Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints met with members and friends of the Church in Nadi, Fiji on 20 March, as his South Pacific ministry came to a close.
Elder Soares Greets a Mother and Child Fiji 20 March 2025
Elder Soares greets a mother and child in Fiji on 20 March 2025.© 2025 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Elder Soares was accompanied by Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela of the Presidency of the Seventy, and his wife, Silvia; Bishop L. Todd Budge of the Presiding Bishopric; and members of the Pacific Area Presidency as he visited New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Fiji over the last two weeks.
Elsie Gaunavinaka, a member of the Church from Nadi, said, “We had the opportunity to hear from Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles last night. Oh, how we were taught so well on how it is important to fill in our spiritual gaps with the Book of Mormon.”
Elder Soares reminded members and friends who attended the devotional in Nadi that we should all build a strong spiritual foundation, focused on the Saviour Jesus Christ.
Elder Ulisses Soares Nadi Fiji 20 March 2025
Elder Ulisses Soares speaks during a devotional in Nadi, Fiji on 20 March 2025.© 2025 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.He urged all in attendance to reinforce the foundation of their homes by learning, teaching, and fully living the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Elder Soares noted that there are sometimes “spiritual gaps in our faith, in our marriages, and in our homes.”
“However,” he said, “if we strive to establish a firm foundation on Jesus Christ, the reward is eternal."
Attendees at a devotional in Fiji 20 March 2025
Attendees at a devotional in Fiji on 20 March 2025.© 2025 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Elder Soares quoted President Nelson by saying, “unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures."
“We need to connect with our Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ and make sure we centre our life on Them,” he added.
“We have so much to do,” Elder Soares said. “How can we respond to the call of the Prophet, President Russell M. Nelson? How can we close these gaps?”
Elder Soares offered an answer: “We should immerse ourselves in the Book of Mormon as a way to reinforce our testimony of our Saviour Jesus Christ.”
Attendees Devotional Nadi Fiji 20 March
Attendees at a special devotional for members and friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saiints in Nadi, Fiji on 20 March 2025.© 2025 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.“He will console, heal, comfort, restore, and succor each one of us.”
Elder Soares said that the Saviour will help us “really overcome our fears and challenges in life as we immerse ourselves in the Book of Mormon.”
He invited all to kneel in prayer and ask the Lord if the Book of Mormon is true.
Elder Soares promised that all who follow this course will be blessed with “prosperity in the gospel of Jesus Christ,” and will “grow in faith and in testimony.”
He said that faith in Jesus Christ will sustain us and help us to understand the gospel and provide “a shield against the evil in the world.”
Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela, Elder Taniela B. Wakolo, Sister Silvia Valenzuela, and Sister Anita Wakolo also spoke during the devotional.
Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela speaks to a member of the Church in Nadi, Fiji 20 March 2025
Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela speaks with a member of the Church in Nadi, Fiji on 20 March 2025.© 2025 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.After the meeting, a few local members of the Church shared their reactions to the devotional.
Rafael Prasad, a recently returned missionary from Nadi, said, “I liked the experience Elder Soares shared about the Book of Mormon, that reading it doesn’t automatically change your life. It reminded me that promises are there – we make covenants – and the blessings are there, but there has to be an effort made. With the amount of blessings that are there, the least we can do is do our part.”
He added, “From Elder Soares’ talk I feel like I should read the Book of Mormon again. I want to read it and look at it in a different light.”
Selvik Singh, who is serving as a bishop in a local congregation, said he enjoyed “when Elder Soares asked about how serious we are about the covenants we’ve made, and how serious we are about attending the temple?”
Bishop Singh recalled that Elder Soares shared that his family had to travel 10 thousand kilometres to go to the temple. “And we are only three hours away [from the Suva Temple].”
