22,483 New Friends

On Monday, August 10, 2015 we were asked to serve as Executive Secretaries to President Vito  Qaqa, Chairman of the Suva Fiji Temple Rededication Local Committee. We were provided with a document to help the local committee organize the Open House, the Cultural Celebration, and the Temple Rededication. Upon opening the document, we were surprised when we read, "Twelve months before ..."  We realized that we had only about five months until these events were scheduled to occur!  President Qaqa called some amazingly talented subcommittee chairmen to oversee different aspects of the Temple activities including Budget, Rededication Tickets, Physical Facilities, Public Affairs, Security, Ushers, Transportation, Member-Missionary Coordination, Historical Records, Cultural Celebration, Technology, and Music. We also called a Food Coordinator and a Cultural Celebration Coordinator.

We set up meeting agendas, provided notebooks, and timelines for each subcommittee chairman so that we all had a good idea of what exactly needed to be accomplished and when for each area. We also created a Master Timeline/Calendar for the last three months, so that everyone on every committee knew exactly what was going on.  This organizing might have been the scaffolding, but the amazing Fijian people have built it.  Through their boundless energy, calm, collaborative attitude, deep testimonies, and strength we have just completed a three week Open House.  The 30 young sister missionaries have been staying in the Service Centre and have done an incredibly good job of greeting visitors, showing the pre-tour temple video, and talking with people in the post-temple tour tent.  The ushers and have been exceptional and the security and first aid team have been the best. The Open House has been publicized on the radio, television, newspapers, through social media, electronic signs, and banners at strategic locations in the Suva area.

When the Prime Minister came with many of the Ministers on the first day, he was presented with his genealogy dating back to 1577 BC.  He was visibly touched, called the President to encourage him to come see the temple and was quoted in the newspaper saying, "Everyone should come and see this!"  22,483 people have had the opportunity to experience the beauty and peace of the Suva Fiji Temple!

Over 3,700 people have completed comment cards and  1,774 individuals have asked for a visit from the missionaries.  The message of the temple is, Jesus Christ is our Saviour, we are all God's children, and our families are forever.  Lives are being affected by this and we can't believe that we are fortunate enough to be serving as missionaries in Fiji right now.

One day we arranged for a bus to pick up 25 of our friends from the Fiji Returned Soldiers and Ex-Servicemen's Association to visit the temple.  Brother Maiwiriwiri was their host and, although we don't speak Fijian, we felt the spirit and the love experienced by all.  It was a profound experience - one neither of us will ever forget.

I've said before that our mission call should not have said, "You have been called to the Fiji Suva Mission as Assistant Area Auditors" but instead, "You have been called to Heaven as Cheerleaders". We spend most of our time telling the people here just how incredibly good and capable they are. There is a new measurement for us. It's called "Fiji Standard" and it really has to be experienced to be believed.

On the final day of the Open House, 25 buses from the West pulled in.  A stake president arranged these buses to start at 3am and stop at villages all along the way to bring chiefs and other village residents to experience this amazing event. Also many buses from the Korovo and Nausori areas brought people to the temple. It's impossible to put into words the impact this Open House is having throughout the country.  With no injuries , heat stroke, or picketers - It's like one big love fest!

Next big event will be the Cultural Event - "A Celebration of Faith" on February 20th, then the actual Temple Rededication on Sunday, February 21st. What a blessing!