Experiencing God’s Unfailing Love in Crisis with Isabel Dizon

In this inspiring episode of Temple Bound, host Will Humphreys talks with Isabel Dizon "Sab" about her journey of finding deeper faith and resilience after a devastating typhoon hit her family in the Philippines.

The conversation takes a powerful turn as Sab describes the terrifying moment when Typhoon Egay (Typhoon Emong) flooded their home in La Union, Philippines, in July. With water rising fast and roads blocked by fallen trees, she and her husband led their terrified children in worship and prayer to find calm amidst the chaos. They lost their home and many possessions, yet they held onto a profound sense of hope.

Key Takeaways from Sab’s Story:

• Storms as a Path to Purpose: Sab shares her powerful realization: "Sometimes God allows storms not to break us but to bring us somewhere we are meant to be."
• Letting Go and Receiving Blessings: Amidst their losses, the family decided to let go of their destroyed possessions, trusting that God would provide. They were surprised by a small but significant miracle when appliances they thought were ruined still worked.
• Compensating Blessings: After being like "nomads" for months, moving between Airbnbs and family homes just for a shower and electricity, the family moved to a new home in Manila in October. Sab highlights the peace of mind and security they now have, as well as being closer to family, as compensating blessings from God.
• Greater Confidence in Christ: Sab’s biggest takeaway from the trial is a dramatically improved confidence in Christ. She learned to trust Him more deeply, realizing that God never leaves us, even in the storm.
• The Power of Hesed: Sab discusses the Hebrew word Hesed (loving-kindness or mercy), learning that God's faithful, unfailing love was made manifest through the kindness of Will, the Temple Bound team, and others who supported her family.
• Temple Bound as a Spiritual Tool: Sab shares how working on the podcast and engaging with the messages, even as a non-member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has transformed her personal faith and deepened her relationship with Jesus Christ. She realizes the temple is us and that we are all responsible for spreading the word of Christ.

Will and Sab also discuss the nature of temples for Latter-day Saints and the opportunity for everyone to visit a temple open house to learn more about the structure and covenants that unite us all in the love of the Savior.

Join us for this deeply moving and uplifting discussion on faith, resilience, and the power of finding Jesus in the midst of life's greatest challenges. You won't want to miss it.

Temple Bound is Going to Kenya!

Will you join us? Temple Bound is heading to Kenya, Africa, November 2nd through the 9th, to help a local group of members attend the temple for the first time! We are also raising money for an orphanage to provide medical supplies, food, and shelter.

How You Can Help:

1. Follow Us: Stay connected and follow our daily journey on social media! Follow us on Instagram: @TempleBoundPodcast
2. Donate: Support our humanitarian efforts via https://www.gofundme.com/f/templebound-in-africa

Come With Us: We have a limited number of seats! Reach out to join us in sharing this good work overseas.

Transcript

Kenya Trip And Ways To Help

SPEAKER_00 0:05

Temple Bound is going to Africa, and we want you to come with us. November 2nd through the 9th, we have been asked to go to Kenya to help a local group of members of the church go to the temple for the first time. And not only are we looking to help them get to the temple, but we're helping raise money for medical supplies, food, and even some shelter for a local orphanage. So if you'd like to join us, here's how you can do that. Number one, follow us on social media. If you'd like to be a part of it remotely, you can check us out on a daily-day basis. We're doing podcast episodes while we're over there. Secondly, you can donate. We're gonna have a GoFundMe link in the show notes of these episodes over the next two months. Or you can literally come with us. We have a limited number of seats, and we'd love for you to come join us in this effort of sharing this great good with members of the church overseas. So if you'd like to learn more, please reach out and we'd love to have you. Today's guest is Isabel Dizon. She is a powerful Christian who happens not to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but she is on the Temple Bound podcast team. She lives in the Philippines. I've had the privilege of working with her. We go, we call her Sab. And so Sab has been in the Philippines this last 10 months as we launched Temple Bound. And it was interesting as she came on with this beautiful perspective of our church that I decided to ask her to be on the show. She recently went through a tragedy that I won't go into detail here. But what was powerful was how this horrible thing that happened to her and her family that she'll discuss, how it brought her closer to the Savior. And she talks about her perspective of temples as someone who's on the outside looking in. And that unique perspective, someone in a different country who has gone through some really difficult challenges, who's not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ directly, but a strong Christian, she's gonna share with you some inspiring information that will make your day better. Every time I talk to Sab, my day's better anyway. And I'm so looking forward for you to meet her as well. Enjoy the show. Sa, I am so excited to have you on the show. Um, as I did in the introduction, I'm explaining, I explained how you're a part of the Temple Bound team and that you're in the Philippines. So I just wanted to say before we get started, thank you so much personally for taking time to be on the show.

SPEAKER_02 2:33

Thank you, Will. I am so grateful as well for being part of this. I didn't expect that this time will happen to us, but yeah, I am so grateful that I could share as well my story because I think there's a reason why everything happened to a person, and it could be I could be a light to someone. So and that's the reason why I decided to um be a guest in despite of being you know shy about this, and I feel like a lot of my um fellow Filipino will relate on my story, especially um right now Philippines is having a hard time with uh earthquake or disasters, so yeah.

Philippines Disasters And Daily Life

SPEAKER_00 3:20

Yeah, there's been so many, and you are absolutely going to be a light because you've already been a light to me. And yeah, you know, it's one of those things where the Philippines this year has been hit really hard with typhoons and earthquakes, and in America, it might show up on an on a blurp on the news and then it's over, and you don't think much of it. But when you're working with people closely over there, like I get the privilege to do, you start to really see how that impact hits. And so we'll we'll jump into we'll jump into your story here, maybe right at the early stages before this horrible thing happened to your family. Let's start where you and I met. So let's to share the audience. How do you where when did you and I meet?

SPEAKER_02 4:02

We met last uh year, December, and during those time, um, I am actually praying, I consider this uh channel, this this job for me as an answered prayer because um I wanna I want this to work in the morning as someone who's living in the Philippines, and um it's so hard for me to work at night, and I've been in a graveyard shift, we call it graveyard shift here for um 10 years already.

SPEAKER_00 4:38

Um you work from midnight to 7. Is that graveyard for you? Or what is it when when are your hours?

SPEAKER_02 4:44

Uh before before I joined um your team, I'm already working 10 p.m. at night until uh 7 a.m. in the morning. And of course, before we started working at 10 p.m. we have to prepare. Like I need to wake up at 9 p.m. My body clock was uh I feel terrible that time and I feel bad as well with my children, and they are really the main reason why why I want to to uh look for a job that could allow me, could allow me to sleep at night. And as you remember when you interviewed me, um I when you asked me why I want to join your company, and I'm being honest with you that because I want I just want to sleep at night together with my children. And um I started working as a casino dealer before that was my first ever job, and that requires me to uh work at night, and then uh when the pandemic happened before that, I started gradually working as a marketing social media, and uh I'm pretty sure.

SPEAKER_00 6:01

So that's where we met, just for the audience to know. That's where you and I met. I was looking for a social media manager, and that's when you applied, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:07

Yes, yes. So um a colleague before uh Andre, you know him, of course. And someone reached out and asked me if I'm available, and I was like, oh, really? And then yeah, uh, of course, I am available. Uh and then he sent me a call, and that that's that's how we started. Um up until now, I can't still believe that uh I've been, you know, it's been already 10 months, going 10 months.

SPEAKER_00 6:39

Yeah, I feel like I've known you a lot longer than that for sure. You know, it's really powerful. I want the audience to know that Sab, she she resigned from her job because she was so committed to her four kids. And uh what their ages are what again?

SPEAKER_02 6:54

My youngest is six years old, and my eldest is already 16 years old.

Sab’s Night Shifts And A Prayer

SPEAKER_00 6:59

Isn't that amazing? And so she wanted to be with her kids, so she quit her job before she had anything else, and this was important money for her family, and so we found her. She was prayerful, and so was I, by the way. I was praying for an amazing person that show up, and you showed up, and I was so touched by your commitment to do what was right, even when it wasn't easy, because you just knew you couldn't move forward until you created the space to do that. And so we meet in December, we start working together and have a great experience. And then let's talk about the the tragedy that happened to you guys. Talk a little bit about what occurred.

SPEAKER_02 7:37

Yeah. So last July 25, my family and I were hit by Typoon MO in La Union, Philippines. Um, in just a few hours, our home was flooded and our lives um were turned upside down. I am a mother for uh two girls and two boys, and my youngest is just six years old. So as a mom, my natural instinct is always to protect my children, but during the flood I felt helpless. So water was rising fast. Um things we worked so hard for were being destroyed, and I found myself asking God why is this happening to us? And uh at that moment I learned something powerful, you know. Um, sometimes God allows storms not to break us but to bring us somewhere we are meant to be. So uh we lost our home, um, but not our home through uh the kindness of my company, you, uh, we'll the team, my friends, and my family, we were able to move back to Manila in October to start fresh. It was not easy, but we moved forward one step at a time. And through all of this, I kept holding on a Bible verse that was uh gave giving me strength, uh where it says uh Philippians 4 13 I can do all three things through Christ who strengthens me. Uh this verse uh reminded me that even um even when I am weak alone um God strengthens me. Not always by removing my challenges, but walking me uh through them. Recently I've been inspired by people um who spoke about faith during trials, uh, like your guest, Kali Black, who shared that bad things still happen to good people. Um, that is so true. Um faith doesn't guarantee a perfect life, but it does give us perfect hope. That's how I understand your episode with her. I also learned a beautiful word from you, which is his, if you remember it. Uh, you discussed about it. Uh a Hebrew word that means the faith. Yeah, his head. Yeah. Uh he it says that the faithful, unfailing covenant, something like that, love of God. Um, some say it means um loving kindness or mercy. I search for it because it speaks to me. Um, but to me it says like God never leaves us even in the storm. And that episode, that short videos were published just right after the what I went through. And I saw he said, through the people that God sent to me. So in friends who messaged me to just say kayamuyan in Tagalog, uh in English, it's it means uh you can do it in co-workers who actually help us support us financially, um to my to my relatives and family who opened their doors without hesitation and even to strangers who prayed for us.

SPEAKER_00 11:52

Is that where you stayed when you were so how long were you how long were you homeless and where did you stay during those months?

The Typhoon Strikes

SPEAKER_02 11:59

Um we ran for Airbnb for uh one week and then another week. We've been we've been moving, always moving, and then we during those times that it it was there's a typoon for five days we stayed for a hotel because we don't have a choice. It was a huge financial burden for us during that time because um even the evacuation centers were full, and then also I need to I need to work, I know uh I I mean I'm it's I the company was not asking me to work, but in professionally, I I have this, you know, that uh I don't want yeah yeah and I don't I don't want to affect my work with my personal life. I mean that that that is something that I was built off from my past experience and then yeah uh so we stayed there as well because we need water, that's more important one. Uh there's no water during those times in in the area. So that hotel was like uh established with with their own water system from the rainfall, rainfalls, and even the electricity, they have their own solar panels, which not everyone has.

SPEAKER_00 13:29

So your whole area was affected so dramatically. The type the typhoons this year, you guys get a lot of typhoons, but these were super big, and so whole areas were cut off from water and electricity. So you stayed at a hotel that had their own source of water and electricity.

SPEAKER_02 13:44

Yes, yes, yes. So we even look for Airbnb outside of the of the province, or uh we went to the city. We went back to the city once we already sort out our stuff in our house because we have to go back to clean it and you know uh to to save everything that was still saveable, and yeah. Um for we're we're like a campers.

SPEAKER_00 14:17

You were campers for months, like moments. Yeah, you went to Airbnb, you went to hotel, you went to family members' houses.

SPEAKER_02 14:25

Friends, yes, yeah. So I remember we're even asking our friends for us to take a bath for us.

SPEAKER_00 14:35

Just to get a shower, you had to go into a friend's house.

SPEAKER_01 14:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:39

So let me ask you, Sab, during this time of transition, I can only imagine how fr how hard that was. You've got four younger kids, 16 to 6 is not old, and you're going from place to place, and you're a Christian, you have a strong love for Jesus. What um what was how did that shape your relationship with God? How did that time frame look for you and and what what did that feel like for you as you were thinking about God and all this that was going on?

SPEAKER_02 15:08

My confidence with God was built more. I trusted him more. It was it it made more deeper and deeper because before I've been asking him if if he really loves me. You know, sometimes it takes a typhoon or a disaster for him to show up to show to us that hey, I'm here, you just you just need to go with me. I'm just waiting for you. And that's how I feel. That's now because of him, because of what happened, even though there's a back-to-back news about earthquake, our family was kind of more you know, in peace, in peace in a way that uh I know we're we're still will not leave us. Even my six years old says that oh, that's okay, mom, Jesus is with us.

SPEAKER_00 16:12

Does he or is it a boy? I can't remember.

SPEAKER_02 16:15

She she's a girl.

SPEAKER_00 16:17

She so she she can see that Christ is in your workings of what's going on. She reminds you of how much he loves you. That's a beautiful thing.

Homeless Weeks And Hard Choices

SPEAKER_02 16:26

Yeah. Um, when that flood happened as well, um, of course, our initial reactions was to protect the kids, and my husband went out to get the car out of the flood. Uh, he moved somewhere somewhere where he can park the car safe because we need it. And then I'm the one who left in the house for a minute and uh or an hour, I don't know. Um and then when he gets back to the house that time the the flood was uh below the knee, and then uh we pray, we pray in worship, we we sing praise and worship song because during those times we're like um we're looking for ways, how are we going to evacuate? Because the the the road was blocked. There's a huge tree, we call it Akasha tree, who were uh you know um blocking the road because of the strong wind, and the other way has uh flood who is um uh I think it's a waste uh where we cannot pass. It was not passable, so we just stay in the house, and then it's it's really a strong typhoon where we even heard the the wind uh like whistling, and then I don't know what to explain to the kids. I don't know how I could tell to the kids to calm down. I don't know what to do.

SPEAKER_00 18:07

They were scared, understandably they were scared, they were terrified.

SPEAKER_02 18:10

Yeah, they were scared, and I could not I could not show my my that I am also scared because as a mom, as a parent, we need to be stronger for them. We need to show them that that um during this kind of times you have to be, you know, strong. And so for me, in order to calm them down, the only thought that uh I had in mind is let's pray, let's pray, let's praise and worship. And then now uh after because of that, it actually, you know, more help our family to be closer than him.

SPEAKER_00 18:54

Wow, that's such a beautiful, inspiring thing. You said something at the beginning, I want you to say again, it's these things aren't meant to break us. What did you say?

SPEAKER_02 19:04

Um sometimes God allows storms not to break us, but to bring us um somewhere we are meant to be.

SPEAKER_00 19:14

Wow. I was so touched during that time frame because you would send me these really sweet messages. Because as you're doing the social media and our common friend Seth, hello Seth, who's the editor who edits all of these videos, um, you know, you guys are seeing these interviews for Temple Bound, and you're going through and and being Christians, both of you, not necessarily direct members of our church particularly, but just Christians, we're all connected and how some of these messages really rung true, and you would share those with me. But it was so much you taught me more in those times than anything, the way that you were so humble and teachable during the the trial and and and challenges, because I can I honestly don't know what it's like to lose your home and have four younger kids and not be able to get out because the roads are blocked and not have water electricity and just the fears that we have as parents, not to mention the inconvenience of just like not being able to shower, combined with mourning the loss of valuable possessions that you've worked hard to earn and maybe some family things too, like pictures and those types of things.

SPEAKER_01 20:19

And yeah.

Prayer, Worship, And Calming Kids

SPEAKER_02 20:27

Yes, um, I was actually impressed that time because there's we have this washing machine outside of our house. This is just an example. And then when that type 1 happened, uh it was a huge one. We couldn't we couldn't save it anymore. That it's just another thing that so I let it go, but I'm so impressed and surprised after two weeks when we tried the washing machine, it's still working. I was like but I was like during that type when happened. Me and my husband were just uh let let all the stuff go. Let us all that uh we can we can work hard for to earn it again, God will, you know, Jesus will will replace it with much more better. We we didn't stress out ourselves with with the stuff, and then uh we are surprised because the appliances that we thought will will not work anymore. It works. So I was shocked and I feel like it's another simple simple but a huge miracle for us as well. Like it it was uh I know you know um something that if you just let it go uh you it will still bring back to you as long as you have faith. So yeah, um that's something that you also realize.

SPEAKER_00 22:09

Yeah, I I'm I'm learning from you right now on how when we can let go of these attachments that we have in our life, how we are able to see the Lord's hand. I I think you know, if I was too busy counting up all of my losses in your situation, and I was thinking of all the things that a working washer would feel like I could always have perceived that as like, well, I guess there's that, but what you guys did was you let it all go. And so when it came back to you, you were able to see the blessing that it was. And I just want to just call out everyone listening who's you never been in your position, just how often we are so connected to things in our world that aren't important. I had a good friend um years ago get cancer and it was fatal, it was terminal for him. And when he got the news, he I remember talking to him, like he found out he had cancer and he knew he was gonna pass all in like the same day. And I was visiting with him and I just said, So, what's what's this like for you? And he just said, you know, yesterday or two days ago, I was super worried and upset about the crown molding in my house, you know, the some designer element of his home. And in that clarity, he was able to see what matters and what doesn't. And I and I don't mean that to make us feel bad. I think we all can take things for granted, but there is something beautiful about how Christ leverages these trials and challenges so that we can let go of what doesn't matter. And and then in so doing, we enter, we allow him to enter into our hearts. Um, I and you're such a beautiful example of that, Sab. So inspired. So when did you move into your your current home? This is and this is your home. When did you move when did you move in?

SPEAKER_02 24:02

Oh, we moved in uh September 12th. It's a month ago.

SPEAKER_00 24:09

What's that like? What's it like to be in your new home? Is is it is are you I mean, I'm not trying to paint a rosy picture. Are you still mourning your other home? Or is there is there certain things about this home that you're like you're just so nice to have a settled place? Like, what's that like for you to to to finally be in another home?

Letting Go And Small Miracles

SPEAKER_02 24:27

We're so actually happy and um we're more feel safe here because uh we move in in uh condominium with security guards, and like before there's you know, um before my husband always worried whenever if if if he's gonna leave us for work, for example, um it's not safe for the kids as well if we're gonna leave them alone in the house. But now that we are I feel like that uh really move us here for aside from security and safety, it's the accessibility. Because here in the city where our relative and family actually lives in, so we are we get a chance to be more close to them, especially my mother-in-law is already uh 75 years old. Um so because of because we're just here nearby to her, uh she can easily go with us time to time, and we're c we're in we're we're ha we have more peace of mind if we're gonna just do errands. Um we I know that the kids were safe if we're gonna leave them alone in the in the house for an hour or two. So yeah, that's wonderful.

SPEAKER_00 25:54

That's wonderful. Yeah, let me ask you, is there anything now that you didn't have during that transition that you have now that you're especially grateful for?

SPEAKER_02 26:05

Yeah, yeah. Um, as I mentioned, the the security. Yeah, uh, I don't have that before.

SPEAKER_00 26:13

You've never had that. That was prior to the the flood. Is that you didn't have security beforehand? That was that's amazing that you have that now. I love how God, you know, gave you this compensating blessing, the way that Callie Black talks about as like now you have security, you're closer to your mom. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_02 26:31

Yes, and then the at the same time, the the um how I mean my confidence with Jesus. That's something that I don't have before, like in a way. I mean, I mean it's that that I don't have, but I keep on questioning him despite of giving me a lot of what I am praying for. It's just that because I feel like time to time there's always a trials and a challenge, and the challenge was not easy. It's so whenever there's a challenge, I'll ask him and uh he answered. He answered in an experience or in three-year podcasts. When I edit it, I feel like that. I mean, the when I I'm writing something based on your show, your guest. So I feel like um everything happened for me to be more close to him and more confident with him, to trust him. So that's something that I don't have before, but not until the this disaster happened.

A Safer Home And New Peace

SPEAKER_00 27:43

That's so powerful. I I by the way, I'm so touched again. I was thinking you were gonna talk more about hot water or something, but what you mentioned was, and the most valuable thing that you're learning is this greater confidence in Christ. Not that you didn't have confidence before, but like you said, there's it's dramatically improved. And by the way, Sab, I think all of us question God all the time. Like, like I at least I don't know. I'd like to think others do. I know I do when it doesn't go the way that I want, especially when I think he was pushing me down a certain or wanting me to go to a certain path. And then something happens that's really difficult, and it's it's the confusion and not understanding the bigger picture for us, for me. So I appreciate your transparency on that because yeah, I think that's part of the journey of grading gaining greater confidence with Jesus is being confused at first and maybe poking a little bit around. I think he wants us to trust by asking, and then, like you said, when you asked, he told you with experiences or blessings or connections. And I am so humbled that you received some of these messages through being um the social media manager. Your actual title is the brand architect. As a social media manager, though, the functionality of that, and by the way, all of you who are listening, if you want to see Saab's work, just go to Instagram, uh Temple Bound. We are very proud of Saab's work. She's the one who puts all those together. Um, and so you bring up an interesting point, Saab. You, you know, obviously you're Christian. There's gonna be some differences. I've always wanted to ask you this. What's that like for you to be over temple bound when you're not a direct member of the church of Jesus Christ, the Latter-day Saints? Like what's that experience been like for you?

SPEAKER_02 29:28

Um I think I'm a Christian, but I don't read the Bible every day. I don't listen to to God's word every day before that was before I joined Temple Mount. I don't um I I feel like I'm not fed about all learnings about his word. So um when I started working with Temple Bound, every morning. At 4 a.m. I have to listen to the short videos and the podcast because I'm gonna write it. So at first, at first, guys, I'll be honest. Um, everyone um in my in before, I don't actually listen to podcasts, though I have an experience working in podcasts because I feel like I'm I'm tired of it. Like I feel like it's it's running always in my head.

SPEAKER_01 30:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 30:35

But but when I started with Temple Bomb, I have to listen and I have to learn LDS. I started searching with the website that church uh church of Jesus Christ that com that the the website, I have to be updated because of my job.

SPEAKER_00 30:59

Yeah, you're looking at church news, you're listening to the podcast, like you're swimming in it.

Growing Confidence In Christ

SPEAKER_02 31:07

But when I do it every day at 4 a.m., I have to listen to you on your teachings. There was one time that I didn't go to church, and then you discuss it in one of in your short video. Why you have to go to the temple? And I feel like oh my oh, maybe this is for me. So it's just like that for me. It's like a transformation. So um I feel like um I was also mentored by it, uh, even though there's a difference. I think it it's still uh the formality, but overall we all believe in Jesus, and um we also have the same um um words in the Bible. So I I was um enlightened. I learned a lot more of his words whenever you you mention a word. I look at it as well in Chat GPT if how it will be translated, because I don't I want to understand it. Um that's I think something that also helps temple bound to grow because um when we ask chat GPT we have to prompt it rightly. And then you have to have enough knowledge to ask him, and you have to set it up as temple bound, and then that's how we we make our system smoothly, and that's how that's the difference that with me before temple bound versus now that there's a temple bound. It changed me personally, not only because of my job, but because my relationship with him, and now I can even share a versus with the kids.

SPEAKER_00 33:12

Oh, that makes me so happy. That makes me so happy. I didn't know any of that. You know, it's it's a sab for me, it's an interesting uh boundary because since we work together, you know, I would I would never come to work and be like, hey guys, welcome to work. Before we start, I'm gonna teach you about my church. Like, we wouldn't do that, especially in the States, but you're working on a podcast called Temple Bound for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. So you are in that space. So it's interesting because you know, a lot of times I I have felt like asking you, like, hey, do you know the difference between a temple and a chapel? And like some of these things that have occurred because it's important for you to know for your job. And um, I think what's really powerful is that what unites us, like you said, is the the love for the savior. And so as we come together and we're we're connected over him, you know, the wrapping paper is a little bit different, but the the present, that gift of love of the savior is what is is the only thing that matters to any of us, right? And and I just love how open and free you've been. You're one of those people that don't hold back. Like if you've got a question, you just lay it out. And it is so refreshing um to have that in my world. And and and I would tell you, I I wondered before we started uh Temple Bound, do I need to hire people overseas who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ? But the message I felt in my heart was that the Lord would provide the right person. And when I met you, I knew, I knew you were the right person. I was like, let's go. And I've become closer to the Savior because of my relationship with you and how you've over not just this one trial, which is devastating, but just how you show up around um so many different elements of your work and your life and the way you care for your family and just that smile. I mean, you're just you know, when I share when I have a good idea, you'll smile. And I know it's a not a good idea when I'm talking and you're not smiling. I'm like, okay, so that's not a good idea. But yeah, I love I love that piece of it. Um how well do you think you know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at this point? Like, do you do you feel like you're an expert in it? Do you feel like like what I'm just curious, what is that what's your perspective of that?

SPEAKER_02 35:21

Um, as I think it's just maybe I learn um only 60% or 50%. So um I just learned, I mean, I don't know the process of of how the religion works inside the church. It's something that that I'm curious as well. Um but I learned I learned a lot from your short videos, like there is this interview and and there's open house. So I I post those news as well if there's an open house to this location because I feel like it's a good to spread the word that oh today there this date there will be an open house in this area. So uh I I even come to the point where there's a church of uh Latter-day Saints in our area in La Union before where I actually checking outside. I I just I like the because I was amazed with with the with the building, I mean the the structure. It felt like it was safe. And to be honest, an art area and when we got hit by typoon, the the the church uh was not the temple, I mean, the temple was was so strong. I mean it was it was built with with the quality materials.

Working On Temple Content As A Christian

SPEAKER_00 36:55

It was built with that natural disaster in mind, is what you're saying. Totally. I think I've heard that that's how they build the temples, is they build them specifically to withstand earthquakes. And even in Arizona, SAP, there's never well, maybe there's been an earthquake, but like it's not something we're fearful of here in Arizona. But I know our temple that I can walk to is built to withstand a massive earthquake. Isn't that interesting?

SPEAKER_02 37:17

Yes, yes. That's that's why I'm actually curious about uh the inside of it, and that's something that I don't know yet. Uh I'm I'm just uh you know learning everything from Jesus and God's words through you, but the the the church itself, the temple itself, inside structural the systems and process. That's something that uh you know something that I need to still explore.

SPEAKER_00 37:46

We've got to find an open house for you to go to. I think you sab, you Sef and uh Kim, who's my executive director and head of the podcast, she would it'd be really useful for you guys to go inside one and see what it's like. And what I heard you say is that you've you feel connected and are learning as we learn together about working on Temple Bound about Jesus. So when we talk about scriptures and Jesus, that that's congruent, but it's more of the specifics within the temple that maybe you're probably I'm sure you're you're listening to that and just like, well, I don't know what that is, and and kind of moving on. So that's really, really interesting. Um, so let me ask you, as someone who's been working on temple bound for eight months, what do you think temples mean to members of our church? Like, what do you what's your impression of that?

SPEAKER_02 38:31

For me, um, temple or church, it's us, not the the locations, not the structures, not the the the place itself, but it's us. It should live in us whenever you are that's uh because you are a temple, you itself is a church of Christ. You have that's why I I we have this, which I also learned from your your uh short videos and and episodes, that we all have this um obligations or responsibility uh to spread the word to spread about him. It's part of our um like uh your purpose. If you were the and that's another thing that that's why I'm here in in guesting in your in your podcast, because I'm not sure. Maybe this is might be one of my purpose to help everyone who doesn't know him, whenever whatever region you are, the temple, the church is you.

SPEAKER_00 39:47

So yeah. I love that answer. That's so beautiful, and honestly, that was very deep because truly, temples for the Church of Jesus Christ, Larry Saints. Yeah, it's it's been so special uh for me to work with this work family and go through that because, like when President Nelson passed away just a few weeks ago, you two were the ones saying, Hey, Will, you've got to start making some shorts about the transition. You got to talk about President Nelson's life, you need to talk about whoever the new prophet's gonna be. And it was just really sweet how committed you guys are to helping us um as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to really feel and and connect around this. I I, you know, membership of the church is a is is only a formality because you guys are such a great example of the savior and all of that. So um, you know, Sab, do you have any questions for me? This is probably the last thing I'll ask you. Do you have any questions for me about anything, about the temples, about the church, anything that I haven't ever told you about that you've always wanted to ask?

SPEAKER_02 40:52

Um, I I'm always I I always want to ask if, for example, um if we're gonna go to the temple to visit it, is it okay even though even though we have a different religion? And then um I mean is there any requirements for us to to be inside something like that?

unknown 41:18

That's okay.

SPEAKER_02 41:21

For an answer for it, but it really depends. So I want it to hear from someone who has more experience like you instead of going to to chat your pity.

What Temples Mean And Open Houses

SPEAKER_00 41:34

Yeah, and just so you know, you can always ask me those questions anytime, Dare and I. I love that stuff. I will always have a respectful boundary of you know what I tell you in terms of, but just know I always want to tell you everything. So if you're ever in a position of like, hey, I wonder about this, shoot me a text. Uh, those messages that you guys have sent me from time to time about something that touched your heart or a question that you have is is really my main purpose, and I love that. So, to answer your question, when temples are newly built, before they become dedicated, which is the official spiritual opening of that temple, anyone can go through and there's no requirements. You can just go and walk through. Once they're officially dedicated, which means someone has come and officially uh prayed over it and it's ready to serve its function, then members of the church go through the temple after being in the church for a year and receiving uh what's called a recommend. So if I am, let's say I'm a new member who's been baptized recently, after a year of going to church, I will interview with some leaders of the church and get a recommend, which means that I am able to go into the temple and receive additional covenants. So, like when we're baptized, as you're you know, baptism, that's a covenant we make with God, which is just a two-way promise. I promise to follow God, he promises to continue to love me, because he already does, but help me receive even more light and knowledge. So when I go to the temple, all it is is additional promises that I make with God and he blesses me with. So yeah, that's that's how that works. But even though they're dedicated uh for members who have recommends, you can still go to the temple grounds, which I would highly recommend. You know, we're gonna get together here in January if you want. I would love to take you to the Tokyo Temple because we're meeting as a team in the middle in Tokyo. So I'd love to take you to the temple grounds. They have a beautiful visitor center where you can walk in and they show you all the pictures, what's inside the temple, and and I think that would be a special way for us to kind of just understand, you know, the temple band a little bit more. Uh, did that answer your question?

SPEAKER_02 43:42

Yeah, yeah. Uh it was actually clear and gave me a lot of you know, open mind on the process as well. And for sure, there's a lot of viewers that could relate.

SPEAKER_00 43:56

Absolutely, absolutely. Well, that was a great question. Do you have any other questions?

SPEAKER_02 44:01

So far, none.

SPEAKER_00 44:02

Okay. Well, keep that door is open, so feel free to ask me anytime. Um, Sab, I just wanted to thank you for being on the show. I had this strong feeling, my wife and I both did, that we wanted you to be on the show. And yes, this horrible thing that happened to you was a good reason to talk about Christ and all those things, but the biggest thing I wanted was the world to get to know you. You are a phenomenal human being, and I'm such uh a lucky person to be able to work with you and learn more about our savior through your example. Um, so yeah, thank you so much for being on the show.

SPEAKER_02 44:36

No, well, thank you. Uh, I'm so blessed uh with your life, with your ditchings as well.

SPEAKER_00 44:43

Uh, thank you so much. Thank you for listening to today's episode of Temple Bound. If you enjoyed today's content, please leave a review and share the episode with others so that people who are looking for this information can find it. Thank you again for listening. Until next time.