December Zone Training

During the first week of December, Zone Training was held for the eleven zones in six locations.  The zone leaders trained regarding the "Egli é il Dono" ("He Is the Gift") video, helping members and investigators (without the missionaries touching the computer or notebook) to use social media to share with friends and family.  They also taught and role-played on bigliettini (pass-along cards) to share, including family history and Christmas bigliettini.  Sister Dibb had prepared packets for each missionary with new bedding and gave instruction for laundering and making beds.  Hopefully, the missionaries are sleeping cleaner, warmer and better all around!  After two hours of instructions, we ate desserts, recognized birthdays and sang Christmas Carols.  What a wonderful time of year to share the message of the Doctrine of Christ, the Savior of the World!  The missionaries of the Italy Milan Mission are the best and we truly love them.   

The Zone Training began in Verona on December 1, 2014.

Eating desserts in Verona 

with the Verona and Bergamo Zones

Verona Sorelle

Bergamo Sorelle

More Anziani enjoying dessert

Birthday recognition in Verona

More birthday recognition in Verona

Watching the video put together by the Assistants to the President

Our pianist in Verona

Fratello and Sorella Lui prepared the desserts for us in Verona

Our conductor for singing carols

First we sang sitting down

and then we stood up 

and sang in a circle

More of the Anziani singing

Then off to serve the Lord

On Tuesday, December 2nd, we met in Pordenone for the Venezia Zone Training.

Some great Sorelle in the Venezia Zone

And some Anziani

Teaching how to use social media to share Mormon Messages with friends

The Sorella is not touching the computer.

She is just pointing.  

The Udine Anziani

The Zone Leaders for the Venezia Zone

Birthday recognition in Pordenone

December 3rd was the Alessandria and Torino Zone Training held at the Alessandria Chapel.

Our pianist in Alessandria

Role-play 

Torino Zone Anziani

Alessandria Zone

Torino Zone Anziani

Torino Zone role-play

Alessandria Zone role-play

More Torino Zone role-play

Sorelle at the Alessandria Chapel

More Anziani practicing

And more Anziani

The Sorelle enjoying dessert prepared by the Durand Coppia

Anziani enjoying dessert

Birthday recognition in Alessandria

Three talented Anziani singing a special musical selection

And an amazing soloist in Alessandria

Then, December 4th we moved on to Modena to meet with the Rimini, Bologna and Modena Zones.

Rimini Zone role play

More in Rimini Zone

And more practicing in the Rimini Zone

Modena Zone Sorelle

More in Modena Zone

And more in the Modena Zone

Bologna Zone Anziani practicing 

Anziano and Sorella Fry made delicious cinnamon rolls for  the missionaries in Modena

Birthday recognition in Modena

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" solo in Modena

All the missionaries singing carols

These five soon-to-depart Anziani sang "I'll Be Home for Christmas" at the Modena Chapel

Okay, now we are going to Firenze for the fifth Zone Training on December 5th.

It was a great training in the Firenze Chapel

Role-play with Presidente Dibb looking on

More role-play in Firenze

and more

The Anziani practice too!

with Presidente Dibb looking on with them as well

More Anziani

with the Coppia Hyde at the Firenze Chapel

and more Anziani

Anziano and Sorella Lee prepared the desserts for the day

The missionaries certainly enjoyed eating them!

Birthday recognition in Firenze

Singing Christmas Carols in Firenze

Still singing

and singing!

Our excellent pianist in Firenze

And our soloist was grand!

Last, but largest, was the Zone Training in Milano for the Est and Ovest Zones.  It was held December 8th at the Lampugnano Chapel.  

Role-playing again with President Dibb monitoring

We have a lot to tell you!

And it is the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ

Milan Ovest Zone missionaries

More Ovest Zone

and more

and more!

Milano Est Zone missionaries

Milan Est Zone again

and more

and more

and more

and more!

Sorella Rose is setting out the traditional Italian Christmas dessert prepared by the Harmer Coppia.

Zone Leaders in the Milan Est Zone

Sorella sharing her departing testimony

and another Sorella sharing

An Anziano sharing a departing testimony

and another one we will miss.

Eating desserts in Milan

during birthday recognition

Our superior soloist in Milan

And then the singing of Christmas carols

We would like to wish you a Merry Christmas with a copy of the Mission Christmas card.  All missionaries received a personal copy of this Christmas card.  Each missionary also received a Christmas card from the First Presidency of the Church.  As President Dibb declared to the missionaries, "There is no better time of year to find people receptive to our message of Jesus Christ."  We desire to find, teach, baptize and confirm those seeking the truth.

Anziano and Sorella Fingerle Tour

November 18th through 24th, Elder Christian Fingerle and his wife, Sister Sibylle Fingerle, toured the Italy Milan Mission.  The tour began in Firenze and ended in Milano.  What a delightful and inspiring couple who are an example of teaching and serving our Father in Heaven.  We learned how to help others (without us touching technological devices) to learn about, receive comfort and share the joy of the doctrine of Christ, on the internet.  We also learned how to be more effective members of Ward and Branch Councils.  Elder and Sister Fingerle additionally taught us that incrementally improving our missionary work will help us to become more effective missionaries.  Our missionary efforts have benefited greatly already from their instruction.

On our way to the first meeting in Florence, we stopped to look over the city

Florence - learning about Ward/Branch Consiglio

More in Florence regarding Councils

A companionship of Anziani listening to the instruction in Florence

Missionaries feeling the spirit of Elder Fingerle's teachings

So many helpful ideas were shared!

A group of Anziani singing "Ye Who Are Called to Labor" at the meeting

About sixty missionaries attended in Firenze

President Dibb's instruction included a re-enactment of the story of Jericho

Missionaries writing about what they learned

The missionaries and ward member who helped with the luncheon with Sister Dibb and Sister Fingerle

The second day Elder and Sister Fingerle and President and Sister Dibb traveled by train to Verona where the another meeting of the tour was held.

There were about one hundred missionaries who attended in Verona

Sister Fingele instructing on how she helped a friend through the use of Mormon Messages

Again, Elder Fingerle with the "Ward Council"

The chorus and conductor in Verona

Another view of the chorus

President Dibb with the "army" marching around Jericho

Following the meeting in Verona, we traveled to Milano to meet more than one hundred missionaries in the western part of the mission.  

Elder Fingerle teaching about councils in Milano

Discussing what we can help with in Consiglios

One of our missionaries intently translating for other missionaries

Role plays using social media in finding

Choir in Milano

Side view of the choir and conductor

President Dibb teaching from the scriptures regarding obedience

Anziano and Sorella Fingerle at the mission home with President Dibb

Following the three days of training on the Mission Tour, Elder Fingerle met with the Mission Leadership Council.  We had great discussions on how to move the missionary work forward in the Italy Milan Mission.

Elder and Sister Fingerle with the Mission Leadership Council (Consiglio)

The Assistants to the President with Elder and Sister Fingerle and President and Sister Dibb

We of the Italy Milan Mission are so grateful to have spent time with Elder and Sister Fingerle to learn what our emphasis should be in the mission in the coming months.  We want to be effective instruments in the hands of the Lord.  Elder and Sister Fingerle certainly assisted us in becoming more effective in flooding the Earth with the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.