Elder O. Vincent Haleck, president of the Pacific Area of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, presided at a conference in Naulu, Fiji on the weekend at which a new district was organised.
The Nausori Fiji Stake was divided into a stake and a district.
A stake is a Latter-day Saint term for a group of wards (congregations) in a geographical area. Smaller groups of congregations are called districts.
The new district will include branches (smaller congregations) in Korovou, Levuka, Nasautoka and Saioko.
The president of the new district—which covers parts of Fiji from Makoi to Saoiko and Ra—is Ernest Vinavulagi.
Approximately 1,800 people were in attendance at Sunday’s conference when the new district was announced.
“What we did today was to reorganise the stake boundaries and create a new district,” Elder Haleck said.
He likened this change to the parable of the talents as taught by Jesus Christ in the New Testament.
Elder Haleck told Church members that because they had used their talents wisely they were blessed with growth leading to boundaries being expanded.
He urged those in attendance to increase their talents by reaching out to neighbours, friends and relatives in love and service.
“Work now and do what you need to do now to bless your families, as this day is the day we prepare to meet God,” Elder Haleck said.
The Nausori Fiji Stake conference began with a music festival on Friday night, 28 April, where each congregation performed two hymns.
On Saturday they had leadership training and an adult session of conference where they were taught by Elder Haleck and other leaders of the Church.