A Big Sister's Request to the Young Girls

Dear girls,

I have once been a teenager. I know what it feels to like boys. These associations can be fun and amazing but these can also lead to some serious dilemmas. I am a big sister to two wonderful boys. This is my request to you.

I was 5 when my Mama told my sister and I that we will be having another sibling. Even now, I still can remember how thrilled I was. Every time I'm asked to pray, I would specifically ask Heavenly Father that our new baby would be a boy. I would ask the person who will offer the prayer to remind Heavenly Father of that request. Imagine how happy we all were when Liam was born. He was an answered prayer.

When I was 6, I asked Mama over dinner to buy me a Barbie doll for a Christmas gift. She smiled and told me "How about a baby brother?" In 1998, Louie was born. He was better than any Barbie doll.

Why am I telling this to you? Because I want you to know that my brothers mean a lot to me. I love them, I want them to be happy, I want them to be good boys and I want them to be pure despite all the temptations in the world. Call me a hovering sister, but I fear so much for them. The adolescent years are trying times and  I don't know what challenges and temptations they are facing. I cannot battle the adversary in behalf of my brothers. But I can ask for YOUR help.

I don't know all of you. I don't know your associations with my brothers or how you and them became acquainted. You may be girls they love, girls they adore, girls they respect and girls they have crushes on. I don't know you all personally but this request is for all the girls my brothers know: PLEASE HELP THEM REMAIN GOOD AND VIRTUOUS.

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are taught that young women are guardians of virtue. We have great power to help our young boys to be better by helping them be pure. We are Mormons and my brothers have the responsibility to serve on a mission when they reach the age of 18. You play a great part in making sure they are worthy to take this responsibility. It's their responsibility to the Lord.

What can you do to help?

Please, help them retain their sexual purity. For guys, when one male is still a virgin, you are a laughing stock. Some guys tend to believe this. Girls, please please please help my brothers know that this is not true. Help them by expressing your belief that saving one's self before marriage is never ridiculous. Be someone who is brave enough to change the topic when you think you're talking really sensitive stuff. Please be wise enough to respect yourself and my brothers.

Girls, please be modest both in appearance and in your actions. Stand firm in your decision to not engage in any physical relationship before you have a ring on your wedding finger.  Help my brothers think clean, act clean and be clean. I will forever be thankful to you. The Lord will also be thankful to you for you have not taken away from my brothers their chance of serving Him a mission.

Also, please encourage them to be the best that they can be. Please help them realize the responsibility that is in their hands. Some young men forget about their sacred responsibility. Be the kind of girl who wants what's best for my brothers.

Lastly, be brave girls. Please do it for me. Be brave enough to correct them when what they are doing is wrong. My parents could reprimand them, I could give them a pretty long sermon, but you have no idea what effect girls they respect could have on them. You could affect his decisions and his actions. Your standards will influence them. You are stars in their world, MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

I know these requests are hard and they require a lot of patience, love and complete unselfishness. But this is necessary. The Devil knows what my brothers are capable of. He is powerful. But girls, WHEN (not IF) we truly become guardians of my brothers' virtue and purity, we can fight him.

I will forever be thankful to you. My brothers' future wives will be grateful. Our Heavenly Father will be so very happy.

Help me, girls.

From a sister who is counting so much on you,
Giulia

Repentance and a Dislocated Shoulder

The physical pain I was feeling since yesterday brought to me a realization about one of the most precious gifts of all: repentance.

I woke up well and good one Saturday morning. I needed be early that day for our 7:30 Business Law Examinations. I came to school right on time and took the exams fairly okay. I did not feel anything bad.

Until the noon came.

After I had lunch, I felt pain on my right shoulder. I tried moving it in a rotating motion but everytime I did, a stinging pain would make me say "Ouuuuch". By sunset, the pain worsened. I kept recalling any incident that might have caused the misfortune but I could not think of any. Feeling like a medical doctor, I tried to massage my shoulders for I was thinking the stinging sensation must only be because of a strained muscle. As the night progressed, I found it even harder to move my right arm. Thinking that the pain would be alleviated by morning, I went to bed early with the hope that the awful state of my right shoulder will be lessened.

I was wrong. 

When I woke up, I noticed that the pain intensified and that it was now accompanied by a burning sensation. I kept clamoring to my Mama that my shoulders hurt so bad. After having enough, my Mama offered some pretty scary suggestion: "Why don't we go to someone who knows how to do some hilot? Your shoulder might need it". I shook my head and was adamant with my "I don't want to go. Hilot is painful!" (Hilot, by the way, is a traditional Filipino way of healing strained muscles and other body pains). Then she told me "it's better to experience the pain of hilot now than to endure with that shoulder for 3 more days". Then and there, I realized she was indeed right.

We went to the "manog-hilot" (one who performs the hilot) and I nervously sat on the chair waiting for him to do the excruciating process. I was afraid since I know the "manog-hilot" would twist and turn and bend my hand like it does not have any infirmity. I was sore nervous. However, I endured the pain. Afterwards, I felt nothing but little pain. I was happy to know my agony was over. I knew my shoulder's process of healing will soon begin.

I have thought about this experience and I can tell that this can be similar to our experience with repentance. There are moments in our lives that would bring about so many pains to us. Some of us would be brave enough to find ways to heal the wound immediately. Some of us would think the guilt and pain of sin will just vanish away come morning light. Some of us get disappointed and always hurt when we find out that we can't just "sleep on it". It will hurt when we discover that the pain is worse than ever. Loving family members and friends would come to us and offer us help. Help can come from them giving us strength to go to the Bishop and ask for help. Some of us would be very afraid to come and ask for spiritual help because we have already placed in our minds that the process is so painful and that the bishop might twist and turn and bend us. Some know that indeed the road to repentance is not easy. It entails a lot of pain and regret. However, I know that some people can bravely say that after the repentance process with the help of their Bishops, they felt whole. I'm sure they're happy with their choice to seek help than to procrastinate and feel sorrow for many more days. They felt at peace. They were confident that the process of healing will soon begin.

We should never take the gift of repentance for granted. This is a precious and marvelous gift. It is Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ's proof of mercy and love toward us. The process might be painful but it's all worth it. Any pain felt from the sins will be gone and a peaceful feeling will envelope you and you can finally say "The healing will soon begin". :)