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Two Latter-day Saints from Mindanao secured top spots in the September 2024 Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers (LET). Leanne Celest Villanueva (left) ranked 2nd overall in the elementary level, while Nes Ainee Luczon (right) placed 4th in the secondary level.2025 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.President David O. McKay, a late global leader and prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, once said, “No greater responsibility can rest upon any man than to be a teacher of God’s children.” This sentiment rings true for Nes Ainee Luczon of Banaybanay and Leanne Celest Villanueva of Bislig City, whose journey of faith, resilience, and dedication led them to excel in the September 2024 Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers (LET).
Last December 13, 2024, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and the Board for Professional Teachers announced that 20,025 elementary teachers (45.51%) and 48,875 secondary teachers (56.88%) passed the national exam. Among them, Leanne ranked 2nd overall in the elementary level, while Nes secured the 4th spot in the secondary level.
Faith and Hard Work Amid Challenges
For Nes, receiving the results was an emotional moment. “Delays and postponements are not failures but the Lord’s redirection. The greater the trials, the greater the blessings in store,” she said.
Balancing work and studies, she supported herself as a virtual assistant while preparing for the exam. Despite the demands of her schedule, she excelled academically, earning a scholarship for her review classes. She also remained actively involved in her local Church unit as a social media specialist, later assuming the same role for the Davao Coordinating Council for Communication.
Nes also shared that she drew strength from her loving family and supportive mentors. During the gruelling wait period prior to the release of the results, she often visited the Cebu Philippines Temple to seek peace and inspiration.
Leanne’s journey was equally demanding. While pursuing a Bachelor of Elementary Education, she was called to serve as a seminary teacher. Committed to her students and faith, she never canceled a single seminary class. Even during her internship, she prioritized making and keeping sacred covenants, traveling to Cebu Philippines Temple to receive her endowment, despite concerns from her dean about her temporary absence.
Trusting in the Lord
As the exam approached, Leanne leaned on prayer and fasting to overcome her fears. “Whenever doubts and overthinking crept in, I reminded myself that Heavenly Father is all-powerful and that I could trust Him to take care of the outcome. I knew that our loving Heavenly Father could move mountains. He could perform miracles, even in my life,” she said.
The success of these two Mindanaoan Latter-day Saints is a testament to their faith, perseverance, and unwavering commitment to their divine purpose and their dream of becoming great educators. As they step into their roles as professional teachers, they carry with them not only academic excellence but also a deep understanding of the power of faith in shaping lives here on earth.