My brother crazy days, Picture collection

Valentina's Faith by: Howard L. Biddulph

     Valentina is a senior citizen [in the Ukraine] who had drunk strong coffee for several years as a prescription from her doctor for a health condition.  When she was preparing for baptism into The church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Valentina read of the Word of Wisdom and what it said about coffee.  She returned to her doctor and asked if there might be a prescription that would  permit her to take something other than coffee for her condition.  The doctor said that he knew of nothing available and that if that were true she depleted pharmacies throughout the city and found that there were no other stimulants available that would meet her needs.

     Valentina might concluded that in the absence of other remedies she was justified in talking coffee purely for medical purposes, as her doctor prescribed.  It troubles her, however, to fail to fulfill anything given of the Lord.  "I don't want to miss any of the spiritual blessings the Lord has promised in this revelations.  I want to be an example to my family, who are all unbelievers.  how can I do that if they see me drink coffee each day?"

     After prayerful consideration, Valentina approached the missionaries who had taught her the gospel.  "if you will give me a blessings through the priesthood,  I believe Heavenly father will take away my health problems.  Whatever his will might be, how-ever, I have decided that I will never drink tea or coffee again.  I trust in the words of our Savior."

     Valentina received a wonderful blessing, promising her health and spiritual gifts through her faith.  She was then baptized, and immediately her health problem disappeared.  She has often publicly borne testimony about this experience and of the spiritual and temporal blessings that the Lord granted her through obedience to his commandments.

A Prayer for five Shillings by: Amasa Potter

     We had labored a few weeks in this city [in Australia] and had baptized a few into the Church, when we received a letter from Emue Plains, stating that the people would like to see and hear a "Mormon" Elder.  Emue Plains was a distance of sixty miles from where we were, and when we started it had been raining about a week, and a great portion of the country was flooded with water.  We had a large river to cross on the way, and we were informed that the bridge had been carried off and there was a ferry established cross the river which charged five shillings each passenger.  We did not have any money with which to pay this charge, and my companion was anxious to know what we should do for money to pay the ferriage with.  We were then about three miles from the ferry, and were passing through timber.  I told him that we would go into the woods and pray to God to open the heart of some one to give it to us.  We did so, and we had traveled but a short distance through a lane between two fields, when we looked ahead of us a little way and saw an old man coming across the field.  He came into the road ahead of us, and as he came to meet us he had a smile on his countenance.  He reached out his hand to me, as if to shake hands, and left a crown, or five shilling piece, in my hand and went to my companion and did the same; but spoke not a word.  I cannot describe the feeling that we had when the man took hold of our hands; we felt our hearts burn within us, and it did not seem that we had power to ask him his name or where he was from, as we usually did when person gave us any article of clothing or money.  he was a man about six feet high, well proportioned, and wore a suit of light gray cloths and a broad-brimmed hat, and his hair and beard were about eighteen inches long and as white as snow.  We passed on and came to the ferry, and the money that we had was just enough to pay our ferriage.

     We came to Emue Plains, labored and preached one month, baptized twenty-one persons and organized a branch of the Church. So you see that our Heavenly Father opened up our way to preach the gospel.

"Do You Ever Cry When You Read the Book of Mormon?"

"Do You Ever Cry When You Read the Book of Mormon?"

MARION G. ROMNEY

I remember reading [the Book of Mormon] with one of my lads when he was very young.  On one occasion I lay in the lower bunk and he in the upper bunk.  We were each reading aloud alternate paragraphs of those last three marvelous chapters of Second Nephi.  I heard his voice breaking and thought he had a cold, but we went on the end of the three chapters.  As we finished he said to me. "Daddy, do you ever cry when you read the Book of Mormon?"

     "Yes Son," I answerd. "Sometimes the Spirit of the Lord so witness to my soul that the Book of              

                                                                              Mormon is true that I do cry." 

     "Well," he said, "that is what happend to me tonight."

The Voice of God Again Is heard

EVAN STEPHENS

The voice of God again is heard, 

The silence has been broken,

The curse of darkness is withdrawn,

The Lord from heav'n hath spoken.

Rejoice ye living and ye dead!

Rejoice, for your salvation

Begins anew this happy morn

Of final dispensation.

O messengers of truth, go forth,

Proclaim the gospel story.

Go forth the nations to prepare,

To greet the King of Glory.

Shout we hosanna, shout again,

Till all creation blending

Shall join in one great grand Amen

Of anthems never ending.

Dmitry the Believer Finds a Book by: Howard L. Biddulph

A few days before Elders Richard Davis, Thomas Wright, Brandon Arrington, and Jesus Condori arrived to open a new city [in the Ukraine], an unusual event occurred.  A professor at the state university named Dmitry discovered a strange book in a bookstore entitled Kniga mormona (the Book of Mormon in Russian).

A Russian born in Siberia, Dmitry was converted to Christianity while serving in the Soviet Red Army, where he read the new Testament.  After completing military service, he attended the Russian Orthodox Seminary, where he was a brilliant student.  Dmitry was unable to accept some of the doctrines and practices of the Russian Orthodox Church, so he was not ordained. As an unordained religious activist, he was arrested and spent three years in terrible prison camps.

After his release, Dmitry found opportunity during the more liberal Gorbachev era to teach a course at the university titled "The Bible As Literature," which was in actuality a course on biblical theology and religious philosophy.  Since he was both a brilliant teacher and a believer, the principal churches in that area sent priests and ministers to be trained by him, in the absence of a theological seminary.

Then came the day in May when Dmitry discovered the Russian copy of the Book of Mormon in a local bookstore.  Its impact upon him was somewhat like the experience of Parley P. Pratt.  Dmitry read the book nonstop, and when he finished, he felt a deep conviction that he had indeed discovered "another testament of Jesus Christ."

A few days later he met Elder Wright and Elder Condort on the street, almost immediately after their arrival in the large city.

Dmitry suffered persecution for his conversion to the restored gospel.  He was banned from teaching priests of the Russian Orthodox Church and also banned from entering any of its church buildings or facilities.  The Orthodox bishop attempted to get the university rector to fire Dmitry because he had become a Latter-day Saints.  Twice he was attacked by young thugs and took his belongings.

Dmitry became the first branch president of the Church in his city and remains a devoted spiritual leader and teacher in the Church.  Although living in great poverty, he is positive, loving, and full of faith in God.

"I Felt Such a Desire to Read the Book" by Mary Lightner

Quite a number of the residents of Kirtland accepted baptism.  Mother and myself also,  in the month of October, 1830.  A branch of the Church was organized, and Father Morley was ordained an elder to preside over it.  He owned a large farm,  about a mile from Kirtland, and some three or four families went there to live, and meetings were held there.  A good spirit and one of union prevailed among the brethren for some time.

After Oliver Cowdery and his brethren left for Missouri on their mission to the Lamanites, a wrong spirit crept into our midst, and a few were led away by it.  About this time, John Whitmer came and brought a Book of Mormon.  There was a meeting that evening, and we learned that Brother Morley had the book in hispossession-the only one in that part of the country.

I went to his house just before the meeting was to commence,  and asked to see the book;  Brother Morley put it in my hand; as I looked at it, I felt such a desire to read it, that I could not refrain from asking him to let me take it home and read it, while he attended meeting.  He said it would be too late for me to take it back after meeting, and another thing, he had hardly had time to read a chapter in it himself, and but few of the brethren had even seen it, but I pled so earnestly for it, he finally said,  "Child, if you will bring this book home before breakfast tomorrow morning, you may take it." He admonished me to be very careful, and see that no harm came to it.

If any person in this world was ever perfectly happy in the possession of any coveted treasure,  I was when I had permission to read that wonderful book.  Uncle and Aunt were Methodists, so when I got into the house, I exclaimed, "Oh, Uncle, I have got the 'Golden Bible.'" Well, there was consternation in the house for a few moments, and I was severely reprimanded for being so presumptuous as to ask such a favor, when Brother Morley had not read it himself. However, we all took turns reading it until very late in the night.  As soon as it was light enough to see,  I was up and learned the first verse in the book.

When I reached Brother Morley's they had been up for only a little while.  When I handed him the book, he remarked, "I guess you did not read much in it." I showed him how far we had read.  He was surprised and said, " I don't believe you can tell me one word of it." I then repeated the first verse, also the outlines of the history of Nephi. He gazed at me in surprise, and said, "Child, take this book home and finish it, I can wait."

Before or about the time I finished the last chapter, the Prophet Joseph Smith arrived in Kirtland, and moved into part of Newel K Whitney's  house (Uncle Algernon's partner in the Mercantile Business), while waiting for his goods to be put in order.  Brother Whitney brought the Prophet Joseph to our house and introduced him to ther older ones of the family (I was not in at the time).  I'm looking how that book came to be there.  He said,  "I sent that book to Brother Morley."

Uncle told him how his niece had obtained it.  he asked,  "Where is your niece?" I was sent for; when he saw me he looked at me so earnestly, I felt almost afraid.  After a moment or  two he came and put his hands on my head and gave me a great blessing, the first I ever received, and made me a present of the book, and said he would give Brother Morley another.  He came in time to rebuke the evil spirits, and set the Church in order.  We all felt that he was a man of God, for he spoke with power, and as one having authority in every deed.

"Burn the Book" by: Don Vincent Di Francesca

     As I think back over the events of my life leading up to a cold morning in February 1910, I cannot escape the feeling that God had been mindful of my existence.  That morning the care taker of the Italian chapel delivered a note to me from the pastor,  advising me he was ill in bed and asking me to come to his house, as he had important matters to discuss with me regarding the affairs of the parish.

As I walked down Broadway [in New York city], the strong wind from the open sea blew cold against me, so I held my head down and turned my face away from  the wind .  It was then I saw what appeared to be a book lying on top of an open barrel of ashes, set there to be picked up by the garbage collection wagon.  The form of the pages and the manner in which they were bound gave me the impression that it was a religious book.  Curious,  I picked up the book and knocked it against the side of the barrel to shake the ashes from its pages.  the book was written in the English language.  I looked for the frontispiece, but it had been torn away.

As I stood there with the book in my hands, the fury of the wind turned the pages, and one by one, the names Nephi, Mosiah, Alma, Moroni, and Isaiah appeared before my eyes. since the cold wind was bitter, I hurriedly wrapped the soiled book in a newspaper and continued my journey.

At the parish house I gave a few words of comfort to my colleague Scarillo and agreed to the services he requested of me during his illness.  As I walked back to my own lodgings, my mind dwelt on the book in my hand and the strange names I had read.  Who were these men?  Who was prophet Isaiah? Was he the one I had read about in the Bible, or was he some other Isaiah?

Back in my room I carefully turned the torn pages and came to the words of Isaiah, which I read most carefully.  What could be the name of the church that taught such doctrine in words so easily understood?  the cover of the book and the title page were missing.  I read the declaration of witnesses in the opening pages and strongly impressed by the strength of their testimonies, but there was no other clue to the book's identity.

I purchased some alcohol and cotton from the drugstore beneath my lodgings and began cleaning the soiled pages.  Then for several hours I read what was written in the book.  When I had read chapter ten of the book of Moroni, I locked the door of my room;  and with the book held in my hands,  I knelt down and asked God, the Eternal Father, in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, to tell me if the book was of God.  As I prayed, I felt my body becoming cold.  Then my heart began to pound, and a feeling of warmth and gladness came over me and filled me with such joy that I cannot find words to express.  I knew that the words of the book came from God.

I continued my services in the parish, but my preaching was tinged with the new words I had found in the book.  the members of my congregation were so interested in my words that they became dissatisfied with the sermons of my colleagues, and they asked them why they did not preach the sweet arguments of Don Vincent.  This was the beginning of troubles for me.  When members began leaving the chapel during the sermons of my colleagues and remained when I occupied the pulpit, my colleagues became angry with me.

The beginning of real discord began Christmas eve, 1910.  In my sermon that evening,  I told the story of the birth and mission of Jesus Christ as given in my new book.  When I had finished,  some of my colleagues, without any shadow of shame, publicly contradicted all I had said.  The absurdities of their assertions so upset me that I openly rebelled against them.  They denounced me and turned me over to the committee of censure for disciplinary action.

When I appeared before this committee, the members gave me what was supposed to be fatherly advice.  They counseled me to burn the book, which they said was of the devil, since it was the cause of so much trouble and had destroyed the harmony of the pastoral brothers.  I replied by giving my witness that the book they asked me to burn was the word of God, but because of the missing pages I did not know the name of the church that had brought forth the book.  I declared that if I were to burn the book, I would displease  God. I would rather go out of the congregation of the Church than offend him.  When I had so stated, the president of the council ended the discussion, stating the council would decide on the matter later.

It was not until 1914 that I was once again brought before the council. The vice venerable spoke in a friendly tone, suggesting that the sharp words of the committee members at the previous hearing may have  provoked me,  which was regrettable, since they all loved me and were mindful of the valuable assistance I had always so freely given.  However, he said, I must remember that obedience-complete and absolute-is the rule.  The long suffering of the members, to whom I had continued to preach false-hoods, had come to an end, and I must burn the book.

In reply, I stated I could not deny the words of the book nor would i burn it, since in doing so I would offend God.  I said i looked forward with joy to the time when the church to which the book belonged would be made known to me and I would become a part of it.  At this, the vice venerable cried,  "Enough! Enough!" He then read the decision that had been made by the church council: I was to be stripped of my position as a pastor of the church and of every right and privilege I had previously enjoyed.

Three weeks later I was called before the the supreme synod. After giving me an opportunity to retract my previous statement, which I refused to do, the synod confirmed the judgement of the council.  I was thus completely cut off from the body of the church.

In November 1914 I was called into Italian army and sent to the Port of Naples.  I saw action in France, where I experienced all of the sadness and suffering associated with the battles of World War I. remembering the lessons of the book I had read,  I related to some of the men in my company the story of the people of Ammon-how they refused to shed the blood of their brothers and buried their arms rather than be guilty of the great crimes. The chaplain reported me to the colonel, and the next day I was escorted to the colonel's office.  he asked me to tell him the story I had related to the soldiers, as it is recorded in the twenty-fourth chapter of Alma.  Then he asked me how i had come into possession of the book,  and why I retained a book written in the English language and published by an unnamed church.  I received as punishment a ten-day sentence on bread and water, with the order that I was to speak no more of the book and it's stories.

After the end of the war I returned to New York, where I met an old friend who was a pastor of my former church and who knew the history of my troubles.  He felt I had been unfairly dealt with, and he began interceding for me with members of the synod.  I was finally admitted to the congregation as a lay member.  As an experiment, it was agreed that I should accompany one of the pastors on a mission to New Zealand and to Australia.

In Sydney, Australia, we met some Italian immigrants who asked questions about the errors in the translation of the Bible as published by Catholic Church.  They were not satisfied with the answers given by my companion, and he became angry with them.  Then they asked me about it, and, knowing I had the truth in the Book of Mormon, I once again told the story of Christ's appearance to the people of the land described there, and that Christ had said,  "That other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also i must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." (3 Ne. 15:17) When they asked me where I had learned such teachings, I told them of the book I had found.  The story was sweet to them but very bitter for my colleague.  He reported me to the synod and once again their previous judgement was confirmed, and I was cut off from the church forever.  Soon after, I returned to Italy.

In May 1930, while I was seeking in a french dictionary for some information, I suddenly saw the entry "Mormon." I read the words carefully and found that a Mormon Church had been established in 1830 and that this church operated a university at Provo, Utah.  I wrote to the president of the university at Provo, asking for information about the book and its missing pages, I received an answer two weeks later, and was told that my letter had been passed on to the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and that he would inform me about the book with the missing pages, which book did indeed belong to the Mormon Church.

On June 16, 1930, President Heber J. Granct answered my letter and sent a copy of the Book of Mormon, which had been translated into Italian language in 1852 by President Lorenzo Snow while he was a missionary. President Granct informed me that Elder John A. Widsoe was President of the Church's European Mission, with headqurters in Liverpool, England,and he would give my request to him.  A few days later, Elder Widsoe wrote to me from Liverpool and sent me a pamphlet that contained the story of the Prophet Joseph Smith, telling of the gold plates and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.  At long last I had learned the rest of the story begun so long ago when, guided by the hand of God,  I found the torn book lying on top of a barrel of ashes on a street in New York City.

On June 5, 1932, Elder Widsoe came to Naples to baptize me, but a revolution between the Fascicts and anti-Fascists on the island of Sicily had broken out, and the police at Palermo refused permission for me to leave this island. I was thus denied a chane for baptism at that time.

The following year Elder Widtsoe asked me to translate the Joseph Smith pamphlet into Italian and to have 1,000 copies published. I took my translation to a printer, Joseph Gussio, who took the materials to the Catholic Bishop of diocese of Cefalu.  The bishop ordered the printer to destroy the material.  I brought suit against the printer, but all I received from the court was an order to him to return the original booklet, which he had thrown into some waste paper in a cellar.

When Elder Widsoe was released as president of the mission in 1934, I started correspondence with Elder Joseph F. Merrill, who had succeeded him.  he put my name on the mailing list for the Millennial star, which I received until 1940 when the subscription was stopped because World War II.  In January 1937, Elder Richard R. Lyman, successor to President Merrill, wrote to me, advising me that he and Elder Hugh b. Brown would be in Rome on a certain day and I could meet them there and be baptized.  The letter was delayed because of war conditions, and I did not receive it in time.

From then until 1949, I was cut off from all news of the Church, but I remained a faithful follower and preached the gospel of the dispensation of the fullness times.  I had copies of the standard works, and I translated chapters into Italian and sent them to acquaintances with the greeting: "Good day. The morning breaks-Jehovah speaks!"

On February 13, 1949, I resumed corresspondence with Elder Widsoe at the Church headquarters in Salt Lake City.  Elder Widtsoe answered my letter October 3, 1959, explaining that he had been in Norway.  I sent him a long letter in reply in which I asked him to help me to be quickly baptized, because I felt that I had proven my self to be faithful son and pure servant of God, observing the laws and commandments of his kingdom.  Elder Widtsoe asked President Samuel E. bringhurst of the Swiss Mission if he would go to Sicily to baptized me.  On January 18, 1951, President Bringhurst arrived on the isand, and I was baptized at Imerese, Province of Palermo.  According to the records of the Church, this was apparently the first baptism performed on the Island of Sicily.  Then on April 28, 1956, Entered the Temple at Bern, Switzerland, and received my endowments.

At last, to be in the presence of my Heavenly Father! I felt I had now proved faithful in my second estate, after having serached for and found the true Church by means of an unknown book that I found so many years ago, lying on an open barrel of ashes in the city of New York.

The Cheapest Book in the Store by: Robert E. Wells

     I listened to this experience at a stake conference as told by a member who had been asked to give his testimony about his conversion.

     The brother said he rode to and  from work about an hour each way on a company bus to a sugar mill outside of town.  He liked to read books on the boring ride but did not have the money to buy new books.  he had a favorite bookstore which also sold used and secondhand books.  one day, with very little money, he entered the store and ask the owner what the cheapest big book was, of over two hundred pares, in the entire place.

     The owner pointed to a box of very old books in a corner.  "Those are about to be junked," he said.  "The prices are marked, but I might even lower it more if you find something you like."
     The interested reader dug through the box was a very tattered, coverless, stained, but intact Book of Mormon. He bought it because it had over five hundred pages and was the cheapest book there.  He had already read the koran, the Talmud, and the Bible, so he thought the Book of Mormon would be as educational as any other religious book.  He was a vocacious reader and like the printed word, he explained to the store owner.

     On the bus he started to read the old, beaten Book of Mormon.  He did not mind the double columns with every verse numbered, because he felt it gave a certain dignified importance to each thought.  He did not mind the lack of illustrations, not did he expect any in such a book.  But the spirit of the contents intriqued him.  He like the old-fashioned and unique way the story began.  He followed it carefully, pondering over what he was reading.

     This fellow got all the way to 2 Nephi chapter 2, when something strange began stirring within him...
     The brother giving his conversion story went on to say that as he read in this chapter he felt an urge to pray to God for the first time in his adult life.  He said he had gone to Mass as a boy with his mother until he was about twelve; then, since his father never went, he decided that he was grown up enough that he did not have to go to Mass nor pray anymore.

     Now he offered a simple prayer to God in his mind, saying, God what is this book? What am I feeling? What am I supposed to do about it?

     He said his answer was nothing more that the impression to wait and God would tell him more.  That night, the fellow was reading in his humble home when two missionaries on their way home felt a distinct inspiration to stop at his door.  They followed  the Spirit.  As the man opened the door to their knock, the entry light fell on the Book of Mormon that one of the missionaries held in his hand in such a way that the title was easily visible to him.  he exclaimed, "You've got my book!" The missionary held his book more tightly, "No, this is my book." The fellow explained, "No-it's just that I have never seen a Book of Mormon with a cover on it.  Come on in! I want to talk to you." He later joined the Church.

"What Is That Book?' By: Kevin Stroker

     When Alberto C. Bulseco made the decision to be baptized, he know it might mean the end of his marriage. But "I had feared God all my life," he says.  "I could not reject that which I knew was true."

     Alberto, who would later become president of the Sorsogon District of the Philippines Cebu East Mission, had been looking for the true church for most of his life.  He first heard about the restored gospel during his summer vacation in 1980.  "We stopped at the boardinghouse of my brother, who was then studying in manila, to take a rest before proceeding further north [to where his parents lived].  I have two brothers,and we're very close. Whenever we meet, it has been our practice to discuss scriptures from the Bible and also to talk about religion. Since childhood we have been dissatisfied with the religion our parents taught.''

His brother said Mormon missionaries were coming to their boardinghouse to visit one of the other residents.  Alberto remembered reading about the Mormons in the past and knew they believed in an ancient, but progressive, civilization.  As it happened, the person the missionaries were supposed to visit was not interested, so the two brothers entertained them instead.

The elders, one an American and the other a Fiipino, started by teaching the young men to pray.  Alberto offered the opening.  When he finished, the American missionary began explaining more about prayer, but Alberto's attention was drawn to a blue book half hidden under the Filipino elder's arm.

"I was curious," he recalls.  "I interrupted the missionary and asked what the book was. They were somewhat hesitant to tell me, but i strongly felt that it had something to do with their belief."  He askd for the book, promising to read it.  The missionaries continued to stall, so Alberto insisted that he recieve a copy and swore he would read it.  The elders then gave him the book and explained a little about it before continuing their discusiion.

That discussion largely went unheeded.  "The next things they said were no longer important to me.  I felt that this book would tell me all I needed to know from them.  My enthusiasm to begin reading the Book of Mormon was so intense that I wanted to cut short my vacation."

When he and his wife and child returned home, he finally had time to read.  As he opened the book, he felt some power in it that caused his fingers to tremble.  "A  marvelous feeling engulfed me as I read every line.  I often had to repeat the words and verses just to savor the sweet and satisfying feeling that came from them.  my inspiration in reading the Book of Mormon was very unusual. I almost never got tired and hungry.  To eat was a burden.  I woke up during the middle of the night just to read it."

No other book had caused him to weep as the Book of Mormon did.  It seemed to quench his soul's thirst for spiritual truth.  A month after starting it, he finished reading the book and wanted to be baptized.  the missionaries in Manila had taken down his name and address and had promised to have other missionaries visit him.  However, none had knocked on his door.

Finally, Alberto went searching for the missionaries.  When he found them, he told them he  wanted to be baptized.  They were so surprised they thought Alberto was joking.  But when Alberto testified of the truth of the Book mo Mormon, the missionaries realized he was sincere.  They began teaching him the discussions.  His wife persecuted him for studying and threatened to leave him.  But he said only God could stop him from being baptized.

On August 5, 1980, Alberto was baptized.  "I felt a fulfillment I had never felt in my life," he said.  two years later his wife joined the Church, and they and their four children been sealed in the temple. His parents, brothers, and one sister also have been converted.  All these blessings he attributes to a faith kindled from reading the Book of Mormon.

Sheila Mae Pama and Fred Manguray Love story^^

Maybe this time......Two old friends meet again wearing older faces,and talk about the places they've been,two old sweethearts who feel apart somewhere long ago,How are they'd meet again and have a need for more than reminiscin!!!Maybe this time It'll be lovin they'll find,maybe now they can be more than just friends...........


langga i really mizue so much,i know those sacrifices will turns into a happy ending.......I always luvue everyday and forever.muaaahhhh...

I want to be with you tonight,tommorrow,and today i know it cant happen,but i know langga someday it will,and thats very hard for me almost part of me always missing you....I missed those laughters and tears we used to share when the time weve been through....I REALLY REALLY MISSING YOU.........







Fred D. Manguray: Langga I mis you so much I wont stop loving you.  I wish to be with you for the rest of my life. I work hard for our future, and time will come I will stop working a broad, im planning to shift my job so that I'll be with you everyday. I'm happy with you langga, everyday my love grows and keep it stronger and stronger mwaaaaah!


langga walang iwanan magpakailanman I love u so much!

PAGHAHARAP SA MGA NINUNU NG AGUSH

Kinaumagahan ay alanganin akung tumawid sa makitid na daan patungo sa kabilang burol kaya sabi ko sa kanila na sila nalang ang pumunta dahil magbabantay nalng ako sa daan baka may kalaban na darating.  Sumangayun naman sila aking pasya, ganon din nagging masaya ako ng sinabi ni Leah na magiting daw ako.

Nang paalis na sila ay naramdaman at narinig ko na may gumagalaw sa damuhan naparang may nagmamatyag sa amin. Sabi ko kay Moroni kung narinig nya ang narinig ko at sabi nya baka mga kaluluwa ng ninunu., Nang narinig ko ang salitang yun di nako nag atubili at tumakbo akung tumuwid sa maliit na daan papunta sa kabilang maliit na burol. Nasa isip ko na mabuti nalang at nakatagbo ako palayo kaagad at hindi nahabol ng multo, ngunit hindi ko namalayan na tumawid ako sa maliit na daan na hindi inaantala ang takot ko na mahulog. Narinig ko na sabi ni Moroni sa kabila na maliit na aso ang nakita nilang lumabas. Nagtaka sila bakit nakapunta na ako agad sa kinatatayuan ko at sabi ko daw magbabantay ako sa daanan, sabi ko naman na sinisigurado ko lang na walang patibung  na nakalagay sa daan, ngunit bulong ko naman sa aking sarili pano ako makakatawid pabalik dahil takot ako sa matataas.

Nang makatawid na sila sa daan ay pumasok na kami sa loob.  Sabi sa amin ni Leah na sino man ang matatakot na humarap sa Ninuno ay masusunog hanggang sa maging abu. Pinayuhan ako ni Leah na wag nalang tumuloy pero tumanggi ako at nagsabing sasama ako sa kanila para harapin ang mga ninunu, at isa pa hindi takot ang nararamdaman ko kundi respeto at karangalan sa mga ninunu na syang nagdala sa aming lahi sa mga isla. 

Madilim ang daan papasok, sinabihan kami ni Leah na kunin ang dalawang bato na nakalagay sa sekretong lagayan at gasgasin ang bato na tinutuon sa langis, ginawa namin ang sinabi ni Leah at umapoy ang langis at nagkaroon ng ilaw sa gilid ng aming dadaanan. Nang marating namin ang gitna ay nakita ko na mayroon liwanag na nanggagaling sa butas ng bundok na tumatama sa gitna. 

May bilog na bato na ang gitna ay patag na may taas ng isang talampakan.  Pinalibutan ito ng walong kabaong sabi ni Leah na pumunta kami sa gitna at tinawag nya ang mga ninunu.  Mga ilang minuto ang nakalipas ay mayroong boses kaming narinig na nagsabing “sino ang tumawag sa aming katahimikan,” boses ng pinunu ng mga ninunu namin.  Sabi ni Leah na humihingi kami ng patawad sa aming pag abala sa kanila.  Sabi ng boses na ano ang kailangan namin sa kanila at lumitaw ang walong espirito sa bawat kabaong.

Ang isa ay biglang pumunta sa likod ko at nagtanong ng aking pangalan.  Hindi naman nakakatakot ang kanilang mukha tulad ng isang bangkay kundi katulad din namin silang mga tao yun nga lang wala silang katawan.  Sinabi ko naman na nagmula ako sa Isla ng Zarahemla sa Isla ng pag-asa at ang pangalan ko ay Abraham, sabi nya naman na ako ang unang itinakda. Tinanong ako ng espirito kung natatakot ako sa kanila, sabi ko ng buong katapatan na hindi ngunit isang karangalan na makita ko sila.

Dahil sa kanila mayroon kaming mapayapang buhay. Nakita kung umiyak ang isang espirito na nanay. Ngunit sabi ng Pinunu na nagtatanong kung Masaya ako, sabi ko naman na oo na nagsisimula ng matakot dahil nagsimula na syang magalit. Sabi ng pinunu na bakit daw ako masaya na maraming nagdurusang mga katulad namin sa labas ng Isla, na naghihintay sa aming pagdating, na umaasa, maraming pinapatay, kinakain, inaalipin. Tinanong nya ako uli kung masaya ako, sabi ko na umiiyak na hindi.

Dugtong pa nya nabilang isang pinunu isipin ang kapakanan ng ibang tao kaysa sariling kapakanan. Mga ilang sandali napanatag na sya at nagtanong. Tinanong kami kung ano ang aming layunin, sinabi ni Leah nahinihingi ang ang kanilang pahintulot ng pagsasalin ng karapatan ng itinakda. Mula sa kanya patungo sa kanyang kapatid na si Moroni. Nagpulong ang mga Ninuno ng sandali, at kinalaunan sinabi sa amin na pumapayag sila.  Sinimulan na ang pagsalin ng karapatan sa dalawang magkapatid, umupo silang dalawa nasalikuran si Leah habang nilalagay nya ang kanyang dalawang kaway sa likod ni Moroni at nakita kung lumilipat ang lunar mula kay Leah patungo kay Moroni.

Pagkatapos na maisalin nagpaalam na si Leah sa amin dahil pwedi na syang magpahinga sa mundo ng mga espirito. Malungkot na panahon sa dalawang magkapatid, tinanong sya ni Moroni kung magkikita pa sila, sabi naman ni Leah na siguradong magkikita silang mag-anak sa pagdating ng tamang panahon. Pagkatapos magpaalam ang dalawa sa isat-isa ay pinuntahan ako ni Leah at hinalikan sa pisngi.  

Ang mga ninunu ay nagbigay sa amin ng payo, nagbigay ng basbas, at nagpaalam narin. Puno kami ng pag-asa sa mga oras nayun at dahan-dahan akung namulat sa aking mission at layunin bakit ako pinanganak sa mundong ito.

Nang makalabas kami sa kweba ay tinulungan ako ni Moroni na makatawid sa makitid na daanan at nakarating kami ng maaga bago lumubog ang araw at nagsimula ng maglakbay.

PALIGSAHAN SA ISLA NG AGUSH-IKALAWANG ITINAKDA

Bago mag bukang Liway-way halos lahat ng nasa Isla ay nasa lugar na ng paligsahan, ilang mga sandali humudyat na si tandang Helaman na simulan na ang paligsahan sa Isla ng Agush, Isla ng hangin. Lahat ng kabataang lalaki ay nagsimula ng pumunta sa gitna at nagsimulang palutangin ang bato na kasing laki ng aking kamao na inilagay sa gita na kung sino man ang makakapaglutang sa eri ay sya nyang gagawing ikalawang disipulo at lahat ng kabataang lalake at babae ay kailangan dumaan sa pagsubok.

Ngunit gamitin man nila ang kanilang  buong lakas at kapangyarihan ay nahihirapan silang palutangin ang bato na parang isang bundok ang bigat nito, pero ng kanila itong hawakan ay magaan lang ang bato tulad ng isang kapirasong papil.   Tinanong ko si tandang Heleman kung paano, sabi nya sa akin na sa pamamagitan ng bato  malalaman nya kung sino ang itinakda dahil iilaw ito at sya lng ang makakakita,  pag nalaman nya ay sya nyang pakakawalan ang kandado ng bigat ng bato at lulutang ito, ibig sabihin, ang itinakda lamang ang kayang makapagpapaangat ng bato.

Dumating na ang oras na hinihintay ko pumagitna na si Moroni, nang tingnan nya ang bato at simulang palutangin at hindi ito lumulutang.  Nagtka ako dahil malaki ang aking tiwala na sya ang ikalawang itinakda na mangagagaling sa Isla ng Agush.  Nang tingnan ko uli si Moroni ay nakita ko na parang may kinakausap sya na katabi. At nang tiningnan nya uli ang bato ay lumutang ito at sabi ko sa aking sarili na sya nga ang itinakda at hindi ako nagkakamali.

Sabi sa akin ni Tandang Helaman na mayroong mali.  Nung una daw ay hindi nya naramdaman na si Moroni ang itinakda ngunit biglang nag iba ang kapangyarihan pagkatapos ng ikalawang subok at lumiwanag ang bato.

Sa kabilang banda tuwang-tuwa naman ang mga magulang at ka Isla na may roong itinakda sa kanilang Isla.  Pinuntahan sya ni tandang Helaman at nagsabi na kaming tatlo ay mag-uusap.  Nagtinginan kami ni Moroni at sumunod kay tandang Helaman sa taas ng burol sa di kalayuan sa mga tao. Sinabi ni tandang Helaman kay Moroni na alam nya kung ano ang nais na itatanong sa kanya. Kaya nagtapat na si Moroni, dahil sa kanyang kapatid kaya nya nagawa na palutangin ang bato. 

Bulong ko saking sarili na paano magkakaroon ng kapatid si moroni dahil mag-isa lamang sya sa gitna kanina.  Sinabi nya na ang kanyang kapatid ay namatay ng nakaraang taon dahil sa malubhang karamdaman at sabi ng kanyang kapatid na darating ang araw na si Moroni daw ang papalit sa kanya bilang itinakda. Ang kanyang kapatid ay mayroon lunar sa likuran.  Simbulo ng hangin, Nanindig ang aking balahibo nang narinig ko na may kapatid pala si Moroni na multo, kaya tinanong ko sya kung nandito ba ang kanyang kapatid ngayun sabi naman nya ay oo, at subra na akong natakot, nagtanong ako na nanginginig ang boses habang nilalamig ang buo kung katawan. Tanong ko kay Moroni kung nasaan sya banda.  Sabi ni Moroni ay nasa kanan ko.

Nang tumingin ako ng dahan-dahan sa aking kanan ay nakita ko ang mukha ng babae.  Isa syang magandang multo, ngunit huli na ang lahat dahil umihi na ako sa aking pantaloon dahil sa takot. Nagsalita sya na, kumusta daw at tinanong ako kung natakot ako. Sabi ko naman na hindi, dahil sanay ako sa mga multo, maraming multo sa Isla namin at nagmayabang na sa katunayan na naglalaro pa sa kanila.  Tinanong nya ako kung bakit basa ang aking pantaloon.  Sagot ko namanna siguro may na upoan lng na basa. 

Ngumiti sya at nagpakilala na ang pangalan nya ay  Leah at nagagalak nya akung makilala at masaya sya dahil sa aking katapangan. Ngumiti ako sa aking narinig ngunit ng tumingin ako sa mga mata ni tandang Helaman ay tumahimik na ako.

Sabi sa amin ni Leah na kung tatanggapin ni tandang Helaman si Moroni bilang estudyante nya ay isasalin nya ang itinakdang karapatan kay Moroni, nung una ay hindi pumayag si tandang Helaman at sabi naman ni Leah na hindi sya makakapunta sa mundo ng paraiso kung hindi nya maiibigay ang karapatang  na yun kay Moroni at hindi maikasatuparan ang Propesya.

Sabi sa amin ni tandang Helaman na maari lamang na mangyari ang pagsasalin kung kakausapin namin ang mga ninunu ng isla ng Agosh at hihingin ang kanilang pahintulot. Sabi naman namin kung paano mangyayari dahil matagal nang namatay ang mga Ninuno nila.  Sabi naman ni Tandang Helaman na dapat kaming pumunta sa ipinagbabawal na lugar sa kasunod na lumulutang na isla para kausapin ang ang mga Espirito ng mga ninunu nila ni Moroni at gawin ang serimonya ng pagsalin ng karapatan ng Itinakda.

Dugtong pa ni tandang Helamani na dapat makakabalik kami sa itinakdang oras bago lumubog ang araw kinabukasan, kung hindi, hihinto ang mission at malalagay sa kapahamakan ang lahat.  Sumangayun naman si Moroni at ang kanyang kapatid, nagprisinta akung sumama sa kanila ngunit nagpaiwan si tandang Helaman dahil may batas silang mga NINUNO na hindi sila pweding magkita hanggang hindi dumarating ang itinakdang panahon.  Hindi na kami nagsayang pa ng oras at nagsimula nang maglakbay patungo sa ikalawang bundok na lumulutang para gumawa ng kasunduan sa mga espiritong ninuno nila Moroni at Leah. Naglakbay kami ng ilang mga oras hanggang makarating kami sa hangganan at gabi na. Nakita ko ang daan papunta sa kabila, isang burol na ang taas ay apat na palapag na lumulutang na ang daanan lamang ang nagdudugtung sa aming kinatatayuan, nagpahinga muna kami ng gabing yun.

Moroni Ikalawang Itinakda

Kinagabihan ay kinamusta ako ni Moroni, tinanong ko sya tungkol sa kanyang kapangyarihan at ang sabi nya sa akin na nang bata  pa sya ay napagalaman nya na may roon syang ganong kapangyarihan ng pinagalitan sya ng kanyang ama, nagalit sya at pumunta sa tabing ilog, kumuha ng bato at itinapon sa ilog at sumabog ito.sabi pa nya na hindi nya kayang kuntrolin ang elemento ng hangin ngunit lahat ng mahahawakan nya ay pwedi nyang gawing pasabok pag itoy kanyang binitawan.

Mabilis ang aking pag galling isa- dalawang araw lang ay humilom at bumalik na sa kundisyon ang aking katawan, sa buong buhay ko ang alam ko lang na hindi ako nagkakasakit.  Nang naghilum at gumaling ako ng dalawang araw ay napag-alaman ko na mayroon akung kakayahan na hilumin ang aking mga sugat kaya pala hindi ako namatay ng gabing ginulpi ako at nabali ang maraming buto sa aking katawan.

Pinakilala ako ni Moroni sa kanyang pamilya, at nag-alok na doon kami manatili hanggang matapos ang paligsahan, pumayag naman si Tandang Helaman.

Dumating ang araw ng paligsahan madami ang dumalo, pinakilala ako ni Tandang Helamansa lahat na ako ang unang estudyante nya na nanggaling sa Isla ng Zarahemla, Isla ng pag-asa. Namangha ang lahat dahil akala nila na kathang-isip lang ang islang yun.  Nakita ko rin ang kadalagahan sa lugar nila na tinitingnan ako na ngumingiti, nang itaas ko ang aking kamay para kumaway ay binatukan ako ni Tandang Helaman at nagsabing alam nya ang aking iniisip, napahiya tuloy ako sa aking sarili.