April Additions and Subtractions

The last week of April was full of missionary comings and goings.  On April 26th and 27th, we received ten amazing sisters.  Two sisters came from the Spain MTC and eight sisters came from the Provo MTC.  We are so pleased to have them here safe and sound, ready to begin to teach repentance and baptize converts.

The first two arrived from the Spain MTC

The next five, joined by the first two, arrived the next day

The first seven of ten Sorelle at the Linate Airport

Then three sisters in a third group arrived later on the second day

 We had dinner that night at the mission home with the Assistants to the President

And with President and Sister Dibb

Training with the Assistants the next morning

New Sisters at the Mission Offices - April 27, 2016

Giving a cheer for the Lord's work in Italy

Trainers and Trainees ready to be matched up

New missionaries reciting "Il mio scopo" to their trainers

Trainers reciting the 4th Section of the Doctrine and Covenants to the sisters they will be training

President Dibb giving training to the new missionaries and their trainers

Preparing to find in Milan and on the mezzi

Waiting for the subway

Finding and teaching on the subway

Photo at the Duomo in Milan

More finding in Milan

And the matchups begin!

Sister Hoopes teaching about how to obtain permessi

Singing the Mission Hymn for the first time

A couple of sisters "ready to go!"

It is a busy time for Elder Hoopes in the office

Getting ready to go to their first cities of service

The coming of new missionaries means the departing of experienced missionaries.  We said farewell to two Anziani and eight Sorelle.  We wish them all the best!

Departing Class of April 2016

Giving a cheer for the work of the Lord in Italy

Dinner at the Mission Home with the departing missionaries always followed by a spiritual testimony meeting

Arrivaderci to our sweet Sorella from the Philippines the next day

After a few weeks in the field, the new missionaries and their trainers return to Milan for another day of answering questions and training.  In between the arrival of the Sorelle and the New Missionary Training, we recieved an Anziano.  He was able to attend the training and is pictured below with his companions.

New Missionary Training at the Cimiano Church

Inviting investigators to baptism role play with President Dibb

New missionaries and their trainers at the Cimiano Church after New Missionary Training

We also bid "arrivaderci" to a wonderful senior couple who had served in both Germany and Verona working in records preservation.  We enjoyed serving with them and getting to know them in Italy.

Anziano and Sorella Gipson with Presidente and Sorella Dibb

Thank you for your support and prayers.  We feel blessed to be able to receive and return such outstanding young men and women and senior men and women who give months and years to serve the Lord and teach of Christ full-time.

Springing Forward with Elder D. Todd Christofferson and Elder Timothy J. Dyches

Spring in the Italy Milan Mission brought sunshine in the form of a missionary meeting with Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his wife, Sister Christofferson.  Elder Timothy J. Dyches of the Europe Area Presidency and member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Sister Dyches were also in attendance. Over one hundred missionaries were able to come and return that day to receive inspired counsel for us in the Italy Milan Mission. The meeting was held March 21, 2016, in the Cimiano Chapel.

Elder Christofferson and Elder Dyches and their wives also held a Member Devotional the evening before in the Lampugnano Chapel.  The following Sunday, Elder and Sister Christofferson and Elder and Sister DeFeo (then an Area Seventy, but sustained as a General Authority Seventy at the April 2016 general conference of the Church) attended a special Stake Conference in the Firenze Stake.

Piano prelude and scripture study in preparation for the meeting

 Before the meeting began, each missionary in attendance was able to greet the General Authorities and their wives. 

Following the greeting and introductions by President Dibb, Sister Dibb spoke.  We were then blessed to hear from Sister Dyches who taught us from Doctrine and Covenants, Section 88, Verses 1 and 2, inviting us to have revelatory experiences and to share them. Elder Timothy J. Dyches spoke regarding the hymn, "Hark All Ye Nations" and how the atonement of Jesus Christ is what we teach every day.  He also challenged the missionaries to memorize the last two paragraphs of the Introduction to the Book of Mormon.

Sister Christofferson shared an account from II Kings 4:1-7 and asked, "What are we doing to tap into the blessings the Lord has prepared for us?"

Elder D. Todd Christofferson brought even more light into our souls when he helped us to know that we are unique because of our "majestic commission" to testify of Christ.  Love of our Heavenly Father and His Son is our motivation as explained in Moroni 7:48. Elder Christofferson then opened up his teachings to questions from the missionaries and ended with a special and sacred Apostolic Blessing for all of the Italy Milan Missionaries.

Sister Dibb at the podium

Elder Dyches sharing with us

Singing of the Mission Hymn as the intermediate hymn

President Dibb conducted the meeting

Sister Christofferson bearing testimony

Elder Christofferson sharing his love

Group photo after the meeting Elder Dyches (front row, red tie), Sister Dyches, Sister Christofferson, Elder Christofferson

Missionaries from all parts of the mission have been blessed by this visit.  We can see a new "spring" in our step and more understanding of our missionary purpose as we missionaries accept the guidance of the Holy Ghost from these teachings and the Apostolic Blessing we were given.  

We thank our Heavenly Father for the joy and blessing of having these special witnesses with us, and recognize particularly at this season of renewal, that we can continue to have joy and be blessed by accepting and acting upon the Atonement of Jesus Christ during our mission and throughout our lives.