Filipino Saints Light the World in 2020 Despite Pandemic

2020 might have been a very challenging year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but that didn’t stop members of the Church from expressing gratitude and letting their light shine in serving others, all the way up to Christmas!

In the midst of difficult conditions, Filipino Latterday Saints were able to spread goodness as they took to social media to express gratitude via the “Give Thanks” initiative announced by President Russell M. Nelson, using the hashtag #GiveThanks.

The Church also invited the public to join in the initiative via a rebroadcast of the #GiveThanks invitational video on GMA News TV (GNTV 27) which included a special interview with Elder Taniela B. Wakolo of the Philippines Area Presidency, and various forms of outdoor advertising.

On November 29, the annual Christmas Lighting Program of the Manila Philippines Temple was done virtually via the Church’s social media accounts due to COVID-19 restrictions. The program was led by members of the Philippines Area Presidency: Elder Taniela B. Wakolo, Elder Steven R. Bangerter, and Elder Yoon Hwan Choi, who were accompanied by their wives.

The event kicked off the Church’s #LightTheWorld initiative, in which people were invited to follow the example of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, by caring for individuals one by one throughout the month of December.

The event featured inspiring videos such as “Hope Shines Bright”, which extended an invitation to do good during Christmas by using a daily calendar of 25 simple ways to serve others, and another one showing the COVID-19 response projects of Latter-day Saint Charities, the humanitarian arm of the Church, as it partnered with local government units (LGUs) and other groups in providing hygiene kits.

Institutions, faith groups, families and individuals from different locations also joined by raising brightly-lit Filipino Christmas lanterns, known as “parol”, as a symbolic way of sharing their light to others.

Remember the successful #LightTheWorld Giving Machines placed in malls last 2019? On December 15, 2020, a virtual Light the World Giving Machines handover of donations to partner beneficiaries was held by Latterday Saint Charities. Celebrities Jairus Aquino, Eric and Rona Tai, Chantal Videla and Xia Vigor joined the Philippines Area Presidency and Latter-day Saint Charities representatives Elder Carlos Revillo and Jairus Perez in handing symbolic checks to representatives of Caritas Manila, UNICEF Philippines and HERO Foundation.

Some might call 2020 a sad year due to the health crisis which afflicted the world, but for the Saints in the Philippines and elsewhere, 2020 became a shining opportunity to #GiveThanks, #LightTheWorld, and help begin 2021 on a more positive note by continuing to spread gratitude, goodness and the glow of the gospel of Jesus Christ.