Consiglio - April 2016

April 29, 2016


We held the Mission Leadership Council (Consiglio) the day after transfers.  All Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders attend either in person, if they serve in Rome, or via satellite if they are serving in other areas.  Modern technology allows us to communicate even when we are miles apart.  It's a great blessing.

President and I, and the Assistants, talked about a variety of things that the leaders of the mission should do and be aware of.

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We have talked a lot lately about the mission Standards of Excellence.  The mission hashtag has become:

"May is the Month"

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Excellence is not a goal.  It is a habit.

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Plan perfectly.

Execute flexibly.

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We attended the Mission President's Seminar last week and there were a number of things we wrote down that we wanted to share with the missionaries.

Teach Repentance and Baptize Converts 

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We bring the Holy Ghost unto the hearts of investigators.

They have it bring it into their hearts.

 

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"I don't think much of a man who isn't better today than he was yesterday."  

Abraham Lincoln

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Don't worry about the message--just become the message.

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If you want to score more points, you have to take more shots.

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Consiglio - February 2016

February 5, 2016

Consiglio (leader council) was done by Skype this time.  It's not the preferred way, but it still works.  All the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders participated.  The theme was "Teach Repentance, Baptize Converts" and was the same theme used in the Worldwide Mission Fireside that was held a couple of weeks ago.

We talked about the importance of everybody working together to reach the same goals instead of every zone and district trying to do something different.  The Assistants asked the question "Which way do you face?" and one of the missionaries responded "I face God".    It was the perfect response.

"As we come together, we can move forward."

Another topic was "The time has come to look up!" and include God in everything we do.  The missionaries look up to their leaders who look up to President Waddoups who looks up to God.

The topic of obedience was discussed, just like it is every time.  We are told to talk about obedience each time we meet.  The Assistants led a discussion about the story of Saul and how he was only partially obedient.

1 Samuel 15:20-24

And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord,

 and have gone the way which the Lord sent me,and have brought Agag

 the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the 

things which should have been utterly destroyed, 

to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.

And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, 

as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, 

and to hearken than the fat of rams.

 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. 

Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, 

he hath also rejected thee from being king.

 And Saul said unto Samuel, 

I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: 

because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

If God doesn't tolerate sin or disobedience, why do we?  God wants us to obey His laws so He can bless us. 

Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21

There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, 

upon which all blessings are predicated—

And when we obtain any blessing from God, 

it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated. 

Consiglio

October 6, 2015


The Mission Leadership Council in the Italy Rome Mission has always been referred to as the Capi Conference (Leader's Conference).  In today's meeting, President Waddoups announced that the meeting will no longer be referred to as a Capi Conference, but will now be called the Leadership  Council or Consiglio.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is built on the principle of councils.  This move brings the mission into harmony with gospel principles.  It's not a big thing, but an important thing.

The Assistants concentrated their remarks on finding and teaching families who can one day be sealed in the temple.

We did a lengthy session on obedience and concentrated on the disobedience that plagues their zones and how they are working to change behavior.  The exchange between the leaders of all the zones was helpful to all of them.

President Waddoups concluded the meeting by talking about the Doctrine of Christ and referring to a passage of scriptures in Alma 5:14-40.

And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually 

been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? 

Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?
Alma 5:14

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Consiglio - October 2015