Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Rome Forum - November 2014



Il Forum della Missione Italiana di Roma
Novembre 2014


Like all of you, I enjoy reading the words and talks of general authorities.  I was uplifted as I watched the general conference messages.  I have heard from many of you about how much you enjoyed conference and that as you listened to conference, your questions were answered.

This week I was reading a talk by Elder Boyd K. Packer in which he gave advise to missionaries.  I would like to share the following excerpt with you.

“I was once in a university town with a friend.  I learned that a doctor from my hometown was the university doctor.  I wanted to see him and went over to the clinic.

We sat in the waiting room.  There on a low table were stacks of pamphlets of all kinds.  Each pamphlet described a disease.  We sat there for a little while, and my companion said, ‘Look at those pamphlets!  You look at them long enough and you will think you have got it!’

You should learn as a young missionary the power of impression of that kind.  It is something you need to understand and manage.

When you write your mother about a little indisposition of some kind, be careful not to say much about it.  Did you not know that if you are in Australia and you write to Canada, a sniffle in Australia is double pneumonia by the time your mother reads that letter?  We do not need to talk much about our aches and pains.

I knew that a missionary had something wrong with him.  I knew it, but I never could figure it out.  I interviewed him searchingly.  He was performing well.  He eventually became a zone leader.  It was not until near the time he was released that one of the other missionaries told me he suffered from migraine headaches, terrible migraine headaches.  I did not ever know it, because he would never tell me.  He was on his mission, and the headaches were not going to be his preoccupation.  I admired him greatly.  A few years later I saw him.  He was married had a family, doing well, working, and the headaches were gone.”

Sister Waddoups and I do not want you suffering needlessly.  We want you to be healthy and happy.  When you require medical attention, we want you to get it.  However, we also have noted, as did Elder Packer, the power of suggestion.  Sometimes we develop symptoms just because we have heard others talking about them.  We have a testimony of faith and the power of the priesthood.  Do not hesitate to get a priesthood blessing when you are sick.  Have faith in the healing influence of the Holy Priesthood.

Remember there is opposition in all things.  Satan is trying to stop or at least slow the work in Italy.  We are in the period of The Hastening.  We have a temple coming to Rome.  We will not allow Satan to slow nor stop the work.

Elder Packer also said, “If you can learn to control your thoughts, you will be able to hedge up the way of the adversary when a thought comes as a temptation.”

We pray for you daily.  We know you are chosen and capable of being wonderful, successful missionaries.  “BEE the best you can BEE.”

We love you,

President and Sister Waddoups
 

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