SISTER TULIA'S FAITH IN VUNA"

 Sister Tulia and her granddaughter sharing lunch.

 



 Elder McFadden, Elder and Sister Kennerly

 

 Priesthood and Sunday School

 

 Relief Society

 

 Young Women

 

 Entrance to the Chapel
 

Restroom

 



Primary

Today we met Sister Nanise Tulia.  Sister Tulia lives in a very modest home on a small piece of ground near Vuna in Taveuni.   She has been a member of the church for two years.  It was hard for her to speak with us but she indicated that she understood everything we said.  A sweet woman in her 60’s.  Last year she donated her yard for the meeting house of the Vuna branch. Each Sunday her yard becomes the entire church house.  Priesthood is held under one tree.  Young Men go under another tree.  Young Women are under another tree close to the Young Men.  Relief Society has chairs and they meet under a different tree.  Primary gets the enclosed area for half of the time and then the children and their two leaders move into the house for the remainder of Primary.  Part of the yard became an open air enclosed deck with a podium.  This is where the members in the branch hold Sacrament meeting.  The sacrament is passed very reverently by handsome young Aaronic Priesthood holders.  The songs are sung without accompaniment and the talks are given without a microphone.  The spirit bears witness that this is the beginning of good things to come in the Vuna branch.

 

Book of Mormon

1 Nephi 7:12

"Yea and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is able to do all things according to his will, for the children of men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him?  Wherefore let us be faithful to him."

 

 



S"HARING A MEAL"

 

Each member of the family helps prepare the meal. 

The men provide the food.

The women cook the food.

The youth clean and prepare a place to eat the food.

The youth also clean up after the meal.

Everyone has a responsibility and the results are delicious food,

(tuna fish, dalo, papya, carrots, chicken currey)

served on hand woven mats

surrounded by new friends. 

 

One day we met one of our friends, Jesse, on the road.  He walked by our

house each day on his way to work.  On this day he told us that his

job was about to end.  When we asked him where he would find work he said

"God will show me where to get food for my family."

 

D&C 89:11,12

"Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving. Yea, flesh also of the beasts and of the fowls of the air, I the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly;"

 

"FLOWERS"

 

 

 

We wake up everyday to a rainbow of color.

Even the weeds are beautiful.  The women take

turns arranging flowers for church each week.

(Sister Lesume and Sister Klingler at District Conference)

 

1 Peter 1:24-25

"For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass.  The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you."

"WASH DAY"

 

The village wash is hung out to dry.

The women take pride in hanging clothes in an order,

largest to smallest. When the clothes lines are full the women lay

mats out on the ground and the wet clothes are laid on the mats.

On really hot days, the women place the clothes on the tin roofs of

their homes. Some of the women have washing machines but most

use the river and a rock to wash on.  Very few of the village

women have clothes dryers.

Sister Johnson, Pete and Pauline have just finished the wash.

Sister Johnson and her husband love the color purple.

Every Saturday the children find a place to take a bath.

 

Every day the tourist wash in the waves of the ocean.

Wash day means a walk to the local river where the washing

machine is a rock and scrubbing brush. When

the clothes are finished the women jump in the

water and wash themselves.

 

 

D & C 76:41

"That he came into the world, even Jesus, to be crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it from all unrighteousness;"

"THE CHAPELS"

Vuni Branch 

 (Good bye to Elder and Sister Kennerly and Bulla to the McFadden Duo)

 



Taveuni District  

 



 Nuku Branch



Matea Branch 

Qeleni Branch

 



First Chapel in Taveuni 47 years go

 

At each Chapel we are welcomed with huge smiles and firm handshakes.  The children want to play games, the youth want to serve missions and the adults want to sing.  Sister McFadden plays games while serving a mission with Elder McFadden who encourages everyone to sing. Singing is part of the culture in Fiji.  It comes from the heart and soul.  Even very small children have memorized words to hymns and can sing along with the adults during a Sacrament meeting.

 

D&C 25:12

" For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads."

 

 

"BULLA VINAKA"

 

 

 

President and Sister Klingler welcomed us to the beautiful Fiji Islands. We enjoyed two nights of rest and a visit to the Suva Fiji Temple before departing for the island of Taveuni.

1 Nephi 3:7
"...I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the things which he commandeth them."

 

"MISSIONARY TRAINING CENTER in PROVO UTAH"

 We are grateful and excited to be heading back to the South Pacific

where Gary served as a missionary in Fiji 47 years ago and Kathy

served in Australia 40 years ago.

This time we will serve as leader and member support missionaries

in Taveuni, Fiji. 

 

 



"The District"

Elder and Sister McFadden, (Fiji) Elder and Sister Miller, (California)

 Elder and Sister Mooney,(Congo)

This is the second mission for the Millers who served together in Florida and are now going to California. This is the third mission for the Mooneys who served in Tahiti as Mission President and Temple President.

"And Ye shall go forth in the power of my Spirit preaching my gospel, two by two, in my name, lifting up your voices as with the sound of a trump declaring my word like unto angels of God."

(D&C 42:6)