Alipate and Anaisi Tagidugu from the village of Davetalevu in Korovou, accepted an invitation to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a senior couple on November 14, 2016.
As Alipate was nearing the end of his term as stake president, the mission president approached the couple and asked if they would serve a “member and leader support” (MLS) mission in the Korovou Latter-day Saint District. In this responsibility he and his wife would become mentors, teachers and friends to the members and neighbors they served.
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They were thrilled to be assigned to an area that Alipate served in as Bishop years before. “I have a love for this area," said Elder Tagidugu. “The members here are like my children.”
Anaisi added, “It is so nice to be able to serve a mission and live in your own home; sleeping in our own bed is a real advantage."
“There are retired senior members who think they are disqualified from serving because they cannot afford a mission,” says Sister Tagidugu, “Yes, it does require a measure of sacrifice, but we have found that when you put forth your best effort, the Lord provides a way."
Elder and Sister Tagidugu are “pioneers” in the church. “We are the fifth Fijian senior missionary couple to serve in Fiji, but we need many more couples who will give their time and talents to the Lord,” said Alipate.
The couple have experienced health issues in the past including a quintuple bypass (open heart surgery) for Alipate in 2004, but they feel that their health issues have stabilised as they have served in their calling. From their point of view, “If you do the Lord’s work first, he will take care of you."
Their advice to younger couples who are thinking about a senior couple's mission, "Start preparing now - mentally, physically and financially."
The Tagidugu’s are now nearing the end of their 18-month mission and are extending for another 18 months, adding up to three uninterrupted years of service as a missionary couple.