Malta Specialized Training

August 27, 2013


Malta was the final stop on this round of specialized training.  We have four elders and a senior couple currently serving in Malta.

Malta is an island that is in the very southern tip of our mission.  It is an independent nation.  The main language is Maltese, although most people speak a little English.  Most of the older people speak Italian as well, but the younger ones don't learn Italian like they used to.  The Maltese language is extremely difficult because it is a blend of several different languages like French, Italian, English and mostly Arabic.  The missionaries who serve there really work hard on their Maltese.  The people there are impressed when you speak their language because they know nobody else in the world speaks Maltese except for their tiny country.  I'm sure the missionaries sometimes wonder why they have to learn the language because there's not much use for it after their missions, but the Lord sees the bigger picture.  Maybe it's worth it to learn the language so they can communicate with the one person on the island who has been prepared for them to teach.

Malta is a difficult place to teach the gospel because there is currently no Maltese translation of the Book of Mormon.  When we were there six weeks ago, we took them copies of the Restoration pamphlet in Maltese.  It's a tool they'd never had before and they were so excited.  The Assistants packed up a suitcase full of supplies for us to take with us to Malta.  Included were a bunch more pamphlets in Maltese.  When the missionaries opened them up and looked at them, they were written in Hungarian not Maltese.  Oops!  They were shipped to us that way from the distribution center in Germany.  I guess they didn't now the difference either.

The missionaries are responsible for fixing lunch at the training conference.  They usually try to do something that is unique to their area.  This time they got a sandwich that is traditional Maltese food.  It was made with tuna fish, tomato sauce, cheese and a bunch of other extra ingredients.   I'm not a fan of fish of any sort so was grateful they also had plain ham sandwiches.  The missionaries, however, said they much preferred the tuna sandwich.  The Branch President and his wife are from England and she has been teaching them to make bread pudding.

The emphasis on this round of Specialized Training has been to use the pamphlet on the Restoration as a finding tool.  In every zone we have used roll playing to help them learn more about the pamphlet and be more comfortable in sharing it with others.  It's so amazing to see the difference in the missionaries as they practice.  They all think it is full of great information and yet they are surprised at how great a tool it is when they actually know how to use it to the best advantage.  From our perspective, it's such a rewarding experience to see the missionaries grow and learn and gain more confidence.  It makes my heart sing.

Villa in Malta that is currently being used as the church

"This isn't written in Maltese."

Traditional Maltese sandwich

Bread pudding