The Worth of a Soul

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In a moment that bridged decades of faith and service, President Masaru Okuda, leader of the Micronesia Guam Mission, completed a deeply personal chapter of his spiritual journey by baptizing a man he first taught as a young missionary nearly forty years ago.

In 2022, Masaru and Megumi Okuda were called to preside over the Micronesia Guam Mission. For President Okuda, the assignment marked a return to the very mission where he had served as a newly converted elder in 1984. Back then, he labored on the islands of Guam and Palau, sharing his testimony and connecting with locals—especially older Palauans who spoke Japanese.

Among those he taught was a young man named Akino. Despite their spiritual connection, Elder Okuda and his companion, Elder Ben Roberto, were unable to complete Akino’s lessons or baptize him before their departure. Akino remained unbaptized, but the memory of their teachings endured.

In 2025, while visiting Palau as mission president, Okuda reunited with Akino, who expressed a long-held desire to finally be baptized. However, complications stemming from missing records posed significant challenges.

Determined to help, President Okuda enlisted the support of incoming senior missionaries Scott and Kristin Lieber. A young Elder Lieber had served on Palau in 1984 just prior to young Elder Okuda. The Liebers and young Elders Ethan Bellamy , Mawimar Mendoza , and Colton Blaisdell stationed on the island, rallied around Akino and offered spiritual support. President Okuda also checked in regularly from the Guam mission office. John Thing, a church member and former Chief of Police, gave the Liebers information that helped resolve the documentation issue.

With just days remaining in their three-year mission, the Okudas returned to Palau for one final weekend. On June 21, 2025, President Okuda—now dressed in white—raised his arm and baptized Akino, fulfilling a calling that had begun four decades earlier. Sister Megumi Okuda and Sister Kristin Lieber stood as official witnesses.

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Following the baptism, Elder Lieber confirmed Akino in Palauan, declaring, “Elechang ke medengei Rubak el Dios diak e obess er kau” (“Today you know God has not forgotten you”). Long-time member Sister Vangie Ngirchemat said a beautiful prayer thanking God for this full-circle miracle. The ceremony was marked by heartfelt prayers and tears, as longtime members and young missionaries alike recognized the significance of the moment.

Beyond this singular event, President Okuda’s tenure was marked by the restoration of the Micronesia Guam Mission following the global pandemic. Yet it was this baptism—forty years in the making—that underscored his commitment to the worth of every soul.

As the Okudas concluded their service, they left behind a legacy of perseverance, faith, and the quiet fulfillment of a promise made long ago.