I chose to put our First Child in a branch without leaves. For me, it serves as a reminder that she has already passed away, who is spiritually holding the leaves in motivating us to grow strong spiritually.
Those years of our stay in Cebu were so painful, but she remains in our hearts. Here name is Shammahel, and I took it from Hebrew words that mean "There is God".
From the Conference talk titled "We Each Have a Story" By Elder Gerrit W. Gong
Ties with ancestors increase family closeness, gratitude, miracles. Such ties can bring help from the other side of the veil.
God wants our families to be happy and forever. Forever is too long if we make each other unhappy. Happy is too short if cherished relationships stop with this life.
Lately, before we leave to attend the sacrament service, I realized something a letter on my journal entry that I said on that day that to all of the people I know, before I leave a letter or a note to all of my Family my relatives and even friends that I know before I passed away. The reason for that is we will all be forgotten after we die after generations passed. No other ways that your days and efforts be remembered only parts of our stories.
Elder Gong, in his talk he added -
Through sacred covenants, Jesus Christ offers His love, power, and grace to change us and heal our relationships. Selfless temple service for dear ones makes our Savior’s Atonement real for them and us. Sanctified, we can return home to God’s presence as families united eternally.
Even though we all be forgotten, the blessings of the temple helps us as a reminder to those people who passed that leaves a legacy for us to know that they Love us and doing their very best for their family.
God wants everyone to be happy eternally and feel the same Joy they have now.
I continue his quote and he said -
"Each of our stories is a journey still in progress, as we discover, create, and become with possibilities beyond imagination.
The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “It may seem to some to be a very bold doctrine that we talk of—a power which records or binds on earth and binds in heaven.” The sociality we create here can exist with eternal glory there. Indeed, “we without [our family members] cannot be made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect,” that is, in “a whole and complete and perfect union.”
What are we gonna do? How can we bind our family?
"Make time—discover eternity—at each stage of your journey. Learn and acknowledge with gratitude and honesty your family heritage. Celebrate and become the positive and, where needed, humbly do everything possible not to pass on the negative. Let good things begin with you."
Doctrine and Covenants 128
15 And now, my dearly beloved brethren and sisters, let me assure you that these are principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation. For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, as Paul says concerning the fathers—that they without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we without our dead be made perfect.
16 And now, in relation to the baptism for the dead, I will give you another quotation of Paul, 1 Corinthians 15:29: Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?
We don't believe that the dead will not rise at all, every one young or old, rich or poor, bond or free, righteous and wicked. Everyone will rise again with their glorified Body. Everyone will soon realize how important it was, our bond together, and that families are forever.
Excerpts from one of my talks in Bulawen Branch Meeting, May 22, 2022