December 29, 2023 • 56 mins
The episode starts with Stephanie's own experience during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, discussing the struggles of doing church at home, online education, and unexpected health scares, while balancing her demanding work and personal anxieties. She then shares the anticipation of the birth of her new grandson, which was disrupted due to Covid-19 exposure. The episode then delves into the story of a woman named Aka, who shares her personal journey from a troubled past in American Samoa to eventual conviction and redemption. Meeting Aka in a church service during a trip to Maui, Stephanie draws parallels between her experiences with her faith and Aka's journey of redemption.
Thanks for listening! I'm on Instagram as deardaughtersofgod. Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/invites/contact/?i=1iyjqx0cq4kbk&utm_content=qr66nqv
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Stephanie test (00:00):
I am Stephanie Eccles.
This is Dear Daughters of God,Episode 10, The Prodigal
Daughter.
We are inspired by true lifeexperiences of those around us.
My name is Stephanie Eccles.
I'm an educator.
Counselor, school administrator,and natural storyteller.
(00:22):
From my perspective as a memberof the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter day Saints, I share avariety of life experiences that
bring us hope and joy in ourSavior, Jesus Christ.
Welcome dear Daughters of God.
I address you that way becausethat's what you are to Him.
(00:43):
To our Heavenly Father, you aredear.
Today I have two stories toshare with you.
One originates in Utah and theother in Hawaii.
By the end you'll see how theyboth tie together.
The first one December of 2020.
(01:07):
The Corona virus was affectingthe whole world the attendance
of church had been suspended inthe United States because big
groups of people were notallowed to meet this affected me
as well as millions of people.
I had attended church everySunday all of my life, and now
(01:31):
that wasn't allowed.
So, I was learning with myfamily what it was like to have
church at home.
Leading up into that year, Ithad one serious emergency after
another, starting with theGrantsville murders, which I
(01:54):
covered in the previous episode,episode number nine.
the most significant emergencywas the coronavirus, in March of
twenty twenty, it was announcedthat students would not be
allowed to Returned to school inUtah after a long weekend.
(02:15):
over that weekend, we learnedhow to educate students online
to finish the school year.
It was from that summer forwardthat there was one conflict
after another that had to beresolved, and they were all
based on the coronavirusstarting with, were we going to
(02:40):
be giving an in person educationto our students in addition to
an online education that fall?
I would have never imagined as aschool administrator to be
placed in a position where I wastrying to convince my community,
to allow students to come backto school in person.
(03:04):
What about our teachers and therest of our staff?
Where they ready and willing tocome back.
all the different partiesinvolved, including parents.
Everyone had a strong opinionabout what an education should
(03:24):
or should not look like duringthis coronavirus time.
And people's worry and anxietywas at a peak.
it was at this time that I wasstarting to experience these
strange symptoms Where I'mhaving flu like symptoms about
(03:46):
every two weeks with spasms inmy neck, wondering, is this the
coronavirus?
I talk about this in episodeeight called he said what?
What I didn't realize in thisunusual time of life, is that My
(04:06):
calm that I brought to work thatI was known for in the workplace
was not really how I was feelingon the inside.
Microphone (2- Samson Q2U (04:18):
while I was at home, I was feeling
stress and worry.
And I was way too quick toanger.
I didn't understand what wasgoing on with me.
Why was I feeling this way?
Well, I'll come back to that ina minute.
(04:40):
Moving back to December's event.
This December, I had a veryspecial event, and that was the
anticipation of a new grandson.
He was going to be born overChristmas break.
(05:01):
It couldn't have been betterbecause it was over the school
holiday.
I was gonna fly to Washington DCfrom Utah My daughter Savannah
was giving birth to Lincoln.
Now you met Savannah in episodesix.
(05:22):
We talked about the embodimentof Christ.
If you haven't heard thatepisode, go back and listen.
It's our fastest growingepisode.
So I was so looking forward tothis special time.
I couldn't wait to get there tobe a part of that birth and
(05:44):
having Christmas together as afamily.
Well, just a couple of daysbefore Richard and I are
supposed to fly to WashingtonDC, Richard gets a a call from a
colleague.
And she says, uh, I've justfound out I have the
(06:06):
coronavirus, Which means thatRichard is going to be on
quarantine because he's beenworking in the same office.
So, Sadly, this means we cannotfly like planned to Washington,
DC.
(06:26):
He needs to be on quarantine,and then we need to find out if
Richard has the coronavirus.
so this squelches the wholeplan.
I'm so frustrated.
at this news.
I can't believe it.
But I'm thinking everyone'sgoing through something like
(06:48):
this all over the world.
Microphone (2- Samson Q2U Mi (06:52):
If all goes well, we'll depart one
week later than originallyplanned, and we'll all be in
Washington DC before the holiday
Microphone (2- Samson Q2U (07:03):
Well, we get a piece of good news, the
church had gotten permission tohave a special Christmas program
in person.
we could gather for sacramentmeeting for this Christmas
program.
So this was going to be a veryspecial Sunday.
(07:23):
I approach this particularsacrament meeting having offered
many prayers for my distress andworry and looking for answers
and for help from the Lord.
So I go to church on thisSunday.
It does feel rather awkward,having not been there for over
(07:45):
six months and being therealone.
That is rather strange for me,but I'm thrilled to be there.
Microphone (2- Samson Q2U Mi (07:56):
It was time for the sacrament
ordinance to begin.
The very purpose why all of uswere gathered together.
To renew our covenants with ourheavenly father, To remember our
savior, Jesus Christ, and takeupon us his name.
(08:17):
To repent and covenant to keepthe commandments.
It was so sacred to be theretogether as a congregation and
partake of this holy ordinance.
There were beautiful sermonettesgiven about to the birth and the
(08:39):
life of our savior and Christmasmusic, Mostly instrumental
because the choir was notallowed to practice.
But the most significant of allof it was when joy to the world,
a duet with the piano and theorgan began.
(09:04):
It was powerful.
It was loud.
The vibration of the music awokeevery synapse in my body.
Within moments, The spiritlifted me, and I found myself in
(09:25):
another place.
I was now in the chapel that Iattended as a little girl,
rather than my Eaglewood Ward inNorth Salt Lake, I was in the
Colonial Hills Ward in Salt LakeCity in the Browning Avenue
area, viewing myself as a tenyear old With my five sisters
(09:53):
and my mom and dad sitting onthe second pew from the front as
usual, There was my father, thegentle giant.
Six foot seven, tall, thin bodyWith a ready smile, his little
bit of brown hair left, fewhairs combed over His bald head,
(10:20):
this lovely, gentle face andsinging off tune.
And my mother, five foot two,with her five inch afro hair do,
every hair curled in place.
I could feel the power of hertestimony emulating from her.
(10:45):
I could see them from thespirit's Wisdom.
I could see their humanfrailties, And I could see their
goodness.
I understood from the spiritthat one of the greatest
(11:06):
blessings that they gave me wasthat my goodly parents taught me
to go to church every Sunday.
it became a habit.
And through the years, Igradually learned the meaning
Stephanie Mic Aka Interview (11:27):
of the ordinance of the sacrament.
I took on those covenants, and Icould see the blessings that
came to me and protected methrough my life because I had
the spirit of God with me fromcontinuing to make my
(11:48):
sacramental covenants.
This was a blessing for myheavenly father, but carried
through by goodly parents whotaught me to go to church by
taking me to church everySunday.
Microphone (2- Samson Q2U M (12:11):
now I understood that I needed to
make sure I continued thistradition goodly parents, who
took me to church every week.
That was a blessing I receivedthat day at the Christmas
program, the distress, theworry, the anger was replaced
(12:38):
with a blessing of great joy andelation.
I would like to share anotherstory with you about a beautiful
(12:58):
Samoan woman named Aka.
she also has a goodly motherthat took her to church.
We will hear her story OverThanksgiving break, we were
visiting Maui.
we were staying in the Kanapaliresort not far from Lahaina.
(13:22):
On Sunday, we went to theLahaina Ward building.
And along with many othertourists, we came upon a sign
that redirected us to anotherstake
Stephanie Mic Aka Inte (13:38):
building about an hour away,
The command mass take center.
Stephanie Mic Aka Interview (13:45):
We felt so blessed because we got
there and had plenty of timebefore the sacrament meeting
began.
In the sacrament meeting, abeautiful, small woman in her
fifties stood and said that shewas speaking in church for the
first time.
Her name was Aka.
(14:07):
She was pleased with this topicbecause she was supposed to
share where her testimony firstbegan, and that was from her
mother.
Her mother loved the gospel andtaught her the gospel.
Immediately, I was drawn tobecause That's where I learned
(14:31):
to love the gospel was from mymother.
She went on to explain that shehad made some unfortunate
decisions in her life.
these decisions led her to haveto serve time in the federal
penitentiary, which separatedher for some years from her
(14:55):
family.
As she told her story, Irealized this is a story that
needs to be shared.
At the end of the meeting, Ifound Aka, and I proposed this
idea and asked if she would liketo share her story.
(15:17):
she said, yes.
I do want to share my story.
I want to share it with mysisters who are still in prison.
I want to share with them thegospel.
You'll be hearing now excerptsfrom the interview that we had
together, and I'll be coming inand doing some narration as we
(15:42):
go along.
Stephanie test (15:43):
This is Aka, and I'm so thrilled to have Aka.
I've just met Aka this morninghere in Maui, and Aka, will you
say your beautiful full name forus?
Aka's Mic Full interview Mu (15:56):
Yes Tawha Orata Tufanga Setefano.
or they call me Akka
Stephanie test (16:03):
It's a beautiful name.
Thank you.
Aka, where are you
Aka's Mic Full interview (16:05):
from?
I am originally from AmericanSamoa.
Awa is the village where I wasfrom, and that was my dad's
village.
How was your dad's
Stephanie test (16:17):
village?
You mentioned your faith comingfrom your mother, right?
WheN did your mother becomeconverted in, to this faith?
Aka's Mic Full interview Mu (16:29):
I'm not sure exactly, but I know she
was a convert to the gospel.
Okay.
Stephanie test (16:34):
So she was a convert sometime in her life.
life.
But you were raised as a childfrom the time you were
Aka's Mic Full interview Mu (16:39):
the time you were Yeah, she was
already a member and I wasalready raised in the gospel.
Stephanie test (16:44):
Okay.
I see.
Was your father a member of the
Aka's Mic Full intervie (16:49):
church?
I believe he was too, but therewas just, there's a little riff
raff that where my dad is, itwas very disappointing for me as
a child.
My dad was an alcoholic and Ithink there was a story behind
his alcoholism I never got toknow I'm sad to say
Later in the interview, Akaexplains that she did love her
(17:13):
father.
And when he was not drunk, hewas a kind man, But he was most
often drunk.
when he was drunk, he wasterribly violent, especially to
her mother, to avoid hisviolence, she would stay away
(17:34):
from their residence whenever hewas drunk, which was very often.
Later, although she despised hisalcoholism, she took up drinking
herself to escape the sadnessthat came from dealing with
watching this violence towardsher mother.
Stephanie test (17:56):
Let's talk about your mother then.
Okay.
She's the one that instilled inyou a love for the gospel.
Yes.
Tell us about one of yourchildhood memories about your
mother's teachings
Aka's Mic Full interview Mul (18:06):
We So back home in American Samoa,
when we moved To Oahu in 1976that's where I learned more
because my mom always hadmissionaries over in our Growing
up in our home.
she always invited themissionaries every week and that
(18:30):
was, like, part of, you hadfamily home evenings with my dad
every now and then, but yeah,that was all I remember as a
child having family homeevenings, prayer with my
parents.
Missionaries coming over
Stephanie test (18:46):
she was very generous in having the
Aka's Mic Full interview Mul (18:48):
It was, Yeah.
Nice.
She still had that faith.
Even in the midst of, fightswith my dad when he was drunk
and stuff.
She still held on to her faith.
Like, That was the crazy thing.
I look back today and it's shestill was steadfast in the
faith.
Stephanie test (19:09):
a Woman of strength and determination, she
wanted to raise her children inthe gospel.
sure did.
Yes.
You had siblings?
Aka's Mic Full interview Mult (19:18):
I did.
I have there's a total of sevenof us.
There was four girls and threeboys.
I'm the youngest.
I'm the youngest in the family,yeah.
Stephanie test (19:30):
I see.
Okay.
She would take you to churchregularly?
Aka's Mic Full interview (19:34):
Yeah, regularly.
We'd go to church every Sunday.
It wasn't an option.
had to go.
Like, as a child was growing upno was not an option for church.
You We had to go, and hate tosay that I was forced to go to
church, which is a good thing,but I was forced to go to
church, which is a good thing,yeah, it was like, there was no,
you're going to church,
Stephanie test (19:56):
so she certainly set you in a good
Aka's Mic Full inte (19:58):
absolutely, and that meant well in my life
today,
Stephanie test (20:02):
yeah.
Do you remember developing yourown testimony as a young girl or
as a teenager?
Aka's Mic Full interview (20:09):
don't, I'm not really, I knew it, it
was there, but I didn't wasn'tinterested.
guess I wasn't interested, Iknow it, the church was there, I
know it was true, I, guess I, Iwasn't really, that wasn't my
focus at that time wasdistracted, but I can look back
now and see where this was going
Stephanie test (20:30):
yes, I
Aka's Mic Full interview Mu (20:31):
I'm grateful for that, like, and I,
Stephanie test (20:33):
gift age.
Aka's Mic Full interv (20:34):
Maturity, Yes,
Stephanie test (20:36):
Yeah, but at the time you were distracted.
Yeah.
Let's go to your teenage years.
Where was it that, that you feltlike your life started to go
astray?
Aka's Mic Full interview Mu (20:43):
Um, So now we're living in Honolulu,
it, the bickering when my dadwas drunk was all bad, like,
came we moved from Samoa to geta better life, you Hope for
better And And it.
And I, it did it got better butSomething still didn't change.
My dad's alcoholism didn'tchange.
(21:06):
where that was concerned.
And I just, I ran.
I ran all the time.
I skipped school.
I smoked, started picking up,drinking weed and smoking weed.
I sniffed paint.
I never wanted to come home.
I'm coming home from school.
I hear the stereo blasting.
I knew my dad's drunk, Oh, it'snot time to go home.
(21:26):
And so I'll be out my friends.
And I literally had a goodfriend of mine's that was like,
her home was like my secondhome.
my mom woUld have to pick us allup and get away from my dad, run
away, find somewhere safebecause of his alcoholism
throughout my whole life.
And then later on my children'slives.
(21:48):
Was in it as well.
Yeah, so it, the whole cyclerepeated itself over and over.
until,
Stephanie test (21:56):
Yes, this generational alcoholism.
Yes, although you hate it, andyou hate what it did to him.
You're finding yourself in thesame boat because you have to
escape the danger and thesadness and all of that, right?
(22:16):
So as a teenager, you'reskipping school and you're
Aka's Mic Full interview Mult (22:20):
I ran away.
I was in and out ofinstitutions, and jails.
You know, a teenager, I wasgoing into youth Jails, ran all
the away to the mainland with myboyfriends and stuff like that
You heard August say that herfather's alcoholism.
Affected not only her, but herchildren's life.
(22:43):
That has to do with the factthat her parents is much the
raising of her children.
'cause AHCA was in and out ofjail.
At the end of her last jailsentence.
AKA was living in Maui.
She was homeless.
Her sister had arranged for herto have a car.
(23:05):
She was living in this car andshe met a man named CEO.
He was also selling drugs.
And was her drug supplier.
He would let her use his placeto shower and things like that.
Maybe we can't have arelationship.
And she had her last twochildren with him.
(23:27):
Together, they sold drugs.
The authorities have beenwatching them for about a year.
And they were arrested.
Now AKA was facing a sentence.
of 189 months in federal prison.
Okay.
Was.
Is expecting her youngest.
Oh this time.
(23:48):
CEO's child.
And so you could imagine thislong sentence was just
overwhelming.
She remembered.
The principle of fasting thatshe had learned as a child.
And so she decided.
That she would try prayer andfasting and she would go to this
(24:09):
final sentencing in front of thejudge.
Having fasted.
With the prayer that.
she would serve.
Five years rather than 15.
The judge.
Did not reduce the sentence.
DACA was sent to the mainlandwhere there was a federal prison
(24:32):
and began.
Her 189 month sentence.
Theo on the other hand.
Was given the minimum sentenceof 10 years.
As OCHA was serving her sentencein federal prison.
The rules did change.
(24:53):
And this affects her sentence.
It was reduced because of thischange to 10 years.
I did mention that when shefirst went to federal prison.
She was expecting her youngestchild.
She and CEO's child.
When she delivered that babyboy.
(25:14):
He was taken.
To August mother.
And it was August mother.
And DACA sister.
That raised.
Her and CEO's who children.
Has August father.
Passed away.
Early on.
In her federal prison sentence.
(25:35):
Now we're going to hear a partof an interview where AKA
explains.
The importance.
Of her serving the full 10 yearsas compared to the five years
that she was hoping and prayingfor.
She's also going to express.
Her testimony of her heavenlyfather.
(25:57):
And.
Finding a sister.
In prison.
That was raised in the churchand the two of them.
Holding church together.
In the prison chapel.
(26:20):
Tell us about.
Your time in prison.
When you started to gain atestimony, how did that come
about?
Aka's Mic Full interview M (26:28):
When I was in, at the detention at
the federal here in Honolulu, Iwas looking into it and learning
more about the gospel, because Iwas at a place where, I think,
Lord, this is,'cause I rememberat one point I was saying, I I
wanna go and see what this sideis like.
Stephanie test (26:44):
The distractions mentioned when you were a
teenager, now they were out ofthe way.
Yeah.
Yeah.
All of that was pushed out ofthe way
Aka's Mic Full interview (26:54):
Yeah.
that.
came from prison.
when I was fasting to ask forthat Five years that to cut.
half of my sentence, A lot ofthat had to do with that.
And I realized the reason why Ididn't get that time.
I got that feeling why he gaveme that time because he knew if
he had given me that I probablywould have came out and either I
(27:17):
would have went right back inthere and I could have.
hurt myself or something.
I think, I thought he probablyseen that coming within that
five years now the drugs thatthey have now, it's
methamphetamine.
It's not the business.
Fentanyl on top of that?
It's not the business.
(27:38):
and I thank God he did us afavor, like he really did.
Stephanie test (27:42):
By giving you the
Aka's Mic Full interview (27:44):
years rather than 5 years that I was
asking.
I really, and I'm so grateful.
that I was asking, he could haveprobably granted it to me.
but I think I that's, that'swhat I'm, I feel that in my
heart that he knew if I had comeout, I would have went back and
I knew I would have went backEven if I said that Heavenly
(28:04):
Father, I'm going to stop, Idon't think I was going to stop.
You needed that much time to beaway from the distractions of
the world.
Stephanie test (28:13):
You decided that you were going to be clean, even
in prison.
You were studying the scripturesand just starting life anew.
Aka's Mic Full interview (28:22):
Yeah, and I love it.
I look forward to it
Stephanie Mic Aka Intervie (28:29):
Just as a reminder to our listeners
You are in federal prison atthis time.
And you're located where.
Aka's Mic Full interview Mult (28:35):
I was in Connecticut
We're Drugs available in prison.
Aka's Mic Full interview (28:40):
Yeah, they were available in there as
well.
Before going in, the hardestthing that I had was to quit was
smoking cigarettes.
And that was really hard andmean on top of drugs and all
that too, but I think the fineline was when I was in there, I
didn't think about it and thatwas, I knew in my head that this
(29:04):
is the opportunity that I neededto stop, cause I couldn't quit
cold turkey I couldn't do it,and I think Heavenly Father knew
I couldn't do it.
I felt like that was the breakthat I needed too.
stop and, was grateful for that.
I Really, that was a blessing.
(29:26):
That prison time was a blessingfor me.
all in itself.
I I've learned a lot.
gained my testimony in there,and I was able to have that one
on one time with me and theLord, my whole prison time.
I loved it.
That was super great.
seen his hands over and overagain just amazing, and and had
(29:52):
another sister in there, Hername was Michaela, And She was a
member of the church.
And it was just me and her.
anD we would go to church everySunday, faithfully, just the two
of us,
Stephanie test (30:07):
They had church there?
Aka's Mic Full interview Mul (30:09):
We had but we didn't have any
visitors.
Somehow, we were trying to getvisitors to come in, and I think
it was harder there so we didn'thave anybody But we would meet
up, me and her, and sing andpray together and stuff every
Sunday.
We would meet up every Hey, oh,how neat.
keep in touch
(30:31):
We're about to introduce to newvoices.
into this interview Imagine ifyou will.
The kitchen table with fourchairs around it.
And two microphones on thetable.
we just slid these twomicrophones around to whomever
was talking.
(30:52):
you've heard from two of thefour of us that were involved in
this interview.
Myself.
And OCHA.
now you'll hear from the othertwo.
You'll hear just a little bitfrom Richard, my husband.
And you'll hear from CEO.
Stephanie test (31:08):
C O
is now.
Occas husband.
When they were serving.
Their time.
They were not married, but.
After being released, they bothreturned to Maui.
Where their children were beingraised by August mother.
Who's now 93 years old.
And OCHA sister.
And since returning to Maui.
(31:30):
They've married.
We're going to hear a CEO talkabout a little bit of time in
prison and his childhood time.
His religious upbringing.
And the destructive effect.
Of his father's gambling.
On his family.
He's also from American Samoa.
(31:51):
But then came to Hawaii as ateenager.
An interesting fact about CEOis.
Before serving time, he was afire dancer.
That's interesting.
Isn't it?
then we'll go back and hear fromOCHA.
Stephanie Mic Aka Intervi (32:11):
Talks about her faith.
And heavenly father and her lovefor him.
Specifically.
How it relates to the firstcommandment, how we are to put.
No other God before him.
she wants her husband and all ofher family.
To feel the same faith that shefeels towards him.
(32:34):
She wants them to feel thatfaith.
And to know of him, like shedoes.
that's what she's expressing.
In this next clip.
sio (32:47):
so did
Aka's Mic Full interview Mu (32:47):
you attend any church?
sio (32:48):
There was a church service.
on Sunday, they have the chapelover there where they have
Christian, Catholic, you MuslimMormons.
Yeah.
I go to the church on Sunday,but sometimes I don't, you
wasn't a mandatory thing foreverybody to go, sometimes I'll
you go or sometimes I'll stayback.
(33:09):
but they have all kind of peoplethat come outside to to
volunteers.
service.
So,
Aka's Mic Full interview M (33:15):
were your parents religious?
sio (33:17):
me, with my starting religion, I didn't grow up at
the church.
Yeah.
Yeah.
my parents split in their ownways.
When I was 12 years old, thatwas back in 1977.
my dad was a Catholic.
his side of the family wasCatholic.
My mom was member of the Mormonchurch.
(33:39):
So when Yeah.
Your mom was.
Yeah, my mom was.
So when they split right.
My dad.
My dad lives on this side of thevillage, and that's where the
Catholic Church was, and my momlives on this side, and then
there's the Mormon Church,right?
So I had three real siblings.
I was the youngest one at thetime.
I also have older siblings fromboth sides of my parents.
(34:02):
But, I decided to co stay withmy dad, you So I kind grew up in
the Catholic Church, you I wentto a Catholic school, boys go to
Senao College.
St.
Peter's Senao College.
And I even became an alteportgrowing up.
But when I left in 82, when Iwas 17, after I finished school
(34:26):
came here in December of 92, youmy mom was already here.
and my mom's side of the familyall live in Laie by, you PCC, so
that's where my brother was overthere, Benetton.
And just before I moved toHawaii, they moved to Maui, so I
came straight to Maui to jointhem.
So my mom would have themissionary come to lessons, you
(34:49):
But for me it was really, thinkat that point for me it was kind
confused because, just comingoff of being in a Catholic
school and being outsupportedfrom the Catholic school.
Came here and my mom was tryingto get the mission to my, you
lessons and stuff.
Yeah.
Hoping that, you was gonna getbaptized But, I thought I was
(35:11):
baptized back then, that'sright, but I guess they couldn't
find records of it.
So I was telling my wife, maybeI would baptize myself the way
things was going back thenbecause 17 years old, come over
here and being all, you didn'tactually get baptized until last
September, I September thisyear, Yeah, just, I got baptized
recently on, uh, church Oh! InSeptember,
Aka's Mic Full interview (35:31):
yeah.
yeah.
So you're member
sio (35:34):
of the Church of Jesus Christ?
Yeah, yeah, I'm a member now.
Oh! Oh, that's amazing.
Just recently, September thisyear, I got baptized, Oh, okay.
Is your mom still alive?
No, my mom passed away,unfortunately, when I was,
prison?
Two years in my prison.
passed away.
Yeah.
So she's well aware.
I'm sure there's much rejoiceYes.
my, yeah, my, my like s story,my dad wasn't a, an alcoholic,
(35:57):
but he was a avid camper.
Oh yeah.
So I remember back in days wehave like little store, we have
like, one of those, one of thefirst time you have back in day
if you have, like a.
A car back then was, you havelike, not reached by your
average family, you so we havea, a Datsun truck back then.
But eventually my dad'sgambling, much lose everything
(36:22):
because of his addiction togambling.
He lost his store, lost it,yeah.
This was in Samoa?
In Samoa.
And that's how I noticed, like,my, my dad has a group of, uh,
couples.
that.
after church on Sunday, they goand they pick each house where
they go play cards, you gamble.
And I remember, because I usedto go with my dad, I would sit
next to him and he wins, he'llhand me a dollar or, you back in
(36:45):
those days, a dollar would, forme, it's Big money, you But then
sometimes when I see my dadlose, you I go away.
I don't like sit around, youwait for Hannah when he lose.
But those times too is hard formy mom because my dad will come
home and take it out on her.
Yeah, and then I think that'swhere the separation It's pretty
(37:06):
hard on her to, with my dad whenhe's losing.
Addiction is addiction, right?
Yes.
You whether it's alcohol,whether it's gambling.
it's gambling.
It's the same.
still just devastating So
Aka's Mic Full interview Mul (37:19):
So that's why I try to share with
him.
I try not to push my faith on,but I want him to learn.
I want him to learn.
and know Heavenly Father whereis that, and, I want him to know
that, you that's where, likeyour go to, I just want to
stress this, because I rememberwhen I heard, the commandments,
he says, you like love, love me,love, put me first, and I
(37:43):
remember it was like, and I hadasked them, this, I said,
Heavenly Father, I rememberasking like, how to we, you and
this is where the faith comesin.
Because I, and I had tounderstand this because, my my
parents, I love my parentsbecause I see them.
(38:03):
I know them, they're here.
Which, Heavenly Father, it's alloff of faith because we don't
see Him.
Does that make sense?
and I remember, thinking thatthat's why I had to build that
faith of understanding oflearning to put him first.
then my parents, you know Idon't see him, You know what I
(38:30):
And that's where my faith had,rather you see, he's always
there.
You know what I mean?
He will always be there.
And there's no love that any ofmy parents will give me than he
does.
Than he has for me.
And I know that now.
like my mom could never love memore than, Our Father in Heaven
(38:51):
will.
I know this now.
I know this now.
I even see it, where we read,these are the days where Mom and
daughters will fight againsteach other, sister against, you
father against son, these arethe days, I'm starting to see
that.
I'm starting to see that hereand there and stuff, and,
knowing that, no love that Icould give my children than our
(39:16):
Father in Heaven has for them, Iknow this now, and I try to
share that with my kids, andmost especially with my daughter
when she was struggling with notknowing her biological, her
earthly dad.
So I share with her, you knowwhat, at the end of the day, I
want you to learn of yourHeavenly Father.
cause there's no love yourbiological dad will ever give
(39:39):
you than your father in heaven,even though you don't see him,
when you start learning andstart to see his hands, this is
where you will gain that.
She still doesn't get it, but Ididn't either.
and I realize that now, and Itell her, sharing this with you,
because I've been there, I knowhow that feeling was.
I know, where you've been, but Ijust like to share that, because
(40:03):
he's doing that in my life, andshare that with my husband, so
that he can get that too.
Stephanie test (40:09):
Yes, to make up for the disappointment that he's
had, that you had with yourfather, that your daughter's had
with her biological father.
That perhaps you had with yourfather, C O because, we, have a
perfect heavenly father.
Perfect.
And, from him we can receive aperfect love.
(40:30):
Right.
Aka's Mic Full interview Mu (40:30):
And even though we don't see him, or
maybe we don't see the blessingcoming.
he's always there.
but we do our part.
Stephanie test (40:39):
I think you mentioned this today in your
talk, if we work to fill thatspirit, we can feel his love.
Orca has taken us back to her.
Sermonette to given in sacramentmeeting.
And reminded us that heavenlyfather.
Is always there for us.
Even though we do not see him.
(41:02):
And we may not see the blessingsthat he gives us.
He is always there for us.
It next week's episode.
We will hear more.
From AKA About.
Their experiences in prison.
And their lives today.
(41:22):
But for now, I would like you tovisualize.
The sacrament meeting.
That occurred.
When AKA gave her first talk inchurch.
The chapel was full of people.
Including August 93 year oldmother and her sister.
Who raised AHCA's.
(41:44):
Youngest two children.
including her teenage daughter.
On her son.
Who had just passed thesacrament.
And there was AKA.
Dandy at the pulpit.
Ready to give her sermonette.
Imagine how her mother.
Might have felt.
Keep that in mind.
(42:05):
As I share with you.
Excerpts From the inspiringsermonette.
Called the prodigal.
And the road that leads home.
Given by elder Dieter F Oak.
Dorf of the quorum of the 12apostles.
And passages.
From Luke.
Chapter 15.
As I read these excerpts.
(42:25):
I imagine.
Rather than the prodigal son.
It being a prodigal daughter.
From Luke 15.
Quote.
And he said.
A certain man had two sons.
And the younger of them said tohis father, Father.
(42:46):
Give me the portion of goodsthat follow to me.
And he divided unto them.
His Levine.
Unquote.
Elder.
For says.
Can you imagine?
What the father felt.
When he heard this.
When he realized that what hisson wanted more than anything
(43:07):
else.
Was to leave the family andperhaps never return.
the sun must have felt.
A thrill of adventure andexcitement.
At long last he was on his own.
Brief and the principles andrules of the culture of his
youth.
(43:28):
He could finally make his ownchoices.
Without being influenced by hisparents.
No more guilt.
He could bask in the acceptanceof a like-minded community.
And live life on his own terms.
Unquote.
He spent money freely.
(43:50):
Can you imagine the friends heattracted.
Boy the life he was loving.
Elder Dorf Says this.
Quote, they celebrated,applauded and championed his
choices.
Had there been social media inthat time?
Surely.
He would have filled pages withanimated photos of laughing
(44:11):
friends.
Hashtag living my best life.
Hashtag never happier.
Hashtag should've done this longago.
But the party.
Did not last.
It rarely does.
Unquote.
What would he do now?
(44:32):
What his friends help him out.
First 14 says.
Quote And when he had spent alltheir rose.
A mighty famine in that land.
And he began to be in one.
Unquote.
So he couldn't afford anything.
How old's your door goes on tosay.
(44:54):
How would he survive?
He had been generous to hisfriends.
Would they help him now?
I can see him ask him for alittle support just for now.
Until he got back on his feet.
The scriptures, tell us.
No man.
I gave them to him.
Desperate to remain alive.
(45:15):
He found a local farmer whohired him to feed swine.
Extremely hungry now.
Abandoned and alone.
The young man must havewondered.
How things.
Who would have gone so terriblydreadfully wrong.
It wasn't just an empty stomachthat troubled him.
(45:38):
It was an empty soul.
He had been so sure.
The giving into his worldlydesires.
Would make him happy.
The moral laws were obstacles tothat happiness.
Now.
He knew better.
(45:59):
And oh, what a price he had topay for that knowledge?
As the physical hunger grew.
His thoughts.
Returned to his father.
Would he help him after all thathad happened?
Even the humblest of hisfather's servants had food to
eat and shelter.
The storms.
(46:22):
But returned to his father.
Never.
Confessed to his village.
That he had squandered hisinheritance.
Impossible.
Face the neighbors.
Who surely had warned him.
That he was disgracing hisfamily and Breaking his parents'
(46:42):
hearts.
He returned to his old friendsafter boasting of how he was
breaking free.
Unbearable.
The hunger loneliness, or moresimply.
Wouldn't go away.
And tell.
He came to himself.
(47:02):
He knew what he needed.
To do.
Unquote.
Prodigal son says this in thebegan verse 18.
I will arise and go to myfather.
Unquote.
And he rehearses it his mind.
(47:22):
Exactly what he's going to sayto his father when he gets
there.
Now back.
To elder Dwarfs talk.
He's going to describe.
From the father's point of view,what he's been through.
Coat, how many prayers?
How much he offered in the deepof night.
(47:43):
Pleading with God that his sonwould be safe.
That he would discover true, buthe would return.
And then one day the fatherlooks out on that lonely road.
The road that leads home.
And sees a distant figurewalking toward him.
(48:05):
Is it possible?
No, the individual is a greatway off.
The father knows in an instant.
It is his son.
He runs to him, throws his armsaround him and kisses him.
So other.
The sun cries out.
(48:26):
In words, he must haverehearsed.
A thousand times.
I have sinned against bothheaven.
And you.
I'm no longer worthy to becalled your son.
All I ask is that you take mein.
As a hired servant.
But the father scarcely lets himfinish.
(48:49):
Tears in his eyes.
He commands his servants.
Bring the finest robe in thehouse.
And place it on my son'sshoulders.
What a ring on his finger andsandals on his feet.
Make a feast to celebrate.
My son has returned.
(49:12):
I'd quote.
Oh, there's another part of thisstory.
Remember.
The elder son.
Where's the elder son.
He's out in the field.
He's been working.
And now he begins to come home.
(49:34):
And as he's getting closer tothe house, He hears music.
And the sound of dancing.
And he calls out to her, theservants what's going.
What does all the hope love out?
And the servant says, will yourbrother he's come home.
your father.
He's so thrilled.
(49:56):
He's killed the fatted calf.
And he's throwing a party.
On behalf of your brother.
That he's returned home safe andsound.
Well, this did not bode wellwith the elder brother.
He was angry.
And he refused to go in.
(50:18):
So his father came out.
And Encouraged him to come in.
This is what the elder brothersaid to his father in verse 29.
Coat.
Lowe.
These many years.
Do I serve the.
Neither transgressed I at anytime that I commandment.
(50:41):
And he had vowed, never gave usto me a kid.
That I might make Merry with myfriends.
But as soon as I son come, whichhave devour thy living with
harlots.
Thou has killed for him.
The fatter pass.
And he said a damn.
(51:03):
sun.
Though art ever with me.
And all that I have.
Is that nine.
I was meat that we should makeMary.
And be glad for this I brotherwas dead and is alive again and
was lost.
(51:24):
We just found.
I'd quote.
Eldora turf.
Goes on to say.
Quote.
A parable for our time, mybeloved brothers and sisters,
dear friends, like.
All of the Savior's parables.
This one is not just aboutpeople living long ago.
(51:44):
It's about you.
And to me today.
Who among us has not departedfrom the path of holiness.
Foolishly thinking we could findmore happiness going our own
self centered way.
Who among us has not felthumbled, broken hearted and
desperate for forgiveness andmercy.
(52:05):
Perhaps some.
May have even wondered.
Is it even possible to comeback?
Well, I relabeled foreverrejected.
And avoided.
Bye.
Bye.
Her friends.
Is it better to just stay lost?
(52:27):
How will God react?
If I try to return.
This parable gives us theanswer.
Our heavenly father will run tous.
His heart overflowing with loveand compassion.
He will embrace us.
Place a rope around ourshoulders.
(52:49):
A ring on our finger.
At the sandals on our feet.
And proclaim.
Today we celebrate.
For my child who wants was dead.
Has come back to life.
Heaven will rejoice at ourreturn.
(53:09):
After all.
We know what it's like to be aprodigal.
We all rely daily.
On the same atoning power.
Of Christ.
We know this path.
And we will walk with you.
Unquote.
I want to thank.
(53:30):
AKA to Fargo set a Fano and CEOset a Fano.
For joining us today and sharingtheir stories and their
testimony.
Remember to join us next weekfor the rest of their story.
I want to thank my husband,Richard for helping me.
(53:50):
in this interview and buy me anew computer right before
Christmas day.
So I could finish this episode.
For my friend, Rebecca, who toldme.
The Christmas is stillChristmas, even the week after
Christmas.
thank you to our wonderfullisteners.
Thank you for listening to ourChristmas episode.
(54:11):
Please share this episode withthose who love.
WE'll finish by going back towhere we started.
In my lesson.
But I had goodly parents.
That took me to church everyweek By listening to an
instrumental version.
Of joy to the world.
Side by your classical radio.
(54:32):
I wish you all a MerryChristmas.
And a happy new year.
For now I will say farewell.
Until we meet again.
I am Stephanie Eccles.
This is Dear Daughters of God,Episode 10, The Prodigal
Daughter.
We are inspired by true lifeexperiences of those around us.
My name is Stephanie Eccles.
I'm an educator.
Counselor, school administrator,and natural storyteller.
(00:22):
From my perspective as a memberof the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter day Saints, I share avariety of life experiences that
bring us hope and joy in ourSavior, Jesus Christ.
Welcome dear Daughters of God.
I address you that way becausethat's what you are to Him.
(00:43):
To our Heavenly Father, you aredear.
Today I have two stories toshare with you.
One originates in Utah and theother in Hawaii.
By the end you'll see how theyboth tie together.
The first one December of 2020.
(01:07):
The Corona virus was affectingthe whole world the attendance
of church had been suspended inthe United States because big
groups of people were notallowed to meet this affected me
as well as millions of people.
I had attended church everySunday all of my life, and now
(01:31):
that wasn't allowed.
So, I was learning with myfamily what it was like to have
church at home.
Leading up into that year, Ithad one serious emergency after
another, starting with theGrantsville murders, which I
(01:54):
covered in the previous episode,episode number nine.
the most significant emergencywas the coronavirus, in March of
twenty twenty, it was announcedthat students would not be
allowed to Returned to school inUtah after a long weekend.
(02:15):
over that weekend, we learnedhow to educate students online
to finish the school year.
It was from that summer forwardthat there was one conflict
after another that had to beresolved, and they were all
based on the coronavirusstarting with, were we going to
(02:40):
be giving an in person educationto our students in addition to
an online education that fall?
I would have never imagined as aschool administrator to be
placed in a position where I wastrying to convince my community,
to allow students to come backto school in person.
(03:04):
What about our teachers and therest of our staff?
Where they ready and willing tocome back.
all the different partiesinvolved, including parents.
Everyone had a strong opinionabout what an education should
(03:24):
or should not look like duringthis coronavirus time.
And people's worry and anxietywas at a peak.
it was at this time that I wasstarting to experience these
strange symptoms Where I'mhaving flu like symptoms about
(03:46):
every two weeks with spasms inmy neck, wondering, is this the
coronavirus?
I talk about this in episodeeight called he said what?
What I didn't realize in thisunusual time of life, is that My
(04:06):
calm that I brought to work thatI was known for in the workplace
was not really how I was feelingon the inside.
Microphone (2- Samson Q2U (04:18):
while I was at home, I was feeling
stress and worry.
And I was way too quick toanger.
I didn't understand what wasgoing on with me.
Why was I feeling this way?
Well, I'll come back to that ina minute.
(04:40):
Moving back to December's event.
This December, I had a veryspecial event, and that was the
anticipation of a new grandson.
He was going to be born overChristmas break.
(05:01):
It couldn't have been betterbecause it was over the school
holiday.
I was gonna fly to Washington DCfrom Utah My daughter Savannah
was giving birth to Lincoln.
Now you met Savannah in episodesix.
(05:22):
We talked about the embodimentof Christ.
If you haven't heard thatepisode, go back and listen.
It's our fastest growingepisode.
So I was so looking forward tothis special time.
I couldn't wait to get there tobe a part of that birth and
(05:44):
having Christmas together as afamily.
Well, just a couple of daysbefore Richard and I are
supposed to fly to WashingtonDC, Richard gets a a call from a
colleague.
And she says, uh, I've justfound out I have the
(06:06):
coronavirus, Which means thatRichard is going to be on
quarantine because he's beenworking in the same office.
So, Sadly, this means we cannotfly like planned to Washington,
DC.
(06:26):
He needs to be on quarantine,and then we need to find out if
Richard has the coronavirus.
so this squelches the wholeplan.
I'm so frustrated.
at this news.
I can't believe it.
But I'm thinking everyone'sgoing through something like
(06:48):
this all over the world.
Microphone (2- Samson Q2U Mi (06:52):
If all goes well, we'll depart one
week later than originallyplanned, and we'll all be in
Washington DC before the holiday
Microphone (2- Samson Q2U (07:03):
Well, we get a piece of good news, the
church had gotten permission tohave a special Christmas program
in person.
we could gather for sacramentmeeting for this Christmas
program.
So this was going to be a veryspecial Sunday.
(07:23):
I approach this particularsacrament meeting having offered
many prayers for my distress andworry and looking for answers
and for help from the Lord.
So I go to church on thisSunday.
It does feel rather awkward,having not been there for over
(07:45):
six months and being therealone.
That is rather strange for me,but I'm thrilled to be there.
Microphone (2- Samson Q2U Mi (07:56):
It was time for the sacrament
ordinance to begin.
The very purpose why all of uswere gathered together.
To renew our covenants with ourheavenly father, To remember our
savior, Jesus Christ, and takeupon us his name.
(08:17):
To repent and covenant to keepthe commandments.
It was so sacred to be theretogether as a congregation and
partake of this holy ordinance.
There were beautiful sermonettesgiven about to the birth and the
(08:39):
life of our savior and Christmasmusic, Mostly instrumental
because the choir was notallowed to practice.
But the most significant of allof it was when joy to the world,
a duet with the piano and theorgan began.
(09:04):
It was powerful.
It was loud.
The vibration of the music awokeevery synapse in my body.
Within moments, The spiritlifted me, and I found myself in
(09:25):
another place.
I was now in the chapel that Iattended as a little girl,
rather than my Eaglewood Ward inNorth Salt Lake, I was in the
Colonial Hills Ward in Salt LakeCity in the Browning Avenue
area, viewing myself as a tenyear old With my five sisters
(09:53):
and my mom and dad sitting onthe second pew from the front as
usual, There was my father, thegentle giant.
Six foot seven, tall, thin bodyWith a ready smile, his little
bit of brown hair left, fewhairs combed over His bald head,
(10:20):
this lovely, gentle face andsinging off tune.
And my mother, five foot two,with her five inch afro hair do,
every hair curled in place.
I could feel the power of hertestimony emulating from her.
(10:45):
I could see them from thespirit's Wisdom.
I could see their humanfrailties, And I could see their
goodness.
I understood from the spiritthat one of the greatest
(11:06):
blessings that they gave me wasthat my goodly parents taught me
to go to church every Sunday.
it became a habit.
And through the years, Igradually learned the meaning
Stephanie Mic Aka Interview (11:27):
of the ordinance of the sacrament.
I took on those covenants, and Icould see the blessings that
came to me and protected methrough my life because I had
the spirit of God with me fromcontinuing to make my
(11:48):
sacramental covenants.
This was a blessing for myheavenly father, but carried
through by goodly parents whotaught me to go to church by
taking me to church everySunday.
Microphone (2- Samson Q2U M (12:11):
now I understood that I needed to
make sure I continued thistradition goodly parents, who
took me to church every week.
That was a blessing I receivedthat day at the Christmas
program, the distress, theworry, the anger was replaced
(12:38):
with a blessing of great joy andelation.
I would like to share anotherstory with you about a beautiful
(12:58):
Samoan woman named Aka.
she also has a goodly motherthat took her to church.
We will hear her story OverThanksgiving break, we were
visiting Maui.
we were staying in the Kanapaliresort not far from Lahaina.
(13:22):
On Sunday, we went to theLahaina Ward building.
And along with many othertourists, we came upon a sign
that redirected us to anotherstake
Stephanie Mic Aka Inte (13:38):
building about an hour away,
The command mass take center.
Stephanie Mic Aka Interview (13:45):
We felt so blessed because we got
there and had plenty of timebefore the sacrament meeting
began.
In the sacrament meeting, abeautiful, small woman in her
fifties stood and said that shewas speaking in church for the
first time.
Her name was Aka.
(14:07):
She was pleased with this topicbecause she was supposed to
share where her testimony firstbegan, and that was from her
mother.
Her mother loved the gospel andtaught her the gospel.
Immediately, I was drawn tobecause That's where I learned
(14:31):
to love the gospel was from mymother.
She went on to explain that shehad made some unfortunate
decisions in her life.
these decisions led her to haveto serve time in the federal
penitentiary, which separatedher for some years from her
(14:55):
family.
As she told her story, Irealized this is a story that
needs to be shared.
At the end of the meeting, Ifound Aka, and I proposed this
idea and asked if she would liketo share her story.
(15:17):
she said, yes.
I do want to share my story.
I want to share it with mysisters who are still in prison.
I want to share with them thegospel.
You'll be hearing now excerptsfrom the interview that we had
together, and I'll be coming inand doing some narration as we
(15:42):
go along.
Stephanie test (15:43):
This is Aka, and I'm so thrilled to have Aka.
I've just met Aka this morninghere in Maui, and Aka, will you
say your beautiful full name forus?
Aka's Mic Full interview Mu (15:56):
Yes Tawha Orata Tufanga Setefano.
or they call me Akka
Stephanie test (16:03):
It's a beautiful name.
Thank you.
Aka, where are you
Aka's Mic Full interview (16:05):
from?
I am originally from AmericanSamoa.
Awa is the village where I wasfrom, and that was my dad's
village.
How was your dad's
Stephanie test (16:17):
village?
You mentioned your faith comingfrom your mother, right?
WheN did your mother becomeconverted in, to this faith?
Aka's Mic Full interview Mu (16:29):
I'm not sure exactly, but I know she
was a convert to the gospel.
Okay.
Stephanie test (16:34):
So she was a convert sometime in her life.
life.
But you were raised as a childfrom the time you were
Aka's Mic Full interview Mu (16:39):
the time you were Yeah, she was
already a member and I wasalready raised in the gospel.
Stephanie test (16:44):
Okay.
I see.
Was your father a member of the
Aka's Mic Full intervie (16:49):
church?
I believe he was too, but therewas just, there's a little riff
raff that where my dad is, itwas very disappointing for me as
a child.
My dad was an alcoholic and Ithink there was a story behind
his alcoholism I never got toknow I'm sad to say
Later in the interview, Akaexplains that she did love her
(17:13):
father.
And when he was not drunk, hewas a kind man, But he was most
often drunk.
when he was drunk, he wasterribly violent, especially to
her mother, to avoid hisviolence, she would stay away
(17:34):
from their residence whenever hewas drunk, which was very often.
Later, although she despised hisalcoholism, she took up drinking
herself to escape the sadnessthat came from dealing with
watching this violence towardsher mother.
Stephanie test (17:56):
Let's talk about your mother then.
Okay.
She's the one that instilled inyou a love for the gospel.
Yes.
Tell us about one of yourchildhood memories about your
mother's teachings
Aka's Mic Full interview Mul (18:06):
We So back home in American Samoa,
when we moved To Oahu in 1976that's where I learned more
because my mom always hadmissionaries over in our Growing
up in our home.
she always invited themissionaries every week and that
(18:30):
was, like, part of, you hadfamily home evenings with my dad
every now and then, but yeah,that was all I remember as a
child having family homeevenings, prayer with my
parents.
Missionaries coming over
Stephanie test (18:46):
she was very generous in having the
Aka's Mic Full interview Mul (18:48):
It was, Yeah.
Nice.
She still had that faith.
Even in the midst of, fightswith my dad when he was drunk
and stuff.
She still held on to her faith.
Like, That was the crazy thing.
I look back today and it's shestill was steadfast in the
faith.
Stephanie test (19:09):
a Woman of strength and determination, she
wanted to raise her children inthe gospel.
sure did.
Yes.
You had siblings?
Aka's Mic Full interview Mult (19:18):
I did.
I have there's a total of sevenof us.
There was four girls and threeboys.
I'm the youngest.
I'm the youngest in the family,yeah.
Stephanie test (19:30):
I see.
Okay.
She would take you to churchregularly?
Aka's Mic Full interview (19:34):
Yeah, regularly.
We'd go to church every Sunday.
It wasn't an option.
had to go.
Like, as a child was growing upno was not an option for church.
You We had to go, and hate tosay that I was forced to go to
church, which is a good thing,but I was forced to go to
church, which is a good thing,yeah, it was like, there was no,
you're going to church,
Stephanie test (19:56):
so she certainly set you in a good
Aka's Mic Full inte (19:58):
absolutely, and that meant well in my life
today,
Stephanie test (20:02):
yeah.
Do you remember developing yourown testimony as a young girl or
as a teenager?
Aka's Mic Full interview (20:09):
don't, I'm not really, I knew it, it
was there, but I didn't wasn'tinterested.
guess I wasn't interested, Iknow it, the church was there, I
know it was true, I, guess I, Iwasn't really, that wasn't my
focus at that time wasdistracted, but I can look back
now and see where this was going
Stephanie test (20:30):
yes, I
Aka's Mic Full interview Mu (20:31):
I'm grateful for that, like, and I,
Stephanie test (20:33):
gift age.
Aka's Mic Full interv (20:34):
Maturity, Yes,
Stephanie test (20:36):
Yeah, but at the time you were distracted.
Yeah.
Let's go to your teenage years.
Where was it that, that you feltlike your life started to go
astray?
Aka's Mic Full interview Mu (20:43):
Um, So now we're living in Honolulu,
it, the bickering when my dadwas drunk was all bad, like,
came we moved from Samoa to geta better life, you Hope for
better And And it.
And I, it did it got better butSomething still didn't change.
My dad's alcoholism didn'tchange.
(21:06):
where that was concerned.
And I just, I ran.
I ran all the time.
I skipped school.
I smoked, started picking up,drinking weed and smoking weed.
I sniffed paint.
I never wanted to come home.
I'm coming home from school.
I hear the stereo blasting.
I knew my dad's drunk, Oh, it'snot time to go home.
(21:26):
And so I'll be out my friends.
And I literally had a goodfriend of mine's that was like,
her home was like my secondhome.
my mom woUld have to pick us allup and get away from my dad, run
away, find somewhere safebecause of his alcoholism
throughout my whole life.
And then later on my children'slives.
(21:48):
Was in it as well.
Yeah, so it, the whole cyclerepeated itself over and over.
until,
Stephanie test (21:56):
Yes, this generational alcoholism.
Yes, although you hate it, andyou hate what it did to him.
You're finding yourself in thesame boat because you have to
escape the danger and thesadness and all of that, right?
(22:16):
So as a teenager, you'reskipping school and you're
Aka's Mic Full interview Mult (22:20):
I ran away.
I was in and out ofinstitutions, and jails.
You know, a teenager, I wasgoing into youth Jails, ran all
the away to the mainland with myboyfriends and stuff like that
You heard August say that herfather's alcoholism.
Affected not only her, but herchildren's life.
(22:43):
That has to do with the factthat her parents is much the
raising of her children.
'cause AHCA was in and out ofjail.
At the end of her last jailsentence.
AKA was living in Maui.
She was homeless.
Her sister had arranged for herto have a car.
(23:05):
She was living in this car andshe met a man named CEO.
He was also selling drugs.
And was her drug supplier.
He would let her use his placeto shower and things like that.
Maybe we can't have arelationship.
And she had her last twochildren with him.
(23:27):
Together, they sold drugs.
The authorities have beenwatching them for about a year.
And they were arrested.
Now AKA was facing a sentence.
of 189 months in federal prison.
Okay.
Was.
Is expecting her youngest.
Oh this time.
(23:48):
CEO's child.
And so you could imagine thislong sentence was just
overwhelming.
She remembered.
The principle of fasting thatshe had learned as a child.
And so she decided.
That she would try prayer andfasting and she would go to this
(24:09):
final sentencing in front of thejudge.
Having fasted.
With the prayer that.
she would serve.
Five years rather than 15.
The judge.
Did not reduce the sentence.
DACA was sent to the mainlandwhere there was a federal prison
(24:32):
and began.
Her 189 month sentence.
Theo on the other hand.
Was given the minimum sentenceof 10 years.
As OCHA was serving her sentencein federal prison.
The rules did change.
(24:53):
And this affects her sentence.
It was reduced because of thischange to 10 years.
I did mention that when shefirst went to federal prison.
She was expecting her youngestchild.
She and CEO's child.
When she delivered that babyboy.
(25:14):
He was taken.
To August mother.
And it was August mother.
And DACA sister.
That raised.
Her and CEO's who children.
Has August father.
Passed away.
Early on.
In her federal prison sentence.
(25:35):
Now we're going to hear a partof an interview where AKA
explains.
The importance.
Of her serving the full 10 yearsas compared to the five years
that she was hoping and prayingfor.
She's also going to express.
Her testimony of her heavenlyfather.
(25:57):
And.
Finding a sister.
In prison.
That was raised in the churchand the two of them.
Holding church together.
In the prison chapel.
(26:20):
Tell us about.
Your time in prison.
When you started to gain atestimony, how did that come
about?
Aka's Mic Full interview M (26:28):
When I was in, at the detention at
the federal here in Honolulu, Iwas looking into it and learning
more about the gospel, because Iwas at a place where, I think,
Lord, this is,'cause I rememberat one point I was saying, I I
wanna go and see what this sideis like.
Stephanie test (26:44):
The distractions mentioned when you were a
teenager, now they were out ofthe way.
Yeah.
Yeah.
All of that was pushed out ofthe way
Aka's Mic Full interview (26:54):
Yeah.
that.
came from prison.
when I was fasting to ask forthat Five years that to cut.
half of my sentence, A lot ofthat had to do with that.
And I realized the reason why Ididn't get that time.
I got that feeling why he gaveme that time because he knew if
he had given me that I probablywould have came out and either I
(27:17):
would have went right back inthere and I could have.
hurt myself or something.
I think, I thought he probablyseen that coming within that
five years now the drugs thatthey have now, it's
methamphetamine.
It's not the business.
Fentanyl on top of that?
It's not the business.
(27:38):
and I thank God he did us afavor, like he really did.
Stephanie test (27:42):
By giving you the
Aka's Mic Full interview (27:44):
years rather than 5 years that I was
asking.
I really, and I'm so grateful.
that I was asking, he could haveprobably granted it to me.
but I think I that's, that'swhat I'm, I feel that in my
heart that he knew if I had comeout, I would have went back and
I knew I would have went backEven if I said that Heavenly
(28:04):
Father, I'm going to stop, Idon't think I was going to stop.
You needed that much time to beaway from the distractions of
the world.
Stephanie test (28:13):
You decided that you were going to be clean, even
in prison.
You were studying the scripturesand just starting life anew.
Aka's Mic Full interview (28:22):
Yeah, and I love it.
I look forward to it
Stephanie Mic Aka Intervie (28:29):
Just as a reminder to our listeners
You are in federal prison atthis time.
And you're located where.
Aka's Mic Full interview Mult (28:35):
I was in Connecticut
We're Drugs available in prison.
Aka's Mic Full interview (28:40):
Yeah, they were available in there as
well.
Before going in, the hardestthing that I had was to quit was
smoking cigarettes.
And that was really hard andmean on top of drugs and all
that too, but I think the fineline was when I was in there, I
didn't think about it and thatwas, I knew in my head that this
(29:04):
is the opportunity that I neededto stop, cause I couldn't quit
cold turkey I couldn't do it,and I think Heavenly Father knew
I couldn't do it.
I felt like that was the breakthat I needed too.
stop and, was grateful for that.
I Really, that was a blessing.
(29:26):
That prison time was a blessingfor me.
all in itself.
I I've learned a lot.
gained my testimony in there,and I was able to have that one
on one time with me and theLord, my whole prison time.
I loved it.
That was super great.
seen his hands over and overagain just amazing, and and had
(29:52):
another sister in there, Hername was Michaela, And She was a
member of the church.
And it was just me and her.
anD we would go to church everySunday, faithfully, just the two
of us,
Stephanie test (30:07):
They had church there?
Aka's Mic Full interview Mul (30:09):
We had but we didn't have any
visitors.
Somehow, we were trying to getvisitors to come in, and I think
it was harder there so we didn'thave anybody But we would meet
up, me and her, and sing andpray together and stuff every
Sunday.
We would meet up every Hey, oh,how neat.
keep in touch
(30:31):
We're about to introduce to newvoices.
into this interview Imagine ifyou will.
The kitchen table with fourchairs around it.
And two microphones on thetable.
we just slid these twomicrophones around to whomever
was talking.
(30:52):
you've heard from two of thefour of us that were involved in
this interview.
Myself.
And OCHA.
now you'll hear from the othertwo.
You'll hear just a little bitfrom Richard, my husband.
And you'll hear from CEO.
Stephanie test (31:08):
C O
is now.
Occas husband.
When they were serving.
Their time.
They were not married, but.
After being released, they bothreturned to Maui.
Where their children were beingraised by August mother.
Who's now 93 years old.
And OCHA sister.
And since returning to Maui.
(31:30):
They've married.
We're going to hear a CEO talkabout a little bit of time in
prison and his childhood time.
His religious upbringing.
And the destructive effect.
Of his father's gambling.
On his family.
He's also from American Samoa.
(31:51):
But then came to Hawaii as ateenager.
An interesting fact about CEOis.
Before serving time, he was afire dancer.
That's interesting.
Isn't it?
then we'll go back and hear fromOCHA.
Stephanie Mic Aka Intervi (32:11):
Talks about her faith.
And heavenly father and her lovefor him.
Specifically.
How it relates to the firstcommandment, how we are to put.
No other God before him.
she wants her husband and all ofher family.
To feel the same faith that shefeels towards him.
(32:34):
She wants them to feel thatfaith.
And to know of him, like shedoes.
that's what she's expressing.
In this next clip.
sio (32:47):
so did
Aka's Mic Full interview Mu (32:47):
you attend any church?
sio (32:48):
There was a church service.
on Sunday, they have the chapelover there where they have
Christian, Catholic, you MuslimMormons.
Yeah.
I go to the church on Sunday,but sometimes I don't, you
wasn't a mandatory thing foreverybody to go, sometimes I'll
you go or sometimes I'll stayback.
(33:09):
but they have all kind of peoplethat come outside to to
volunteers.
service.
So,
Aka's Mic Full interview M (33:15):
were your parents religious?
sio (33:17):
me, with my starting religion, I didn't grow up at
the church.
Yeah.
Yeah.
my parents split in their ownways.
When I was 12 years old, thatwas back in 1977.
my dad was a Catholic.
his side of the family wasCatholic.
My mom was member of the Mormonchurch.
(33:39):
So when Yeah.
Your mom was.
Yeah, my mom was.
So when they split right.
My dad.
My dad lives on this side of thevillage, and that's where the
Catholic Church was, and my momlives on this side, and then
there's the Mormon Church,right?
So I had three real siblings.
I was the youngest one at thetime.
I also have older siblings fromboth sides of my parents.
(34:02):
But, I decided to co stay withmy dad, you So I kind grew up in
the Catholic Church, you I wentto a Catholic school, boys go to
Senao College.
St.
Peter's Senao College.
And I even became an alteportgrowing up.
But when I left in 82, when Iwas 17, after I finished school
(34:26):
came here in December of 92, youmy mom was already here.
and my mom's side of the familyall live in Laie by, you PCC, so
that's where my brother was overthere, Benetton.
And just before I moved toHawaii, they moved to Maui, so I
came straight to Maui to jointhem.
So my mom would have themissionary come to lessons, you
(34:49):
But for me it was really, thinkat that point for me it was kind
confused because, just comingoff of being in a Catholic
school and being outsupportedfrom the Catholic school.
Came here and my mom was tryingto get the mission to my, you
lessons and stuff.
Yeah.
Hoping that, you was gonna getbaptized But, I thought I was
(35:11):
baptized back then, that'sright, but I guess they couldn't
find records of it.
So I was telling my wife, maybeI would baptize myself the way
things was going back thenbecause 17 years old, come over
here and being all, you didn'tactually get baptized until last
September, I September thisyear, Yeah, just, I got baptized
recently on, uh, church Oh! InSeptember,
Aka's Mic Full interview (35:31):
yeah.
yeah.
So you're member
sio (35:34):
of the Church of Jesus Christ?
Yeah, yeah, I'm a member now.
Oh! Oh, that's amazing.
Just recently, September thisyear, I got baptized, Oh, okay.
Is your mom still alive?
No, my mom passed away,unfortunately, when I was,
prison?
Two years in my prison.
passed away.
Yeah.
So she's well aware.
I'm sure there's much rejoiceYes.
my, yeah, my, my like s story,my dad wasn't a, an alcoholic,
(35:57):
but he was a avid camper.
Oh yeah.
So I remember back in days wehave like little store, we have
like, one of those, one of thefirst time you have back in day
if you have, like a.
A car back then was, you havelike, not reached by your
average family, you so we havea, a Datsun truck back then.
But eventually my dad'sgambling, much lose everything
(36:22):
because of his addiction togambling.
He lost his store, lost it,yeah.
This was in Samoa?
In Samoa.
And that's how I noticed, like,my, my dad has a group of, uh,
couples.
that.
after church on Sunday, they goand they pick each house where
they go play cards, you gamble.
And I remember, because I usedto go with my dad, I would sit
next to him and he wins, he'llhand me a dollar or, you back in
(36:45):
those days, a dollar would, forme, it's Big money, you But then
sometimes when I see my dadlose, you I go away.
I don't like sit around, youwait for Hannah when he lose.
But those times too is hard formy mom because my dad will come
home and take it out on her.
Yeah, and then I think that'swhere the separation It's pretty
(37:06):
hard on her to, with my dad whenhe's losing.
Addiction is addiction, right?
Yes.
You whether it's alcohol,whether it's gambling.
it's gambling.
It's the same.
still just devastating So
Aka's Mic Full interview Mul (37:19):
So that's why I try to share with
him.
I try not to push my faith on,but I want him to learn.
I want him to learn.
and know Heavenly Father whereis that, and, I want him to know
that, you that's where, likeyour go to, I just want to
stress this, because I rememberwhen I heard, the commandments,
he says, you like love, love me,love, put me first, and I
(37:43):
remember it was like, and I hadasked them, this, I said,
Heavenly Father, I rememberasking like, how to we, you and
this is where the faith comesin.
Because I, and I had tounderstand this because, my my
parents, I love my parentsbecause I see them.
(38:03):
I know them, they're here.
Which, Heavenly Father, it's alloff of faith because we don't
see Him.
Does that make sense?
and I remember, thinking thatthat's why I had to build that
faith of understanding oflearning to put him first.
then my parents, you know Idon't see him, You know what I
(38:30):
And that's where my faith had,rather you see, he's always
there.
You know what I mean?
He will always be there.
And there's no love that any ofmy parents will give me than he
does.
Than he has for me.
And I know that now.
like my mom could never love memore than, Our Father in Heaven
(38:51):
will.
I know this now.
I know this now.
I even see it, where we read,these are the days where Mom and
daughters will fight againsteach other, sister against, you
father against son, these arethe days, I'm starting to see
that.
I'm starting to see that hereand there and stuff, and,
knowing that, no love that Icould give my children than our
(39:16):
Father in Heaven has for them, Iknow this now, and I try to
share that with my kids, andmost especially with my daughter
when she was struggling with notknowing her biological, her
earthly dad.
So I share with her, you knowwhat, at the end of the day, I
want you to learn of yourHeavenly Father.
cause there's no love yourbiological dad will ever give
(39:39):
you than your father in heaven,even though you don't see him,
when you start learning andstart to see his hands, this is
where you will gain that.
She still doesn't get it, but Ididn't either.
and I realize that now, and Itell her, sharing this with you,
because I've been there, I knowhow that feeling was.
I know, where you've been, but Ijust like to share that, because
(40:03):
he's doing that in my life, andshare that with my husband, so
that he can get that too.
Stephanie test (40:09):
Yes, to make up for the disappointment that he's
had, that you had with yourfather, that your daughter's had
with her biological father.
That perhaps you had with yourfather, C O because, we, have a
perfect heavenly father.
Perfect.
And, from him we can receive aperfect love.
(40:30):
Right.
Aka's Mic Full interview Mu (40:30):
And even though we don't see him, or
maybe we don't see the blessingcoming.
he's always there.
but we do our part.
Stephanie test (40:39):
I think you mentioned this today in your
talk, if we work to fill thatspirit, we can feel his love.
Orca has taken us back to her.
Sermonette to given in sacramentmeeting.
And reminded us that heavenlyfather.
Is always there for us.
Even though we do not see him.
(41:02):
And we may not see the blessingsthat he gives us.
He is always there for us.
It next week's episode.
We will hear more.
From AKA About.
Their experiences in prison.
And their lives today.
(41:22):
But for now, I would like you tovisualize.
The sacrament meeting.
That occurred.
When AKA gave her first talk inchurch.
The chapel was full of people.
Including August 93 year oldmother and her sister.
Who raised AHCA's.
(41:44):
Youngest two children.
including her teenage daughter.
On her son.
Who had just passed thesacrament.
And there was AKA.
Dandy at the pulpit.
Ready to give her sermonette.
Imagine how her mother.
Might have felt.
Keep that in mind.
(42:05):
As I share with you.
Excerpts From the inspiringsermonette.
Called the prodigal.
And the road that leads home.
Given by elder Dieter F Oak.
Dorf of the quorum of the 12apostles.
And passages.
From Luke.
Chapter 15.
As I read these excerpts.
(42:25):
I imagine.
Rather than the prodigal son.
It being a prodigal daughter.
From Luke 15.
Quote.
And he said.
A certain man had two sons.
And the younger of them said tohis father, Father.
(42:46):
Give me the portion of goodsthat follow to me.
And he divided unto them.
His Levine.
Unquote.
Elder.
For says.
Can you imagine?
What the father felt.
When he heard this.
When he realized that what hisson wanted more than anything
(43:07):
else.
Was to leave the family andperhaps never return.
the sun must have felt.
A thrill of adventure andexcitement.
At long last he was on his own.
Brief and the principles andrules of the culture of his
youth.
(43:28):
He could finally make his ownchoices.
Without being influenced by hisparents.
No more guilt.
He could bask in the acceptanceof a like-minded community.
And live life on his own terms.
Unquote.
He spent money freely.
(43:50):
Can you imagine the friends heattracted.
Boy the life he was loving.
Elder Dorf Says this.
Quote, they celebrated,applauded and championed his
choices.
Had there been social media inthat time?
Surely.
He would have filled pages withanimated photos of laughing
(44:11):
friends.
Hashtag living my best life.
Hashtag never happier.
Hashtag should've done this longago.
But the party.
Did not last.
It rarely does.
Unquote.
What would he do now?
(44:32):
What his friends help him out.
First 14 says.
Quote And when he had spent alltheir rose.
A mighty famine in that land.
And he began to be in one.
Unquote.
So he couldn't afford anything.
How old's your door goes on tosay.
(44:54):
How would he survive?
He had been generous to hisfriends.
Would they help him now?
I can see him ask him for alittle support just for now.
Until he got back on his feet.
The scriptures, tell us.
No man.
I gave them to him.
Desperate to remain alive.
(45:15):
He found a local farmer whohired him to feed swine.
Extremely hungry now.
Abandoned and alone.
The young man must havewondered.
How things.
Who would have gone so terriblydreadfully wrong.
It wasn't just an empty stomachthat troubled him.
(45:38):
It was an empty soul.
He had been so sure.
The giving into his worldlydesires.
Would make him happy.
The moral laws were obstacles tothat happiness.
Now.
He knew better.
(45:59):
And oh, what a price he had topay for that knowledge?
As the physical hunger grew.
His thoughts.
Returned to his father.
Would he help him after all thathad happened?
Even the humblest of hisfather's servants had food to
eat and shelter.
The storms.
(46:22):
But returned to his father.
Never.
Confessed to his village.
That he had squandered hisinheritance.
Impossible.
Face the neighbors.
Who surely had warned him.
That he was disgracing hisfamily and Breaking his parents'
(46:42):
hearts.
He returned to his old friendsafter boasting of how he was
breaking free.
Unbearable.
The hunger loneliness, or moresimply.
Wouldn't go away.
And tell.
He came to himself.
(47:02):
He knew what he needed.
To do.
Unquote.
Prodigal son says this in thebegan verse 18.
I will arise and go to myfather.
Unquote.
And he rehearses it his mind.
(47:22):
Exactly what he's going to sayto his father when he gets
there.
Now back.
To elder Dwarfs talk.
He's going to describe.
From the father's point of view,what he's been through.
Coat, how many prayers?
How much he offered in the deepof night.
(47:43):
Pleading with God that his sonwould be safe.
That he would discover true, buthe would return.
And then one day the fatherlooks out on that lonely road.
The road that leads home.
And sees a distant figurewalking toward him.
(48:05):
Is it possible?
No, the individual is a greatway off.
The father knows in an instant.
It is his son.
He runs to him, throws his armsaround him and kisses him.
So other.
The sun cries out.
(48:26):
In words, he must haverehearsed.
A thousand times.
I have sinned against bothheaven.
And you.
I'm no longer worthy to becalled your son.
All I ask is that you take mein.
As a hired servant.
But the father scarcely lets himfinish.
(48:49):
Tears in his eyes.
He commands his servants.
Bring the finest robe in thehouse.
And place it on my son'sshoulders.
What a ring on his finger andsandals on his feet.
Make a feast to celebrate.
My son has returned.
(49:12):
I'd quote.
Oh, there's another part of thisstory.
Remember.
The elder son.
Where's the elder son.
He's out in the field.
He's been working.
And now he begins to come home.
(49:34):
And as he's getting closer tothe house, He hears music.
And the sound of dancing.
And he calls out to her, theservants what's going.
What does all the hope love out?
And the servant says, will yourbrother he's come home.
your father.
He's so thrilled.
(49:56):
He's killed the fatted calf.
And he's throwing a party.
On behalf of your brother.
That he's returned home safe andsound.
Well, this did not bode wellwith the elder brother.
He was angry.
And he refused to go in.
(50:18):
So his father came out.
And Encouraged him to come in.
This is what the elder brothersaid to his father in verse 29.
Coat.
Lowe.
These many years.
Do I serve the.
Neither transgressed I at anytime that I commandment.
(50:41):
And he had vowed, never gave usto me a kid.
That I might make Merry with myfriends.
But as soon as I son come, whichhave devour thy living with
harlots.
Thou has killed for him.
The fatter pass.
And he said a damn.
(51:03):
sun.
Though art ever with me.
And all that I have.
Is that nine.
I was meat that we should makeMary.
And be glad for this I brotherwas dead and is alive again and
was lost.
(51:24):
We just found.
I'd quote.
Eldora turf.
Goes on to say.
Quote.
A parable for our time, mybeloved brothers and sisters,
dear friends, like.
All of the Savior's parables.
This one is not just aboutpeople living long ago.
(51:44):
It's about you.
And to me today.
Who among us has not departedfrom the path of holiness.
Foolishly thinking we could findmore happiness going our own
self centered way.
Who among us has not felthumbled, broken hearted and
desperate for forgiveness andmercy.
(52:05):
Perhaps some.
May have even wondered.
Is it even possible to comeback?
Well, I relabeled foreverrejected.
And avoided.
Bye.
Bye.
Her friends.
Is it better to just stay lost?
(52:27):
How will God react?
If I try to return.
This parable gives us theanswer.
Our heavenly father will run tous.
His heart overflowing with loveand compassion.
He will embrace us.
Place a rope around ourshoulders.
(52:49):
A ring on our finger.
At the sandals on our feet.
And proclaim.
Today we celebrate.
For my child who wants was dead.
Has come back to life.
Heaven will rejoice at ourreturn.
(53:09):
After all.
We know what it's like to be aprodigal.
We all rely daily.
On the same atoning power.
Of Christ.
We know this path.
And we will walk with you.
Unquote.
I want to thank.
(53:30):
AKA to Fargo set a Fano and CEOset a Fano.
For joining us today and sharingtheir stories and their
testimony.
Remember to join us next weekfor the rest of their story.
I want to thank my husband,Richard for helping me.
(53:50):
in this interview and buy me anew computer right before
Christmas day.
So I could finish this episode.
For my friend, Rebecca, who toldme.
The Christmas is stillChristmas, even the week after
Christmas.
thank you to our wonderfullisteners.
Thank you for listening to ourChristmas episode.
(54:11):
Please share this episode withthose who love.
WE'll finish by going back towhere we started.
In my lesson.
But I had goodly parents.
That took me to church everyweek By listening to an
instrumental version.
Of joy to the world.
Side by your classical radio.
(54:32):
I wish you all a MerryChristmas.
And a happy new year.
For now I will say farewell.
Until we meet again.
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