Taranto Zone Conference - February 2015

February 4, 2015

President Waddoups taught the missionaries from the scriptures about faith and how having faith can bless their lives and help them be more effective missionaries.

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Articles of Faith:  4
 

We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: 
first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; 
second, Repentance; 
third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; 
fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

1 Nephi 1:20 

. . . But behold, I Nephi, will show you that the tender mercies

of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith,

to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.

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The sister training leader for the zone did an addestramento about faith and miracles.  She read about the definition of "faith" from the bible dictionary.


Faith is to hope for things which are not seen, but which are true (Heb. 11: 1; Alma 32: 21), and must be centered in Jesus Christ in order to produce salvation. To have faith is to have confidence in something or someone. The Lord has revealed himself and his perfect character, possessing in their fulness all the attributes of love, knowledge, justice, mercy, unchangeableness, power, and every other needful thing, so as to enable the mind of man to place confidence in him without reservation. Faith is kindled by hearing the testimony of those who have faith (Rom. 10: 14-17). Miracles do not produce faith but strong faith is developed by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ; in other words, faith comes by righteousness, although miracles often confirm one's faith.

Faith is a principle of action and of power, and by it one can command the elements and/or heal the sick, or influence any number of circumstances when occasion warrants (Jacob 4: 4-7). Even more important, by faith one obtains a remission of sins and eventually can stand in the presence of God.

All true faith must be based upon correct knowledge or it cannot produce the desired results. Faith in Jesus Christ is the first principle of the gospel and is more than belief, since true faith always moves its possessor to some kind of physical and mental action; it carries an assurance of the fulfillment of the things hoped for. A lack of faith leads one to despair, which comes because of iniquity.

Although faith is a gift, it must be cultured and sought after until it grows from a tiny seed to a great tree. The effects of true faith in Jesus Christ include:  1) an actual knowledge that the course of life one is pursuing is acceptable to the Lord (see Heb. 11: 4);  2) a reception of the blessings of the Lord that are available to man in this life; and 3) an assurance of personal salvation in the world to come. These things involve individual and personal testimony, guidance, revelation, and spiritual knowledge. Where there is true faith there are miracles, visions, dreams, healings, and all the gifts of God that he gives to his saints.

Ether 12:12

For if there be no faith among the children of men

God can do no miracle among them; wherefore,

he showed not himself until after their faith.

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I talked about the importance of appearance when teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I took two cans of shoe polish to the zone conference--one black and one brown.  Before the conference began, I told the missionaries to shine their shoes if they needed to be shined.  Surprisingly, every elder there shined his shoes.  Some of the companions shined each other's shoes.  (At the last zone conference, not one elder shined his shoes.  Most of them had just bought new shoes at the after-Christmas sales.) 

Occasionally an elder will show up with really scuffed up shoes that they want to wear home because they think it is a badge of honor to have worn out shoes.  The purpose of the shoe shining activity was to impress upon them the fact that worn out shoes are not a badge of honor but are a sign of disrespect because they are representing Jesus Christ on their missions.  They need to look and do their very best for him.

While the missionaries were shining their shoes, a member of the Taranto Ward dropped by the church.  He was very touched to see the elders shining their shoes.  He had joined the church 17 years ago and shortly after joining was asked to accompany the missionaries to teach an investigator.  He was embarrassed when the missionaries showed up with their scuffed up, unpolished shoes because the Italian men take great pride in their shoes and always keep them well-shined.  To him the missionaries were being disrespectful of the Italian people.  The activity today restored some of his faith in the missionaries.

Taranto Zone - February 2015

Only four weeks til he returns home!

Beginning Testimony

Beginning Testimony

Beginning Testimony

Beginning Testimony

Beginning Testimony

Departing Testimony

Departing Testimony

Happy Birthday