Vitolia Fitisemanu, president of the Relief Society in Panmure, Auckland, encouraged members and friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to develop the Christlike attribute of meekness to bring peace to their lives.
Her words were broadcast to a countrywide audience in a special Sunday service presided over by Elder Ulisses Soares, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Vitolia-Fitisemanu,-president-of-Panmure,-Auckland-Stake-Relief-Society.
Vitolia Fitisemanu, president of Relief Society for Panmure, Auckland region, speaks to a countrywide audience in a special Sunday service presided over by Elder Ulisses Soares, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in New Zealand on Sunday, 22 May 2022.© 2022 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Relief Society is the women's organisation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There are over 7.5 million women in Relief Society worldwide.
A transcript of Sister Fitisemanu’s talk follows:
Good morning, Brothers and Sisters. Whilst I am truly grateful to be in the presence of the Lord’s servant and Apostle, Elder Soares, and his companion, I am feeling somewhat overwhelmed with the assignment to speak today. However, I know that this is a very special experience for all of us, so I have prayed that the Lord will guide my thoughts today and that the spirit may help each of us hear and feel of His love as I share some of my thoughts with you.
After a long pause in our fast and testimony meeting one Sunday, in my new ward, a beautiful sister stood up and slowly made her way to the pulpit. She stood there for a moment without saying anything, which caught me, and I looked up and surprisingly, she stated with joyful enthusiasm, “Isn’t it good to be here on the Lord’s Sabbath day?”
She said, “Isn’t it a joy to be a part of His Church. We have so much to be happy about. Look outside. Look at the sun. Isn’t it hard to be sad when you are amongst the saints?”
And so, she reminded me that we should be filled with joy and delight when we enter the Lord’s Sabbath day. I loved it, and her strength of belief added to my testimony. I felt refreshed on that Sabbath day!
When I served for a season at the Hamilton New Zealand Temple as an ordinance worker, it was wonderful. Now, at the end of my shift, I used to come out the front doors, almost every day and with my fellow missionary sisters we’d throw our arms up and say, “I love my life.”
I’m still loving my life and I’m really grateful to be in the Lord’s service. Service in the Lord’s Kingdom brings real and lasting joy to our lives.
Like my fellow Relief Society sister that day in my ward, I too have much to be joyful about.
One of those joyful blessings is to hear the Prophet and Apostles of the Lord in general conference, and even in person today.
We are also blessed to study as Saints and as a family the scriptures guided by the “Come, Follow Me” curriculum.
We recently read as a family the account of Moses and the children of Israel in the Old Testament, where Miriam and Aaron complain against Moses, and we were told that the Lord was not pleased with them because He heard their murmurings.
I pondered on whether Moses enjoyed his journey in the wilderness with the children of Israel. I’m sure they had many moments of good times, but I still couldn’t help but think it must have been difficult to remain happy when people are murmuring, a lot, about almost everything.
The negativity must have been burdensome for him; however the scripture continues, and it is said of Moses that “the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth (Numbers 12:3).”
Elder Bednar further explained that:
“Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was mighty in words and in deeds.” Yet he ‘was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.’ His knowledge and competence could have caused him to be prideful. Instead, the attribute and spiritual gift of meekness, with which he was blessed, attenuated in his life, and magnified Moses as an instrument to accomplish God’s purposes (Ensign, May 2018, 30-33).”
So, one way that we can cope with all of life’s challenges and triumphs and to try to maintain a cheerful heart through it all, is to be meek.
Elder Bednar further taught that meekness is a Christlike attribute and a spiritual gift.
“The Christlike quality of meekness often is misunderstood in our contemporary world. Meekness is strong, not weak; active, not passive; courageous, not timid; restrained, not excessive; modest, not self-aggrandizing; and gracious, not brash. A meek person is not easily provoked, pretentious, or overbearing and readily acknowledges the accomplishments of others (Ensign, May 2018, 30-33).”
We all have many responsibilities and duties to attend to everyday and I have learned from personal experience that without the application of meekness in all aspects of my day, it is very hard to hear the promptings of the Holy Ghost to guide us and help us know what to do, especially when we are busy being angry with someone or something, finding fault in someone, feeling unfairly treated, holding a grudge, being offended or murmuring.
Our dear prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, recently “called us to action” and when he did that, I was thinking, he really is talking to me. I need to stop what I am doing.
He asked us to “end the conflicts that are raging in our hearts, in our homes and in our lives. Bury any and all inclinations to hurt others - whether those inclinations be a temper, a sharp tongue, or a resentment for someone who has hurt you (Liahona, May 2022, 47-50).”
When I was younger, I was struggling with letting go of an issue with one of my siblings, which could have ruined our family unity for years, but my dear mother lovingly and swiftly corrected me and asked me to do what the Lord had counselled the Nephites to do when he appeared to them in the Americas.
In 3rd Nephi it says (and she made me read this even when I was angry):
“But behold I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you (3 Nephi 12:44).”
It was hard for me to do, at first, because I held so much animosity and allowed it to build up too far, so it physically hurt to forgive and to let it go. Who knew that kind of grudge can affect you, not just spiritually, but your physical and mental health? Yet as mum shared during the same correcting moment, the other person with whom I held a grudge against, is living their best life, unaware of my personal turmoil because life progresses for those who learn to let it go quickly.
She said, “Don’t you let Satan win!”
My mum used to say that to me, and it woke me up from my delirious state of anger and self-pity. This one moment of correction has solved many problems throughout my life and to this day, it is my go-to problem solver.
I am grateful for the Atonement of my Saviour Jesus Christ that allows me, an imperfect daughter of God, a striving covenant-keeper and disciple of Christ to repent daily as I practice being meek. The power of His Atonement strengthens me to keep trying and I know He will be there for all of us in our daily efforts to be meek and lowly in heart.
Of this truth I bear testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.