Maxwell wasn’t a member of the Church when he first met Maryann at the National University of Samoa in 2012.
They were both passionate about art and they soon began dating. A year later, Maryann went on her mission to Quezon City in the Philippines.
Maryann was strong in her beliefs and Maxwell always knew the gospel was important to her.
Maxwell’s family are Catholic so Maryann didn’t want to force him to join the Church.
“He saw how strong my beliefs are and I guess that made him want to learn more about the Church,” she said.
Maxwell began a journey of “soul searching”. He met with the missionaries and after a few lessons, he said he knew it was right. He was baptized three years after he first met Maryann, in September 2015.
“I found what I was looking for and more in the gospel,” he said.
But that wasn’t the end. The couple talked about marriage and Maxwell knew how important temple marriage was to Maryann.
“I one hundred percent know that one of the greatest blessings of this life is getting married in the temple,” Maryanne said.
“That’s what motivated me to stay on the right path.”
Preparing to get married in the temple was met with some challenges for Maxwell. There was opposition from family members and also a waiting period. Converts to the Church need to wait at least a year before they enter into the Holy house of the Lord.
“We were struggling,” Maxwell said.
“And of course I wanted my family to be there to witness my wedding. A lot of people said it would have been easier to have a civil wedding but it wouldn’t have felt right for me. The temple was the right choice because I love Heavenly Father and I love Maryann.”
The couple were married March this year in the Apia Samoa Temple.
“The temple is what I imagine heaven to be like,” Maryann said.
“If you want a marriage to last forever you should cherish your spouse as much as you can because it’s not just this life you’re spending time with but it’s in the next life too.
“It’s all about enduring to the end and continuing no matter how hard it gets.”
Maxwell and Maryann live in Leififi, Samoa and both work as graphic designers. They have plans to go to BYU University so Maryann can study animation.
“The gospel has opened up the doors for me and changed my outlook on life,” Maxwell said.
“Whenever I go through any ordeal, there’s something in the gospel that can help with whatever I’m going through.”
