​Church Educators Meet at Fiji TVET & Learning Summit

A group of 55 school principals, heads of TVET programmes and missionary volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints met in Nadi last week to discuss ways to help students achieve their technical and vocational education goals.

“The main aim of both the TVET and the teaching and learning summit was to enhance the school in its effort to develop students in holistic ways—spiritually, academically, physically, emotionally, socially and financially," said Salote Maiwiriwiri, principal of the LDS Church College in Tamavua.

"All these components of a student’s life are vital in becoming self-reliant.”

Michael Carthew, director of Pacific Church Schools of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said, "TVET is an important part of our high schools and we are seeking to improve our offerings to meet the needs of as many students as possible.

"We see TVET as providing an important part of our students' education as we seek to provide students with as many options as possible for further education and employment according to their talents and interests. These programs will grow to become a great blessing to our young people.”

The week-long meeting was divided into two parts. The first two and a half days were dedicated to TVET areas and the second two and a half days were dedicated to teaching and learning in the classroom.

Mr Carthew said that the summit was focused on teaching and teacher development. The goals were to identify challenges and agree upon vision and strategy to improve.

“The outcomes of the summit were beyond anything we could have hoped for," he said.

"Our team of principals are all talented and passionate educators. There is great power in bringing such people together in unity to prayerfully formulate a direction and vision for the future. Our schools will move forward steadily as we implement the ideas we discussed during our time together.

"It was a great experience for all and we look forward to moving forward with this very important work of educating God's children," Cathew said.

The teachers and principals came from Tonga, Samoa, Kiribati and Fiji.

Elder Pearson to Fiji Youth: ‘Know Who You Are’

Elder Kevin W. Pearson, president of the Pacific Area of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, told young people of the Church’s Nausori Fiji Stake on the weekend that: “Who you think you are determines what’s important to you."

"What you believe, comes from what you see yourself as. It determines your attitude and your attitude determines your actions.”

Elder Pearson was speaking to around 500 youth, leaders and parents at a special church meeting north-west of Suva.

 

“A young woman is dressed in what she believes she is,” he added. “Finding out who you are changes your identity, values and beliefs. If you don’t know who you are you will want to do what everyone else is doing and get what everyone else gets.”

Elder Pearson continued: “If you young men know who you are, you will love your wife, love your children and lift others. You young women can change the world by raising righteous children who know who they are. There are young men here who will one day be stake presidents.. you just don’t know it yet.

“Live your life so that one day you will marry in the temple. Spirit children on the other side are praying for you to make right choices. You’re not only the future of the Church, you are also the future of the spirits who will come to the earth.”

Elder Pearson was accompanied in his visit to Fiji this weekend by Elder Daniel Hamilton, an Area Seventy of the Church from Australia.

In his remarks, Elder Hamilton encouraged the youth to learn to recognise the influence of the Holy Ghost and understand how Heavenly Father speaks to His children.

Quoting from Latter-day Saint apostle, Elder Boyd K. Packer (1924—2015), Elder Hamilton encouraged the young people to “learn to listen and listen to learn.”

Local leader, President Alipate Tagidugu, reminded the Nausori youth to “strengthen their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and keep the commandments.”

‘Isa Lei’ Gets Church Leader Elder Pearson Emotional

This story was taken from the Fiji SUN Newspaper.
The Fiji SUN

From left: David Hamilton, first counsellor Ernest Vitinavulagi, new president of Nausori Stake Lote Qoroya, second counsellor Richard Goundar, elder Kevin Pearson and former president Alipate Tagidugu after the Nausori Fiji Stake Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Naulu near Nausori yesterday. Photo: Paulini Ratulailai

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints leader Elder Kevin Pearson was emotional as he heard the traditional farewell song, Isa Lei, yesterday in Naulu.

Nausori Fiji Stake members gave him a gift and sang the song to acknowledge his service to them for the last five years.

Elder Pearson, the outgoing Pacific Area president, is here to perform his last official duty, before he returns to Auckland. From there he returns to Salt Lake City, United States, to receive his new assignment.

He said he was overwhelmed by the spirit of the Fijian people and it was an experience he would treasure.

Elder Pearson presided over the two-day conference of the Nausori Fiji Stake. He was assisted by Elder David Hamilton, an Area Seventy. They released Alipate Tagidugu who has been Stake president for nine years with counsellors Manasa Cava and Daniele Vavaloa.

They called as the new Stake presidency: Lote Qoroya (president), Earnest Vitinavulagi (first counsellor) and Richard Goundar (secod counsellor), Elder Pearson paid tribute to President Tagidugu for his service in pioneering the church expansion in Tailevu.

“What a man, what a legend, what a legacy,” he told the conference.

The new Stake president, President Qoroya, said: “Now with this calling as a president, geographically I look after Makoi right to Saioko in Ra . “This is a big area to serve,” he said.

He commended the changes that had happened because of the faithful members of the church.

“Across the villages of the delta of Rewa, the Church has been established. Now it’s going up to Naitasiri, Navuniyasi and Nabukaluka. Even in Korovou going down to Waimalua, to Levuka and Moturiki. This is the progress of where the church has gone up to,” he said.

“These are the places where the church was not involved in and now it has gone there.”

President Qoroya recalled while growing up, he used to run around the chapel in Naulu with no idea of what he would become in the future.

“When I was born, my parents were already members of the church. I knew no other way. The church was the way. I have learnt the true meaning of family. I am now married with six children,” he said.

Edited by Nemani Delaibatiki

Last Visit For LDS Church Pacific Area President

This story is taken from the Fiji Sun Newspaper.
The Fiji SUN

Pacific Area President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Elder Kevin W Pearson with Fiji Service Centre Staff.

Elder Kevin W Pearson, Pacific Area President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, arrived in Suva on Friday for his final visit to the country.

He finishes his assignment in the Pacific in August when he returns to Salt Lake City in the United States, for a new assignment.

In his last official duties here, he is presiding in the Nausori Stake Conference which opened at the Stake Centre in Delaivunitoa, Naulu, last night.

He will conclude today with the re-organisation of the Nausori Stake.

In a special meeting with the employees of the Fiji Service Centre on Friday he expressed his love and gratitude to all of them for their contribution to the Open house and Rededication of the Suva Fiji Temple in February and March.

“It was so wonderful for me and Sister Pearson to see how incredibly organised every single aspect of the temple open house and rededication under the most trying of circumstances but every one of you performed brilliantly. How grateful we are for the many thousands of hours of organisation that had been put into the planning of this major event,” he said.

As a special message for the employees, he reminded them that through small and simple things greater things are brought to pass. He shared three examples of the small and simple things that employees could do which included daily prayers, daily scripture reading and repentance.

“Thank you for all you have done to bless the lives of all those people who were affected by Cyclone Winston, he said.

Elder Pearson was also a guest speaker at the LDS Primary School and LDS Church College in two separate events on Friday.

LDS Ups Supplies For Hospitals Here

This story below is taken from the Fiji Sun News Paper:
The Fiji SUN

Medical supplies being handed over to the George Mate Medical Centre of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces in Nabua

Five medical centres in Viti Levu were handed new supplies of medical equipment donated by the Latter-day Saints Humanitarian in Salt Lake City, USA.

Eight pallets were off-loaded at the Suva Kings wharf, which were shipped through the US naval hospital ship, Mercy, on Sunday. The other three pallets will be transported by the naval ship to Savusavu where the navy will transport them to hospitals in Savusavu, Seqaqa and Dreketi.

This project brought together the LDS Humanitarian from Salt Lake that provided the medical supplies, the USS Mercy a Naval Hospital that transported the supplies by sea and the Ministry of Health in Fiji that provided the transport and was also a recipient of this donation.

At the wharf the consignment was handed over to the Fiji LDS Charities by Lieutenant-Colonel Hughes, a church volunteer on the ship. LDS charities had worked with the Ministry of Health to ensure delivery of these pallets to the various hospitals that had been recommended to be recipients.

The ministry provided a truck from the Government Pharmacy to deliver the pallets.

First stop was at the George Mate Medical Centre of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks in Delainabua. One pallet was handed over to Major Amelia Tadu and the Medical team. Major Tadu shared her gratitude for the much needed supplies.

“We are so grateful to this donation and thank you so much for thinking of us,” she said.

The military also hosted the LDS team and the USS Mercy medical team to a lunch at the Officers’ Mess.

At the Colonial War Memorial Hospital another pallet was handed over to its general manager, Soro Toutou, who was happy to receive the donation on behalf of the hospital.

The other three pallets were accepted by the government Pharmacist who will then distribute it to the Lautoka and Labasa hospitals.

LDS Church Members Mourn Death Of Their Labasa Leader

This story below is taken from the Fiji Sun News Paper:
The Fiji SUN

From left: Left to Right : Adolf Johansson, Area 70; Kamoe Varea, president Suva Fiji Stake; Vito Qaqa, president Suva North Stake; Alipate Tagidugu, president Nausori Stake; Richard Bull, president Labasa District; Jackson Yee, president Suva Fiji Temple; LaMar Layton, president Suva Fiji Mission.

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are mourning the sudden death of their Labasa leader Richard Bull.

Mr Bull, 46, died in Labasa last Saturday. He had just been appointed the Labasa District president of the church last month. A businessman, Mr Bull was born and raised in Dreketi, Macuata.

He was educated at Waikato University, Hamilton, New Zealand, where he met his wife Siainiu Fa’alogo-Bull from Samoa.

They have four children and Mrs Fa’alogo-Bull is a lawyer by profession. She said he was an excellent father and a wonderful husband and they would miss him dearly.

Mr Bull was running a family business when he died. Like all LDS Church leaders, he served voluntarily. Church leaders sustain themselves.

He will be buried in Labasa tomorrow. He is greatly missed because since he joined the church five years ago and has been a great example for members in Labasa.

Suva North Stake Self Reliance Graduation

Navua Ward Graduates

Sunday May 29 - Suva North Stake held an inspiring Self-Reliance Graduation with Pres. Bhan presiding and Bro. Buresva, the SR stake high counselor conducting. Great talks and testimonies of SR were given. The 27 graduates received their certificates, each of the three wards Samabula 1st, Tamavua 1st, and Navua held their SR classes in their own wards. Samabula 1st Ward had a class of 8 students with 5 of them being non-members.

Elder & Sister Smith with 4 Non-Member Graduates

One student, Sofaia (story printed in the May SR Newsletter) was baptized in the middle of her 12 week class. A Book of Mormon was presented to each of the other 4 after the graduation as a gift with contact numbers and testimony from Elder and Sister Smith. We have become friends and had our pictures taken together. The 4 non-members are excited about what they learned, they have already signed up for another class.

Tacirua & Tamavua 1st Graduates

All 9 wards in the Suva North Stake have either the Business or Education/Job Search classes taught and many have both. As one class ends another begins. Elder and Sister Smith in Fiji.

Samabula 1st & 2nd Graduates