O Beautiful Day

Today was a tremendously spiritual and fun day for us. Our sweet nephew, whom we love so much, was baptized today. Sete was joined by hundreds of people at his baptismal service. We held it in the chapel, rather than the Relief Society room and opened both overflows of the stake center, if that gives you any idea how many people showed up. As I looked down from the stand I was stunned, and deeply touched, by the number of people who love, support and respect him. His family, friends, ward members, teammates and coaches all showed up.

For Alvin and me, it was intensely emotional. From the time Sete first began going to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there was something about it he liked. He wasn't quick to join, but rather took his time in studying the words and teachings of the prophets and apostles. He attended church, family home evening, ward prayer . . . slowly immersing himself in the Gospel, even becoming a home teacher several months prior to today. President Hinckley's last General Conference was a powerful experience for him and it was at that time he decided he had move forward with his decision to be baptized.

May I share the tremendous impact he has made on us? From the moment we met him he has been a true example of Jesus Christ, long before this day where he entered the waters of baptism. Often he would give me a sweet reminder, simply through a question, what I needed to be doing. The covenants of baptism are simple and sweet. Indeed, Sete has had the image of Christ stamped on his countenance for quite some time. There is a presence about him which dictates greatness for his future.

Alvin and I have felt so privileged to have him our home and today I literally choked up, my eyes swimming with tears as I conveyed my deep love and respect for this nephew of ours. We wish to thank Elders Aria and Mendenhall for stepping forward and finishing the discussions, a series of lessons about the Gospel, for Sete. We also wish to thank his former roommates, all return missionaries, who loved him as a brother and good examples and emissaries of Jesus Christ. Most importantly, we wish to thank Sete's parents for the wonderful young man they have raised.

One of Alvin's dear friends, Nela Otuafi, wrote a beautiful song about what kind of man Sete should want to be. This song quikly became one of Sete's favorites and Nela was kind enough to come to the baptsmal service and sing his song.



Man! We are blessed.