Fiji Latter-day Saints Celebrate 70 Years of Faith in Jesus Christ

Over the weekend of May 16th to 18th, members and friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Suva celebrated the 70^th anniversary of the coming of the restored gospel and Church of Jesus Christ, to the Fiji Islands.

Elder Taniela B. Wakolo, a member of the Pacific Area Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, encouraged Fiji Church members to celebrate the milestone by expressing their devotion to Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

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“There's no better way of emulating the life of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, than to go and willingly partake of the sacrament every Sunday, as well as go to the house of the Lord.

I promise you, as you do so, it will be a memorable 70^th anniversary, as well as a memorable way of preparing ourselves for the 100^th anniversary of the establishment of the Church in Fiji.”

Also speaking about the celebration, Elder Paul B. Whippy, said, “Brothers and Sisters, this is a miracle. This is truly a miracle that started with 14 members of the Church in 1954. Seventy years later, we have 24,000 members, and it continues to grow.”

The celebration started Thursday, 15th of May, at the Suva Fiji Temple on the main island of Viti Levu.

On Friday the celebration moved to the National Gymnasium where a programme highlighted the many cultures of the South Pacific.

Church College Fiji hosted a sports and activity day on Saturday, and on Sunday, a devotional took place at the Vodafone Arena.

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Speaking about the day at the temple, Fiji Temple President, Meli Ulayawa Lesuma, said, “The 15^th of May is going to go down in history for the Suva Fiji Temple. The first time we were able to open from morning until evening, and we had [Church members from] all the four stakes here in Fiji participating.”

Watch a video about the centrality of temple worship for members of the Church of Jesus Christ:

Stakes in the Church of Jesus Christ are a collection of congregations known as wards or branches. In Fiji, there are 54 congregations and 56 meetinghouses. Learn more about the Church in Fiji here.

Beginning the celebration at the temple was a definite focal point for the Saints in Fiji as many Church members, young and old, joyfully participated in ordinances, which unite families for eternity.

Temple ordinances are sacred ceremonies performed on behalf of departed family members and is central to Latter-day Saints’ doctrine that families can be united forever.

At the cultural celebration, hundreds of performers represented many South Pacific nations that are part of the rich heritage of the Church in Fiji. Each group practiced their music, song, and dance in the weeks leading up to the event and performed with great enthusiasm for the large crowd that gathered to watch.

At the sports and activity day at Church College Fiji, a military marching band performed, and attendees joined in physical activities and fun, reminding everyone that the Church is a community of joy.

On Sunday, hundreds of Church members and friends gathered for a final devotional at the Vodafone Arena in downtown Suva.

Choirs shared beautiful music, and attendees watched a historical video about the Church in Fiji, as well as a video message from Boyd Harris, one of two missionaries sent to Fiji from the Tonga Mission in 1954.

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Elder John R. Higgins, Area Seventy (regional leader in the Church), encouraged all in attendance to strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ.

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Elder Taniela B. Wakolo, a member of the Pacific Area Presidency of the Church, reminded all in attendance to, “Honour every pioneer who has participated and who made the gospel of Jesus Christ a reality here in Fiji. We pay tribute to Saints in Tonga and Samoa and even in the US for helping us to be a nation, a nation where the Church of Jesus Christ is very well established.”

In recognizing the great strides the Church has made in Fiji, Elder Wakolo used the words of Russell M. Nelson, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:

‘“I pray that we will not miss the majesty of this moment! The Lord is indeed hastening His work.”’

Recently, Church leaders and members were interviewed on national television programs about the 70th anniversary celebrations:

• Fiji TV Channel 2

• Mai TV Fiji