Church in Seaqaqa

Last week April 19, we attended church for the first time in the Seaqaqa branch. It is about a half hour to the west of Labasa. The ride there is beautiful. Labasa and its outlying area is a delta with countless fields of sugar cane and some of rice. Palm trees and flowing trees are everywhere, and everything is green and growing. We see goats, cows, sheep, and an occasional horse staked out in fields and often very close to the highway. I laugh to see a bird or two sitting on a cow’s back to get a tasty meal. It is a little disconcerting, however, when we brush by a huge bull standing almost on the highway.

We always love visiting with President and Sister Patero. They are so knowledgeable. President Patero fills a double roll as Branch President of Seaqaqa and also counselor in the District Presidency.

They say the two biggest problems with church attendance in Fiji are transportation and communication. Most people walk, and many members are over a two hour walk from the chapel. In fact, Nakawakawa, 4 hours away by truck, is a group that meets in its local area but is part of the Seaqaqa branch. There were fewer than 20 in attendance at Seaqaqa for the Sunday meetings. The same man gave both the Sunday School and the combined Priesthood/Relief Society lesson. The few other women were all involved in Primary or Young Women. Only one woman besides me attended with the men, and she was a visitor from another island. Even though we were few in number, the Spirit was strong, and we loved being there.

Between the meetings, I talked with a man who had made many insightful comments. He is a young father who has moved to Seaqaqa from Nakawakawa. He was converted only 8 months ago. I asked him what we could do here to have the contagious missionary spirt that exists in Nakawakawa. He simply said the priesthood there fasts and prays every week to be strong and to find more investigators. He radiated the Spirit. He was a man like unto Pita and Kolougata who are like unto Moroni.