Mission Blog: Catania Specialized Training

November 20, 2015

Catania Zone - November 2015

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At each conference a missionary reads a section out of the Missionary Handbook and tells why it is important to him/her. The missionary in the Catania Zone read "Inspire others to have a spirit of love, unity, obedience, and hard work." It's important that we are obedient and unified in helping our companions.

He told about a letter he had just received from his father and that his dad related a story about an experience he'd had. The father loved to go biking. When he was just beginning the sport, he went on a bike trip with a bunch of other bikers. They went to the mountains and rode up a series of hills. After each hill, he got more and more tired and his muscles burned. When he looked up at the last hill, he wasn't sure he could do it. All of a sudden he felt a force pushing him upward. One of the bikers behind him had grabbed the seat of his bike and pushed him forward while telling him he could make it. It was a glorious thing for him to reach the top of that mountain.

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The Sister Training Leaders talked about the small and simple things contained in Preach My Gospel that help missionaries become more effective when they are applied. They are to be applied one concept at a time, not all at once.

Alma 37:6-7

6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you,

that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass;

and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

7 And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes;

and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the

salvation of many souls.

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The Zone Leaders asked the members of the zone to close their eyes and think of a time in their mission when they had been happy. What was it that made that moment so happy? As missionaries related what their moments of happiness were, most of them were a direct result of hard work.

"I have often said one of the greatest secrets of missionary work is work!

If a missionary works, he will get the Spirit; if he gets the Spirit,

he will teach by the Spirit; and if he teaches by the Spirit,

he will touch the hearts of the people and he will be happy.

There will be no homesickness, no worrying about families,

for all time and talents and interests are centered on the work of the ministry.

Work, work, work--there is no satisfactory substitute,

especially in missionary work."

President Ezra Taft Benson

Preach My Gospel - pg. 121

When missionaries work hard and finish whatever they are inspired to do, they will be blessed.

2 Timothy 4:7-8