and narrow path. Love, peace and unity abound our home. The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and considera-tion for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submis-sive to their parents. Right-eousness will increase; Faith, hope and charity- the pure love of Christ will abound in our homes and lives, bringing peace, joy and happiness. It will keep one in harmony with the spirit of the Lord and feel His love. It will help solve per-sonal problems in a very real way. It will help get rid of bad habits and attitudes.

Keep one active in the

Church, and become

more faithful in obey-

ing the command-

ments. You will re-

ceive a crown of eter-

nal life. I believe with all my heart that if we would only listen and follow the counsels

of our prophets and ponder them in our hearts, the bless-ings and benefits promised by these, the Lord’s servants, will come to us. I can feel it, we can make a difference in our lives, we can become humble, there will be a big change in the way we treat family mem-bers and others. We will approach our callings in a more faithful way and become more committed. We will sustain our leaders and follow their counsels. We will become more faithful in attending our Church meet-ings and sacrament atten-dance will increase signifi-cantly. We will be honest in paying our tithes and offerings and we will be blessed in abundance, “we shall prosper in the land”. We will come to the temple more often to re-new our covenants. Peace and harmony will continue to abide in our homes and even in our community, in spite of the turmoil. You will love each other more than ever. God loves us so much that He has brought the Book of Mor-mon in our time. I hope you realize that it was written for us. Fathers, may I ad-monish you to continue taking the lead in the study of the BOM in your family. I call upon our Bishops, Auxiliary leaders and all stake officers to become living examples in the study of the BOM. Meet as a council and in your or-ganization, assess how this program is impacting the lives of our people. Bear testimony about its truthfulness and let the whole stake be filled with the spirit of this great book. My other important emphasis to our members is the regular temple attendance and service. What a great blessing for us members to live within the shadow of the Manila temple and have easy access to going there anytime during the week to perform ordi-nances for ourselves and for our kindred dead and regu-larly renew our temple cove-nants with our loving Heav-enly Father . I exhort members with current temple recom-

mend to visit the temple more often where time and circumstances permit and replace some of your leisure activities with temple ser-vice. We need more young people to participate in proxy baptism and confir-mation so we can save more of our dead who have been longing to be moved from prison to paradise. I assure you of the sweetest blessings that you can receive by coming to the temple often. You will feel of the Lord’s presence and love as you walk around the rooms of the temple where many angels also walk. Pres. Thomas S. Mon-son said, “As you touch the temple, the temple will touch you.” May I ask you Bish-ops and Branch Presidents to do all you can to inter-view more people and counsel them to prepare and make themselves wor-thy to receive the ordi-nances of the temple.

As we continue to

read the Book of

Mormon and come

to the temple regu-

larly and desire to

become more holy in

all of our daily un-

dertakings, we can

come close to be-

coming perfect as

He is, one principle

at a time, “line upon

line, precept upon

precept”. How I wish that we can be truly called the Marikina Stake of ZION, and become of one heart and of one mind and continue to dwell in righteousness so there will be no poor among us. These are the de-sires of my heart and my prayer, In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen

Volume I Issue I | September 2012 2

Members engage in friendly playoffs during Stake Sportsfest 2012

The Marikina Stake held last June 12 “D Best of East and D West”, a one day sports activity participated in by stake members ages 12 and above. The East Division was composed of the White Team (Marikina 1st and 6th), Black Team (Marikina 2nd and 3rd), and another White Team (High Councilors) while the West Division was composed of the Blue Team (Marikina 4th and 5th), Red Team (Sumulong 1st and 2nd) and the other Blue Team (selected High Priests). Organized under the direction of the Marikina Stake Presidency, the said activity was opened at Molave Chapel

but was moved to the Her-bosa Covered Court due to heavy rains. The first game held was basketball for the youth. This was followed by a bas-ketball match among the High Priest Group where the High Councilors (White Team) and selected High Priests (Blue Team) scored 22-9, in favor of the White Team. The combined Young Women and Single Adults volleyball match be-tween M4 and M5 (Blue Team) and S1 & S2 (Red Team) was won by the Red Team, while the second match between M1 & 6 (White Team) and M2 & 3 (Black team) was won by the White team with a score of 30-11. The Red Team and the White Team fought in the championship round with a close fight of 26-25, the White Team being the victor. Indoor games (table tennis, scrabble and chess) were also held during the activity. The activity closed

The Marikina Philip-pines Stake recently wit-nessed the graduation cere-mony of twenty-three mem-bers relative to the first-ever English Communication Profi-ciency Course. The said course was in partnership between our Stake and the Employment Resource Ser-vices (ERS). Almost 72% of the class made it to the rites. The said members, mostly Relief Society, stayed committed in attending an hourly thrice a week session which lasted for almost a month. The course commenced last June 14, and ended last July 5. The Stake Employ-ment Team, headed by the dynamic Stake Employment Directress Sister Casaol, with Sister Diamante, our special-ist for Education, spear-headed and completed the said course. Our Directress stated that despite rocks along the path such as budget constraints, lack of equipment and demands on time, the said program “finished the race” as ex-pected. What made it suc-cessful was the fact that the members who graduated endured and enjoyed every single class they had at-tended. The Stake Employ-ment Team supports the said program because it does not only aim to aid stake mem-bers in becoming employed, but also seeks to enhance existing skills which will give them an edge in this fast-paced world. Future programs will include communication skills in French, Chinese and Niponggo. There will also be special classes for computer training and personality de-velopment.

-Merille Martin, M1

23 members complete

Conversational English Course

The Red Team composed of Young Women from S1 and S2

ON THE SIDE: T h e a c t i v i t y served as a venue for a father and a son to know each other for the first time. Bro. Dong Tumol of Marikina 3rd and Bro. Jay-Ar Tumol of Marikina 2nd, both investigators back then, met each other during the activity. Bro. Dong approached Bro. Jay-Ar for a chitchat, where he, upon knowing that Jay-Ar was also a Tumol, asked who his dad was. After minutes of sharing, Bro. Dong found out that Bro. Jay-Ar was actually his long-lost son for seven years. Both of them were baptized last June 30, days after their first meeting.

with inspirational remarks from President Manarin and the awarding of certifi-cates to each participating unit. The approximated number of attendees to this activity was 500. -Rachelle Anne Cabela, M3

Stake leaders meet Marikina City mayor for eyed linkages The Stake Presidency headed by Pres. Manarin and the Stake Public Affairs Team headed by Sis. Roni Bertone met with the mayor and vice mayor of Marikina City last June 11, 2012 at Kusina ni Kambal Restaurant situated at Kapitan Moi, San Roque, Ma-rikina City. Also in attendance was Sis. Heidi Fajardo of the Area Church Public Affairs Of-fice. Mayor Del De Guzman and Vice Mayor Cadiz graced the occasion as our church and the city heads be-gan establishing linkages, all aimed at strengthening our presence in and relationship with the city. Some of the items discussed were plans for the upcoming National Family Week activities, revival and relaunch of the Family History Center inside the Marikina City Hall, possible role of the church in the annual Angkan-Angkan Festival, localized training for Home Enrichment activities, our non-LDS version of the Family Home Evening, and an

invitation to our government leaders for a tour in our Manila headquarters and temple grounds. The dinner ended with a positive outlook from both parties, with a gleaming hope that our church and the city government can be a strong partner in recognizing and strengthening the core unit of our community, the family.

Almost a week prior to the dinner, Pres. Manarin, Bro. Martin and Sis. Bertone had a quick yet meaningful meeting with the mayor in his office. The meeting con-cluded with a single token -giving and a dinner invitation which was immediately ap-proved. -Merille Martin, M1

The Stake Public Affairs Team and the Stake Presidency with City Mayor Del De Guzman and Vice Mayor Cadiz

Volume I Issue I | September 2012 3

Marikina Stake youth arises and shines forth at SYC 2012

One scenic venue, three days and two nights of activities, more than a hun-dred youth, unquantifiable fun and learning – that’s the 2012 Marikina Stake Youth Conference. Held amidst the serene haven of the Sierra Madre Resort in Mayagay, Tanay, Rizal on May 17-19, the conference aimed to make the youth “arise and shine forth”.

Day 1, May 17. Reg-istration of participants at 6am in the Molave Chapel marked the beginning of the activity. Then followed the almost two hour trip to the site via a three-bus convoy. After arrival were a short ori-entation, room assignments and unpacking. The remainder of the first day was spent on group games/puzzles, scrap-booking (YW’s Personal Pro-

gress), circuitry (YM’s Duty to God), and an amazing race-type cook fest. In the evening, the stage was transformed to a Hawaiian luau as the youth, in their grass skirts and leis, dis-played their dancing prowess to the rhythm of Aloha, sticks and drums. Day 2, May 18. Prayer and Scripture study heralded the new day. Elder Maine of Area Seventy presided and spoke at a devotional focusing

on the theme, “Arise and Shine Forth”. Another activity, “Pathway to Success,” fea-tured various skill-developing activities such as job orienta-tion, first aid, sewing, electric wiring and many more. The outdoor activity was a chal-lenge-based treasure hunt where everyone won candies and chocolates. The talent show livened up the evening. The youth turned into per-formers as they played their pre-assigned Book of Mormon stories in a mixture of drama, comedy and musical plays. Day 3, May 19. Prayer and scripture study at 6am, Gospel quiz, a testimony meet-ing concluded the conference. Surely, the youth went home that day with new learning, new skills, new friends and increased faith. Kudos to the Relief Society sisters who spoiled us with delicious meals, the leaders who made the activity possi-ble, and the youth for the many days and nights of prac-tices for their SYC presenta-tions. Truly, SYC 2012 left a memory that will always be remembered and that will make every youth look for-ward to SYC 2013. -Julie Alberto, M1

The SYC participants posing with Elder and Sister Maine after the Devotional held on the third day of the conference

AREA PRESIDENCY GOALS END 2011 END 2012 END OF JUNE

ACTUAL ACTUAL GOAL %

STRENGTHEN FAMILIES Current TR Holders

383 486 61% 297

SAVE THE RISING GENERATION

YM Serving Missions

10 58 17% 10

YSA Attendance 135 203 88% 179

Melchizedek PH At-tendance

272 353 56% 198 ESTABLISH THE CHURCH

Sacrament Attendance

916 1244 81% 1016

RESCUE THE ONE Number of less-active members who have Returned (4 Consecu-tive Sundays)

120 33% 40

2012 Area Presidency Goals Update

Volume I Issue I | September 2012 4

OPINION

act of starting the story itself. Why? Because these stories, no matter how factual or fabricated they are, serve as bases for judgments of somebody’s character. More often than not, through gos-sips, you form impressions of people even when you have not really known them for a long time, and you base the way you deal with them on these impressions. It is undeniable that these days, gossips interlace nearly every group. People always hanker salacious tid-bits of gossips and there is just no stopping them from hankering more. The thrill talking about somebody brings gossipmongers seems unchanging, may the grape-vines be about his flaws, his affairs, secrets, or even about conflicts with another. It is just as gripping as it gets, just as exciting as piecing together some textiles to come up with a beautiful wardrobe. Getting to know someone by talking to him in the flesh is riveting; getting to know him by tittle-tattles is doubly so. Here in the church, it is unfortunate that a lot of members have gone inactive in the past because of irre-sponsible storytelling. Be-cause gossips have no com-mitment to ethics, people

tend to relay and expose just whatever stories happen by with no regard to news verifica-tion. Every now and then, sto-ries shared by two people about somebody else suffer piecemeal distortion as they are relayed from the mouth of one to the ear of another. The worst thing about this is that more often than not, what reaches the end of the line is just a fraction of what has actu-ally been muttered at the out-set. Some church mem-bers are predisposed to con-demn those who give up their faith on account of gossips, believing that gossips are just small potatoes compared to a ranch of faith. I’d like to believe that this is a mistaken reading, as one cannot undermine the ignominy that gossips bring. Much as a story is picked and is spread to a dozen of ears, the reputation of the individual talked about is reduced to rub-ble. Such begets spiritual un-ease both on the part of the members who gossiped and the one who has been gossiped about. And the effect? A dis-united fellowship among church members. The common belief is that gossips are inevitable. In most organizations, that may apply. In the church, however, I believe it may not. Because of the countless instances of once

active members who have gone inactive because of devastating gossips, I am led to believe that indeed, not all traditions are worth the price. Yes, creating and spreading gossips have been a deep-rooted part of our culture. And I say our as I don’t excuse myself. I have known and seen a lot of church members who dis-tanced themselves from the church after they had been targets of devastating gos-sips, and I don’t think those who created those gossips even knew how much they had offended our Heavenly Father. And what’s funny about these people is that they don’t even realize that they themselves are not void of imperfections too. They miss the fact that whenever they make tales, they don’t work through a problem but become the problems themselves. It is a sad reality that not all members realize how much they dishonor their personal values when-ever they gossip. Even our leaders tell us that our homes will be much more filled by the spirit if family members will only learn how to get rid of gossips. Parents should set a good example to their children because children are the best imitators. Whatever they see in the elders, they imbibe. And I’d like to as-sume not anyone of us would want to raise a family of gossipers. Before you cause your nimble tongue to tell stories about others, iden-tify first what gossiping gives you. If it gives you nothing, then STOP. And while we are taught that “the worth of souls is great in the sight of God,” would you even dare start a gossip when you know the individ-ual you are just about to offend may never get back to the fold after the of-fense? If you have issues, CONFRONT.

Gossips beguile. We listen. Gossips are danger-ous, much more when they are done within the parame-ters of the church, where every member who leaves equates to a soul lost in God’s fold. While piecing together tidbits of stories you hear from others about someone can be fairly en-thralling, the damage these stories cause isn’t something that you can reverse or undo just when you feel like re-versing or undoing it. Gossips are grapevines that creep through stealthy places, breaking through every hole. And like a glass of water spilt on foam, there is no easy way to go and get every drop back to the glass. The drop-lets absorbed by the foam remain lurking in between its pores. They can never be taken back. Though it is often out of your intent to tear down reputations of people through your conversations, gossips often end up spoiling them. Truth is, gossips nor-mally do not commence with lies. They simply progress with distortion. By this yard-stick, it is safe to say that it matters not whether the story you tell about someone is good or bad. The sin about gossip lies not on the nature of the story told but on the

The Cost of Gossiping

by Vianne Ilagan

Volume I Issue I | September 2012 5

The Jasmin Family of Marikina 3rd Ward was bap-tized a couple of years ago. Bro. Oliver Gene Torres of Marikina 3rd ward remembers how he had used his priest-hood to baptize the family before he went on his full-time mission. When he returned, he witnessed how the once little boy of the family has transformed into a young man who remains active in the church, passing the sacrament on Sundays. Bro. Torres was delighted—as delighted as Prophet Alma in the Book of Mormon, when he saw his brethren still in the fold of

DATELINE MARIKINA STAKE

A Marikina 3rd family starts their journey towards eternity

sons consist of the intona-tions, basic grammar, sen-tence construction, and char-acter-writing. “I want to share my knowledge with my brothers and sisters and help them learn one of the most diffi-cult languages,” she says on what motivates her to teach Chinese for free. “I know that sharing your talents with others is one way of living a

In a bid to enhance the self-reliance of its mem-bers, Marikina 2nd Ward is holding a series of Basic Man-darin classes to the interested members of the ward. Starting last July 22, members of the 2nd ward have been receiving free Chinese lessons from Sis. Caryl Dum-lao, a member who worked in Taiwan for seven years. These once-a-week 15-minute les-

Marikina 2nd holds Chinese Classes

Marikina 4th YSAs Rescue the One

The Marikina 4th Ward Young Single Adults (YSA) held a month-long activity last April called “Rescue the One”. This is an activity that aims to visit all the less active YSA members of the ward. The activity was done by assigning each YSA to a particular group and each group was assigned to visit specific less active YSAs each week. To assist each YSA in learning the right approach in visiting less active members, a training was done before the activity with the help of the full-time ward missionaries. Solmae Babas, one of the YSAs in the ward, said, “It’s a spiritual and faith -promoting activity. It can strengthen other’s testimony and the relationship with my companions was also strengthened. Paulit-ulit kong inaalala yung experience na yun kasi doon din ako humuhugot ng inspiration”. Meanwhile, the Marikina 4th YSAs plan to carry on with the program.

-Rozell Joie Bordeos

The circumstances of late have proven how there’s just no dampening the faith of Marikina 1st Ward members—not even the deluge brought by Habagat. And just like when typhoon Ondoy ad-versely hit the city in 2009, the saints of the ward re-mained steadfast in their faith, even at the expense of losing all they have in a flash. Provident Village serves as a home for most members of the ward. The torrential rains several weeks ago brought much flooding to the village, affecting many families and swamping even the stake center by several

feet. Even in the face of such a calamity, the members of the ward still managed to care for their brothers and sisters like they’re really a family. A less affected member, Sis. Mila Buenaven-tura, opened her home for a couple of days to provide shelter for two families. Bishop Vince Dimaculangan, despite being directly af-fected by the flood, showed his care for his members through constantly checking out on them while the calam-ity was afflicting the city. The members held their first sacrament meeting

Marikina 1st shows unwavering faith despite the storm following the catastrophe last August 12 at Lamuan Chapel. Several members of the ward still went to church even without their homes totally restored yet. In his concluding message that particular Sunday, Bishop Dimaculan-gan said members should take advantage of such ad-versities through service. Through their ex-ample, the members of Ma-rikina 1st were able to prove that not even the most raging tempest can ever take the edge off their faith.

-Vianne Ilagan, M1

God after years of not being with them. Just last month, the head of Jasmin Family ap-proached Bro. Torres and re-quested him to witness their temple family sealing and es-cort him to his endowment. As the sealing of the family materialized last June, Bro. Torres was filled with joy, as he has a firm testimony that the road to eternal happiness starts once a family performs the sacred ordinance inside the temple. He is now excited to see how the little boy of the family sets off for his full-time mission two years from now. -Oliver Torres, M3

The Jasmin Family after their temple sealing

Christ-like life.” “This is a good op-portunity to learn a new language,” says Bro. Le-Brent Diamante, a student in the class. “It allows me to increase my talents and helps me in preparing to serve a full-time mission.”

- Jethro Diamante, M2

Volume I Issue I | September 2012 6

January 29, 2012 was a day of rejoicing for the members of Marikina 5th, as it was the day that the Marikina Philip-pines Stake finally acknowl-edged them as a ward. For how many years, Marikina 5th stood as a branch because of its small population. Because of the hard work and patience of its leaders, however, several brothers and sisters in their area were able to return to the fold, having dramatically increased their population. The members of the ward also played active in-volvement in this significant milestone. Throughout the years, they have been strengthening one another and walking with faith and obedience through actively participating in church activi-ties, especially home teach-

ing and home visiting. United in their goals, they were able to bring the less active members back to the ward. As of today, the ward has four full-time missionaries in the field and two single adults who are preparing to serve their own missions soon. Their power comes from their unity. The members of the ward believe that the labors they exert are never wasted because they feel how they reap the benefits of their hard work whenever a sister or a brother goes back to the church after years of inactivity. Everyone is excited to see how this once little branch continues to progress in the coming years. -Glory Mae Cinco, M5

Marikina 5th celebrates larger congregation Sumulong 1st young women make “temple time capsule”

Last July 27 and 28, the Young Women Organiza-tion of Sumulong 1st Ward had an activity aimed at pre-paring them to go inside the temple someday—they cre-ated a so-called “Temple Time Capsule.” Before proceeding with the activity, the leaders bore their testimony about their feelings when they first entered the temple and showed the girls some videos of their wedding day. The temple time capsules contain things that the young women want on their wedding day, such as their wedding motif, wed-ding dress, wedding cake, etc. They also contain lists of the qualities that they want to improve in themselves and the qualities that they want their future husbands to have.

Each young woman also wrote a letter ad-dressed to her future man. They had the freedom to put whatever they wanted to put inside the capsule, including a letter to their future selves. Before sealing the jars, their leaders handed them personalized letters from their bishop. They were also given a hanger with a note saying that they would hang there nothing else but their temple wed-ding dress. After sealing the jars, the leaders told the young women not to open them until the day they en-ter the temple. It was a fun way for the young women to pre-pare themselves in entering the temple.

-Nikka Basconcillo, S1

For the past few weeks, the Marikina Stake Primary Organization has been dynamically preparing our little ones for the nearing visit of our very dear apos-tles. Saturdays have been very engaging not only for Sumulong 2nd Primary leaders but also for the few valiant children of Sumulong 2nd who are involved in the Itik-Itik dance number. It was one of the Filipino cultural dances they dedicated in celebration of the Jubilee and during the visit of Elder Russell M. Nelson, a member

of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, last May. The stake has seen how demanding the weekly practices of the children have been, and how the children have sacrificed much of the time they could have spent for resting, playing, or just having a good time with their own families. The time they sacri-fice in doing other activities to make way for this special preparation has also made them learn their little steps to discipline and work.

-Armie Nidea Saet, S2

Sumulong 2nd kids dance their way to service

Marikina 6th saints participate in Genealogy work

“No work is more of a protection to this Church than temple work and family history research that supports refining. No work we do gives us more power. No work requires a higher standard of righteous-ness.” – President Boyd K. Packer

August 5, 2012 setting was worth-having to think back to. Saints of Marikina 6th ward had the chance to watch a

video on Family History Re-search. It was mainly on the step by step process on how to begin and carry on the work of genealogy records simply by having an account on www.newfamilysearch.org. Indeed, the Family History Center and the Genealogy Sites are just next to us.

Members’ enthusi-asm took part all the way through the question and an-

swer, sharing of experiences, feelings, ideas, and testimo-nies on a very significant blessing and work. Truly, great happiness is prepared for us if we will just realize that we can be of assistance to those who once lived to receive the gos-pel and be saved.

Appreciation goes out to the Bishopric who gave every family a copy of the above quotation to be posted

in every home. High re-gards to the family history consultants who continu-ously exert love for the work. Good possibilities to the members who strive to look for the missing infor-mation of their ancestors, keep track of their records, and extend their family line further.

-Sis. Patricia Reyes, M6

A time capsule made by Sis. Nikka Basconcillo and the hanger handed to her by her leader, where she is expected

to hang her temple wedding dress someday

Volume I Issue I | September 2012 7

say regarding this matter? For the Strength of Youth page 4, the standard on dating, says and I quote, “You should not date until you are at least 16 years old. When you begin dating, go with one or more additional couples. Avoid going on frequent dates with the same person. Developing serious relationships too early in life can limit the number of other people you meet and can perhaps lead to immorality.” If dating starts at six-teen, then relationships should not begin before that age. So does that mean it’s ok to go steady at 17? The official church website for the youth, www.lds.org/youth, offers a good elaboration of what the dating standard means: “Just because you can date when you turn 16 doesn’t mean you should immediately start looking for a steady boy-friend or girlfriend. For decades, prophets have preached that

COLUMNS

One of my favorite Taylor Swift songs says: “When you’re fifteen and somebody tells you they love you, you gotta believe them And when you’re fifteen feeling like there’s nothing to figure out… But in your life you'll do things greater than dating the boy on the football team But I didn't know it at fifteen” The first time I heard it, I felt amazed at how a teen-ager’s song can capture the teens’ predicament nowadays and offer an advice. And so with this article I was blessed to be entrusted with, I wish to do the same. My dear young friends, I will address you as any adult would, strictly but with nothing but concern for your welfare. Let me discuss this pressing issue: IS IT OK FOR THE YOUTH TO HAVE BOY-FRIEND OR GIRLFRIEND AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE? What do Church standards and leaders

youth who are in no position to marry should not pair off exclu-sively. President Hinckley (1910–2008) said, “When you are young, do not get involved in steady dating. When you reach an age where you think of mar-riage, then is the time to be-come so involved. But you boys who are in high school don’t need this, and neither do the girls.” SO, IS IT OK FOR THE YOUTH TO HAVE BOYFRIEND OR GIRLFRIEND AT SUCH YOUNG AGE? Church standards and leaders say NOT YET. I hope you, our dear young men and young women, understand that the Church standard is there NOT to re-strict you but to protect you. No matter how strong emo-tions are, you can be wise in your decisions. God has chosen you for this day as a wise coach would choose his best players for the last two minutes of the game. When in doubt, talk to Him.

“Behold Thy Little Ones”

PRIMARY CORNER:

Lead Me, Guide Me,

Walk Beside Me:

Tips for Parents and

Teachers

By K.O. Micairan

Children hold a very special place in Heavenly Fa-ther’s heart. He knows and loves each of His children very dearly. As mentioned by the Apostle Matthew, it is their innocence and purity that the Lord fervently admonishes us to be just like them. However, it is this same innocent de-meanor that we, as adults, often take them for granted. We often reason that they are “too young to understand” that we often disregard their opinions, ideas or even feel-ings. We sometimes tend to let our years of experience speak for ourselves and ex-pect children to understand or do something according to our expectations, forgetting that they may be experiencing this for the first time. Oftentimes, the task of rearing and teach-ing children can be very over-whelming for both parents and teachers. However, lest

we forget who these children really are, their divine nature and our noble tasks of caring for them. Let us look upon the di-vine examples of our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son’s unconditional love for the little ones.

As the Savior taught, He didn’t say, “Never mind the little ones because they wouldn’t un-derstand.” Instead, He would gather them, teach them and bless them. The Lord blesses the children for they are a blessing to others too: to their family, to their teachers, to us. As we teach children, children teach us too, often times, more than we’ll ever know. Children are innately happy. They are gifted with a genuine spirit that knows neither evil nor sorrow. They greet each day with much ex-citement and live everyday to the fullest. When a child comes up to us with endless questions, we learn patience. When he

laughs, we understand joy. When he cries, we learn com-passion. If we need to learn perseverance, endurance, hu-mility, the Lord has blessed us with pure examples that come in “small packages”.

An excerpt of a poem goes, “After 50 years, it would-n’t matter what car I drove or the clothes I wore of every kind…but what would matter most is that I mattered in the life of a child.”

What a noble privilege we have to be called in the Lord’s errand to care for His beloved children! Our responsi-bilities may be great but great too shall be our blessings from the Lord. And greater would be His joy as we rear his sons and daughters in His ways. Just as little children, we are also mes-sengers of the Lord and it is our responsibility to “teach (them) all that (they) must do, to live with Him someday.”

“LDS Teens not PBB Teens”

YOUTH CORNER:

Refiner’s

Gold

By Julie Alberto

Volume I Issue I | September 2012 8

“Are You the One?”

“To Live and to Leave”

the same ideals and standards as we have, someone who will be with us as we tread the path to exaltation. If your thoughts and feelings are muddled up, just remember that when our Heav-enly Father sent you to this eter-nal journey, He equipped you with all the means through which you can receive His guid-ance. Pray and fast, but before you do, make sure you are wor-thy of the inspiration. So how will you know if he/she’s the one? In the scrip-tures we are told that if it’s right, “your bosom will burn within you. (D&C 9:8-9)” And because you decide through your heart and mind, you will know if you’ve finally found your treasure if it both makes sense and feels right. As I end this, I am com-pelled to say that as single adults, we are not just treasure hunters. We ourselves are treas-ures somebody is in search of. So before we even think about the treasure we’re finding, strive to be someone worth-finding. It may take you entirely too long, but wherever our choice takes us will certainly be worth it all.

based on physical attraction, moved by destiny and ruled by the strike of Cupid’s arrow. Many times in the past, I have met fine-looking men and have thought of running down that hill like Rose did when she met Jack. And I know it will pretty make sense to you if I say that given our age, there are really moments when we get to meet a man or a woman who sim-ply makes our hearts skip a beat and leads us into asking, “Is he/she the one?” Then with nothing but that fuzzy, shivering, chilling feel-ing, we’d tell ourselves, “Feeling ko siya na talaga..” But our prophets teach us otherwise. We are taught not to hinge on the kind of love we see on movies or read through books. Finding our eternal valentine is much more about using our agency than relying on feelings that catch us off-guard and vanish just as fast. I had been into Holly-wood-inspired relationships until I finally learned how to keep an eternal perspective. If we keep one, we will become more moti-vated to keep the commandments and become wiser in choosing who to marry. Then, we will end up marrying someone who shares

SINGLE ADULTS

CORNER:

Walking

on Eggshells

By Vianne Ilagan

As single adults, we are all in a treasure hunt. We are all motivated to tumble into that treasure because we know how it will not only make us filthy rich but the richest, even as gods and goddesses. Finding an eternal com-panion is the capstone of our lives as single adults. Our proph-ets ordain us to marry so we can be exalted and eventually be-come gods and goddesses. It goes without saying that without an eternal companion, we can never be exalted. What a wonderful promise we have been given. And so I have some sort of broad, noble goal for this col-umn, some profound motivation for the things that I am to share. And I am writing everything in the most honest and thoughtful way I can for you, my dear fellow single adults, as I know we are all in the same boat. As we embark on the ultimate treasure hunt of our lives, we often ask ourselves, “How will I know if he/she is the one?” Well, I used to ask myself the same question. As an avid fan of romantic movies, I used to look at love in a Hollywood perspec-tive—something that is mostly

FAMILY

CORNER:

Happiness in Family

Life

By Patricia Quine

One of the realities in life that has the most far-reaching effects is marriage. Starting such is one of the chal-lenging yet exciting things that could happen in the lives of two people who have attained ma-turity. Living in marriage will be an adjustment not just in the responsibilities within the hus-band and wife roles in all lines of social and economic endeav-ours, but also to their emotional responses to establish a founda-tion for a well-adjusted and happy family.

The reality stage gives the new married couple every opportunity to face decisions most crucial to a correctly driven life and think through the next steps in their life on family and home goal setting. High-lighting the ought-to-do thing, generally right after marriage are the words President Spencer W. Kimball taught, that it is important for couples to "immediately" locate their own home that is "separate and

apart from" their in-laws' homes. Living with and leaving your par-ents are the must-face realities. The latter part in this sense simply means that a man and woman have to establish themselves as a married couple, having their own independent family and living under a self-styled roof and rules. This doesn’t mean that they will completely be apart from their parents; the consideration is to establish appropriate relation-ships with them, bearing in mind certain marital boundaries. This will help them to realize their full potential in marriage, making it a successful one.

As to the economic status of the new family, thinking that it would not be enough may suggest living for a little while within the place of the in-laws on either side so they can save up for a place of their own. Learning how to manage finances and decisions about where and how to live must be the couple’s concern. A small apartment with basic home appli-ances that accomplish some

household functions is sufficient for the starting couple. Gener-ally, they think of the world’s famous line “a lot of shopping to do”, it is important to con-sider first the things essential for everyday use like of the food-related functions. It should be like taking small steps at a time, or having some home stuff at a time, with the consideration of the home start-up budget. A married couple who resides in their own home is most ex-pected to learn independence and discipline and most likely to feel that there's nothing like having a “couple’s place”— it is worth the effort.

Success in marriage does not just happen; it de-pends always on the two spouses whose choice is to gov-ern their own family life through right principles and who consider their marriage as worth having from its very be-ginning, indeed, to a realization of a worthy principle too – an eternal perspective.

Volume I Issue I | September 2012 9

with the numerous concerns and conversations of the members of the ward contin-ues to make an influence in their hearts and minds.

A wonderful bishop who served Marikina 6th for almost nine years, a selfless teacher to everyone, a loving husband to his wife and a caring father who provides for the needs of his family, Bishop Ramon C. Reyes is truly one of the remarkable persons the ward will forever be proud of.

Countless things he endures with a willing heart, plus the righteous principles he continues to live by.

He is my father, the man whom I will always be honoured to have.

-Patricia Reyes, M6

Members of Marikina 6th Ward pride themselves on one man who continues to give every effort to magnify his call-ing as the former father of their ward.

He lives a quiet life, yet makes countless things possible. He dedicates himself to inspiring people through his principles, touching them and motivating them to live a meaningful life. How he deals

There is no denying that this man has more depth than most people give him credit for. Anyone can attest that as the former father of Ma-rikina 1st Ward, Bishop Allan Borilla has faith and dedication written all over his soul. When he talks, his unflinching moral values and honest compassion for people often overshadow the bright and breezy man in him. He has a unique brand of

the spotlight.” But as I aged in life, I began to discover why missionary work is always un-der the spotlight. As Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Sev-enty said in his talk during the April 2010 General Conference, “Missionary work is the life-blood of the Church and the lifesaving blessing to all who accept its message.” If it is the lifeblood of the Church, then it needs be always in the heart of every member of the Church. During my mission, I experienced losing much blood which even put me into the edge of returning home during my 16 months of stay in the field. But I am glad that I was able to finish the 18 months of full-time missionary service. What I am trying to say is that, “mahirap po pala maubusan ng dugo.” I then realized how im-portant blood is in our body. It’s the mode of transportation inside our body. The blood car-ries the necessary nutrients that the different organs need to operate properly. Without blood, we cannot live. Therefore, if mission-

I knocked on the big brown door. I held the door knob with my sweaty hands and slowly turned it. I quietly pushed it as I nervously stepped my feet inside. I saw Bishop sitting and his sur-prised eyes looked at me and asked, “How can I help you?” Yes, two years have passed since I talked to my bishop and got my application form – to serve a full-time mis-sion. I was just released from full-time missionary service last May 16th. I can almost not believe that those eighteen months that I first thought to be long were gone too swiftly, full of bliss. I can say that my life has changed after I went to the Lord’s University – the full-time mission. Serving a mission is one of the greatest and rewarding decisions I made in my life. Even though full-time missionary service is a priesthood responsibility, the Lord welcomes the sisters in this great and marvelous work. I know that you are all so familiar with missionary work. I even thought to myself when I was a youth, “Missionary work.. here we go again. It’s always in

PERSONALITY CORNER

“Let’s Fight Anemia!”

MISSIONARY

CORNER:

He Calls You Now

By Rachelle Cabela

ary work is the lifeblood of the Church and less members are participating in missionary service, what would happen to the Church? I am sure that the Lord really appreciates the effort that we all do. The Lord wouldn’t want the Church to feel terrible, would He? President Thomas S. Monson said during the Octo-ber 2010 General Conference, “May I mention a matter close to my heart and which de-serves our serious attention. I speak of missionary work…” As I fought losing much blood; Sister Martino, the Philippines Angeles Mis-sion President’s wife, lovingly told me of the things that I must do to fight that chal-lenge. I know that preparation and hard work is necessary in this great and marvelous work because this work is a chal-lenging one, but a very re-warding work too. So, see you in the next issue and let’s talk about the things that we can do to get better prepared for this exciting work!

warmth and thoughtfulness to share to others, and in-tensity to devote to his call-ing. He slings his solid arm over anyone who needs it and demonstrates his ca-pacity to connect with members from all walks of life. He has a unique gift of finding joy in the sim-plest of things (like playing xbox with his son on week-ends) and smiling in the direst of circumstances (like living through the fact that his son is cancer-stricken). A loving husband, a dedicated father to his chil-dren and a faithful servant of God—truly, this space won’t do justice to the won-derful man that Bishop Allan Borilla is. -Vianne Ilagan, M1

Volume I Issue I | September 2012 10

A smile costs nothing, but gives much

It takes but a moment, but the memory of it usually

lasts forever. None are so rich that can get

along without it- And none are so poor but

that can be made rich by it. It enriches those who re-

ceive, without making poor those who give-

It creates sunshine in the home.

Fosters good will in busi-

Undeniably Gift By Patricia Reyes-Quine

Temple

the brightness of the clouds the calmness of the flowers the gentleness of the grass

the quietness of the grounds the stillness of the trees the softness of the wind

the echoing emotion the enduring inspiration the existing revelation

the never-ending sound of beauty and love

the whispering of His eternal plans

Eternity

MARIKINA STAKE OFFICERS

President: Jose G. Manarin 1st Counsellor: Danilo D. Basconcillo 2nd Counsellor: Ofrecio Y. Corpuz Stake Exec. Sec.: Henry Lacson Stake Clerk: Onofre Corpuz Asst. Clerk: Marcelino Abril Jasper Basconcillo Stake Patriarch: Reynaldo Raflores Stake Family History Director: Andres Canals STAKE HIGH COUNCILORS 1. Ronaldo Bordeos 2. Ramon Reyes 3. Christopher Trance 4. Marcelino Abril 5. Allan Joel Borilla 6. Dick Micairan 7. Jaime Erwin Bernadas 8. Noriel Villanueva 9. Merille Martin 10. Danny Villanueva 11. Jessie Lopez 12. Eduardo Canlas STAKE PRIMARY PRESIDENCY President: Ma. Estella Abril 1st Counsellor: Hermenia Saet 2nd Counsellor: Shirly Ogale Secretary: STAKE YOUNG MEN PRESIDENCY President: Herbert Balingit 1st Counsellor: Danny Villanueva 2nd Counsellor: Angelito Aserit Secretary: STAKE YOUNG WOMEN PRESIDENCY President: Ma. Lourdes Andres 1st Counsellor: Lilia Villanueva 2nd Counsellor: Camilla Jean Belleza Secretary: Michelle Rada STAKE RELIEF SOCIETY PRESIDENCY President: Ma. Julieta Burdeos 1st Counsellor: Elizabeth Basconcillo 2nd Counsellor: Sonia Lopez Secretary: STAKE SUNDAY SCHOOL PRESIDENCY President: Dick Micairan 1st Counsellor: Rommel Paliza 2nd Counsellor: Jasper Basconcillo Secretary: STAKE PUBLIC AFFAIRS Chairman: Veronica “Roni” Bertone Community Relations: Deanna Borjal Media Relations: Vianne Ilagan STAKE EMPLOYMENT Director: Sis. Germelina Casaol Specialists: 1. Pamela Nava (Entrepreneurship) 2. Ning Dela Cruz (Training) 3. Cecilia Diamante (Education) 4. Edela Palacsa (Records)

ODES OF ZION

Volume I Issue I | September 2012 11

ness, And is the best antidote for

trouble And yet it cannot be

begged, borrowed, or sto-len, for it is of no value Unless it is given away.

Some people are too busy to give you a smile-

Give them one of yours For the good Lord knows that no one needs a smile

so badly As he or she who has no more smiles left to give.

A Smile By Sis. Wyona Borilla

MISSIONARY CORNER

Days after he got his mission call, Bro. Terrence Dela Peña, 19, openly talks about his nearing full-time missionary service in Anchorage, Alaska. Below is just a snippet of the interview, but can count as a whole. V: Has it always been your dream to become a full-time missionary? T: “It has always been my dream to become a full-time missionary because I know that in this way, I can help our Lord Jesus Christ to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Serving Him will be a great privilege for me to show how thankful I am for the blessings of the restored gospel in my life. This is my way of saying “thank you” for His atoning sacrifice, for giving His own life so that we can return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. V: What motivates you to serve a full-time mission? T: “I love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. That’s the only rea-son why I want to serve.” V: Tell me something about your experience when you opened your mission call. T: “...I was so excited to open my mission call in front of my mother. I opened it and started to read—”Dear Elder Dela Peña:

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Lat-ter-Day Saints. You are as-signed to labor in Alaska Anchorage Mission.” I was shocked and I couldn’t be-lieve it so I read it again from the start. Tears started to fall from my eyes and I said, “Mama I was assigned to a foreign mission!” That was the happiest day of my life because I knew it was God who called me to serve Him. V: How are you preparing yourself for your missionary service soon? T: “I am preparing based on His counsel in D&C 4:2: “Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve Him with all your heart, mind and strength.” My preparation didn’t start when I opened my mission call. It did when I had the desire to serve Him. I graduated seminary March 2009 and I believe the pro-gram was the most influen-tial to my spiritual prepara-tion. Duty to God also pre-pared me to receive my Mel-chizedek Priesthood, to be-come a good father and a good husband someday, and most especially to prepare me to serve a full-time mis-sion. I have always devoted my summer vacations work-ing with the full-time mis-

sionaries of our branch. It has exposed me to real missionary work situations. I was called as the Young Men president of our branch and it serves as an opportunity for me to learn how to handle stress as I serve our young men. Having daily scripture study and attending institute also help me strengthen my testimony and develop my personal relation-ship with Jesus Christ, who exemplified perfect missionary work in his ministry. V: Your message for the young men of our church who are nearing their mis-sionary age. T: “I want them to read the invitation of Jesus Christ in Matthew 4:18-20. To all our young men, the Lord has in-vited us to become “fishers of men.” Peter and Andrew ac-cepted the invitation and fol-lowed our Savior without hesi-tation and left their jobs. I am leaving my “net”, my educa-tion, because I love the Lord. “The field is white already to harvest.” Our Heavenly Fa-ther’s children are now ready to hear and accept His re-stored gospel. He needs us to work in his vineyard and pre-pare to “harvest” our brothers and sisters who are looking for the truth.”

-Vianne Ilagan, M1

In a nutshell: Elder Dela Peña shares his feelings about missionary service

THE EDITORIAL BOARD

Jose G. Manarin

Chairman

Merille Martin High Council Adviser

Vianne Ilagan

Editor-in-Chief/ Layout Artist

Elizabeth Laulita

Cartoonist

Michael Manzano Graphic Artist

Columnists:

Rachelle Anne Cabela Kristine Olga Micairan

Patricia Reyes Julie Anne Alberto

Contributing Writers:

Jethro Diamante Michael Bala

Merille Martin Rozell Bordeos

Armie Nidea Saet Glory Mae Cinco Nikka Basconcillo

Oliver Torres

IN THE PIPELINE

MTC-Bound

To Tie the Knot

Papyrus is a paper-like material derived from the papyrus plant. Historically used as a writing surface, it is believed that the earliest biblical texts were written on papyrus scrolls. The Marikina Stake Papyrus is the official quarterly publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints-Marikina, Philip-pines Stake. It has evolved from the Stake Presidency’s vision of providing all stake members easy access to issues relevant to them. Envisioned to breathe new life into the stake’s information dis-semination scheme, The Marikina Stake Papyrus is packed with a recap of the past quarter’s most significant events and activities, columns tackling issues pertinent to members from all ages, an overview of upcoming stake activities, a suite of inspirational liter-ary compositions, noteworthy stake personalities and statistics and a whole lot more. The Marikina Stake Papyrus Editorial Board members dedicate themselves to providing a wealth of articles not just to inform, but even more so, to inspire Marikina Stake members to live the gospel of Jesus Christ and be united in faith.

Sis. Maria Mahonri Adaka (M5) Japan Fukuoka Mission

Bro. Redentor Mondragon (M4) Philippines Iloilo Mission

November 3, 2012

Bro. Terrence Dela Peña (M5) Alaska Anchorage Mission

October 30, 2012

Bro. Aaron Kim Paaño (M5) Philippines Bacolod Mission

November 3, 2012

Our church is work-ing hand in hand with the Marikina City Government for the National Family Week Celebration this September. Themed “Ensuring Work-Family Balance,” the celebration seeks to strengthen family relation-ships through proper prioritiz-ing between work and family life. As one of the advo-cates of Proclamation 326, the church encourages all stake members to observe the “Kainang Pamilya, Maha-laga Day” where family mem-bers will have to share at least one common meal every 4th Monday of September to signify their unity and thanks-giving. Stake leaders are currently in talks with the local government and other stakeholders over the activi-ties that will be held in obser-vance of this very meaningful tradition. Keep yourself posted!

THE NEXT BIG THING

“No sacrifice is too great to have the

blessings of an eternal marriage.”

-Russell M. Nelson

We hail the following brother and sisters as they soon enter into

the new and everlasting covenant of marriage:

Sis. Mary Shayne Corpuz (October 2012) Bro. Circon Boyd Sagun (December 2012) Sis. Michelle Rada (December 2012)

Volume I Issue I | September 2012 12

WHY PAPYRUS?