Sunday, March 29, was a great day. It was Palm Sunday. The people of Labasa are very religious, and on Sunday mornings we see them dressed up and walking to their various churches. This Sunday many of them were carrying small palm branches to church. As we drive and look at the beautiful foliage, Rex often says, "We're in Fiji!"

Our church began with a combined Relief Society and Priesthood Meeting. Evidently, the Relief Society had forgotten it was their turn. President St. John turned to Brother Woodward three minutes before it started and said, “Would you give our lesson on missionary work?” Rex stood up, as he had for 37 years as a school teacher, gave a perfect lesson using no book and no notes.

In one part of the lesson, he asked if anyone had any missionary experiences that they would like to share. President St. John told “the rest of the story” about Joeli Kalougata who Rex said in a previous e-mail is a combination Nephi, Stripling Warrior, and Captain Moroni. When St. John was a young missionary in Savusavu, he was given a referral of a boy whose family was on their way to Suva to be baptized, but they got caught in a cyclone where the mother, father, and a sister died. It was years later, and the boy, now a man, had never been found to be baptized. St. John and his companion had searched for over a month looking for him. Young St. John awoke one morning with a vision of the place where Kalougata lived. (I can guarantee it would be hard to find. We have been there in Nabua. It is over 1 ½ hours away from Savusavu on terrible bumpy roads through the middle of the bush in a hidden paradise near the ocean.) As St. John got nearer, he met people on the road who directed him to his home. The Spirit was strong as he told his story. I felt honored to be in his presence and hear how our Heavenly Father had used our now Branch President to find the man who is now in our District Presidency and a strong inspirational leader in the church. It is a small world, and the Lord is in charge.

     After sacrament meeting, we had another baptism, a little girl named Shriti Shikha Maharaj taught in the Kumar home by the Hindi Elders. It was such a sweet event. She was all smiles. That’s what it’s all about. We love it.

Have fun, everyone!

Love you!

Elder Raju, Shriti Shikha Maharaj, Kelly Kumar, Elder Palelei