Tonight I chatted with one of my security OIC's in Cebu by way of Face Book. He likes to call me "mom" and I call him "son." Story behind that is when we were there at the Cebu Temple dedication I would tell my guys that they are all my "sons" . They all liked that but Manny Franciso liked it the best. On the evening after the cultural celebration we were at the Cebu Temple complex taking pictures of some of the brethren before they all retired to their rooms at the Temple Patron Housing. While I was taking pictures, Manny came over by me taking pictures and telling me...."I am going to stand by my mom and take pictures too" I smiled at him and was pleased but then he told me that his mother had died when he was just four months old and his father had died also at the age of 49. He had no brothers or sisters and had to keep a watch on his father while he was in the hospital with a severe heart condition from which he died. Manny told me that he felt so alone until he heard the missionaries speak about the purpose of life and joined the church at 16.
We chatted about some of his struggles with his in-laws who didn't like him and were not members at the time. Now his wife's family are all members and love Manny very much. He has been blessed. So I told him that I would miss him and to remember that Elder Burningham and I love him very much and would miss him. The following is what he had said to me over chat.
"So do I Mom. My family loves you too we will always remember once upon a time in Manila and Cebu a Burningham Family is just like a Father and Mother to me and the security force are my Brothers thank you so much for everything you have done to our family and to the security dept we will be missing you Mom
Until we meet again.
Manny"
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