Simple Wishes

by Estela Ganzon

Good afternoon my dearly beloved sisters. I am so blessed today to be given this wonderful chance to share with you some of my thoughts on how to live life and reach our dreams. 

Sisters, there is a wonderful saying that goes like this… “we only live once, but if we do it right, once is enough.” 

I was born in a little sleepy town of Pangasinan in the Philippines. Most of the folk’s livelihood over there is farming. At a very young age, I became a dreamer. I dreamed of a better life. I dreamed of a simple but more luxurious life. I want to have something in order to get what I wanted to have in life.  

But when I look up the stars at night, my dreams seem too impossible to reach. As I grew up my dreams slowly faded in the distance. I remember, as a little girl, I have to help my family find food in the fields. I have to help catch frogs, snails and field crickets with my sisters so we will just have something for dinner. During harvest time, my sisters and I would run to the fields to gather rice grains leftovers on the ground by the harvesters, picking up each rice kernel one by one, so our family will be able to survive another meal. I look at my tiny hands and it’s filled with little wounds. I cried.  

My father works in a timber mill and my mom is a simple housewife. I am the eldest and I have four sisters and three brothers. During my secondary years, I worked as a maid to one of our rich relative in order to support myself throughout my studies. In school, I bring my own lunch. I only have sautéed tomato with egg most of the time. If lucky enough, I have a little dried fish to go with it. Under scourging heat of sun, I have to walk for a couple of kilometers from home to school and back again four times a day for I don’t have money to get a trike ride.  

My dream is to be a Nutritionist; I studied for a couple of years but my heart sinks whenever I see my mother tries to look around for money just to support my allowances. I finally made a painful decision to quit my studies and worked as a restaurant waitress to help support our family. Then, later, I also have to find a job in Manila to help support my younger sisters and brothers finish their studies.  

During those times, I knelt down every night and with tears in my eyes, prayed a lot to Heavenly Father, that someday He may answer my simple wishes in life.  

Then, finally, a twist happened! I became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. A young priesthood brother introduced me to the church. After joining several other churches, I finally found a place where I can call my very own. Finally, I feel like the heavy burden on my shoulders was lifted up. I can finally see the sun shining brightly behind the dark clouds of my life. 

During those dark clouds of my life, I learned to be humble, I learned to be patient. I learned to find hope in my heart despite the many trials of life.  

When I joined the Church, my whole perspective in life changed. I began to set goals for my life. First of all, my most important goal is to marry a worthy priesthood holder. My goal is to marry in the temple. My goal is to have wonderful Christ-loving children. My goal is to be strong in the gospel. I wrote all of these goals in my little diary book, we call – the Book of Remembrance. In this book, I had my friends write a little note for me to strengthen my testimony of the gospel. But, I reserved the very first page. That page was entirely reserved for that worthy priesthood holder who will bring me to the holy temple, and there at the altar, be sealed with him to all time and throughout all eternity. I fasted and prayed for my goals.  

I talked to my Father in Heaven, as a young daughter begging for a simple wish. I waited and waited.  Finally, one by one but slowly my prayers were heard and answered. I met a young returned missionary. I adored him because of his intelligence. He was my Institute Class teacher. We had our first dance together during a church ball, and with my heart beating like crazy, he proposed to marry me and to bring me to the holy temple and there be sealed for all time and eternity. 

As I slowly reach my goals, one by one, I drew a line across them. Brother Ganzon was that worthy priesthood holder who I gave the privilege to write on the first page of my Book of Remembrance. In our life together, we were blessed with two Christ-loving boys. They are the little jewels of our hearts.  

Just like you sisters, a month after our marriage, with Brother Ganzon being jobless, I bade to leave home to work as a domestic helper in Hong Kong. That was the most difficult decision that we have to make. With the bad economy hitting every family in the Philippines, Brother Ganzon and I knelt down and prayed hard to know whether we were making the right decision. It was the saddest day of my life, as I gave my last hug to my husband. At the airport, I hold my tears as he holds his.  

A year in Hong Kong was like eternity to me. There were no mobile phones twenty five years ago. A few minutes of long distance call cost thousands of pesos. The only way we can communicate with each other was by sending voice tapes and letters.   I would include some pretty photos of mine with the letters. Sometimes I would sing some church hymns for him of which he plays every evening before he goes to sleep.  

A couple of years later, Brother Ganzon joined me in Hong Kong. He was offered a good job which supported us during our early years in Hong Kong. Looking back more than twenty years from now, I could only testify that Heaven Father is really there. He hears and answers our prayers.  

During the deepest trials of our faith, He has promised to lift us up, to comfort us and to answer our prayers.

My dear sisters, I can feel the difficulty of the challenge you are facing in your life. We all came from the same situation. Life is like climbing up a mountain. We just have to keep going. Each step may get harder but don’t stop! The view is beautiful at the top!  In life, we can always take the easy way out and give up, but real strength comes when we decide to keep pushing forward no matter what the circumstances are. 

Never give up on what you really want to do. Don’t worry about being successful but work toward being the best person and success will naturally follow. Have the courage to follow your heart, it somehow already know what you truly want to become. Difficulties in our life don’t come to destroy us. But help us to realize who we really are.  

Sisters, don’t be pushed by your problems; be led by your dreams. Say this to yourself…”I’m going to succeed because I’m crazy enough to think I can."  

Just believe in yourself. Believe in who you really are – because you are a daughter of God. If success is important to you, you will find a way. No one among us here is too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. Success is the sum of our small efforts repeated day in and day out. Let’s stop waiting for things to happen. We have to go out to make it happen.  

Don’t let someone tell you that you can’t do something. Not even me. You got a dream. You have to protect it. When people can’t do something for themselves, they’ll going to tell you that you can’t do it. You want something, go get it. Period! 

Sisters, you can never be defeated unless you give up. Think about this. If you don’t step forward, you will always be on the same spot all your life. 

Let me share with you a story shared to me by my son, Eszel. There was once a baby eagle who doesn’t want to be hatched. So she stayed in the egg for many, many years. One day, she got bored and decided to see the world. So she started hatching and finally freed herself from the eggshell.  But then, when she looked around her, all she saw was only she in the nest. She felt so lonely because all her brothers and sisters had already grown up wings and flew away. The mother eagle was not even there anymore to give her a feed. Poor little baby eagle, she chirped and chirped but no one heard her. As days goes by, without food and no one to take care of her she slowly passed away. 

Sisters, are we that baby eagle who refused to hatch? Will we wait for that time when finally we decide to see the world, yet instead, there is nothing out there to see anymore but only our lonely self? 

Dear sisters, life is not all about Hong Kong. Think and move forward. So, go for what you want; ask questions; wear make-ups on Sundays; dress beautifully; wear your favorite perfume, and take that extra one step forward because you never know where it might lead.  

Be positive in every direction. Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.  

Today, we come together as leaders of this District to prepare you a workshop training in order to help you kick start a new life. We will have break up sessions. We will teach you how to groom yourself. We will teach you how to be self-reliant. We will teach you of your rights as an employee. We will teach you how to overcome some of your weaknesses, how to care for others and many more. 

Please take this training to your heart and start building a new life. I bear with you my testimony that we are all daughters of a loving Father in Heaven. I testify that life is beautiful, if only we know how to discover it. I know that with prayer as our armor of faith we will find wisdom. We will find joy in this life. Life has so much more to give. We just have to take that one step forward and leave it to our Father in Heaven to do the rest.  

May we feel joy in our hearts as we finish this day with a prayer.  

I would like to extend a heart full thank to Sister Hosford and Sister Forte for making this event possible. To our District President, President Tai, and his counselors for their full support and love to each one of us in this District. And to all who will be teaching in the workshops, for the tireless effort they have put into it. 

I would also want to thank Heavenly Father for all the wonderful gifts He has given us in this life, most especially for the atoning sacrifice of our dearest Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This, I testify in name of our beloved Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Wish Upon A Star

by Ranzel Ganzon

Good afternoon dear sisters. It is a great privilege for me and Sister Ganzon to be given this important assignment to share with you how we feel about your needs and to counsel with you so all of us should be able to benefit and bring something in our hearts tonight as we go back home from this workshop. 

First of all, we would like to extend our love and appreciation to our District Relief Society Presidency – Sister Hosford, Sister Ganzon and Sister Forte together with the effort of our Relief Society Presidents from each branch in making this training possible. And of course, with the backbone support of our District President, President Tai and President Hillam. 

I love stories, so I would like to start this day with a story. Once upon a time, there was a little frog who lives deep in a bottom of a well. Even though it’s dark and wet yet she loves being there.  She lives in the bottom of the well all her life that she’s forgotten that there is another world outside. 

One day, she heard some birds chirping. It was springtime and the birds were singing. She hasn’t heard of such a beautiful sound before. It sparked her curiosity! “I want to follow that beautiful sound!” she exclaimed! So she started jumping and hopping from one brick stone to another inside the well until finally she found herself standing on the top of the well! “Oh, wow!” she exclaimed! “This is such a beautiful world out here! Why have I been so foolish all my life staying down in the well when there is a beautiful world out here!”   

Sisters, how often are we just like this little foolish frog? Oftentimes, we’ve been too preoccupied of so many other things in life that we’ve forgotten our own self. We forgot that there is a much more beautiful world waiting for us out there.  

When God told the Israelites to go out of Egypt and be freed from slavery, He promised them of a beautiful and bountiful place that they can call their own. They and their children, and their children’s children will not be slaves under anyone anymore. It will be a land of milk and honey.  

But you know what? They refused to go! They want to stay in Egypt all their lives because in Egypt, they have food to eat. They don’t have to find food. The food is already there. Do we see a similarity between the Israelites and us, here in Hong Kong?

If we have to sum up the status of our countrymen here in Hong Kong, we can come up with three groups of individuals. The first group would be those who are very young, very ambitious, university graduates who wants to further their career and consider Hong Kong as a stepping stone to go to another country in order to find a better life and thus pursuing their career, and also maybe with it, is a good reason to bring their families with them abroad. We do not have any problem with these individuals as they are on the right track. 

Another group of individuals are mostly mothers, who have goals to stay in Hong Kong for a few years until they can just have enough to start a small living back in their home countries where they can be reunited with their families again. For these individuals, the Church has created a welfare training program in order for them to obtain special knowledge on small scale projects to kick start a decent livelihood when they’re ready to rejoin their families.   

Our District Presidency and the rest of the District Welfare Council have been talking a lot of these lately, and we are trying our best to brain storm on how these things could work out together and yet at the same time not infringing any boundaries beyond the Church capacity.  

Now, here is the problem. We have another group of individuals, who are not residents of Hong Kong, but want to stay in Hong Kong all their lives. These individuals have no plans at all. These are they who are caught between a web of difficult situations. Ask them about their future plans two to three years from now; they will give you a smirk answer… “I don’t really know. I still have a lot of obligations at home.  

Got the clue? Remember, she’s not saying – to herself, but at home. She is that little queen frog at the bottom of the well. She wants to stay there at the bottom of the well all her life. She doesn’t care that there’s another world out there. She made herself a voluntary sacrifice. Its fine for her to be used and be abused. 

So all winters, all summers, all springs, she’s just there in her little dark world. She has decided to be the bank of the family. She is in her own little world a single welfare unit society. A friend comes to borrow money, she lends all that she’s got… kasi, she has “pusong mammon”. Her niece calls her… “Tita, can you buy me the latest i-phone?”  “Ok, Tita will send it right in a minute”. Uutang pa ng pera si Tita, may pambili lang ng bagong i-phone ni Inday. Tita, I’m marrying my jobless boyfriend. Will you buy my wedding gown? Ang ganda ganda ni Tita! Oh, by the way, I’m pregnant! I need money to buy milk for my baby and also can you include the P10,000.00 monthly rent for our apartment”. “Ok, no problem, iha, basta nandito si Tita”. Super Tita is on the rescue again.   

After many years in Hong Kong, Tita, has grown old. After waiting for twenty years, her boyfriend has decided to marry another woman. He exclaimed, “No use of waiting!” Tagal-tagal! 

Remember that niece? Now, she’s got 10 children. They’ve all grown strong and healthy. They’ve all finished their universities. Thanks for the full scholarship Tita has provided, plus daily allowances.  

Now, it’s time for Tita to go home for good. The strong body she used to have when she was young has now shrunk to a weak disabled body. When she arrived home, not even one of those she supported was there to meet her at the airport. In the minds of those people… “Our bank has given up on us. Let’s send another one!” 

Sisters, does this story rings true to most of you? You may not want to admit it, but it could be one of you. You may probably be a mother in this story, a sister, an aunt, a friend, or a grandma. Whoever we are in this story, I would like to invite you tonight to take a quick look in the mirror and ask yourself a question… “Is it worth to allow people to use and abuse me all my life?” Is this the life that Heavenly Father wants me to have? 

We are all children of a loving God. He knows the intentions of our hearts. But He also allows us to make choices. He wants us to teach ourselves how to sacrifice for others but in a wise way that we don’t allow others to take advantage of our goodness and generosity.  

There is always a good saying that goes like this…” Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; but, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” 

This is what we need to keep on reminding ourselves again and again. In my life, I have supported my sisters through college, and when they’re done, they fish for themselves. 

It’s hundred percent important for all of us to set goals in life. On my job interviews, I am always asked by the interviewers with the same question again and again… “Where do you see yourself one year from now; two years from now; five years from now; ten years from now?” 

Why such question? What’s the logic for that question? Employers apparently ask this question because they are looking for people who know what they want to do and who are focused on specific professional goals. If you lack goals, you will have difficulty answering this question. Be sure you arrive at the interview with a clear vision of what you want to do today, tomorrow and five years from now. That is the logic. Now, if I may ask you, where do you see yourself one year from now, two years from now, or five years from now, can you give me a straight answer? If you can’t then, you have a big problem to resolve. Because I can tell you now, sisters, that Hong Kong is not forever, and that’s the truth. Sooner or later our body will retire and the only way out of Hong Kong is back to our home country.  

Save for yourself. Learn as many new skills as possible. The internet is flooded with easy to reach resources. YMCA in Hong Kong is a must for those who are seeking for new skills. If the schedule of your studying comes in conflict with your church meeting in the afternoon, then attend Victoria 1 Branch in the mornings until you finish your schooling. Let your Branch President know about your plans so he can give you sound advice. 

I tell you sisters, that nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude. Careful thinking and hard work will solve nearly all your problems. Try and see for yourself. 

We are telling you this because one day you find ten years have gotten behind you. If no one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun. All the rest of your friends and families are already on the finish line, yet you haven’t even left the starting line.  

Sisters, know where you are going. If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else.

Dream! Ok, let me talk a little something about dreams. Do you know that dreams are necessary for life? You know that in my dreams, I’m ageless. That’s what I like so much about dreaming.  

I am a dreamer because a man without a dream is a man without a vision in life; and a man without a vision in life is a man without a future.  

Have you ever wished upon a star? When I was a child, there was a rhyme we would say in the evening when the sky began to get dark. As soon as it was dark enough for us to see the very first star in the sky, we would say,  

Star light, star bright,
First star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might
Have the wish I wish tonight. 
 

Remember the story of Pinocchio? The little puppet boy who wished to be a real boy? One day, his friend Jiminy Cricket appeared before him and sang him this song: 

When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires will come to you

If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do

Fate is kind
She brings to those who love
The sweet fulfillment of their secret longing

Like a bolt out of the blue
Fate steps in and sees you through
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true

Sisters, tonight as you go home, look up to the sky and when you see a star, kiss you thumb, close it in your hands, place it close to your bosom and make a wish. In your room, kneel down and pray for your wish that Heavenly Father will help you make it come true.  Work for it. Dream of it to happen and I know that with faith in your heart, you will reach that dream. 

This is my testimony that Heavenly Father lives and He answers our prayers. I know that there is nothing in this world that can stop us from achieving our goals in life if we only try to start it with a little faith in our hearts. 

This testimony I leave with you in the sacred name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.