“And I the Lord would fight their battles, and their children’s battles, and their children’s children’s…”

                                                                          Doctrine and Covenants 98:37

“Today the Lord continues to bless grandfather’s whole family because of the inspired decision that he has made.  More than four decades after his grandfather President Augusto Lim accepted the invitation to join the Church, Elijah Karl Lim Collado still feels the ripples of this decision.

Elijah has just returned from serving a mission in Utah Salt Lake City South Mission where he served in many callings including being the first Filipino Assistant to the Mission President in the said area.  He testifies how his grandfather’s example of humility and faith in the Lord strengthened him during tough times and helped him to forget himself while doing the Lord’s work.  “Knowing that we owe so much from Him gives us much motivation to give back to Him. My grandfather has exemplified this by being willing to drop everything when the Lord [calls him].”

Pres. Eleazer S. Collado, Elijah’s father, former Philippines Baguio Mission President has also had a profound influence on him and his mission.  He related how eager he has looked forward to his father’s counsel on how to be an effective missionary even months before his mission.  Yet the much-awaited advice was not given until the time he was leaving the airport and to his disappointment, it was a plain, “Son, just be obedient.”  “What I did not realize then [was] that it could not get more profound and important than that seemingly short and simple counsel from my father… [I tried to] be a missionary [who] if the Lord is standing in front of, [I] could, without hesitation, say ‘I am obedient’…  The counsel my father gave me, the one I thought was too short and too simple turned out to be [just] what I needed to be an effective missionary of our Lord. It was… inspired.”   

Elijah tells how their family has had its share of trials but through living the gospel and the faith and examples of their elders, they were able to overcome these.  “I realized that having a righteous family [brought up] in the gospel doesn’t give you an exemption from trials and tribulations but [that rather] standing firm and true to the faith during these hard times is what [strengthens] a family in the gospel. Being righteous will aid us during these times. I have a testimony that as long as we strive to be as best as we can and follow the Lord, He will help us. He will not only bless us but also our children’s and our children’s children.” 

Elijah is a member of Burnham first ward, Baguio Philippines Stake and was recently called as ward mission leader. He has three younger sisters and 21 cousins all of whom are blessed by the righteous decision of a man who four decades ago, chose the right and in doing so gave them the best gift.

By Ronalene Cayanan