Stories: 51 Years Later
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| What are the Chances? Fifty One Years Later!
Doctrine and Covenants 18:15 “And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying
repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, ho great shall be your joy
with him in the kingdom of my Father!”
Do you often wonder about your influence and example to those around you? Do you
wonder if you are really making a difference? Oft times we do not know of the blessings
that come to us as a result of our actions for many, many years and sometimes we may
never really know.
Such was the case with the lives of Ronald Bell and Aioleoge Lima Lesa.
Ron served a mission to Samoa in 1960-63. (2 ½ years).
In March 2009 Ron returned to Samoa with his wife to serve an 18th month mission.
It was really a dream come true for both of them as the Samoan life and culture
continues to be a part of their lives. Their assignment was to serve as the office
mission couple working with Pres. and Sister O. Vincent Haleck. From July-October
2010 Elder Dominique Fa’alogo was one of fourteen outstanding assistants to the
president that served with the Bells in the office. Elder Fa’alogo told us of his family
being Samoans and living in the Salt Lake City area. He said that he didn’t know any
Samoan when he came on his mission.
Upon returning home Sister Bell became “friends” with most of the missionaries that
served in Samoa on FACEBOOK including Elder Dominique Fa’alogo. A friend request
came from Karen Lesa Fa’alogo, Dominique’s mother also. She was looking for the
Elders that had married and baptized her father, Aioleoge Lima Lesa. She had been
searching the book, BUILDING THE KINGDOM IN SAMOA 1888-2005 by R. Carl Harris.
Having remembered that Dominique had served in the office with a couple by the name
of Bell she asked him what was Elder Bell’s first name? Karen started asking questions
on Facebook about Elder Bell and his first mission. Was Elder Bell that person? Did he
have a companion Elder Robbins? Did he have any pictures of her parents wedding and
her father’s baptism? Did he ever serve on the Island of Tutuila? What years did he
serve? After looking in his journal several times for various dates and times he realized
that he had not written down names of those he baptized only that he had baptized
someone. He was however serving in Mapusaga Fou during the time Brother Lesa was
baptized. He did not have a companion named Elder Robbins.
A meeting was set for December 22, 2011 to met with Karen Lesa Fa’alogo, her father
Aioleoge Lima Lesa and Ronald J.Bell. Brother Lesa recognized Elder Bell immediately as
the person who had baptized him in September 1960. Brother Aioleoge Lima Lesa and
his wife, Ioana Lupe Moe were married in 1958 by Elder Robbins. Ioana was already a
member of the church. After two years of marriage he decided to get baptized in 1960.
He said he was hard to convert to the church. Elder Bell did not enter the mission until
1960 which would explain why he did not remember their wedding. Sister Lesa passed
away 1994. They have 7 children, 29 grandchildren and all of them have been born in
the covenant! Elder Dominique Fa’alogo is one of those grandchildren. Karen Fa’alogo
is still searching to find Elder Robbins.
It was a very touching and memorable meeting for both Brother Lesa and Ron Bell to
realize that both of their lives had been touched so many years ago. You often wonder
what your influence has been and what lives you have touched while serving your
mission.
Thanks to Karen Fa’alogo for continuing to seek and to find the person who baptized
her father. All of our lives have been touched by this experience. |
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