Families - Essential Part of Heavenly Father's Plan

by Ranzel Ganzon

Good afternoon dear brothers and sisters.  

It’s a wonderful privilege to be invited here today on behalf of the District Presidency. I bring with me the blessings and greetings from our District President. I was asked to give a talk today and I am inspired to give a message on the importance of families. 

 

I know that the most wonderful gift that Heavenly Father has given to me in this life is my family. We knew from the teachings of the gospel that families can be together forever.  

Even before the creation of this world, God – our Heavenly Father, organized us His spirit children to take part in a glorious plan. Families were organized before the world was made. We rejoiced and sing with the angels in heaven as we prepare to come to earth.   

To become parent on earth we accepted a sacred calling of being a steward and caretaker to a group of other spirits who will become our children on the earth. From us, they will learn the ways and things of this world. They will have to be nurtured, and fed, and taught of the good things in life. We pledge accountable to whatever upbringing these children will have in their life. As parents to these children, Heavenly Father expected that we be good example to them; that we show all our love, and kindness, and patience, and understanding to each and every one of them unconditionally and without reservation.  

As a father and a mother, Heavenly Father expected that we be peacemakers, loyal and loving to each other as a couple. From our ways, our children will grow and learn the importance of love and devotion, peace and kindness, and the meaning of true happiness that comes from sacrifice.   

Our families can bring us joy in this life. But sometimes, because of some unfortunate events in life, some of our children may fall astray. There are some that will find their way out from under the safety of our wings. Just like the story of the prodigal son who went his own way but lost. Yet again, Heavenly Father expected that we should always be ready for this with open arms to welcome back those who had gone astray.  

I grew up in a humble home with loving parents who truly loved and cared for their children. I have 3 siblings – a brother and a couple of sisters. My mother was a simple housekeeper. My father works as a conveyor operator. His salary was slim yet my mother was able to manage it in order to make things meet to my father’s next pay day. I never heard my mom complained about my father’s earnings. They seem to be happy and contented. We lived by a river bank in a small stilt house. But we call it a home. With her care, our home was always clean and orderly.  My mother sees to it that our home is as comfortable as she would like it to be for all of us. At night, with her beautiful sweet voice she would sing us a lullaby to sleep.  

We were always neat and clean to school. My mom makes sure that her children always look best. She baths us everyday and sprays us with her perfume. Everyday my mom would walk half a mile to school under scourging heat just to bring us our kalamansi drinks and sandwiches during recess. 

My father is a humble and honest man. He is very friendly and jokes around a lot. I remember him one day, when I was only six or eight, when he slowly creped behind the front door and let fly a Maya bird to our family’s delightful surprise.  

Life was so simple back then. Those simple memories were the sweetest memories I have in my life. My mom passed away when I was 12. Things have changed since then. My father remarried. Our step mom was one of my mom’s best friends and she was good to us. We have grown and found success through life and struggle. My father passed away around 12 years ago. 

Now, I have my own family. Heavenly Father was kind to me. He has given me a loving wife and two wonderful sons. Indeed, I could say that I am blessed so much to experience a good family life. It was not all that perfect, but at least it was the best for me. 

As I watch my sons grow and to witness their achievements and failures in life, I am happy to take part in their life’s journey. I am glad that my wife and I were both there together on their side through thick and thin. In times of sickness I am glad that I was there to hold their hands when they needed me most for comfort and warmth. 

President Thomas S. Monson told this story, “Near the end of his life, one father looked back on how he had spent his time on earth. An acclaimed, respected author of numerous scholarly works, he said, ‘I wish I had written one less book and taken my children fishing more often.’ Time passes quickly. Many parents say that it seems like yesterday that their children were born. Now those children are grown, perhaps with children of their own. ‘Where did the years go?’ they ask. We cannot call back time that is past, we cannot stop time that now is, and we cannot experience the future in our present state. Time is a gift, a treasure not to be put aside for the future but to be used wisely in the present.” 

Brothers and sisters let us not waste our time being away from our husbands, wives and children. Let us earnestly set a goal to be reunited with them as soon as possible. Time is precious. We cannot pull back time. Money cannot buy our love and presence with our family.  

Elder Boyd K. Packer counseled, “Fear is the opposite of faith. We move forward, certain that the Lord will watch over us, particularly in the family.” 

I bear witness that Heavenly Father is always there to guide us and direct us. He will provide us with all our daily and urgent needs as He has promised time and time again.  

I bear with you this testimony that things are true, in the sacred name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Missionary Work

by Ranzel Ganzon

Good evening, dear brothers and sisters. Eight months after I joined the Church, I received with great anticipation my Melchizedek Priesthood. I was ordained an Elder and the following Sunday, I was called and set apart as a Branch Mission Leader. 

At that time, I was really new to the teachings of the Church, but my learning has greatly increased through the blessing of this calling. My home branch was new and almost if not all are pioneering members of the Church. 

It was always a joy for me working with the missionaries. I have several branch missionaries working with me and we spend as much time as we can have helping the missionaries find investigators, helping them with their teachings and home visiting new and inactive members. 

It was a tough calling but the spirit was there. I feel light and strong despite a long and hectic day of walking and teaching. My calling then as a Branch Mission Leader prepared me for the bigger challenges I faced in the mission field serving as a full-time missionary. I was called to serve as a full-time missionary exactly one year after my baptism. 

Fast track ahead, 3 years after my mission, I found myself working here in Hong Kong as an Architectural and Interior Designer. I thought that was it. Yet once again the Lord has called me to continue serving in His Church. My first calling was to serve again as Branch Mission Leader. 

This time it was not the same experience as I have had in my home branch in the Philippines. Hong Kong Island Branch, before it became Island 1st & 2^nd Branches, used to be a very large branch of Filipino members, comprising a membership of more or less than 2 hundred members with baptisms of more or less than ten new members each month. It was an exhausting part for the Branch President to keep track of the activity of each of the new members joining the Church.  

Part of the burden that lies upon the shoulders of the Branch President now becomes a part of my calling. As a Branch Mission Leader I was to report directly to the Branch President of the whereabouts of each and every newly baptized member of the Church who are one year and below. I was to report whether they have completed their new member’s discussions which was taught by the Branch Missionaries. I was to report whether the newly baptized member is actively attending all the Church activities and participating class lessons. I was to provide reminders to the Branch President of the upcoming interviews of the new member, to give them callings and to sign their temple recommends for baptism for the dead.  

I also have to make sure that the branch missionaries are doing their part in their callings. I have to assign companionships and review which lessons are they already with their assigned new members.  I have to complete a weekly report detailing all activities of the newly baptized members. I actually have designed a special template outlining step by step all of the necessary activities a newly baptized member has to take upon and accomplish within a year. I fill it up every week and discuss it with branch council.    

The weight of the calling of the Branch Mission Leader is more or less like the calling of a Branch President. Only that he is mostly in charged in shepherding the newly baptized members of the Church.  

Under the bishop’s direction, the ward mission leader has the following responsibilities: 

He coordinates the ward’s efforts to find, teach, and baptize investigators.  

He coordinates this work with the work of the full-time missionaries and ward missionaries.  

In ward council meetings, the bishop may ask him to lead discussions on missionary work.

He conducts missionary coordination meetings and directs the work of ward missionaries.

He arranges as many teaching opportunities for the full-time missionaries as possible each week. 

He organizes convert baptismal services, assisted by the full-time missionaries. 

He helps coordinate the confirmations of new members in sacrament meetings. 

He participates with full-time missionaries in teaching and fellowshipping investigators. 

He attends the Gospel Principles class, and he may teach the class when assigned by the Branch President. 

In my honest opinion, a Branch President won’t be able to fully function well in his calling first and foremost without the help of the Branch Mission Leader and its branch missionaries. What a responsibility! 

President David O. Mckay, once admonished that - ”every member is a missionary”.  Each one of us, and not only the Branch Mission Leader, was given by the Lord the mantle of responsibility to go forth and teach and to care for His sheep. Each one of us carries the responsibility of overseeing the younger sheeps of the fold. We may not be serving as a full-time missionary yet we can still be missionaries. The Lord expects us to show our very best example to those who we come to contact with.  

There is a tremendous need of missionaries in our Church. My son is preparing to serve a full-time mission in a few months time. Our family is very excited about that. At last we finally got one valiant soldier in our family who is willing to serve God in this holy war.  

It is my sincere testimony that Heavenly Father loves each one of us, His children. And that He has prepared a way for each one of us to return to His presence someday. I know that Heavenly Father has promised many and wonderful blessings to those who are willing to come and follow the teachings of His son Jesus Christ.  

It is my testimony that God lives. He hears and answers our prayers. I know that when we serve with a sincere heart, with all our might, mind and strength… Heavenly Father will look down upon us and say, “Well done thou good and faithful servant.” 

And I share this testimony with you in the sacred name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.