January 06,2017
Thank you. The support we have received these past months from family, friends, medical staff, neighbors and my mothers ward family has been substantial and essential. We cannot sufficiently express the gratitude we have for each of you. Memorable moments that will always be cherished. The answer to our prayers, a blessing to us and the rays of sun in the path of our lives. Our dear mother, and we, her children, wanted you to know this and I know that our father is grateful to you as well.
My mother came into this world in a beautiful island in the Philippines called Samar on September 24, 1930 Her parents loved her and spoiled her with things she need and wants. She was smart, dedicated and beautiful. She was a loving friend, a sister and a caring daughter.
She met our Father on a date. A common friend set them up. They told them that they match and should get married. My mother fell for father as he was a man with good looks, and was working as a health personnel administering vaccinations in rural areas, she probably thought that he being a medical personnel was a good catch. My father fell in love with her as well, as she was such a beautiful woman with a Mona Lisa smile as my father would fondly sing that Mona Lisa song to her as all of her children remembered that wonderful voice of my father while mother joins with him singing that beautiful melody.
Mama's dreams were fulfilled through the sacred calling of motherhood. She was a wife and a mother. She accomplished that goal. She was sealed to my father for “Time and All Eternity” in the Manila Philippines Temple. Mother knows in her heart that families can be forever. She knew that every child sealed to her could be with her in the next life.
We believe in forever, not just “till death do us part.” Mama will always be our mother, here and in the next life, hand-in-hand with Papa. She did not just believe it, she knew it, and would never doubt that her family would be united in the eternities. We know that families can be together forever.
When my father died in 1984 my mother became a widow and instantly had to take care of 10 children. She was 54 years-old and was immediately faced with the burden but she pushed forward, and accomplished the task with the help of her older children who stood with her emotionally and financially.
When Papa passed, 4 of her 10 children served LDS missions and 4 other grandchildren served missions and 2 currently serving.
In March of 2011 mother migrated here in the USA.
A year and a few months later she went back to visit the Philippines. She had a heat stroke and had paralysis. My siblings and their families back in the Philippines nourished her back to health and was able to walk again.
Her health fluctuated from good to bad. Her heart condition; an obstructive thyroid, white blood cells abnormalities, cataract, hearing loss and old age were contributing to mothers health declination, but she was a fighter and she loved life and even loved shopping. She worries about grey hair, and a couple of times I was her hairdresser, buying and coloring her hair, and never complained no matter how messy my hairdressing services were. All of my siblings and their loved ones served mama well. From doctors appointments, her health needs, financial and emotional support all things that a mother desired from all of her children were met. Her health was failing, but her mind was well and active, always yearning to be with children. We are so grateful of the two life changing events that happened to my mother while living here in Twin falls. From Dr.Jason Halverson for enabling my mother to see perfectly once again after cataract removal and enjoyed to see the beauty of the things around her. To Dr.Gregg Schroeder for making her hear earths life beautiful sounds. For that she was and we as a family will forever be grateful for their unselfish love and for their perfect understanding of the word charity. To all of our brother-in-laws, to Bishop Seals, whom my mother calls Brandon, Jim and Randy whom she enjoyed all of their companies yet get embarrassed when she's caught in moments when she needed help. My siblings and I will always be indebted to these worthy priesthood holders, who supported their wives a hundredfold. To my brother-in-laws in Australia, who supported their wives of their unfailing love for mother, my sister in laws, and to all of mothers grandchildren and great grandchildren who loved her and misses her now more than ever.
Our families are always in contact with each other, even on a day to day basis. We thank this technology that has made it possible for us to communicate from around the globe and update us on what is happening among our families. Even mother learned to use Facebook messenger.
when my sister Venus called that very night while I was driving my son to ER, I thought it was just another episode where her lungs had filled up with water again, and that in a couple days she'll be back home., only to find out a day later that she had a heart failure, and medical personnel tried to save her but her organs were failing.
She was fighting until the end. The day Brandon took my mother to St Luke's, she could hardly breath, and Brandon had to carry her to the car, in spite of her condition she even managed to laugh because she was embarrassed that Bishop Seals had to carry her to the car.
There is always hope for a miracle, we prayed for miracle, but as always it's our Heavenly fathers will, and His will be done. A few days prior mother told my sister Tess to prepare her temple clothing, and told her that they will have to cloth her when she passes away. Perhaps a sign that the heavens door had started to open for a heavenly daughter to come back home, where a Heavenly Father and Mother is waiting.
How quickly everything changed.
Within a day or two that mama was in the hospital. Things have changed and has drawn Mother's earthly life to a close.
We are on this earth to have joy and we had many blessings to count.
She was not scared to die, but she loved life. She fought a good fight. She endured to the end. She knew her Father in Heaven had accepted her life's work. I can only hope that her example, for even just a moment.
We her children are honored to carry on our parent’s legacy of faith, they expect nothing less. We miss them terribly, but don't worry, we'll be with them again.
To close, I am going to read the words with you my mother’s favorite hymn:
I have a family here on earth
They are so good to me.�I want to share my life with them through all eternity.�
• 2. While I am in my early years,�I'll prepare most carefully,�So I can marry in God's temple for eternity.�
• Chorus�Fam'lies can be together forever�Through Heav'nly Father's plan.�I always want to be with my own family,�And the Lord has shown me how I can.�The Lord has shown me how I can.�
