Missouri & Jasicca

Missouri (30)

South Jordan, Utah

Jasicca (29)

Draper, Utah 

Samoan Sisters

Sisters Missouri and Jasicca are from the tropical island paradise of Samoa. Their mother passed away when they were infants, so they were raised by their father. The sisters grew up in the Mormon church under the strict rule of their conservative father. Dad had incredibly strong opinions about how his daughters should dress, how they should wear their hair. He even forbade them from wearing nail polish altogether. After Missouri graduated from high school, she and Jasicca packed their bags and moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. They wanted to be closer to the Mormon church and there is also an active Mormon Polynesian community there, so the move made a lot of sense to the young women. It was their chance to strike out on their own and explore the world outside of their small island. In the years following their time in Utah the sisters have fallen away from their Mormon roots. They are still religious just not active in the church. Instead they have turned towards each other as their version of community. The sisters don't have any real friends outside of one another and most people don’t seem to understand their relationship.

Missouri and her husband Elisaia have been married for eight years. It has always been their dream to have a large family. Elisaia is also Samoan and having children and a large family is a cultural sign of strength and success. After years of trying to conceive without success, Missouri was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Missouri's condition makes getting pregnant difficult. Missouri was heartbroken when she heard her diagnosis and leaned on Jasicca to help her cope with the crushing reality. In Samoan culture a woman who is unable to conceive is rumored to be cursed. It’s a major source of shame and humiliation not only for the woman but for the family as well. 

Not wanting her sister to suffer, Jasicca made a very powerful and profound promise: if she had multiple children, she would give Missouri one to raise as her own. This pact created massive waves in both of the sisters' marriages. How could a mother bare to part with one of her children? How could Jasicca expect her husband to sacrifice his daughter to be raised by his sister-in-law? Is this really fair to the child? The pact stands squarely in the face of how families are traditionally formed. It crosses societal boundaries that are not usually meant to be crossed. But Jasicca and Missouri are wholly headstrong and once they make a decision there is no going back, despite the consequences.

Jasicca and her husband Aaron have been together for ten years and married for six years. They met when they were in their early twenties and married not long after they met. Aaron was raised Mormon and was coincidentally a missionary on the island of Samoa. The couple had always dreamed of having children of their own, but they were never able to conceive. It was a devastating time for the young couple. After struggling with infertility, the couple experienced a terrible sadness and emptiness in their marriage. Aaron coped by losing himself in his job and closed himself off to Jasicca. In turn, Jasicca starved for intimacy and validation began a secret affair with a Samoan man named Mali who lived in SLC. Mali made Jasicca feel special, beautiful and appreciated. The two had a secretive relationship that lasted for about a year until one day Jasicca tested positive on an at-home pregnancy test. It was shocking, confusing, scary and thrilling all at the same time. She didn’t know what to do and how would she tell Aaron? Sadly, before she was able to make sense of it all she lost the baby to miscarriage. Still seeing both Mali and Aaron at the same time it was only several months later that Jasicca found that she was pregnancy once again! Although she was elated with the news the truth was, she didn’t know who the father was. It could have either been Aaron or it could have been Mali. When Jasicca gave birth to her daughter Amara in April 2009 she was relieved that Amara had light skin because it meant that Aaron was indeed the father. Missouri was thrilled that Jasicca finally had a baby and the sisters bonded over taking care of Amara together.

A few months after giving birth to Amara Jasicca was complaining to Missouri that she was hungry all the time despite the fact that she was eating more than ever. Missouri asked if Jasicca could be pregnant again and Jasicca said it was impossible because she was on birth control. Missouri urged Jasicca to go to the doctor and the two were stunned to find out that Jasicca was pregnant once again! The sisters were together when Jasicca had a sonogram done and found out that Jasicca was already four months along. The doctor told the sisters that Jasicca was far enough along that they could find out the gender of the baby right then. They discovered that Jasicca was having a little girl! Jasicca looked at Missouri and stated with full conviction: “that is your daughter.” Missouri was in disbelief. She and Elisaia were ecstatic but didn't want to get their hopes up in case Jasicca changed her mind. 

Jasicca never wavered in her promise to Missouri and when she delivered her baby girl Eliana Hope in February 2020, she gave her to Missouri and Elisaia to adopt and raise as their own daughter. To make the situation even more complicated Eliana was born with a round-faced darker complexion indicative of Samoan people. Mali is undeniably the father of Eliana not Aaron. Jasicca and Mali had to sign over parental rights of Eliana so that Elisaia and Missouri could legally adopt Eliana. The adoption was finalized in July 2020 and Missouri still pinches herself because she is finally a mother!  

Sharing a baby daughter has made Missouri and Jasicca closer than ever. They are raising Amara and Eliana together and they love being able to be mothers at the same time. They love setting up photoshoots of their babies, sharing baby clothes, going on baby-outings and playing with their daughters together. This is their dream realized! Missouri is eternally grateful to Jasicca for giving her a daughter and the next hurdle for the duo is deciding together how they are going to explain to Eliana who her parents are. The Samoan community in Salt Lake City all know and talk about Jasicca and Mali's affair and they know that Eliana is Jasicca and Mali's biological child. Jasicca and Missouri are committed to being honest with Eliana and when the time is right, finding a way to explain everything to Eliana. Jasicca is planning on having more children and admits that she would be open to allowing Missouri to adopt more of her biological children. Aaron, however, wants more children of his own and he already has a difficult time reconciling not being Eliana’s father.

The main source of drama in the sisters' lives is Jasicca's ongoing affair with Mali. Jasicca is attracted to Mali’s passion and undeniable desire for her. Aaron is aware of the affair and turns a blind eye which only pushes Jasicca further from her marriage and into Mali's arms. Jasicca wants to choose Aaron but the connection with Mali is difficult to walk away from. Missouri is Jasicca's shoulder to cry on and doesn't judge her sister for her choice to continue her affair with Mali. In fact, most of Jasicca and Mali's rendezvouses happen at Missouri's house. Though Mali signed off on parental rights to Eliana, he spends time at Missouri's house so he can spend time with Eliana.

Many outsiders harshly judge the sisters for their actions and for the way in which they are bonded together. However, they strongly feel that their bond as family is the most important element in each of their lives, husbands come second. Although Jasicca is navigating a complicated marriage and personal life, her relationship with her sister is stable throughout. Although their daughters are blessings that bring them unfathomable joy, is it enough for each of their families to stay intact throughout? Only time will tell.