I am amazed at how beautiful this day turned out! Tunoa has not been excited to be baptized at all until he had his interview with the Bishop (Cliff) on Tuesday. I didn't know what happened to change his mind at the time of the interview, but Tunoa came down afterward and yelled with excitement, "I am getting baptized on Saturday!" I responded that was so cool and how happy I was to see him be ecstatic about it.
I asked Cliff about it and he told me the next day that he just tried to relate to him in his own 8 year old mind. Tunoa had written up on the dry erase board in our room that he gets to be niys (nice), mom gives him kanbe (candy) for being niys, can help uthrs (others), be like Jesus, and other reasons that I can't remember. Basically as soon as Tunoa realized it wasn't a scary thing, he was ready. It was like he understood!
We were able to hold it on Zoom, so all of Cliff's family was able to watch. Nezhone and Mom were able to join as well. We were originally going to have just the baptism and confirmation and be done. But, we had an opening song "I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus" which was perfect for him because that is what he said he was trying to do. Adrik said the prayer because he is one that Tunoa LOVES to play with. The baptism came next with Lavea'i and Tula'i as the witnesses. and while Tunoa and Cliff were drying off I had Kalena and Leilani sing "Choose Him Again" to please my mom that there was something more than just the baptism. After the song, Cliff confirmed him. I wasn't able to hear much because I was watching Brother Hartman's, the 2nd Counselor who was conducting, little girl who was running up and down the hall. After the confirmation, the closing song was one of his favorites, "The Wise Man and the Foolish Man." Manatua gave the closing prayer and it was done.
It was so simple and just focused on the ordinances that were being performed. I loved that there was nothing afterward and just family that normally wouldn't be able to be there was able to watch vis Zoom. What a special experience!
It did occur to me that if we could have kept our flights to Samoa, he could have been baptized down there. That would have been an amazing experience, but I have realized that it doesn't matter where you are baptized, but that you are baptized and make those covenants with our Heavenly Father.
Things I will hope to remember about this day: 1. the simplicity of it all 2. how excited Tunoa was to be baptized 3. All of my children have entered in on the straight and narrow path and what a joy that brings to my life .
When I say Tunoa was so ecstatic, I mean as soon as he knew Cliff and I were awake, he ran into our room all dressed to go to the chapel at 7. I had to let him down by saying that they all needed to have hair cuts. He was so disappointed and pouted because he just wanted to go to the church and get into the water. Oh, the beauty of little children!!!
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