A Sad Story and later a Happy Fantastic Baptism in the Ocean.

Dear Family and Friends,

We have a wonderful story to tell of a family. 
   A woman named Rouselle Suque was 40 years old, blind, and not married.  She was taught the Missionary Discussions and was baptized last year June 2014.  She would be accompanied by an older man, Brother Dela Reyna to Church.

   Sadly, with her diabetes, she died at the end of the year. 

The custom here in the Philippines is to display the casket at the home for 1 week before the funeral, posting a large plastic sign of info and picture.  Then the family and friends walk with the hearse, along the road to the cemetary. Here is an example of a funeral procession.

There were two funerals for Rouselle by the family at the home, a Catholic one, and we went to the LDS funeral, later that day.  We felt the Spirit strongly.  

   As we were leaving, we heard a wee voice calling to us, behind a blanketed door of a room.  It reminded me of the Carl Bloch painting of Jesus lifting a drape to view an ill man....(Our Church purchased this wall-sized painting, it is at BYU Museum of Art).

We met Rouselle's sister, Rhona who was bed-ridden, she couldn't walk or use an arm.  She told us she wanted to be baptized!  We told the Missionaries about her, and she began the Discussions. She came to Church in her wheelchair with her Mother and friends.

It was decided for her to be baptized in the ocean. We met at the Church Feb.28, 2015. Our pic is with Sisters Casipit, De Guzman, and Brother Dela Reyna, Elder Ng,and Elder Arrington.

Because they did not use the font at the Church, the other two investigators, Leanne Bayonito and young Remuel Dela Cruz came too.

   
We were all a happy group to see these great people decide to join the true Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Lord provided a beautiful day.
In the Book of Mormon, Alma asked those who he had been teaching:

Mosiah 18:8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; 
 :9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—

This baptism was done at the "waters" of the San Fabian beach in the South China sea.  Elder Roberts has been in this sea at a different, more trying situation, when in 1970, he was a soldier of the US Army in Vietnam .
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
 Leanne and Remuel had a happy baptism day. (The wind was blowing my skirt, so I tied it on the side.) Camille in the color stripe shirt calls me MOM because her name is like my daughter Elizabeth's middle name.

Again, we read in the Book of Mormon...

Mosiah 18:10  Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

 11 And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts.

Here is Remuel after his baptism.

Their Mothers are happy too.

Now it was time for Rhona.  Here also is Branch President Tesada, Elders Andrews, Arrington and Tippets. 

The Missionary Elders carried her to the waters of baptism. Elders Estrada, Ng,and Lat assisted too.

Rhona was so excited and happy to be baptized.  What a wonderful, happy blessed day to witness this! It is a day to remember in our lives.

The beautiful sun was setting as we left the beach.

We went back  to the Church for the closing song, remarks and prayer. 

Elder Roberts noticed her wheelchair squeaking. He served again with some WD40 - always prepared.  Rhona thanked us with her tears.

 We close this memorable blog story with the picture of a painting by Harry Andersen depicting the baptism of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  He was obedient of His Father in Heaven to be baptized to enter the Kingdom of God, though he was perfect, without sin.

May we all choose to be like the Savior, and be baptized as he was, to become members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  And may we remember our baptismal covenants each day, which is said above in this blog, in the Book of Mormon, Mosiah 18.

Love,
Elder and Sister Roberts.