Thousands of members and friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints attended four special stake conferences in Suva and Nadi on Sunday 15 September.
Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spoke to members of the Church at a Lautoka Fiji Stake Conference in Nadi. Elder Stevenson was accompanied by his wife, Sister Lesa Stevenson.
Accompanying the Stevensons were Elder Adolf Johansson, Area Seventy, and his wife Sister Martha Johansson.
Elder Carl B. Cook of the Presidency of the Seventy and Bishop W. Christopher Waddell of the Presiding Bishopric—accompanied by their wives, Sisters Lynette Cook and Carol Waddell—attended stake conferences in Suva.
Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita of the Pacifc Area Presidency also attended and spoke at a stake conference in Suva. He was accompanied by Sister Tazuko Yamashita.
At the Nadi meeting, a young adult choir sang a musical item titled “Joseph Smith’s First Prayer.”
Elder Stevenson spoke about the Church’s founding prophet, Joseph Smith, testifying that he saw God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ in answer to humble prayer.
He conveyed a message of love to the people of Fiji from Russell M. Nelson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Elder Stevenson spoke about some of the changes that have taken place in the Church in recent years.
He said that all these changes are made to help individuals and families deepen conversion to and increase faith in Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ.
"The adversary is working very hard on our families,” he said. “So, every day, we need to strengthen our families in a home-centred and Church-supported way.”
He urged those in attendance to use the “Come Follow Me” gospel study program every day.
He encouraged Church members to minister to one another, including singles and those who do not have other members of their family in the Church.
“On Sunday the most important thing to take place in our meetinghouses is the ordinance of the sacrament,” he said.
He emphasised the prophetic priority of inviting all “to gather Israel on both sides of the veil.”
“We bring people together through the ordinances of the temple and sharing the gospel,” he said.
Elder Stevenson asked two full-time sister missionaries to come to the pulpit and to share how they are working closely with local Latter-day Saints to share the gospel with others.
“We are all children of a Heavenly Father, and He loves us,” Elder Stevenson said.
“The doctrine of the Father is that He wants all of His children to return to Him, and central to that plan is the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”
“We will have afflictions in our lives, even when we are obeying God,” he said. “Yet the Lord will bless us so we will be lifted up in our afflictions.”
“The Heavens are open,” Elder Stevenson said. “Living prophets have been called upon the earth since Joseph Smith, and those who followed him, and now we have President Russell M. Nelson.”
“Jesus is the Christ. Jesus is the Son of the living God. Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus is our advocate with the Father. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can return to the loving arms of our Heavenly Father.”
Elder Johansson testified of the restoration of Jesus Christ’s Gospel and Church. He encouraged all in attendance to love and obey God, to follow the teachings and example of Jesus Christ, and to hearken to the counsel of living prophets and apostles.
Sister Stevenson shared comments regarding the gift of prayer, testifying that God hears and answers our sincere prayers.
Sister Johansson expressed her love for the people of Fiji, as well as her feelings about the gospel of Jesus Christ and how it blesses individuals and families.
After the meeting, local Latter-day Saint, Nacanieli Cagi (pictured above, left), said, “I feel really comfortable, and I learnt a lot from the gospel teaching in the Church today.”