Free resources about the Fiji Suva Mission, including:
- Mission address and phone number
- Mission map
- Video interviews with returned missionaries
- Missionary blogs
- Facebook groups
- Mission t-shirts and gifts
- List of past mission presidents
- Cultural articles written by returned missionaries
- Survey with RMs
Fiji Suva Mission Address
Here’s a recent address for the Fiji Suva Mission. We try to keep this info up to date, but it’s a good idea to check the address with several sources, including your mission packet or the mission office.
Fiji Suva Mission
GPO Box 215
Suva
Fiji
Phone Number: 679-338-8931
Mission President: President John R. Higgins
Fiji Suva Mission Map
Here’s a link to the mission map for the Fiji Suva Mission (LDS). To access the official, up-to-date LDS.org map for the Fiji Suva Mission:
Videos with Fiji Suva RMs
Here are in-depth YouTube video interviews with returned missionaries from the Fiji Suva Mission. We interview hundreds of returned missionaries each year, so check back regularly to see new RM interviews.
Fiji Suva Missionary Blogs
Here’s a list of missionary blogs for the Fiji Suva Mission. This list includes the missionary’s name, URL and when their blog was updated.
Fiji Suva Mission Groups
Here are Fiji Suva Mission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni of the Suva Mission.
- Fiji Suva Mission Return Missionaries Group (421 members)
- Fiji Suva Mission 2005-08 – President Ardern Group (258 members)
- Fiji Suva Mission 2008-2011 Facebook Group (156 members)
- Fiji Suva Mission (Vanuatu) Facebook Group (58 members)
- Fiji Suva Mission 2011-2014 Facebook Group (53 members)
- New Cal – Fiji Suva Mission Facebook Group (47 members)
- BYUH – Fiji Suva Mission Facebook Group (36 members)
Fiji Suva Mission T-Shirts
Sorry, not currently available.
Fiji Suva Mission Presidents
Here’s a list of current and past Mission Presidents of the Suva LDS Mission.
- 2017-2020, John R. Higgins
- 2014-2017, LaMar L. Layton
- 2011-2014, Kenneth D. Klingler
Fiji LDS Statistics (2015)
- Church Membership: 18,340
- Missions: 1
- Temples: 1
- Congregations: 50
- Family History Centers: 9
Helpful Articles about Fiji
Fiji Suva Missionary Survey
Here are survey responses from Fiji Suva RMs, to give you a snapshot into what it’s like to live in the mission.
When did you serve?
- 2012-2014 (Gai)
- July 2010-2012 (Bronson)
- 2010-2011 (Linda)
- 2010 (Christopher)
- 2009-2011 (Chase)
- 1997-1999 (Olivier)
- 2001-2002 (Siliva)
- 2005-2006 (Virginia)
- 2002-2004 (Kaminieli)
- 2002-2004 (James)
- 2008-2010 (Austin)
- 1982-1984 (Nemani)
- 2013-2014 (Melodie)
- 1989-1991 (Roshini)
What areas did you serve in?
- Poet Vila and traveled to other islands. (Linda)
- Rakiraki, Suva, Navatuyaba, Seaqaqa/Bua, Burewai/Saioko/Nasautoka. (Christopher)
- Nausori stake/Suva stake/Lautoka stake (Siliva)
- Port Vila. (Virginia)
- Raki raki, tavua, Nadi, Savusavu, Qeleni, and Suva (James)
- Tamavua, Wailoku, Waila, Nausori, Lomaivuna, Korovou, Burewai, Nadi, Kadavu, Samabula. (Austin)
- Suva, Nadi, Nausori. (Roshini)
What were some favorite foods?
- Fijian foods. (Gai)
- Tuluk, rice, corned beef and noodles, laplap susor, tanna soup. (Bronson)
- The fruit. Any and all. Also cukes and ice cream made in Port Vila. (Linda)
- Purple Dalo, Rourou, Miti, Ika Vakalolo. (Christopher)
- Chicken curry, dalo (taro), roti, soups incorporating instant ramen. (Chase)
- Roti and chicken curry. (Olivier)
- Salad mayo vegetable…include .tomato…lettuce..cucumber b/fast…banana..toast crispy with egg dinner…rice with stir fry sausages (Siliva)
- Mango, papaya, pineapple, coconut lap-lap, whole wheat bread from a French bakery. (Virginia)
- Wacipoki. (Kaminieli)
- Fish, Roti (James)
- Ika vamiti, Duruka, roro, draunimoli, hot bread kitchen, curry toa, biriyani. (Austin)
- Fish in lolo with Dalo. (Nemani)
- Chicken curry, palau, Fresh fish in coconut milk. (Melodie)
- LOVO. (Roshini)
What was a funny experience?
- Riding our bike with sulus. (Gai)
- A rat kept stealing baptism records from our area book in the middle of the night to build its nest. Two traps, a sticky mat and a chair later he met his fate. (Bronson)
- My trainee, who had only been in Fiji for about a week, accidentally drank some pearl grey tea at an investigator’s house before I could warn him… I’ll never forget his face when he said, “This doesn’t taste like chocolate…”. (Christopher)
- Diarrhea. (Chase)
- Teaching a whole Indian village in Labasa (over 30 people) that wanted to be baptized to find out that they wanted to join the church only to receive financial help from the Church. The story went on over a month and both my companion and I were disappointed. (Olivier)
- While sunny day proselyting, chased by a dog in koronivia road side, nausori,… with my companion sister Bauke…she from PNG…maybe the dog thought she was one of her female poppy.oops! true…she was never chased by a dog in her country. (Siliva)
- The men dressing up like women on an island night and performing a skit. (Virginia)
- Dog chase in Samabula…out ran my companion…lol (Kaminielli)
- Having to relieve myself in the bushes regularly and using banana leaves to wash myself in remote islands. (James)
- A young boy was amazed at how white our skin was. He asked my companion if his shoulders were white, then asked if his stomach was white, than asked if his bottom was white. The answer was yes to all three. (Austin)
- Taking all my Pallagi’s companion on hike’s and the expression on their face once we’ve reached the top is priceless. (Nemani)
- I had my companion finishing all the juice the people we visited gave us because that day I was fasting. (Melodie)
- When a dog chased me and my companion. (Roshini)
What was a crazy/dangerous experience?
- Being tempted to go swimming on a very hot day while proselyting in the villages. (Gai)
- We planned to spend the day tracting villages on a nearby mountain called Saed Siwi and spend the night in the old missionary flat by the chapel. It had been raining all day and all night. The following morning we headed home, but when we got near the base of the mountain what was once a long dry corridor turned into a rapid channel 6ft deep. We decided to travel upriver hoping it would be calmer only to find a stronger current on the riverbend. Lokking around we saw a tree had fallen to the other side of the river so we crossed the felled tree. Once we had travelled far enough we carried our bags and scriptures over our head along the former bush path in almost chest high water. Once we made our way back to the road we crossed over the volcanic plain where we needed to cross the now mighty Siwi River. With no hope of crossing the rapids, we followed the river to the ocean (Sulphur Bay) where it was still rapid but only knee deep and around 50 meters wide. Dodging debris carried by the current from the mountain forest, we crossed unharmed. Then we enjoyed a warm bowl of Tanna Soup at an investigator’s house. (Bronson)
- At the time, the membership in Bua was small and our only members lived just outside Nagadoa. In order to get to Brother Nagata’s house, we had to cross the river. Due to some transportation issues, we had to wait until just after a large storm to visit there. As such, the river was deep and fast. My companion was confident that we could ford the river, so we did. Needless to say, it was difficult and cold. It took us about 30 minutes, but we were eventually able to get across and get warmed up. (Christopher)
- Not for me. (Chase)
- We went deep into the rain forest in the middle of the night to rescue 5 missionaries that got lost. It was a dark night and we went with 2 guides without any lights. We walked about 2 hours before seing a small light far away. It was a house and our missionaries were sleeping there. We took them back to the main road. When we arrived, our mission president was waiting with his wife. It was a crazy experience with a funny twist to see the missionaries faces when our Mission President arrived to talk to them. (Olivier)
- When a RM elder proposed to me just two/ three weeks before I finished my mission…don’t want to mention his name….another proposed to me with in a letter while on a mission.(Siliva)
- Driving up and over the mountain on the deeply rutted and practically non-existent roads. We experienced our first earthquake there. Vanuatu has a lot of earthquakes because it is situated on the Pacific “ring of fire.” (Virginia)
- Going out fishing. (Kaminieli)
- Driving through a flooding river after dropping off missionaries in a remote mountainous area. (James)
- We had a cyclone (hurricane) come through and remove tin from people’s roofs and houses. The wind was blowing so hard it was pushing the rain through the boards in the walls and floor boards. The tin would be found stabbed into wall and trees. The coconut trees were bent from the wind nearly parallel with the ground which is amazing if you have ever felt a coconut tree trunk. (Austin)
- I don’t think Fiji is dangerous but there are crazy things that go on in here. I guess always being chased by dogs is a common thing here in Fiji, especially when most homes don’t have gates and dogs are found everywhere. (Nemani)
- Once, my companion almost got bitten by 3 dogs because we took a new “shortcut”. (Melodie)
- When drunk people chased after me and my companion. (Roshini)
What was a spiritual experience?
- Gave a blessing to a youth who was having knee problem. We came back after a week to find him cutting grass outside his house. (Gai)
- The mission president asked us to initiate a home teachers training with the branches we were serving in; an initiative supported by the District Presidency. Blacksands Branch and especially Mele Branch sacrament attendance had dwindled. (BS=70s M=12) We started with a lesson on the purpose of home teaching and adapted the HOW TO BEGIN TEACHING section of Preach My Gospel. We started trade offs training trainers how to train others, and it just snowballed. Once they got the vision they were on fire!! The District Presidency being the driving force behind Mele Branch and the Blacksands Branch Presidency and Elder’s Quorum Presidency driving and supporting the home teaching. Within a couple of months Blacksands’ attendance soared to 300+ and the Mele Branch to 150+. The missionary workload quadrupled several times over after three weeks and we had 15 baptisms lined up for the following month for Blacksands Branch and about 5 for Mele Branch. They had to split the areas in the next transfer. A true miracle of home teaching and Zion. One I will never forget. (Bronson)
- Taking much needed food to villages. Hearing so many wonderful testimonies from members in Tanna. (Linda)
- Plenty, not going to write about it. (Chase)
- We converted a pastor from another denomination and end up baptizing 13 members of the same family. It was an incredible experience. (Olivier)
- I learned a lot how to pray…fast….and be faithful to my companion…it strengthened my faith. (Siliva)
- Finding out that supplying clean water in the villages. Improving the bush chapels was the real reason that we were sent to Vanuatu. (Virginia)
- Feeling the spirit during every discussion. (Kaminieli)
- Praying whether to cross the flooded river and feeling strongly impressed that it would be fine. (James)
- Being able to see someone who was totally prepared who had dreams that one day she would bring her family to the Gospel. We felt like she was teaching us. (Austin)
- I have so many spiritual experiences that I had on my mission. Seeing people change greatly influenced the change in my own life. (Nemani)
- My first converts were two parents (mom and dad) and their four children. What a beautiful sight. Helped me see the eternal perspective of the converting power of the gospel. (Melodie)
- When I had my first baptism. (Roshini)
What are some interesting facts about the Suva mission?
- It’s home to the world’s most accessible active volcano Mt. Yasur – a Preparation Day MUST if you end up in Tanna. You will never find cheaper fruit than at the markets. Santo Island is home to a special type of peanut which is a little bit sweet. (Bronson)
- I was serving in humanitarian. It was interesting dealing with the government. Also frustrating. (Linda)
- Half Fijian/half Indian population, beautiful country, learned Fijian language. (Chase)
- People are nice. They love to give you hot cocoa. The infrastructures are poor and water is not clean. People love God and are easily converted. Retaining them is another story. The mission zones are huge and you can serve in English, Fijian or Indian areas. (Olivier)
- Serve well and complete your mission…mingling with different people who have different attitudes/beliefs. (Siliva)
- Because Vanuatu is located on the Pacific’s ring of fire, it has a lot of volcanoes, one of which you can climb to the top on the island of Tanna. People there eat “flying fox”, a type of fruit bat. There is nothing poisonous on Vanuatu. The only harmful thing is the huge centipede. (Virginia)
- Blessings of serving a honorable mission will be reaped after that two years. (Kaminieli)
- Lots of illness. 50% of the people speak Hindi but the Church only teaches Fijian language at MTC. (James)
- It’s one of the only missions where white Elders where lavalavas on a daily basis. Here we call it the suluvakataqa. You may be asked to learn other languages even in such a small country. Sitting on the international date line our mission is technically on different days on the same island, although the locals could care less. (Austin)
- People and food. (Nemani)
- There are many different cultures, different customs as well. (Melodie)
- There are so many beautiful sites that can be visited. It’s the only mission in Fiji. The people are very friendly. (Roshini)
What was the weather like?
- Fiji is so hot. (Gai)
- Hot and dry then hot and wet. (Bronson)
- To me it was perfect, even if I was a bit damp most of the time. (Linda)
- Rain every Thursday at 4pm. (Christopher)
- Around 80 degrees or more every day. It rains often. (Chase)
- The heat and the humidity were barely sustainable. We were wet from sweat from morning to night. (Olivier)
- Sometimes it’s warm…rainy…cold (Siliva)
- Warm to hot- much like our home near Houston, Texas. During the rainy season when it rained every day for six weeks, we got tired of trying to dry our clothes hanging them on chairs and clothes lines strung around our apartment. (Virginia)
- Blessings of serving a honorable mission will be reaped after that two years. (Kaminieli)
- Hot and tropical. (James)
- Very warm and humid. Some parts are more dry but the rain is heavy and right before it falls you can feel it building. Ocean breezes are amazing. (Austin)
- Hot and humid. (Nemani)
- Hot, wet, good. (Melodie)
- So hot. Rainy sometimes. (Roshini)
Any things you really like about the area/people?
- Very humble, kind, friendly people. (Gai)
- Everyone smiles and loves to serve each other. Tanna has so many mangoes that after a while the road is covered in them and you end up walking ankle deep in fermenting fruit. (Bronson)
- They are happy and generous. (Linda)
- I liked the culture, history, and geography. Also, every sunset is like a Bob Ross painting. (Christopher)
- Everyone is nice. (Chase)
- They are nice people…easy to love and serve. They are innocent, little bit naive sometimes but are willing to give you everything. They are not calculating people and it is nice to be around them. (Olivier)
- Lovely….helpful….and care about others. (Siliva)
- The people are warm, sweet, modest and teachable. Vanuatu is like Hawaii before it became commercialized. When we first got there, senior missionaries were allowed to swim, and the snorkeling was fantastic. We have never seen such an assortment of tropical fish anywhere. We planned on visiting Australia and going to the Great Barrier Reef after our mission was over, but our landlord was from Australia, and told us that the fish and coral in Vanuatu were better than the Great Barrier Reef. (Virginia)
- Everyone allowed us into their homes and gave us food even though they won’t be baptized. (Kaminieli)
- Beautiful laid back people. Most live off the land. They look after family and especially their elderly. Fijians are a very faith driven people. (James)
- Very kind, giving, funny people. Gorgeous places. Back to the basics. Amazing sunsets. (Austin)
- It’s great serving in your own country and home, especially serving your own people and helping them to come unto Christ. (Nemani)
- Their huge hearts and love and their willingness to serve. Their unselfishness. (Melodie)
- The place is so beautiful and likewise the people. (Roshini)
Any packing/clothing advice?
- Take enough clothes with you. (Gai)
- Bring Drilux garments and strong sandals, but beware they may get stolen from time to time (there is the temptation to wear flip flops everywhere). Save your mosquito spray for the days following rainy days. (It won’t last) Take your doxycycline every day to prevent malaria…It’s not a nice experience. (Bronson)
- Leather isn’t very good there. Just keep everything light and easy care. (Linda)
- Don’t bring shirts/ties that you care about. Seriously just go to Goodwill and get ugly nasty ties. They’ll get dirty, traded, asked for, given away, just don’t bring them. Buy ties from the secondhand stores in Fiji. Also, avoid silk ties – they’ll mold. (Christopher)
- It’s tropical paradise. Bring stuff that you can wear in hot weather. (Chase)
- Light, white shirts, sandals, cheap bicycles in order to appear soft and not attract thieves. (Olivier)
- My mission president’s wife taught us a neat and tidy way to fold/pack our clothes as a missionary. (Siliva)
- Take light clothes, you will need a light sweater for nights during their “winter”. (Virginia)
- It’s humid, so a lot of short sleeve white shirts. (Kaminieli)
- Bring sandals or thongs, airy garments–none of the full cotton ones, and lots of short-sleeved white shirts (James)
- Multivitamins were never used. Don’t used the compression garments, they don’t breathe. You need under clothing that will breathe as freely as possibly. Most people aren’t used to the humidity. You will never use your suit in Fiji. Buy sandals that won’t have a ton of cotton or fabric stuffing. These get soaked and get moldy real quick. (Austin)
- Pack lots of flip flops.. hahaha. (Nemani)
- Don’t forget your mosquito repellent. (Melanie)
- Clothes which are worn in summer. (Roshini)
What blessings did you receive from serving a mission?
- Built up my self-esteem. Gained an understanding of the restored Gospel, the life of Jesus Christ and the Atonement. (Gai)
- Understanding and empathy. I lost 40 pounds, haha (but gained it all back). I gained eternal friendships and a developed fear of public speaking…for some reason! (Bronson)
- I have been home 4 years and I am still being blessed. My service in Vanuatu was one of the best events of my life a D I am 76 years old. I loved it all. (Linda)
- Understand how the church works, personal conversion, etc. (Chase)
- I am more apt to accept cultural differences and take mine less as the reference for others. The gospel learning is the most important blessing I have received. (Olivier)
- I managed to further my schoolwork and graduate…As I worked well as a typist and clerk…became a telephone operator and receptionist…I managed to support my brother and sister to gone a mission….so wonderful. (Siliva)
- Not getting sick, not having much pain from my bad back. Using the principle we learned from President Hinckley,”Do all you can to resolve a challenge and then leave it to the Lord, and move on”. Every time we did this, the challenge was resolved by some unexpected means. (Virginia)
- A beautiful family. (Kaminieli)
- Everything. I am blessed with knowledge, patience, love. I am good at living life with a better understanding of how a lot of the world lives. (James)
- A much greater testimony of the Gospel. My own conversion. Friendships that will last my entire life. A second family of those who I served with and I served. (Austin)
- Having a wonderful and beautiful family who loves the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I also had a daughter serve a mission in Denver South and mostly my love and appreciation for my Savior grew stronger. (Nemani)
- Marrying an amazing man in the temple and a strong and deep testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ. (Melodie)
- My mom got baptized in The Church. (Roshini)
What are some skills you gained?
- Learned to talk in Fijian. (Gai)
- I learned how to explain principles to both the doctor and the layman, not quite like The Master, but better than before. I learned how to study with the Holy Ghost, and how to receive/recognize revelation. (Bronson)
- I learned how to be more patient. Islanders have their own way and it is a good way. We should all learn from them. (Linda)
- I learned how to drive stick, play guitar, cook. (Christopher)
- Language learning, leadership. (Chase)
- I was blessed with managerial skills and with a capacity to focus on objectives. (Olivier)
- I learned how to communicate with my investigators….and I used those skills in my future job (not trying to brainwash customer….persuade and invite them in a humble way. My coworkers always love how I talk & go the extra mile). Work work work. Patience. (Siliva)
- Brother Bond gained skills from being a counselor in the mission presidency that helped him when he was called to be a bishop when we returned home. (Virginia)
- Communication. (Kaminieli)
- Speaking other languages and living with and dealing with all sorts of companions. (James)
- Communication skills, and the ability to work with people from all backgrounds. Being diligent. The ability to study and study well. (Austin)
- Being independent and learning to communicate honestly and openly. (Nemani)
- Coordinate, Lead a team, make phone calls. (Melodie)
- Teaching skills. (Roshini)
What do you wish you knew/did at the beginning of your mission?
- Wrote in my journal daily. (Gai)
- I wished I hadn’t gossiped about my leaders (a terrible pre-mission trait). I wish I had the same knowledge as I had in my last month. I wish I had the courage to speak up against my companion when he broke the rules. (Bronson)
- I enjoyed the learning curve. Not sure I would change anything. (Linda)
- Take time to ask Fijians about their history, their culture, and their villages. You’ll learn so much about the language by listening, plus you’ll learn about important places and figures in their history. It’ll help you expand your language skills past the point you need to teach a lesson. Become fluent in the language, don’t settle for less. (Christopher)
- How much work it really takes. (Chase)
- More gospel knowledge and more acquaintance with the country cultural differences. (Olivier)
- I wish to become a good woman to serve the Lord. (Siliva)
- That the big, hand-sized, lightning-fast spiders were not poisonous. (Virginia)
- Know how to cook. (Kaminieli)
- I wished I knew more gospel-related information so that I could just focus 100% on learning the languages rather than the spiritual matters as well. (James)
- Keep a very good journal. Be honest with your short comings or trials, and work with the mission president. Be willing to let the mission change you. Don’t be afraid to be better. (Austin)
- Do not waste a single minute on your mission. Every minute and second counts. Don’t steal the Lord’s time. (Nemani)
- I wish I knew the language. (Roshini)
Any advice/testimony for pre-missionaries going to Fiji?
- Respect the cultures and traditions of the people and place you serve in. Read your Book of Mormon. The mission field is full of temptations. Love and serve your companion. (Gai)
- Don’t go on a borrowed testimony, don’t go hoping you will get one- take the time now to prepare SPIRITUALLY. Pray morning and night NOW, study Preach My Gospel and the scriptures NOW. GET A TESTIMONY OF TITHING!!!! Don’t overly concern yourself with the funds. HAVING SAID THAT, don’t think you need to be at a certain level, before you go. If you believe in God and in the Restoration then you are qualified to teach the restored Gospel. Get over your comfort zone. People will give you the best of what they have, so don’t turn up your nose at their generosity. (Bronson)
- Be prepared to love it. All of it. (Linda)
- Getting a person baptized is less important than getting to know a person. Fijians are slow and easy people. You have to be a slow and easy missionary. Take the time to adapt to their ways, and take an excited interest in doing so. Do everything you can to learn about their ways, and they’ll start asking about yours. (Christopher)
- Work hard, but learn how to have fun (while being obedient). Don’t be a religion robot. (Chase)
- Learn to love your God, your companion and the people you serve. If you succeed in losing yourself in the work, you will receive blessings in such quantity that you will not be able to count it. (Olivier)
- Know how to cook and love your companions. (Kaminieli)
- Serve 100%. It’s only two years. Love your companion and focus on their positives rather than dwelling on the negatives. Remember you’re not perfect but that you strive to be. I hold my mission as the best 2 years of my life. (James)
- You won’t always go for the perfect reason, but the journey, if you decide to stay, is the most life-changing, love-filled, beneficial journey your heart can ever go on and you will never be the same. Miracles in yourself and others will be seen and you can feel the love of your Heavenly Father so much among the humble people and those you serve with. (Austin)
- Fijian people are some of the hardest people to convert but once you get them, you get them and that can only happen through divine aid. I loved my mission…it has made me who I am today despite many short comings. (Nemani)
- Forget yourself and go to work. Do your very Best and leave the rest to the lord. Love the ones you serve. (Melodie)
What was a funny language mistake?
- I remember it happening, but can’t remember a specific one off the top of my head. But it sure did happen and was funny when it did happen! (Gai)
- Here are two: 1. Lovest thou me? Eat my sheep. 2. (During a prayer) in the name of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. (Bronson)
- One missionary was explaining his frustration to the branch president about how they are visiting the members, visiting the less actives, visiting the youths, visiting so and so etc. However he didn’t know he wasn’t saying visiting, he was actually saying something not appropriate. (Chase)
- One missionary was sick and was probably groggy, but we still kept our dinner appointment. He was asking for a spoon, but what came out was asking for a suppository. Those are a little different. (Austin)
- Listening to my American companions first speak the language is always funny but then they become fluent and it’s as if they’ve spoken the language their whole life. (Nemani)
- Once I was trying to say “God loves us very much” but I said “God is fat.” (Melodie)