Rex Wrote:

Yesterday was our favorite Easter in Fiji! The sunshine was extra bright, and the foliage more vibrant and colorful than ever! We went to Labasa early and greeted everyone at the church before Sacrament meeting began. It was wonderful to see Sister Kumar back to church. She has been sick for a while, struggling with sugar diabetes. Brother Chetty was dressed in his white shirt and tie ready to bless the sacrament for the first time. That means he finally feels prepared to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood. We have been waiting our whole mission for that to happen. He has gone through many sets of missionaries trying to reactivate him. He has been coming for the last few months.

We drove the Seaqaqa Elders to Naduna, and our truckload were all the speakers in Sacrament Meeting. During the second block, it started to rain; and everyone had to gather for shelter. The Young Women were under the protection of a big tree, huddled under umbrellas. The Young Women sang songs while the Priesthood gave their lesson, and the Primary children quoted the Articles of Faith. I listened to the sounds and sat in the beauty of the open chapel. As I was asked questions, my answers seemed inspired. It was glorious. We said our goodbyes, probably our last time going to the little Naduna church for meetings.

We came back to Labasa to the much awaited baptism of the parents of Delilah and Lucy Vosa. The girls were baptized over four months ago. Brother Vosa was the main drummer in the Assembly of God church and one of their favorite teachers. He has been investigating the church from afar for about twenty years. He had listened in on the lessons when his daughters were taught. His wife had never seemed interested in changing churches; but when she started taking the lessons, and as he watched the change it made in their daughters lives, he decided he wanted to be a forever family in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This was a hallmark day in Fiji. He will someday be a great leader. He has a relative in the quorum of the seventy who is now a mission president. His sister is extremely active and works in the Self Reliance center in Suva. When asked who they wanted to baptize them, they picked me. I was surprised, humbled and honored. When I saw their whole names on the programs and knew I had to pronounce them, I was a bit affrighted! His name is Taniela Vosa, and hers is Ana Koroiqautoga Vosa. I practiced the wife’s name about 150 times, and I still had to have help right before I baptized her. All went well. Once is all it took. As they stepped out of the font, I said, “All clean!”

They invited us to their home for a banquet. I filled my plate the first time with as much as I wanted to eat. He insisted that he get me a little fish. He got out all the bones and poured fresh coconut milk on top. His back was to me, and I didn’t see that he was heaping my plate full of all the other delicious courses they had made, topped with two more pieces of cassava. Elder De Moors rescued me and ate the cassava and Betty helped me with some of the extra dishes. After I was already feeling green, they brought about a pint of ice cream in a giant mug. Elder De Moors again saved me and took a couple scoops off the top. Delilah played I am a Child of God that she is learning. Brother Vosa played demo songs on the church keyboard and visited with us while we played the card game War with his daughter just younger than Delilah and Lucy. She beat me once outright. The second time, it went so long that Betty had to take a long turn. She had me take over again, and I had to do some creative maneuvering and rule changing to let the little girl win again. Ana was outside playing with Lucy, Delilah and the young missionaries. We stayed all afternoon. I guess we didn’t want the day to end. When we got home, we got a call from Sister Smith of the Self Reliance Center in Suva; and she gave us a referral. That was the perfect end to a perfect, beautiful Easter day.

Hope you all had a beautiful Easter as well.

We love you all!

We Love The Vosa Family and our young missionaries!