Participants:
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY017092A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:18 Removing pain 00:23 Lord, let my words 00:29 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:45 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:07 Hello and welcome to 3ABN Today. 01:09 If you've tuned in before, you know who I am, 01:12 but if this is your first time, my name is John Lomacang. 01:14 And I'd like to encourage you to stay tuned to this network 01:17 which we believe is a call of God 01:20 to prepare hearts. 01:21 And Jesus we know He's coming soon. 01:24 We thank the Lord that He has used us 01:26 and continues to do so as we go and grow getting ready 01:30 for that glorious event. 01:32 Today's program, let me encourage you, 01:34 you don't want to miss it, you want to stay tuned. 01:37 There may be somebody watching or listening to the program 01:39 by radio in your car or wherever you may be, 01:41 or you might be at home by yourself 01:43 and you just sat back and did not know 01:45 what the Lord had to say to you. 01:47 I believe 01:48 that there's a special message in this program 01:50 that you need to receive. 01:52 Our guest today has come from the life of violence, 01:56 gangs, prison, going his own way, 01:59 making his own choices, 02:01 but the Lord came into his life, 02:03 found him, transformed him, 02:05 and now he's living for Jesus. 02:07 And he wants to share with you this transforming testimony. 02:11 And I know that something about his testimony 02:13 is going to touch your life. 02:14 So stay tuned, invite your family 02:16 and friends to watch. 02:17 But if you're by yourself, wonderful, 02:19 the Lord may have the message just for you. 02:21 If you're in your car, 02:22 turn the radio up a little more now, 02:24 because God is going to speak to your heart. 02:26 But on behalf of 3ABN, 02:28 I also want to thank you for your pledges, 02:29 your financial support, and your prayer 02:32 that keeps us doing the work that God has called us to do. 02:35 Now as you might know, we always had music 02:37 before we begin our program, before we introduce our guests. 02:40 And the Lanny Wolfe Trio is going to bless us 02:42 with a song entitled, "Jesus be the Lord of All". 02:57 In my heart are kingdoms 03:01 Of a world that's all my own 03:08 Kingdoms that are only seen 03:12 By myself and God alone 03:18 In the past when I tried to rule my world 03:24 It just seemed to fall apart 03:29 So please 03:31 Jesus be the Lord of all 03:37 The kingdoms of my heart 03:44 Jesus be the Lord of all 03:51 Jesus be the Lord of all 03:58 Jesus be the Lord of all 04:04 The kingdoms of my heart 04:14 I guess I only fooled myself 04:18 For I said I had yielded all 04:24 But in a secret corner of my heart 04:28 Was a kingdom that did not fall 04:32 But I surrender now 04:36 Make my heart Your throne 04:40 Rule its kingdoms great and small 04:46 For if You're not 04:49 Lord of everything 04:54 Then You're not Lord at all 05:02 Jesus be the Lord of all 05:09 Jesus be the Lord of all 05:15 Jesus be the Lord of all 05:21 The kingdoms of my heart 05:28 Jesus I surrender all 05:35 Jesus I surrender all 05:42 Jesus I surrender all 05:48 The kingdoms of my heart 05:54 For if You're not 05:57 Lord of everything 06:01 Then You're not Lord 06:07 At all 06:19 Thank you so much for that ministry of music 06:21 because if Jesus is not the Lord of all in our lives, 06:25 then we are not on the path to eternal life. 06:28 Speaking of that, 06:29 Lotolua Ilaoa is our guest today. 06:31 Good to have you here, my Brother. 06:33 Thank you, Brother. Yes, strong Samoan brother. 06:36 Yeah, thank you. 06:37 I'm just... Praise the Lord. 06:39 I know your story is gonna touch many 06:40 that are watching this program and listening to this program 06:43 because while your life is unique in some ways, 06:47 there are some may be listening now 06:49 to the program that could be listening 06:51 to it from where you were. 06:52 And we'll talk about that in just a moment. 06:54 But for a brief introduction, tell us 06:56 where you're from and what you do right now? 07:00 Well, I'm a Native American Samoa, 07:03 the island of Tutuila that's the name 07:06 because there's many Samoan islands. 07:09 But the particular one that I'm from 07:11 is a territory of the United States, 07:12 American Samoa. 07:14 Okay, all right. 07:15 And yes, that's where I'm from. 07:17 And, but you live now in... 07:18 I live now in California, in Hollister, California. 07:24 You know, in California when I lived there, 07:26 we used to say California has four seasons 07:28 Earthquakes, fires, floods, and I forgot the fourth one. 07:34 But it's a unique place, but it's a beautiful state. 07:38 I believe it is the best state because the reason 07:41 why because you can get four seasons there. 07:44 You want the snow, you can go up in the Sierras. 07:46 If you want the beaches, where you get Santa Cruz. 07:49 You get all the beaches there the hot weather, 07:51 and you got rain, 07:52 and it's awesome, it's wonderful. 07:54 I remember once being in 07:55 Southern California in December. 07:57 And it was people were swimming at the beach, 07:59 and people were skiing in the mountains 08:01 on the same day. 08:02 But it's good to have you here. Thank you. 08:05 You know, your story fascinates me 08:06 in the sense that I'm a New Yorker, 08:08 born and raised in New York. 08:09 I know California, there are two things 08:11 that both of those major cities have its gangs, its violence, 08:15 not unusual though in major cities. 08:18 Miami, Detroit, you know, Chicago, 08:21 lot of the major cities have vices. 08:23 Texas, you know, all the different gangs, 08:25 and you find that 08:27 it just dispersed throughout America. 08:28 But just start with your transition, 08:30 you came over to America when you were a young boy. 08:33 Talk about that just briefly, how did you come to America? 08:36 Well, I was nine years old. 08:39 I was nine years old when my dad passed. 08:44 I know that my siblings probably 08:46 gonna kind of feel jealous, but they know. 08:50 I have five brothers and five sisters, 08:52 I'm the youngest of the brothers. 08:54 Okay. 08:55 And so I was the favorite of my dad. 08:57 And my dad, I look up to him as God. 09:00 He was my God at the time. 09:03 And so, you know, when he passed 09:05 when I was nine years old, that's when my rebellion, 09:09 the in me began 09:11 because I started hating everything. 09:13 I hate the world, I hate everything 09:15 because he was taking something, 09:18 someone that was very special to me. 09:21 And so from then on I've always even 09:24 when my dad was alive, 09:25 I love to fight, I like fighting. 09:28 I was very good with my hands. 09:30 And from that transition that's where it began within me 09:35 and that kind of attitude that it leads to where, 09:41 you know, end up in a not very well predicament. 09:46 Were you fighting in school? 09:48 Well, they have a tradition 09:50 where a little kids where older brothers 09:52 will put up their little brothers 09:54 to fight other little brothers. 09:56 Is that the Samoan tradition or... 09:58 It's something that 09:59 I think every one of them they do in villages. 10:02 Okay. 10:03 And in my situation I never lost. I always win. 10:08 You know, and some kids are bigger than me, 10:10 some kids are little. 10:11 But it was something that was embedded in me 10:14 and that's what the scripture says. 10:16 You know, the Bible says that what you behold. 10:19 When you're beholding, 10:21 when you start familiar with these things, 10:24 it does something to your character. 10:26 And so at the time I was not aware 10:29 that this is what was doing to me. 10:32 It was forming in me something 10:33 that was not the image of Jesus Christ. 10:36 And, but I enjoyed it. 10:38 You know, sin can be enjoyable. Right. 10:41 But at the end it's very bitter. 10:44 You know, so but anyway, 10:46 yes, I am nine years old and my dad passed. 10:50 And about 11 years, about two years 10:53 or about a year and a half 10:55 that's when my mother decided to bring... 10:56 Some of my siblings already here, 10:58 my older siblings. 11:00 And so my mom decided to bring us the little ones. 11:05 My other brother that was a little bit older 11:07 than I and two sisters that was younger than I 11:11 and to bring us over to the States. 11:14 Yes. And that was to California? 11:15 And to California. Yes. 11:17 And so you're about 11 years old at that time? 11:19 About 11 years old. Yeah, in 1976. 11:22 Okay, all right. 11:24 And so you get now 11:25 with this feeling of love to fight, 11:28 you are put in school, 11:30 how did that impact the way you behaved in school? 11:35 In school, you know, the... Like the tough guy. 11:37 Yeah, the funniest thing is that 11:40 I love school. 11:41 I love learning. 11:42 It was something that I was... 11:44 I guess it has to do with the challenge 11:46 because there was a challenge of 11:47 who get the best grade. 11:50 And it was something that is in me 11:52 that always delight to challenge something. 11:54 A competition. 11:55 That competition spirit which is something 11:58 that God also revealed to me later on 12:00 in my walk with Him 12:01 when He came into my life. 12:03 That competition spirit is not good, you know, 12:06 but I'll go into that if I may. 12:10 But anyway, in school, I love school. 12:15 I love school, 12:16 I always wanted to do the best grade 12:20 because my father was a man 12:24 that he was a visionary, he was a man that... 12:28 He was not a Seventh-day Adventist. 12:29 My parents, I don't know if I... 12:31 They were not Seventh-day Adventists, 12:32 but my mother was the one 12:33 that became a Seventh-day Adventist 12:35 and I would like to meet one of these days, 12:36 I would like to meet the missionary guy 12:40 that was determined, he was not afraid of my dad 12:43 even though my dad was trying to shake him, 12:45 but he kept coming. 12:46 It was my mother that opened the door 12:49 for this man to come in and give her Bible studies 12:53 and the message of 12:55 the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 12:56 Okay. And she accepted it. 12:58 She accepted that message going against every traditions 13:02 that Samoan culture 13:05 as far as like the woman must follow her husband. 13:08 You know, must follow her husband's... 13:11 Lead. Lead. 13:13 She went against that, not only her husband's family, 13:16 but her own family. 13:18 And to me today I look at my mother, 13:20 she was very courageous, very courageous, 13:23 and she became... 13:25 Now I know that she was the prayer warrior. 13:27 She was the prayer that kept me 13:29 and kept our family. 13:30 See, God was moving the family along through 13:32 her own personal connection with God. 13:34 And, you know, there's something about, 13:35 it become fearless when you're in that situation. 13:38 And so the fear of the Lord the Bible says 13:41 is the beginning of wisdom. 13:43 So she feared and honored God more than she said, okay, 13:45 I know that your relationship to the husband, your family, 13:49 but my destiny is more important to me 13:51 than just traditions. 13:52 But now take us to the place 13:54 where in this childhood setting, 13:57 you're looking at your mother transition, 13:59 but then how did you get into gangs as a young boy? 14:03 I was first introduced into gangs 14:05 when I was in high school that is. 14:08 And because it's already natural for me 14:11 just to like to fight, 14:13 and so I started out in a gang where there's a mixture of... 14:17 It was all Asian-Pacific. 14:19 It was Asian-Pacific 14:23 men, young boys if I must say. 14:27 And so there were, you know, Filipinos, and Vietnamese, 14:30 and Samoans this was all Asian-Pacific 14:34 so I was involved in that. 14:35 And I do not want to say the name of the gang 14:38 'cause I don't want to glorify the same, 14:40 but I was involved in that. 14:42 And there were shootings, and there were fightings, 14:44 there were beatings, 14:47 and I was enjoying this kind of lifestyle. 14:51 And so that what leads to that kind of, 14:54 you know, becoming gangster and things like that. 14:56 And so you're going through school, 14:58 through high school... 15:00 Yes. You get out of high school. 15:01 Well, here's the thing, 15:03 even when I was going through all this and doing... 15:06 The oldest guy that was in my gang 15:07 because he has a car, 15:09 was 25 years old, I was only 16, 17. 15:14 But when I graduated from high school, 15:17 it was amazing, my mother was even shocked 15:19 because I do my homework even though, you know, 15:21 I go and do my homework and then sneak out and go. 15:24 And I graduated and have a two-year scholarship 15:28 in Heald Business College at the time 15:30 because they didn't have the internet back then. 15:35 This is like in '90. 15:36 I graduated in 1980, 81. Okay. 15:39 And what you call it, 15:44 the processes it was some... 15:47 And I was very good in typing. 15:48 I have fast hands and so that's what leads me. 15:52 You know, they had a competition 15:53 in high school and I won. 15:55 I was doing like 60, 61 words per minute. 15:59 And so that I guess it raised the flag 16:02 in one of these colleges that are coming in. 16:03 They gave me a two-year scholarship, 16:06 but I turned it down 16:07 because I thought that was a girl's thing. 16:10 I didn't want my friends to think 16:12 I'm girly or something like that. 16:14 Oh, you're gangster just typing. 16:15 Well, I'm a gangster doing typing. 16:17 So I decided after that to join the Navy 16:19 instead of join the... 16:21 Get away from the life that I was in. 16:24 Wow! 16:25 So you're going through the Navy, 16:27 in what branch of service? 16:28 I was in the United States Navy. 16:29 I served four years as a radioman. 16:33 I had a Top Secret clearance. 16:35 And I was always good in things like that. 16:38 I was very methodical, I was very, you know, 16:41 I like to study and know things what I'm getting myself into. 16:45 And so even the military itself, you know, 16:50 it taught me discipline and how to plan. 16:54 And, yeah, so all these things, the good things. 16:58 All these things that God was trying to embedded 17:01 in my character so that way hopefully 17:04 I would do something right in the prayers of my mother. 17:07 This time she was still praying. 17:11 But while I was doing these things, 17:13 I was actually taking things to myself, 17:16 it was for self-glory. 17:18 Okay, so these things while you're learning them, 17:20 you're saying, "I'm really good. 17:22 It's all about me. 17:24 I'm gonna..." 17:25 So the focus was not on... Not on God, it was about self. 17:27 Right. Yes. 17:29 You're getting good at what you do rather than just 17:31 becoming a good person to Christ. 17:33 But then, so how long were you in the military? 17:35 I was in the military for four years. 17:37 For four years and after four years I got out. 17:41 Okay. So did you move back to California? 17:43 Yes, when I was released from the military, 17:46 I went to live in California. 17:48 So with these new skills... 17:49 Still the history of fighting, gangs as a young boy. 17:54 Tell us how you got involved 17:56 into the deeper aspects, you know, 17:58 and I want you to reveal what those were? 18:00 Yes, when I got out, I went and look particular 18:03 because I always wanted to... 18:04 My dad was a police. 18:07 He was first, he was in the military, 18:09 he was a Marine, 18:11 ex-Marine corps fighting in the Korean War. 18:14 And after he finished with that, 18:15 he became a police in the island. 18:18 And then after that he became 18:20 the director of the motor pool for the island, 18:26 for the government. 18:27 And so in my mind as his favorite, 18:31 even though he was not alive, I wanted to do 18:33 and live up in certain things in order to please my dad. 18:37 But you see, God's hand was all in this. 18:39 You know, it was all in this in a way 18:41 that I saw it. 18:42 You know, now I can understand 18:44 that God was trying to lead me in a way 18:46 that my heart was always trying to please my earthly dad. 18:50 But rather God was trying to, "Okay, if I get him here, 18:54 if I get Lotolua to this part to know me his real father, 18:57 he will also try to please me. 18:59 Right in the same way you were trying to please 19:00 your earthly dad. 19:02 So, you know, when I got out of the Navy, 19:05 I wanted to be a police. 19:06 So I wanted to get involved in security. 19:10 And in the same time I was taking classes 19:13 that are in a way that will lead to 19:15 become a police. 19:17 Okay. 19:18 But all of that I was still having this violent effect. 19:22 And while I was doing all this, 19:24 I got into fights and things like that. 19:27 And I hurt somebody very bad, hurt someone very bad, 19:31 and that puts me in the county 19:34 for about a solid year in maximum. 19:36 Wow! Yeah. 19:38 Got out of there and continued to doing the things, 19:41 and then I started introducing to some friends 19:44 that would start selling drugs. 19:47 That's why I was doing security 19:49 and the same time selling drugs, 19:51 selling cocaine, little portions of cocaine, 19:54 a little eight ball here, little ounce here. 19:58 But later on then 19:59 I got introduced into greater things. 20:03 And... Like what for example? 20:05 Well, I have colleagues, friends that 20:08 because I injured myself when I was in security. 20:11 I got into a very bad car accident. 20:14 I had a mini truck. 20:16 And coming back after partying overnight... 20:18 Was like a low rider? Okay. Yes. 20:20 That's back in... Which is common for California. 20:23 Yes. 20:24 And coming back from San Francisco 20:26 heading back to San Jose, and I fell asleep. 20:30 It's getting my mind. Yeah, I fell asleep. 20:32 And I flew off... 20:34 My partner that was here with me, a friend. 20:38 I flew off the freeway and hit a building. 20:41 What? Yeah, I fell asleep. 20:43 Now here is the funniest thing is that 20:45 I always have put on the seatbelt 20:48 even before they have laws in California 20:50 requiring you to wear seatbelt. 20:52 It was always normal, natural for me 20:54 to just put the seatbelt on. 20:56 My other friend that was unfortunate, 20:59 he didn't wear a seat belt, he went through the windshield, 21:04 but I was saved by the seatbelt, 21:07 I was just hanging. 21:09 So anyway, I got hurt there 21:11 and so I was bedridden for about, 21:14 I say about good six months. 21:17 But in after that I would start getting healed 21:19 'cause I broke the hip. 21:21 And you know, 21:22 the one of the bone of my hip it came out, 21:26 I can see it in the x-ray. 21:28 And so it was very painful, but anyway some friends, 21:33 some colleagues, you know, called me and said, 21:36 "Hey, man, we'll pay your way to come up here in Washington, 21:39 we got some actions up here. 21:42 Why don't you come up here 21:43 and we'll start moving some drugs, 21:48 you know, and have some fun system." 21:51 So they offered to pay my way. 21:53 I said, "No, no, I'm just gonna come up there just to," 21:55 you know, to get away from California 21:59 and enjoy a different place. 22:01 I've never been there in Washington. 22:04 Even though I was released there 22:06 when I got off the Navy in Seattle, 22:07 I was never lived there. 22:10 So I went up there and got in there 22:14 and they were doing the same thing that, 22:19 you know, I was doing, 22:21 but this time it was more big, bigger. 22:23 On a larger scale. On a larger scale. 22:25 I mean, they were moving much weight, 22:28 they call it the weight. 22:30 And that introduced me into it. 22:31 And I was very good in what I was doing. 22:34 Since you're methodical already. 22:35 Oh, yes. Fearless. 22:36 And fearless. 22:38 And so I got there the name, you know, 22:42 my name got very big there. 22:45 And, you know, the Cubans from Florida 22:48 and were actually Bloods, Crips, 22:52 you know, from Southern California 22:54 because that's where it originated. 22:55 Oh, yeah. There's many today. 22:56 You know, they say they're Bloods, 22:58 they're Crips, but they are not. 22:59 These are original, they were moving out 23:00 because law enforcement down in Southern California, 23:05 and in LA, in South Central 23:07 were very well cracking down on crack and cocaine there. 23:11 So they were actually moving, 23:13 they were moving going Northwest. 23:15 Looking for new territory. Yeah, new territory. 23:17 And the Northwest opened up a big market. 23:20 There was a lot of people that were using. 23:23 So, you know, and I got there, 23:26 and it was the name was going big in the streets, 23:30 you know, because I was beating... 23:32 Well, my nickname that was going 23:34 by in the streets was ice. 23:37 Because I was a cold hearted person. 23:40 I don't think you will even like me 23:42 if you met me 20 years or 25 years ago. 23:44 I was very mean, I was even bigger than this. 23:47 And bigger not in weight, but I was very big, huge in 23:52 as far as muscular anyway. 23:54 But nothing to glory about it anyway. 23:56 Right. 23:57 Which means you had the whole persona, 23:59 the attitude, the ego, don't mess with me, 24:02 I'm really good at what I do. Yes. 24:04 I'm gonna handle my business. Correct. 24:06 And your name start to getting around 24:07 and people started becoming aware. 24:09 "Wow! Look out for this guy, he's serious." 24:10 Yes, yes. 24:12 And that's usually what the persona 24:13 is when you're involved 24:14 because, you know, as you know now. 24:16 As I know growing up in New York City, 24:18 you either get involved and be good at 24:20 what you do or don't get involved 24:21 at all because life is short. 24:23 You know, if you're not really serious about 24:26 where you're headed, you could lose your life 24:27 just like that. 24:29 And so but here you are, and as we unfold this, 24:32 you're talking to me today because God had a plan 24:35 even while you were in this dark. 24:37 Amazing! Awesome God. Yeah. 24:39 In it I thought in the whole time, 24:40 I was all that. 24:42 You know, when you can get away from getting shot, 24:47 getting killed, getting stabbed, I was doing... 24:49 Otherwise it was doing towards them, 24:51 but I always get away from all those things. 24:53 But I thought I was bulletproof, 24:58 but I know now it wasn't me, it was by the mercy of God 25:02 because my mother was praying. 25:04 But anyway I was getting good at it 25:08 and the name was out there just wanted to know that. 25:11 A lot of people don't know what's going on today 25:12 in the drug trafficking world, 25:15 but I was involved very deep in it. 25:17 And, you know, in this part in California 25:20 in the area where I was at, 25:22 the line of drugs that comes from there, 25:24 it comes straight from through Tijuana. 25:27 And so there are cartels, there are groups, 25:29 there are families. 25:31 These are families, these are not just like 25:33 any individual that wants to be a drug dealer. 25:36 These are families that are particularly connected directly 25:40 with the source of it. 25:42 And so these families are the ones that control 25:44 that certain area that goes all the way from California 25:47 going up in Oregon, 25:50 Washington all the way to Alaska. 25:52 This underworld. Yeah, this underworld. 25:54 And these are families, 25:55 these are families that runs the show. 25:57 So that's where, you know, 26:00 when they heard and known 26:01 because the drugs are coming from them. 26:03 And they know that I was moving a lot of weight 26:06 on their behalf. 26:09 So whenever there's a conflict within their circle 26:13 because this is the Mexican Mafia and... 26:18 So that's when they call me. 26:20 They will call 26:22 to come and take care of that situation. 26:24 And I was very good at it. 26:26 I was very good in what I was doing. 26:29 And so this particular... 26:32 If you want me to get into that, 26:34 I don't want to go in details of it 26:36 because I don't want to glorify. 26:38 But I wanted to know how, 26:39 this is how God began His work 26:43 of how to reach me 26:44 because I believe God see that 26:47 I was going deeper, and deeper, and deeper. 26:49 I was coming to the point where 26:52 that there is no more conscience. 26:55 Life itself was meaningless to me. 26:58 And so I was getting to that point, 27:00 and I believed that God was hearing the prayers. 27:02 And I'd tell you how that happens. 27:08 So at one point I was moving a lot of weight, 27:11 I was moving keys, we're talking about big keys... 27:14 I have certain customers, 27:19 these main ones. 27:21 I will get these keys and I will break them up 27:24 and give it to these... 27:26 Key is short for kilos. For kilos. 27:28 Yeah, kilo cocaine. 27:30 Kilo at that time, 27:33 it is expensive if the families from the cartel 27:37 will bring it up to you, 27:39 but if you go and get it yourself, it's cheaper. 27:41 So these families that are running over there 27:44 in Washington, Oregon and so and forth 27:46 at this particular point here in Washington where I was at. 27:51 These families therefore decided 27:53 that they will go instead saving some money 27:56 and bring the load from Mexico. 27:59 Well, what happened was is that the brothers went down there, 28:03 and this family, the family that's running the situation up 28:08 in Washington and they got assassinated. 28:11 The family down, they not only took the money but killed them. 28:15 So instead of like causing a war 28:18 between them and the family up north 28:21 so they decided, 28:22 "Okay, let's just put our differences aside, 28:25 we will bring the load for free. 28:29 And you just have to provide a safe house 28:31 where we can bring the load." 28:33 And it's free, you know, the payoff deal. 28:37 Well, that's when they call me. 28:38 And they call me and they asked me, I guess, 28:41 they have plans the brothers that was lost. 28:44 And they set up a place for meeting 28:47 and they asked me, 28:48 I said, "Okay, this so and so." 28:49 Then you need to do this job. 28:53 So me, I'm very methodical. 28:54 I don't just jump because of money. 28:57 I ask him a question. 28:58 You know, I asked him a question. 28:59 I said, "Sir." 29:01 I didn't say sir actually. 29:03 But I asked him, I said, 29:07 "Okay, why don't you do it yourself. 29:10 I thought these were your brothers 29:12 because you don't want to be set up. 29:14 You know, you want to be very clear, 29:15 you want to know, 29:17 we want to have a plan A and Plan B 29:19 how to get there and how to escape." 29:22 So when I got there I asked him, and we met up, 29:24 and he came with his two brothers. 29:28 And two brothers that met me and I asked him, I said, 29:31 "Why don't you want to do it yourself? 29:32 I thought that was your family. 29:34 If it was my family, 29:35 I'll handle it myself." 29:37 But he said, "No, no, no." 29:39 So that was the first red flag for me. 29:42 And so I came up with another scenario. 29:45 I said, "Well, okay. 29:46 That's fine, but how about this? 29:48 What if I go get them, 29:52 and then put it in front of you 29:54 and you will do the job." 29:55 So that will give you a satisfaction 29:57 that it was your family that was... 29:59 I just want to get to the root of the plan, 30:00 you know, the situation. 30:02 What is the motive here? 30:04 I wanted to know because everything I was doing 30:06 even in the wickedness and evil that I know now, 30:09 at the time I didn't know what was wicked. 30:11 I thought everything I was doing was right 30:14 in my mind. 30:15 But as now knowing the Lord, that was very terrible, 30:20 but anyway in my mind, so I asked him, 30:22 I said, and he said, no again. 30:24 Like, you can do it yourself. 30:25 So I knew in my mind now, 30:28 "Okay, now I need to think 30:31 what am I going to be doing 30:32 because this smells all set up right here." 30:36 So we met up. 30:38 And they wanted me to do the job with their guns, 30:43 they're gonna provide me the guns, 30:45 you know, the guns to do it. 30:48 And so okay, I play along, 30:50 but in the same time, you know, 30:52 I'm not gonna do it the way they wanted to do it. 30:55 So to make a long story 30:57 I don't want to go through the situation. 31:00 I handled situation, 31:01 it was in a way that it will make sure that 31:06 it will send also a message. 31:08 Because that's what you always wanted to do. 31:10 You wanted to send the message that you know that 31:13 if anything that you were trying to get back to me, 31:18 this is what's going to happen to you and your family. 31:21 So that's the kind of life I was, 31:22 you know, I was getting hold of 31:24 and all this it begins when I was a little 31:27 that it becomes normal and natural. 31:28 Competitive. 31:29 Yeah, competitive and fearless I was. 31:34 Let me add some to that. 31:36 Not so much add something to that, 31:37 but a lot of people that are listening 31:38 and watching the program. 31:40 They're walking with you. 31:41 And I'm allowing you to do this for a particular reason 31:44 because sometimes you would say, 31:46 "Well, that's a television program 31:48 that doesn't really happened." 31:49 Well, that's just, you know, this movie, that movie, 31:51 but this is a real world. 31:53 Television glorifies it. Yeah. 31:55 But there's a real side to this drug world, 31:57 this dark world, this gang violence, 32:00 this hit man world, 32:01 taking life, senseless violence, 32:04 there's a real side to that. 32:06 So it's not something that's just dramatized on television, 32:08 but as Loto is telling you, 32:11 this is the kind of life he lived. 32:13 So now tell me, how did you get caught and sentenced? 32:16 I didn't get caught. Okay. 32:18 I didn't get caught out. 32:20 Like I said, you know, and the same time, 32:22 I'm not going to even pride 32:24 to thinking like I was so sneaky 32:26 or anything like that, but I was very methodical 32:29 in everything I do. 32:30 Whenever I make a plan, I planned. 32:33 And I think God wants us to plan. 32:34 You thought it all the way through. 32:36 I thought it all the way through 32:37 what I need to do. 32:39 But anyway this particular deal whenever we finished moving. 32:43 When I mean moving is selling all the products 32:46 that we have for that moment. 32:49 Then we take a break. 32:51 You know, then I take a vacation 32:54 in order to take off because 32:56 that's what smart people and that's why 32:57 there's a lot of people that are now 32:58 filling up our jails and everything else. 33:00 These are the small guys you see in the corner selling. 33:03 And those are the ones that continue to continue 33:05 so always their faces are out there, 33:08 and so the authority always find them. 33:12 But the real guys that are the ones 33:14 that are supplying all these, 33:16 you know, illegal drugs and everything else, 33:18 they will take vacations and go, 33:20 you know, 33:21 and have a much, much easier life and prosper. 33:23 But they stay out of the visual. 33:25 Yes, they're not visual to the authorities. 33:29 Anyway to make it quick. 33:33 So anyway I was... 33:34 We're taking a break 33:35 and the keys were locked in a Corvette. 33:40 And so they all wanted to please, 33:44 you know, they wanted to please me 33:45 to open the door. 33:47 But I was left all by myself in my colleague's apartment 33:50 so I was in there. 33:51 So I was taking my lines, 33:53 I have a special vial that I'll make sure 33:56 because I don't want it to somebody to taint with it 33:59 so I can take a little sniff to keep me awake. 34:03 And so while I was in the apartment, 34:05 all of a sudden, 34:07 I hear a loud voice inside this room, 34:09 this apartment, two words, 34:12 "come home". 34:17 So remember this whole thing. 34:18 Remember, I have no experience with spiritual things, 34:21 I never believe in angels, I never believe in demons. 34:24 I thought people that believe in that things, 34:26 bunch of nut cases. 34:28 You know, they always talk about this and that, 34:30 I didn't believe in none of that. 34:32 But this time, the first thing that came to my mind 34:35 what was wrong with this line that I just made, 34:37 maybe somebody spiked that or something. 34:42 So I looked again, 34:45 and I said, there's nothing wrong with it. 34:47 Anyway at that moment 34:50 when I was going through this experience 34:55 I want to fast forward... 34:57 My mother was up there in that particular time. 35:00 My mother was up with some relatives in Washington. 35:03 And this time when I found her, she was praying with them. 35:07 She was praying because I remember 35:09 one of our family together gathering. 35:12 My mother came to me and asked me and said, 35:14 "Son, why don't you put away or leave your sin." 35:18 I looked at my mother's face, my beautiful mother. 35:21 And I said, "Mom, I love my sin. 35:25 I'm happy with my sin, but I'm looking at you guys. 35:28 You guys are saying that you're going to church, 35:30 you love the Lord and everything else. 35:32 It seems like you guys are not happy." 35:34 It's just like many of you are always complaining, 35:36 you know, da-da, da-da. 35:38 This is what was going on in my mind 35:39 'cause all I'm going by is what I see, what I hear. 35:43 You know, see the struggle of what 35:46 a believer goes through anyway. 35:49 So I said to my mother, "You know, I love my sin." 35:51 So it didn't make sense to me. 35:54 So here now I am caught up in this experience with God. 35:57 And I believe with all my heart now 35:59 there was Jesus in that place. 36:03 So in that experience I told everyone, I said, 36:08 "You know what, I'm leaving." 36:09 This is a lot because at that moment, 36:13 all of a sudden, I was like in a trance, 36:18 and when I was in a trance even though I can see you, 36:21 but I can't see you, 36:23 there's another picture that I'm seeing. 36:25 And what I saw when after 36:26 it says come home and my heart was... 36:29 Now I'm going through this... 36:30 It seems like everything else was blanked around me. 36:33 And I saw a dark shadow from me going out. 36:38 All I see is this dark shadow leaving me. 36:42 And I don't see you. 36:43 It's like I'm looking at you right now. 36:45 But I don't see you, 36:46 but I see a dark shadow leaving me. 36:49 At the time I didn't understand 36:50 what that means in that picture. 36:52 All I knew right after that happened, 36:55 I kneeled down and start crying. 36:58 And, I mean, just pouring and crying for nothing. 37:01 I don't know why. 37:02 Oh, you didn't know why, 37:04 but there was a cleansing taking place. 37:05 There was a cleansing going on right now. 37:08 But remember, I told you that my mother was praying. 37:10 They were praying with some of my relatives, 37:12 they are just praying, 37:14 and this is the prayer that she prayed. 37:15 She told me later on after I asked her. 37:17 She said she got fed up with my lifestyle she was... 37:22 Actually she was concerned about my lifestyle. 37:24 So she prayed this prayer, she said, 37:26 "Father, do not let Loto, 37:30 my son enjoy the sin that he's doing, 37:33 and make him miserable in his sin." 37:38 This is the prayer she told me. 37:39 She told me she prayed particular prayer, 37:42 that's the prayer I'm praying now for my kid. 37:44 So the Lord is now getting a hold of you. 37:47 But I want to transition now. Right. 37:49 He's getting a hold of you, you're praying, you're crying. 37:51 How did you end up in Walla Walla? 37:53 Okay. 37:54 Let's get there because our time is running, 37:55 I don't want to miss on this. I understand. 37:57 I know it's warm. 37:58 Anyway I am... 37:59 After I gave my life, 38:02 I went home, I went to my house, 38:05 and I found out that there was particular 38:09 they were having evangelistic meetings. 38:13 There was a flyer that came to my house. 38:18 And there was a flyer that says there was a two-week, 38:20 no, it was more than that. 38:22 It was already two weeks I missed, 38:27 but I believe was an eight-week evangelistic meeting. 38:30 His name was Dick Pollard from California. 38:33 I know exactly who that is. 38:34 He was doing the evangelistic meetings. 38:36 Anyway I gave my life. 38:39 I gave my life there. 38:40 I got baptized. Amen. 38:43 And after I got baptized, this is amazing. 38:45 This is something even today many will not, 38:48 will never understand this, 38:51 but a voice that same voice that says come home, 38:53 that same voice came to me it says, 38:56 "Turn yourself in." 38:58 Yeah, turn yourself in. 39:00 Go turn yourself in. 39:02 I'm in that blank mind in that same time. 39:06 I didn't even sink or saying to myself, 39:10 "Well, man, that's a lot, 39:11 you know, you're gonna get in a lot of time, 39:12 you gonna get locked up for a long time." 39:15 But I went on with an obedient to this voice 39:18 because I've never experienced 39:21 spiritual or supernatural things before. 39:24 But I have learned in evangelistic meetings 39:26 concerning who this Jesus is. 39:28 That's right. 39:29 And this Jesus I'm willing because... 39:31 In the story of Joseph, 39:33 you know, when Joseph was taken, 39:36 you know, in captivity. 39:40 I read about it that Joseph spent a lot of time 39:42 with his father Jacob. 39:43 And Jacob taught him and told him about the stories 39:47 when he was running from his brother. 39:50 And Joseph was only 17 years old 39:53 and yet he trusted the God of his father Jacob. 39:58 And that's the same thing with me, 39:59 I trusted my dad's God because now I'm experienced, 40:03 I no longer trust my father, 40:05 my earthly father because I loved him. 40:07 Now I'm trusting the God that he told me about. 40:11 And I can trust my God that this God 40:13 that now supernaturally reveal Himself. 40:15 Okay, you're speaking to me to turn myself 40:18 in just as He spoke to me to come home. 40:19 And did you do that? 40:21 Yes, I did. 40:22 I went to turn myself in. 40:23 And they didn't believe it 40:25 because they didn't have no witness, 40:26 you know, no witness, nothing like that 40:28 because there's a mark, I'm the hit man, 40:31 and then there's a clean group. 40:34 It's called a cleanup group both cannot see each other, 40:38 all they gotta do is do their job, 40:39 I do my job, it's done. 40:41 You don't connect. No. 40:42 Anyway, so I went to turn myself in, 40:45 to make a short to go forward in that. 40:48 The judge could not believe 40:50 because, I know, the time is short. 40:52 The judge could not believe that I will do that. 40:55 They keep on asking me... 40:57 When I got there, when I turned myself in, 41:00 I have a lawyer, the best lawyer in Washington. 41:04 And he was retaining. 41:05 He already met, came down there and says, 41:07 "Loto, you know, you don't have to do this. 41:10 You know, no matter what you told him, 41:12 there's no... 41:13 I can get you out of it." 41:15 I said, "No, I'm guilty. That's fine." 41:18 So over and over, you know, 41:20 in this process where you got to go through the legal system, 41:22 where you got to have representation 41:24 and everything else. 41:25 Maybe there was something wrong with his head 41:27 or something like that made me mentally ill. 41:30 All these things the courts, 41:31 the legal system were considered. 41:33 Everything and he flipped out. 41:34 Correct. 41:35 But in my mind I'm in this zone 41:38 with the Holy Spirit. 41:39 The Holy Spirit tell me, it says, 41:40 "Okay, Loto, turn yourself in." 41:43 And now I understood why to turn myself 41:46 because God has to take me away from all my family, 41:49 all my familiar friends 41:51 because they will be the worst teacher's influence to me 41:55 in what God is trying to teach me. 41:58 And the only way that God can teach me His way 42:01 is for me to be alone in prison. 42:04 Kind of like Joseph. Yes. 42:05 And I tell you now, 42:07 you know, Pastor Lomacang, 42:08 you know, Brother Lomacang, 42:09 it was the most happiest time of my life. 42:11 In prison? In prison. 42:14 In prison where I learned about Him, 42:16 I learned about His word. 42:17 I was pacing about my this cell on my knees, 42:22 you know, in prayer and reading the Word. 42:24 I started learning about God and I fell in love with Him. 42:28 I fell in love with this God 42:29 and in my heart also in the same time 42:31 where God will share with my earthly dad. 42:34 Then I said to myself, 42:36 "This is what my dad was telling me." 42:38 In those short nine years that I have with him, 42:40 this is what he has experienced in his life. 42:43 Now I'm experiencing it. 42:45 So here you are in prison reflecting back 42:48 on what your dad had been showing you. 42:50 What he had been teaching you and your dedication to him, 42:54 your earthly father 42:55 now became your dedication to your heavenly Father. 42:58 How much time did they give you? 42:59 That's a good thing. 43:01 Now the judge was to see the first-degree murder two counts, 43:07 they only charged me one count. 43:08 That's another miracle. 43:10 'Cause if there's two counts it would be much, 43:13 much more to the death penalty, 43:15 life without, but they gave me first-degree. 43:19 And the way that scale was 43:21 is first-degree is 27 years, 43:27 between 27 years, 43:29 and the least one is 20 in the lower end. 43:32 The high end is 27, the low end is 20. 43:35 The judge said to me these are his very words. 43:38 He says, "Mr. Ilaoa, 43:40 if I have power to change, 43:44 I will make it less than 20 years." 43:47 But because the prosecuting office recommend the 20 years. 43:51 That's awesome. 43:52 I mean who will ever think of that, 43:54 I mean, you can think about today 43:56 and that kind of crime, it will never be. 43:58 It can never be they will give you 44:00 the highest or even more an exceptional sentence 44:03 it's off the scale. 44:04 At the time they will give you more. 44:07 But God saw just like with Jacob 20 years... 44:09 I compared to like Jacob's life. 44:11 Twenty years, he ran from his brother. 44:12 That's right. 44:14 God gave me 20 years of education, 44:16 20 years to learn about Him. 44:18 So I served 20 years, but not all 20 years in there. 44:22 It was God released early 44:24 and yet be on probation for I got out in 17.5 years. 44:30 And then you can say 44:32 because I was on probation for two years when I got out. 44:36 The amazing thing about being in Walla Walla, 44:37 and you're learning about God, 44:39 but then that's where you heard about 3ABN. 44:41 Yes. Tell me about that? 44:43 3ABN was my... Actually was the... 44:46 Shall I say the source, 44:48 the venue that God uses to teach me, 44:51 to teach me about truth, about the sanctuary, 44:54 about sanctification, 44:57 glorification, about justification, 44:59 all these things that I needed to learn, 45:02 to be nourished of 45:03 because I know the enemy is gonna come 45:05 to trying to discourage or trying to draw me 45:07 back to the world. 45:08 I just want to give a note, you know, when I got... 45:11 I'm not gonna say the name, but when I got baptized, 45:14 Satan's first thing was trying to get me 45:16 to discourage of my calling when God calls me to come home. 45:20 I sadly, very regretfully, 45:22 but the pastor that not pastor, 45:25 you know, evangelist Dick Pollard. 45:27 But the very pastor that baptized me 45:30 committed adultery, 45:31 you know, the pastor. 45:33 So Satan was trying to use that to discourage me, 45:35 "See, your beliefs, your calling is a lie." 45:39 It's a fake. It's a fake. 45:40 So, you know, trying to get me to go back to the world, 45:43 but no this experience I have with God 45:45 that's just my challenge to everyone. 45:49 I don't care if whatever you're going through, 45:51 whatever it is, 45:53 ask the Lord to give you a personal encounter. 45:57 Once that encounter I believe with all the prophets 45:59 that I read in the Bible. 46:00 Right. 46:02 I believe that, yes, we are weak, we are sinners, 46:05 and we fail, we'll fall, you know, 46:07 in many occasions and God wants you to come back up. 46:12 But I believe that many just like David, 46:14 just like Moses and everyone is that personal encounter. 46:17 That personal encounter will never depart from you 46:20 to trust and love the one 46:22 who called you, Jesus Christ. 46:23 And that's what kept me. 46:25 Even though Satan trying to make me doubt? 46:26 No. 46:28 I was one of those people that 46:30 I don't just believe in something 46:31 that you will tell me. 46:33 Right, because you can see that pattern in your life though, 46:34 everything you did, you did it all the way. 46:37 And that also spilled over into your spiritual walk with God. 46:40 If you're gonna do something, 46:42 do it all the way, don't go halfway. 46:43 Methodical. Yes. 46:44 Look at your growth, look at your life. 46:46 Yeah. 46:47 Then you did your time, 46:49 the Lord blessed you by allowing you to come out early. 46:53 Correct. 46:54 How did you connect to a local church? 46:56 Did you go back to the church that you were baptized or...? 46:58 No, as a matter of fact God calls me to come... 47:00 At this time my wife that is now. 47:03 We were not married. 47:04 We met in 1984 when I was in the Navy. 47:07 And she's an awesome woman the best woman I've ever... 47:10 I thank God for her. 47:11 But at this time she is a devout Catholic 47:14 as you know all many Spanish Latinos, 47:17 most of them are Catholics. 47:20 But, you know, the Catholics are losing the hold on that. 47:22 Many of them are now coming 47:24 to the Protestant movement anyway. 47:26 But my wife was a very devout, raised our son as a Catholic. 47:31 God says, "Loto, I want you to go to California." 47:35 Because we're not married at the time, 47:36 we've been together since 1984, 47:38 but we always connected because of our son. 47:42 And I'm so glad, and I thankful to God 47:44 that she was not involved in the kind of thing I knew 47:47 that I was doing 47:49 because I could have been something 47:51 that would drastically changed her. 47:53 And so called me to go to California, 47:56 it was very impossible, but it was a miracle 47:58 that God has another thing the story of itself 48:00 of our God on a probation office 48:03 because California system was filled, 48:05 the poena was filled, 48:06 there's no way they can transfer an inmate 48:08 from Washington to California. 48:11 But this probation officer awesome, thank God for him. 48:15 His name was Strahov, awesome guy. 48:18 And after we finished my probation, 48:20 I can't find him wherever he his. 48:22 He opened my folder and said to make it very quickly. 48:25 He opened a folder and then saw 48:27 this whole record this bad person. 48:29 And he says, you know what, 48:31 "I'll watch him." 48:33 He opened the door for me to transfer from Washington. 48:37 To California? To come to California. 48:40 And it's amazing because he was very respectful. 48:43 And I witnessed to him. 48:44 I gave him a copy of The Great Controversy, 48:46 we pray together, you know, 48:49 many probation officers would just come into your house. 48:52 You know, to come to your house, 48:53 they don't have to call you or anything. 48:55 They can... Surprise visits? 48:57 Not him, he will call me and says, 49:00 "Loto, can I come over and see?" 49:03 I want you to know also 49:04 I hope I'm not gonna get him in trouble, 49:06 but he trusted me. 49:08 I don't know how. 49:09 The Lord gave him... Gave him that kind of... 49:12 A kindred spirit... 49:13 Correct. Of respect. 49:14 I remember, you cannot leave your... 49:16 Domain. 49:18 When I got out, we go 49:20 everywhere out of state, everywhere. 49:22 But he says, "As long as you report, on Monday, 49:25 report when you get in, call me." 49:27 As I'm listening to your story. 49:29 I'm listening to a sincere part of it 49:32 where not only did the Lord convict you 49:35 to turn yourself in. 49:37 Because, I mean, 49:39 what people want is not to be caught. 49:41 So here all of a sudden, all this crime, 49:43 you came out of that and you're standing before the judge. 49:45 And you're saying, 49:47 "Your Honor, I know, 49:48 there's no record, there's no trace, 49:49 but I'm guilty of all these things 49:51 and let me tell you what I've done." 49:52 That is an amazing thing. Let me tell you why. 49:55 The person that doesn't confess what they've done 49:58 will repeat it. 49:59 The person that doesn't own up to what they are guilty of, 50:03 the Bible says, 50:05 "He who covers his sin will not prosper. 50:08 But he who confesses and forsakes will have mercy." 50:12 And so I'm seeing the scripture 50:13 that very scripture in the Bible 50:15 coming pass in your life. 50:16 Praise the Lord. 50:17 You confessed it, you forsook it, you left it, 50:19 and the Lord gave you mercy not having to do 20 to 27, 50:23 but letting you out earlier 50:24 and giving you a probation officer 50:26 that was a part of your spiritual growth. 50:28 But now tell me, where you are now. 50:31 Well, God is amazing, 50:33 well, I made a covenant with Him like, 50:35 "Okay, I'm gonna turn myself in 50:36 and if you will supply all my needs, 50:40 I promise I will give you 10%." 50:42 When I was in there, I was making, 50:43 I start out with $25 a month, 50:45 you know, scrubbing toilets and everything else. 50:48 But today, God has opened the door 50:49 and give me a job that I make 1,100 a week 50:53 and so He supplied. 50:54 And God has given me, 50:56 bought our new home, you know. 50:58 Everything, I mean, who cannot, 50:59 who can see that only the hand of God 51:02 will do that for such a person that's doing 20 years, 51:05 and with a felony record, 51:09 and yet God opened abundantly in everything. 51:12 I don't know what He has in store ahead, 51:14 but I know that this is just the beginning of the work 51:17 that He's doing in me 51:18 and hopefully that I'll share with others. 51:21 And I know there's much, much, much more to share. 51:25 I want to make sure that 51:26 there's a point we asked, a question I asked you. 51:28 Yes. And I like this. 51:30 You want to challenge people by saying 51:33 God is looking for you to encounter Him, 51:36 to have an experience with Him. 51:37 Yes. Fifteen, twenty seconds. 51:39 Well, I believe with all my heart 51:42 there are many, many men in prisons and women. 51:47 And maybe even out here, 51:50 there many of them are struggling 51:52 about this God that they hear so much 51:54 about that will solve their problems. 51:57 But I want you to know that God is a God 51:59 that looks in the heart. 52:00 It is the heart that God is looking for, 52:03 and when you do something, 52:04 give it all to Him even though you may look like 52:07 it seems like it doesn't go anywhere. 52:09 God is willing to give you that experience 52:11 and that encounter that will... 52:15 Change your life. That will change your life. 52:17 Well, I tell you, I want to make sure 52:18 that those who are watching the program 52:19 will get the information they need 52:21 because I know that somebody 52:22 would want to invite you to come. 52:24 And we're gonna come back after the news break, 52:26 but I'm gonna make sure that they get the information. 52:28 The information you need to contact Loto is right here. 52:33 And after the news break 52:34 we'll be back for a few closing thoughts. |
Revised 2018-01-03