THE CHURCH HISTORY JUBILEE PANELS

Elder Bird Showing Entrance to Jubilee Exhibit

First Four Panels Used in the Exhibit

Second Four Panels Used in the Exhibit

Ancient Israel was commanded to celebrate every 50th year, since their delivery from captivity, as a Jubilee year. Many special things happened in that year as a part of the celebration. 2011 is the 50th year since the restored gospel of Jesus Christ was introduced in the Philippines......thus it is a Jubilee year. Much celebration and much service is being done all over this land. It is significant that Elder Teh ( member of First Quorum of the Seventy and a Filipino) was assigned to be the Area President. We feel so very privileged to serve a mission here during their Jubilee year. Since the Church History Jubilee Exhibit is a large part of what we are now doing in the Philippines, I wanted to show briefly what they entail. Click on each collage of pictures to enlarge them. The order they should be viewed is upper left to upper right and then lower left to lower right. They are numbered 1-8 below so you can read what each panel is about. (Example: #1 would be the first collage picture upper left)

1. This introductory panel briefly traces the history of the Church from the time of Joseph Smith and fast forwards to the arrival of the Church in the Philippines. It starts with the arrival of LDS servicemen in 1944, marks the dedication of the land for the preaching of the gospel by Elder Joseph Fielding Smith at Clark Air Base on August 21, 1955, the special service conducted by Elder Gordon B. Hinckley at Fort McKinley on April 28, 1961 to commence missionary work in the Philippines and the consequent arrival of the first four missionaries from Hong Kong on June 5, 1961.

2. This panel emphasizes the central role that the Savior Jesus Christ plays in Latter-day Saint doctrine. It also shows the link between the New Testament and The Book of Mormon by showing Christ’s visit to the Nephites after He described them in John 10:16 as the “other sheep.”

With this panel, we want our non-LDS friends to realize that we are truly Christian and that we follow the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.

3. One of the most important aspects of the Latter-day Saint way of life is the importance we place on families and our belief that “families are forever.” All of the programs and other activities in the Church are held in order to prepare individuals and families to enter the temple and participate in sacred ordinances.

The sacred nature of these ordinances requires that only qualified members of the Church (those who have been baptized for more than a year and satisfy strict requirements as determined by the bishop) may enter the temple and take part. Holy covenants are entered into and frequent temple attendance is recommended to help members stay true to these covenants.

4. Latter-day Saints believe that the “family unit is the most important organization” and that all gospel-teaching should aim to improve the quality of life at home.

This panel depicts various activities that families do at home in order to help strengthen individual testimonies and family relationships. When religiously done, these activities will result to a home that serves as a safe haven from the trials and temptations of the world.

5. This panel reveals the answer to the three golden questions about the purpose of life. Where did I come from? Why am I here? What happens to me when I die?

All these questions are answered in the great plan of happiness, God’s plan for our salvation. It emphasizes the importance of knowing that we lived with our Heavenly Father before we were born on earth and that he devised the plan that would give us the opportunity to live on earth and gain physical bodies. Life on this earth is meant to be a test to see if we will develop our faith in Him and keep His commandments. After this life, if we have proven ourselves faithful, we will gain entry to His presence once again.

6. As believers in the concept of the restoration, we affirm that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the exact same Church that the Lord Himself established when He walked the earth.

This is why we have in the Church today a living prophet, apostles and other leaders serving in the various offices of the priesthood.

7. Believing that one of the purposes of life here on earth is to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, one of the most important values fostered among Latter-day Saints is to care for others with charity, which is the pure love of Christ.

Latter-day Saint Charities, sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is an application of Jesus Christ’s admonition to help the needy. We have sponsored relief and development projects in 167 countries. This assistance is rendered without regard to race, religious affiliation, or nationality and is based on the core principles of personal responsibility, community support, self–reliance, and sustainability. The assistance we render is made possible by generous donations of cash and in–kind materials from members and friends of the Church.

8. This final panel will be dedicated to the local area where the exhibit is being displayed. The stake or district organizing the exhibit will have to do extensive research on the early days of the Church in their city, municipality, province or region.