A Look Back at General Authorities who visited our Shores in 2014

First we had Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the twelve apostles who visited in February of this year. He presided over several training and meetings, including cultural performances highlighted below. 

Cultural items Highlights - Elder Andersen's visit, 2014

Elder Andersen & Elder Wakolo posing with some of the cast members

Next, we had our departing Area President, Elder James J. Hamula of the Seventy, who visited in September of this year. This was his last visit to our shores before being released as our Area President. To watch the Full videos of all the cultural items, please CLICK HERE!

 Amelia Veikoso is all smile as she gets ready to perform during Elder Hamua's visit.

YSA's Get Together at Sigatoka

Over the weekend, 18 young single adults of the Suva 3rd ward traveled to Sigatoka for a one night camp out and activities to help strengthen the Sigatoka Young Single Adults. Altogether about 30 YSA's gathered at Sigatoka for an evening of dancing, entertainment, and getting to know one another.

Early on Saturday morning they took a carrier ride to Kulukulu where they hiked up the sand dunes to hold a sunrise fireside at the top of the hill overlooking Kulukulu.

Tieri Fatiaki said that she thoroughly enjoyed herself. She said that the hike up the Kulukulu Sand Dunes on Saturday morning was really tough but she focused on getting to the top so she could participate in the fireside and also enjoy the view. She likened that to our journey in life where we find many challenges and hardships but if we focused on the eternal perspective of life then the challenges are easier to tackle.

 The Suva 3rd male dancers performing a Rotuman number

From the sand dunes the group returned to the meeting house for breakfast and after breakfast, they went to Cuvu beach for a day of water sports and swimming.

 Sunrise Fireside at the Kulukulu Sand Dunes

 Sand surfing down the Dunes

Julie Gaunavinaka of Sigatoka was so excited about the activity as this was the first time any such group had ever visited her branch and she was thankful for the support of their branch president, President Rakuro as well as the support of the Relief Society sisters, the YSA's and youths of the branch.

 Group photo after the dance

This activity had brought the branch members closer together and also extended their network of friends with the Suva 3rd YSA group.

Lai Tuinamoala, Chloe Fatiaki, and Mosese enjoying the evening.

2014 Christmas Stamp Features Fiji Temple

Image of the Fiji Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints is one of the church buildings in Fiji that has been used by Post Fiji on its Christmas stamp this year. The stamp will be on sale from tomorrow at Post Fiji outlets around the country.

Adolf Johansson, the Fiji Service Centre Manager said that he is “so grateful to Fiji Post for including the Fiji Temple in this year’s stamp as it’s the most sacred buildings of the Church.

The year 2014 marks the first major closure of the Suva Fiji Temple since its dedication in 2000. "The stamp will help us remember this milestone in the history of the Suva Fiji Temple," commented Elder Johansson.

Candy Crush Sugar Rush Prom for LDSCC Senior Students

Tamavua, Suva-

150 senior students of the LDS Church College attended the Senior prom held at the school gymnasium on Friday 21 November  to mark the end of another school year.

It was chance for all the girls to “doll” up in beautiful gowns and high heeled shoes  and they did look so beautiful while the boys tried to match their date’s gowns with appropriate shirts or colorful ties.

19 year old Head Boy , Laisenia Tuinamoala said that it was such an “awesome and perfect night especially for those of us who are leaving school this year. It really was a night to remember."

Theme of the prom was “Candy Crush , Let’s get a Sugar Rush"  as selected by the students after a survey.

The Prom Committee made up of the Form 5 Junior Prefects organised the entire event and they were excited that they got to plan everything including the decoration , the  entertainment and the fruit punch , pineapples and apple in white caramel. The gym was colorfully decorated to reflect candies and candy canes.

Part of the Prom Committee from left Raymond Koyamaibole, Tandra Taito, Zeona Shaw, Gabby Jiare & Penina Maiwiriwiri

Leola Hussein & Iki Qaqa

Head Girl Jeanette Maiwiriwiri and Deputy Head Boy Leroy Simpson

Dancing the Night away

2015 Head Girl Savaira Veikoso with Gabriel Sogari

Form 5 students

A Night to Remember!

Fiji Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Thanks Church for Self-Reliance Emphasis

Samabula, Suva-
Mrs Rosy Akbar, Fiji's new Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation addressed Latter-day women and girls recently. Mrs Akbar, who was sworn into Parliament in September, was one of seven women elected into the 50 seat Parliament two weeks ago. Mrs Akbar was accompanied at the Latter-day Saint meeting in Suva on 27 September by Dr Joe Koroivueta and Mrs Arieta Moceica.

Mrs Sulueti Kama, National Public Affairs Director for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, introduced Mrs Akbar and congratulated her on her recent election.

FULL STORY >>

Mrs Rosy Akbar, Fiji's new Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation addressed Latter-day Saint women and girls.

An official of the Women's Ministry demonstrates the use of a rocket stove to women and girls of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Mrs Rosy Akbar, Fiji's Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, is presented with a framed copy of 'The Family: A Proclamation to the World' after she addressed the women and girls of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

First Tuvaluan Missionary for South Africa

Tuvalu-
21 year old Elder Viliame Naivanawalu who flew to the South African MTC  this week is the first Tuvaluan missionary to serve in South Africa.

Elder Naivanawalu at the airport with Bill & Yesta Heuea of Tahiti who were travelling with him through to Auckland. 

Though he’s Fijian , his family has lived in Tuvalu for many years. Elder Naivanawalu is a soft spoken and very respectful young man who attended Ratu Kadavulevu School for his secondary education.

He was in Fiji for about 1 month while waiting for his visa to be approved.  

He is the third in his extended family to serve a mission as one cousin Elder Mei Naivanawalu serving in Ghana and another cousin, Elder Stephen Naivanawalu just returned from his mission in Papua New Guinea.

Institute Classes Strengthens Young Single Adults Spiritually

Raiwaqa, Suva-
Today was the final day of Institute for 2014 for the 30 young single adults of the Suva Stake. They had been studying the Doctrine & Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price for 14 weeks.

Institute students at the end of their class today.

When asked why he attended these classes faithfully for the past 14 weeks, Meli Lacanivalu said that it helped strengthen him spiritually. Classes for 2015 will begin in January so in the meantime all Young Single Adults will enjoy the Christmas break.

Institute students at the end of their class today.

Bula from Mormon Media Fiji

We welcome you all to our First ever Blog Page. This is an Unofficial blog initiated by the Public Affairs team, where periodic events and news from Fiji will be posted as far as the progress of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in our beautiful islands of Fiji.

The primary purpose of this Blog is to keep all interested parties updated with the latest local happenings, and relevant reports & news, that contribute to the bringing the church out of obscurity in Fiji. This a joint effort to set in motion the invitation by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve, when he urged members of the Church to use social media to flood the earth with gospel messages.

Elder Bednar

"I exhort you to sweep the earth with messages filled with righteousness and truth—messages that are authentic, edifying, and praiseworthy—and literally to sweep the earth as with a flood."

 Suva Fiji Temple

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