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Devotionals

Faith, A Divine Design

Faith, A Divine Design | Rusia Mamea

My dear brothers and sisters, families and friends, my BYU–Hawaii Ohana, Talofa and Aloha!When I first received the invitation to be the devotional speaker, I wasn’t sure whether it was a dream, or I was reading the wrong letter. Why me? I panicked, I felt so inadequate, and was overwhelmed with anxiety. Then a scripture came to mind, in parts, “…if ye are prepared, ye shall not fear.” found in Doctrine and Covenants 38:30.I am humbled, and indeed, honored to stand before you this morning, to deliver my spiritual message.First, I thank our Heavenly Father for this opportunity that enables us to be here today, to be edified and be strengthened by each other. Especially for such a great blessing to be employed and to further our education in this marvelous institution. I want to express my sincere thanks to President Tanner, for his inspiration and selection, I am blessed with this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I am profoundly grateful.I seek the companionship of the Holy Ghost as I speak with you this morning. I pray that you will be receptive to the spiritual message that I’m about to share with you.I have chosen, as a title to my message a few words, “Faith, A Divine Design”.When I decided to speak about faith, a question came to my mind: “What is faith anyway?” Someone will say, “Oh, I have heard enough about faith…” However, faith is deeply embedded in my mind, and it is dear to my heart.In the Bible, Topical Guide, it states, “faith is also assurance, obedience and trust”.In Hebrews 11:1, it reads– “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” In the scriptures, we learned of numerous accounts of faithful servants of the Lord: Abraham, Moses, Isaac, Nephi, Moroni, to name a few.Our beloved prophet Joseph Smith is another classic example of faith in its entirety and serenity. He overcame many obstacles and challenges in life. Because of his unwavering faith, the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored in this dispensation, according to the Lord’s plan, design, and timing.As a carpenter, like my husband, or an artist, a design or a plan is a requirement for such work. Jesus Christ himself was a carpenter. He helped and followed his father’s design doing carpentry work in his childhood. In fact, that was one of His characters that some of the Jews queried, stated in Mark 6:3, in parts, “…Is not this the carpenter...” Yet, Jesus Christ is the great example of divine design for our lives, and to help us increase our faith. In our lives, we also need a design. That design is faith, to build, develop, and strengthen our self-esteem.Elder Neal A. Maxwell once explained: “None of us ever fully utilizes the people- opportunities allocated to us within our circles of friendship. You and I may call these intersecting’s ‘coincidence.’ This word is understandable for mortals to use, but ‘coincidence’ is not an appropriate word to describe the workings of an omniscient God. He does not do things by ‘coincidence’ but…by divine design.” My grandpa Ao Pauga, was one of the faithful pioneers of the church in Samoa. He was given a special task, to establish the church in Falefa, a village in Samoa. Grandpa’s calling and challenge was that, if he could not turn things around within three months in the village, he would return to his home in Laulii. As a young girl, I lived with my grandpa Pauga in Falefa while they were on this special assignment. My memories of him were of a hardworking man, not only physically, but spiritually. If grandpa came home late from his daily visits, we knew that he must be having a serious religious discussion with the Catholic Minister. That was one of his favorite places to visit. He was never afraid to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with anyone, and everyone. One of grandpa Pauga’s trades that he utilized while serving in Falefa, was farming. Grandpa planted a huge taro plantation to feed not only few members of the church at the time, but also to share with most people in the village. Through grandpa Pauga’s faith, as of today, there stands a beautiful chapel, and a ward in Falefa. In fact, that was one of the areas my husband served during his mission, when his mission companion Elder Wright, introduced the name Pauga to him. Is that a coincidence or a design? We sometimes face challenges in life.Elder Richard J. Maynes said; “Many of the challenges we face in life can be solved and overcome; however, others may be difficult to understand and impossible to overcome and will be with us until we pass on to the next life. As we temporarily endure the challenges we can solve, and as we continue to endure the challenges we cannot solve, it is important to remember that the spiritual strength we develop will help us successfully endure all the challenges we face in life.”When we returned to Laulii after my grandparent’s three-year mission, I thought at times my dad had gone inactive in the church, because I hardly saw him at church. As times passed, I sometimes heard my grandpa during family home evenings, he would say, the reason why your dad was not at church is because his job is important like a doctor or a policeman’s job, where they must work on Sundays. Your dad must monitor the weather for the safety of all the people of Samoa. That understanding relieved my judgmental feelings towards my dad. When my dad retired from the Observatory of Apia, Samoa as a meteorologist, I witnessed how faithful in the church he was. He sure had a strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and he honored his priesthood.One incident happened where I witnessed my dad’s priesthood power in action.In the aftermath of a disastrous hurricane in 1966 in Samoa, my sister Taeasina Ruta had a severe sickness when she was about ten years of age. She was treated with Samoan herbal and medical medicines, but she silently slipped into a coma, and was thought to have died.That was when I witnessed my dad exercise his priesthood authority, when he, and my grandpa administered the blessing with the anointed oil to my sister. We waited! Feeling despaired! Our house was crowded with inquisitive villagers. Not sure if they came to lend a helping hand, or just to be noisy. Ruta recovered! A miracle! If there was ever one.I define my sister Ruta’s malady as a blessing in disguise. Her sickness and subsequent recovery happened, at the time the church growth in Laulii was rather slow. The few members of the church were greatly outnumbered by other church denominations. There was hostility, sarcasm, and ridicule directed to the church members, including our family. I believe that the Lord provided a way, through Ruta’s blessing for the non-believers to witness the miracle. The word about Ruta’s recovery spread, and so was the Lord’s gospel. After a while, the villagers’ attitudes towards our family, and other church members, subsided. Respect, and belief for the church was evident, some non-member relatives baptized, and joined the church.Fifty-two years later, where there was only a branch, there are now two wards, and these two wards have yielded patriarchs, stake presidents, numerous missionaries, and faithful saints.Ruta is now 62, a mother, grandmother, a bank manager, and a temple ordinance worker. Her malady brings to mind Jesus earthly mission. The Savior performed miracles and more. The priesthood, the faith, the anointed oil, were combined, within the divine design of faith to visualize a miracle.My dad, Leota Pauga Olesa Talalelei Taala Lua Pauga continued his faith and responsibilities supporting his family, especially his thirteen children. My dad’s ultimate goal was for his thirteen children to remain in the gospel of Jesus Christ regardless of the challenges in life, and to be able to live independently. Here are some of the results to that effect. There are seven of us children, who served full time missions, and eight grandchildren, three of them are currently serving in the mission field. Sister Kimberlyn Pauga, Elder Fetutasi Pauga, and Elder Tuliloa Pauga. My brother Pauga Talalelei Pauga, a former bishop, is currently serving as a Stake President in Upolu Nu’umau Stake, in Samoa. Academically, there are seven of us children, same number but different people, who graduated here in the Brigham Young University–Hawaii. Two brothers graduated in Auckland Universities, and one sister graduated in Brisbane University. Ten grandchildren, thus far, five of them graduated here in Brigham Young University–Hawaii, two grandsons, one graduated in Denver University, and one in Saint George University, three grand-daughters, two graduated in Auckland Universities, and one in UH-Manoa, American Samoa charter, and the trend continues. Not neglecting my loving mother Vagatootoo Pauga, now 82, who was the backbone of our dad’s dreams. She is the epitome of strength, patience, and love. I describe her as the best of the best. Thank you, and I love you mom!I do not boast about my family, but these are some evidences of how our dad put his faith and trust in the Lord hoping that his dreams and wishes will be fulfilled accordingly.Before my dad passed, he served the Lord diligently, and I love and miss him dearly. He held church callings from a Stake clerk to a Bishop, Stake President, Stake Patriarch, Temple Presidency, and, a Temple Sealer up to his passing. Here goes another design of faith that connects with my husband. My husband was recently called and set apart as a temple sealer in the Laie Hawaii temple, February of this year.In The Family; A Proclamation to the World, paragraph 7, in parts, “By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners.” In May of 1997, my husband Tavita Mamea took a group on a temple trip to Apia Samoa Temple as a member of the Mapusaga Fou Stake presidencies, a part of the one hundred years’ centennial celebration of the church in American Samoa. Two days later, he called, “Honey, change of plans, get the children ready we’re moving to Hawaii.From a mother’s perspective, I thought: “How is it possible? There is no way we’ll live in the United States without legal documents except our visitor visas at the time.” However, I acknowledged my husband’s priesthood authority, and obeyed him. In August of 1997, our family of four’s journey began to the unknown world. We put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and believed He would hear and answer our prayers. My husband Tavita, a faithful servant who dedicated his life in serving the Lord, was a temple ordinance worker just after few months upon our arrival in Hawaii. He served as a high councilman in the Laie North Stake. A bishop for five years in the Laie 9th Ward, and was also a bishop for eight years in Mapusaga Fou Ward, a high councilman, and Stake Presidency in American Samoa.The challenge on our legal status to stay in the United States continued. However, cultural differences, or any other circumstances would not stop my husband from being persistent, as he continued to seek the Lord’s help. Through Tavita’s faith, along with my support, we have been standing side by side as we persevered, seeking guidance from our loving Heavenly Father.In May of 1999, we received the answer to our many prayers. Our immigration application was approved through an Immigration lottery that allowed us to stay legally in the United States. According to the immigration officer who interviewed us, it is unheard of for both a husband and wife’s names to be selected from this lottery at any one time. In July of 2000, we received the key to our new home in Kahuku where we are currently residing. In Doctrine and Covenant 112:10, “Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give the answer to thy prayers.”In Matthew 6:6 in parts, “…pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly”. The Lord’s guiding hands have been placed upon my family, and we are blessed abundantly.Elder Joseph B Wirth “There is a guiding hand above all things. Often when things happen, it’s not by accident. One day when we look back at the seeming coincidence of our lives, we will realize that perhaps they weren’t so coincidence after all.”In 2016, Thanksgiving weekend, a nephew of mine was run over by a pickup truck in American Samoa. This is an account of what happened per my sister Siteine Rita. She received the call that Peni (delete “my nephew’s name) was run over by a pickup truck. The parents were fundraising at a carwash for a Baseball trip to Guam in 2017. Rita called Vili, Peni’s dad, her only question to him was: Have you administered a blessing? Vili, said: Mom, yes, it was the only thing that I could have done, and Peni’s life is in the Lord’s hand. Rita asked him again, how do you feel? Then he answered: Comforted.The doctors put Peni through a scanner and the result was: there is not a broken bone, just a scratch on his side. The doctor said he does not believe a pickup truck could have run over him.... There were many people at the car wash who saw the accident.Peni starts school in Kindergarten this year.... He is in Utah with his family, so very healthy, and if you see him, you do not believe that he was run over by a pickup truck.... Atoa & Vili, my niece and husband sealed their family in the Apia Samoa Temple in June 2016. They received covenants and blessings and I know Vili’s faith has grown with this experience. The Lord visited them through Peni’s accident.Faith, A Divine Design Was, And Still Is, Embraced in Our Family.So, now that I have shared with you a cycle of faith testimonials in my life, and the individuals that built and sustained this faith.It was not intended to bore you, rather to draw a picture or a design of how FAITH grows with a person and how that FAITH actually brings an awareness of feelings, challenges, impacts, blessings in the form of tender mercies, miracles, great and small. Most of all, we want to please our Heavenly Father when we honestly and faithfully say to Him that we have an actual knowledge of faith, and the course of life we daily pursue is according to his will. Without faith, it is impossible to please Him.This brings me to think of the word “coincidence”. Somehow, people tend to say that it is just a coincidence that incidents happen when they happen. I believe otherwise. I believe that coincidences don’t just happen. I believe it is the design that our Heavenly Father puts into our lives. This design comes with trials to test our FAITH and which President Brigham Young spoke about when he said:“All intelligent beings who are crowned with crowns of glory, immortality and eternal lives must pass through every ordeal appointed for intelligent beings to pass through, to gain them glory and exaltation. Every calamity that can come upon mortal beings will be suffered to come upon the few, to prepare them to enjoy the presence of the Lord…. Every trial and experience you have passed through is necessary for your salvation.” I believe we are intelligent beings.If I say to myself, yes, I am a faithful person, but WHY do I have so many problems? Elder Neal A. Maxwell said: “God, as a loving Father, will stretch our souls at times. The soul is like a violin string: it makes music only when it is stretched: God will tutor us by trying us, because He loves us, not because of indifference!”Every trial and tribulation, usually painful experiences that we have passed through, is necessary for strengthening our faith.However, when tragedies strike, we sing that Primary song: “Heavenly Father are you really there? Do you hear and answer every child’s prayer”?Why then? I believe each one of us can answer for ourselves. The Lord has a divine design for us to go through tragedies in order to strengthen us, and sustain that FAITH within us. For there is a reason for everything and that applies to FAITH as well. There is a Samoan proverb that goes: E le falala fua lau o le niu. Translating: The coconut leaves do not move on their own, unless there’s wind, then the leaves sway. The inevitable tragedies of mortal life are: challenges, trials, setbacks, disappointment, misfortune, disaster, loss, pain, suffering and sorrow: however, our faith must be rock strong to pass through these tragedies in order to have eternal life.Such a picture or design is the objective of my message. To share a subject that is very close to my heart. This divine design has shaped my life. I grew up in a household where actions of faith were taught, exercised and practised. Although I did not comprehend its depth, but adhering to these practices has reminded me that ‘obey first, complain after’ is a motto that our parents loved to teach us. Whereas the home and family are the central unit of development and nourishment, from within these walls the Church stands adamant in its teachings to strengthen its members.From these accounts, we learn that FAITH is essential to our mortal lives, and spiritual growth.In conclusion: I want to leave you with some parting thoughts;1. To have faith, is to have the right idea that God exists. It is Him and only HIM we have faith in.2. To have faith, is to have the CORRECT idea of His character, perfections and attributes. 3. To have faith, is to have an actual knowledge that the course of life we daily pursue is according to His will.For without acquaintance with these three important facts, the faith of every rational being must be imperfect and unproductive.FAITHFULNESS, OBEDIENCE AND HUMILITY INVITE TENDER MERCIES INTO OUR LIVES AND IS OFTEN THE LORD’S TIMING THAT ENABLES US TO RECOGNIZE AND TREASURE THESE IMPORTANT BLESSINGS.I extend to you my thoughts, and I strongly believe, emphasizing the word strongly, that the design I have tried to convey to you does exist. From a humble home in Laulii, Samoa, to American Samoa, then making our home in Hawaii – I believe is not just a coincidence but the divine design for my life. Don’t be mistaken thinking that there were no difficulties and trials: there was pain, struggles, poverty at times, even loss. Embarking into the unknown, those difficulties were stumbling blocks which I overturned into stepping stones, and in the middle, there was, and still is, FAITH.Such a reflection of a design from a carpenter’s perspective, is so very relevant to our everyday lives.I stand before you a product of Faith, a divine design: I leave this podium feeling blessed to have shared such a personal message with you all. I sincerely hope that from my family to yours, you would continue to keep that FAITH alive and please our Heavenly Father tremendously. Among this audience, I believe there exist faithful priesthood holders, and faithful daughters of our Heavenly Father who, like my grandpa Ao Pauga will leave a legacy of FAITH with their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and forthcoming generations. From generation to generation, the Pauga, the Mamea legacy of the divine design of Faith, lives on. On behalf of my husband, our children especially my precious grand-daughter, we extend our love and best wishes to you all.I bear my testimony, and stand firm today, testifying, that God the Father, and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ live, and in Him we place our FAITH every single day. Faith, A Divine Design. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.