Mission Blog: Taranto Specialized Training

December 18, 2015

Taranto Zone - December 2015

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The Taranto leaders talked about ways to be effective missionaries. They talked about the importance of planning. They spend 10 hours a week doing planning. That is a good indication of the importance it plays in missionary work. They need to invite the Spirit during planning. This means beginning and ending with prayer.

D&C 29:31-32

For by the power of my Spirit created I them; yea, all things

both spiritual and temporal—

First spiritual, secondly temporal, which is the beginning of my work;

and again, first temporal, and secondly spiritual,

which is the last of my work--

They also talked about finding. Missionaries are sent on a mission to find the elect of God.

D&C 29:7

And ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect;

for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts;

Another topic was teaching and the importance of being prepared and knowledgeable before teaching.

D&C 11:21

Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word,

and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my

Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men.

“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

The final topic was putting Christ in the center of everything we do. If we aren't centered, the results will be off balance. When we are in tune with the spirit and our goal is to bring others unto Christ, we will find success.

Alma 17:2-3

Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first

appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren;

and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord;

yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth;

for they were men of a sound understanding and they had

searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know

the word of God.

But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting;

therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation,

and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God.

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