“Bula, Namaste, and Salaam aleikum. Happy Fiji Day!” began Elder Taniela B. Wakolo — First Counsellor in the Pacific Area Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — at the Centenary celebration of Sri Sathya Sai Baba and the inauguration of a 600-bed medical facility dedicated to One World, One Family — where no one is left behind.
Elder and Sister Wakolo in India. November 2025.
Elder Taniela B. Wakolo, First Counsellor in the Pacific Area Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his wife, Anita, in India in November 2025.© 2025 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Three Impressions
Elder Wakolo shared three impressions from his visit last week:
- A Māori proverb: “He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.” What is the most important thing in this world? It is the people, the people, the people.
- The power of love: “In German, love is spelled L-I-E-B-E. Out of love we Lift, Inspire, Encourage, Bless, and set an Example.”
- Acknowledging God: “For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son.”
Faith and Humanitarian Collaboration
He expressed gratitude for the Church of Jesus Christ’s collaboration with the Sai Prema Foundation in Fiji.
“When we first walked through the Children’s Heart Hospital, I asked what an operation costs,” Elder Wakolo said. “I was told families pay nothing — not even transportation. We knew immediately we wanted to collaborate.”
In recent years, the Church of Jesus Christ has provided medical equipment, a family travel fund, and most recently, a GE Vivid 95 Ultrasound System.
“I visited two families whose children were operated on,” Elder Wakolo said. “An 8-year-old told me, ‘My brother never used to play with me, but now he can.’ The smiles of children and relieved parents are priceless reminders of what happens when we build bridges instead of barriers.”
A Call to Build Bridges
Referencing John 9, Elder Wakolo noted, “Jesus stopped to help a blind man even while fleeing for His safety. His own safety was secondary; attending to the need was primary. Who is your blind man today?”
Interfaith Collaboration in Fiji: Building Bridges of Unity
Elder Wakolo said that Fiji’s interfaith community shows that unity is possible in diversity.
“Faith leaders join hands through shared celebrations, dialogue and humanitarian service to strengthen respect and help those in need,” he said.
“This year, different faiths commemorated the Prophet Mohammed’s birthday together. Monthly interfaith meetings promote religious freedom, while youth gatherings and conferences foster understanding. Iftar dinners, Diwali celebrations and shared meals have become symbols of hope. After disasters, communities pray side by side.”
He added, “Every one of these moments builds another bridge.”
Education as a Bridge
Elder Wakolo said that one of the most powerful bridge-builders is education. Through EnglishConnect and BYU-Pathway Worldwide, sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ, thousands in Fiji and India access affordable online education. Students are given access to laptops and the internet, “helping families stay together and become self-reliant.”
Humanitarian Bridges
Elder Wakolo shared that the Church of Jesus Christ strives to follow the Saviour’s teaching to “go about doing good.”
In Fiji, projects include rebuilding school dormitories, constructing teachers’ quarters, installing clean water systems and delivering solar lights to schoolchildren in remote communities so they can do their homework despite energy poverty.
In India, efforts include life-skills workshops for hearing-impaired youth, water systems for villages, mobility aids and disaster relief.
“These are small but sincere efforts to lift the one,” Elder Wakolo said.
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Bridges Between Heaven and Earth
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also builds temples,” Elder Wakolo told guests. “We see temples as holy places — bridges connecting heaven and earth. Inside these sacred spaces, families and individuals learn of God and His plan for us. We also learn our purpose on earth. People make promises to live higher laws of kindness, civility, morality and goodness; and families are bound together for eternity.”
He said that when individuals are transformed, one by one, communities are transformed. When hearts are transformed, families are strengthened. When families are strengthened, nations are lifted.
Elder Wakolo continued, “We are grateful for the religious freedom that exists here, and civic leaders in India who are allowing us to build a temple at Mahadevapura, Bengaluru, Karnataka. In fact, we invite you to walk through that temple when it is open for everyone [during a public open house] before it is dedicated to the Lord.”
Why Bridges Matter
“When we build bridges, conflict decreases, understanding grows, and peace becomes possible,” he said.
In conclusion, Elder Wakolo said, “My dear friends, the world needs bridge-builders. May we choose to Lift, Inspire, Encourage, Bless and set an Example. Vinaka vaka levu. Dhanyavaad.”
