2025 Philippines Area Priority Focus
How One Man’s Testimony Led His Family To Church . . . And The Temple
How can the 2025 Philippines Area Priorities help lead families to the temple? Members can find a pattern and inspiration in the wonderful experience of the Santos family.
Jerusalem “Jerome” Santos grew up in a Latter-day Saint family, active in the Church. As he transitioned to adulthood, Jerome however drifted away from full activity and got busy with other pursuits. He found work, got married, and raised a family of two daughters.
But something kept coming back to his mind through all the years: his testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Living in Sorsogon City in Bicol, Jerome started searching for the nearest Church meetinghouse and found a member who oriented him with the location and time of Sunday services.
The following week, Elder Lagrimas and Elder Maximo of the Philippines Legazpi Mission happened to be in Jerome’s neighborhood and felt inspired to approach him as he was fixing the tarpaulin of the family’s sari-sari store. “Can we help you?” Elder Lagrimas asked. “It’s alright, I’m done already,” Jerome replied. “Thank you, Elders.”
Sensing he was a Latter-day Saint, the missionaries befriended Jerome, who opened his home to them. They discovered that his wife Maryjane and daughters Rahda Israel and Tamara Elijah were not Church members. Jerome asked the missionaries to teach his family.
“At first, my wife was hesitant because of her family’s religious background,” Jerome recalls, “but as we went along the Elders were able to address her questions and concerns.” More importantly, Maryjane learned something that impacted her deeply: their family could be forever not just for this life but for eternity.
Jerome desired to personally baptize his family, who had all agreed to join the Church. However, because he had been away from the Church for so long, his membership record had to be located. Jerome contacted his former youth leaders for help, and they helped him access a Church hotline number which helped resolve his membership record concerns.
On September 30, 2023, Brother Santos baptized his wife and their two daughters. “I was so overjoyed!” beams Maryjane in describing that special day.
Now that they were walking the covenant path together, the Santos family worked out their goal: to become worthy of a temple recommend and be sealed as a family. They became active members of Bacon Branch in Legazpi Stake, attending sacrament meeting and accepting callings. The branch leaders also helped prepare the family to become worthy.
Finally, on December 17, 2024, the Santos family was sealed for time and all eternity in the Manila Philippines Temple. “I was so happy to enter the temple and be sealed to my family,” Tamara, 9, smiles. “For me,” Rahda, 14, adds, “I felt so much closer to Jesus Christ in His House.”
Looking back, Brother Jerusalem Santos knows that the Lord, through his Saints, was mindful of him: “I know that Jesus Christ really has a plan for us, both individually and as a family.”