The Words of God, reverently sung in joyful tones, harmonized with - TopicsExpress

The Words of God, reverently sung in joyful tones, harmonized with the lapping waves of the ocean in the morning sun as participants joined their voices in welcome at the conference in Nadi. In a Fijian meke-a traditional indigenous dance-the movements of which are said to be inspired by divine beings from the spirit world, and are prepared to be performed at important events, one group chanted music to accompany these graceful movements of the performers adorned with flower garlands. Prayers in English and Fijian opened the gathering, followed by the reading of the 1 July message of the Universal House of Justice. A day earlier, more than 500 youth from six countries—the Caroline Islands, Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands, Tuvalu Islands, Hawaii, and Fiji—arrived at the venue with radiant faces, greeting one another with warm enthusiasm. Mingling in their happy exchanges could be heard the diverse accents of Bislama, Farsi, Japanese, Tagalog, and Yapese.