Fa’afeai Aryka Stowers knows what it means to carry a heavy heart.
“I cannot explain the painful experience I had when my mother, Tauveve Stowers, passed away in 2019, followed by my father’s passing, Aneti Stowers, in 2021,” she told Samoa Newshub.
She was in Year 12 at Maluafou College when her world began to change.
“When I graduated from college and entered the National University of Samoa in 2021, I tried to smile knowing I had come so far. But then my dad died the same year. I may not show it, but I felt broken inside.”
Now serving in the Honduras Comayaguela, a Spanish-speaking mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Fa’afeai says the turning point came through the quiet strength of her grandmother, Fa’afeai Tofele, whom she was named after.
“My grandmother prayed for the goal that I had in mind, which was becoming a missionary,” she said.
That prayer was answered this year with a call to serve in Central America. Although her parents are no longer here to witness her journey, she finds peace in her service.
“Sharing the story of God’s love with other people gives me joy,” she said. “That is what I call true happiness.”
She also reflected on the challenges facing many young people today, saying she hopes more youth can rise above those struggles.
“I pray every young person can stand in unity and save souls through the work of their hands.”
Fa’afeai expressed gratitude to her family for standing by her, especially during the hardest times.
