Zone Conferences! February 2019

Here we are!

Zone Conferences are always wonderful

and these have been especially so.

Theme - Begin With the End in Mind

In President Allen's Welcome he offered the 

traditional 3 new missionary-building ideas to incorporate 

for this transfer.

1- Every day write down one to two talents or 

virtues you are grateful for.

2- As you put on your missionary tag

read it and remember why you are here

and who you are serving.

3- Eliminate the "I" from a companionship

and be aware of using "We" to build

greater comp unity.

He also spoke on faith.

Faith is the intelligent power by which all things are done.

Hebrews 11:1

The Zone leadership has taken extra care to teach 

and offer experience through role plays.

We practiced asking people we meet for the opportunity to teach.

Assistants trained on the importance of keep a functional

and clean area book to keep our efforts effective.

Sorella Allen taught the importance of making a plan.

Using an activity, and then the mural from the 

Rome Visitors Center,

we learn that great missionary work doesn't just happen.

A plan is necessary.

Closing remarks by President encourages all to

take something away from the meeting and make

proper changes to advance the work.

We exercise faith.

Settings goals is exercising that faith

which is manifested by our making plans

to accomplish our goals in our day.

Here is a sample agenda from the Firenze Zone:

Bologna Zone

 Sorelle - Trevor, Newman, Stepherson, Morris, Roderer, Slla Allen, Sharp, Walker, 

Henderson (STL) Simpson (STL) Auger, 

Anziani - Thomas, Rossi, Fry, Hibbard, Hulbert, Abplanalp (ZL) Dalton, Quasi, President Allen, Humble, Escalante, Davey, Brown, Wilks (ZL) Hagen, Paskett, Hepner

Florence Zone

 Sorelle - Henderson (STL) Simpson (STL) Hollander, Slla Allen, Southard, Person, Drent

Anziani - Moss (ZL) Mosteller, Matt, Hakanson, Cako (ZL) Pres. Allen, Parke, Heidemann, 

Brady, Brase, Eden

 Venezia Zone

President Allen

 Sorelle - Ringo, Parker (STL) Merl (STL) Boome, Slla Allen, Ala-Jaaski, Spencer, Anderson, Stanton, Thorstrom

Anziani - Buckner, Darrington, Thorstrom, Tagg, Harris, Landon, Melchin, Wright (ZL) Gomez, Harris, Russbuelt (ZL) Ariante, Larsen

Verona Zone

Sorelle - Nelson. Dent, Williams (STL) Button (STL) Slla Allen, Flores, Santoro, Wengert, Neilson

Anziani - Halterman, Taylor, Downs, Shill, van der Put, Pres. Allen, Rios (ZL) Favro (ZL) 

Haws, Bass, Neilson

Milano Est Zone

Sorelle - Graver (STL)  Frandsen (STL) Carlson, Anderson, DeAngelis, Bodily, Fish, Slla Allen, Dominguez, Peterson, Maddison, Panah, Ashcraft, Torgeson, Mason

Anziani - Lombardi, Judkins, Gillett, Ross, Higham, Ochs, Pres. Allen, Bona (ZL) Ruger (ZL) Casper, Rios, Reynolds, Bawden, Elwood

Milano Ovest Zone

Sorelle- Roper, Messina, Dean, Delle Foglie, Cheney, Slla. Allen, Tafur, Devonas, Frandsen,
Graver, Russo
Anziani- Roper, Halterman, Albright, Robison, Scow, Tenney, Pres. Allen, Llerena, Ewell, O'Riordan, Nordgran, Kjar, Russo

Genova Zone

 Sorelle - Miller, Wright, Reeder (STL) Snow (STL) Slla. Allen, Haisman, Grey, Norton,
Smith, Michelini
Anziani - Eusebi, Cahoon, Ruiz, Work, Cole, Harrison, Bailey, Cedeno, Pres. Allen, Conrad, Eliott, Davidson, Guglielmo, Argon, Michelini, Welch (ZL) Wickizer, McInstry (ZL)

The following are some of the visuals from this Zone Conference.
We are grateful the long-awaited Rome temple will soon be dedicated.
This means a great deal to the people here...
but also to the world at large.

Temples are indeed dotting the land.

Symbolisms in the Rome Visitor's Center mural

by Joseph Brickey

Thank you to Natalie Hurst, 

a former Milano Missionary,

 for posting her insightful thoughts in Facebook

We are missionaries for
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
~ Chiesa di Gesù Cristo dei Santi degli Ultimi Giorni~

Consiglio - February 2019

We meet the first of every transfer with the current leadership 

of the Milan Mission

and discuss many important things

pertaining to this sacred work.

What a privilege to serve together!

The agenda - to be posted at the end - will not

reveal all the treasures of knowledge

or pearls of wisdom that were offered.

It was a good meeting.

Presidente Botta was not able to attend and he was missed.

We plan to focus on area book training to make them 

function more usefully.

We plan to plan.  

We also plan to put those plans in action to reach our goals.

We plan to go forth in faith and do our best.

Our mission culture is doing well.

 STL's - Williams, Button, Henderson, Simpson (Slla Allen) Parker, Merl, Snow, Reeder

ZL's - Kjar (AP) Wilks, Halterman (AP) Welch, Tenney, Cako, Rios (Pres Allen) McKinstry, Russbuelt, Wright, Moss, Favro, Bona, Abplanalp, Nordgran

Two important missionary tools...

 Preach My Gospel

and

The Scriptures.

The following pictures are of an object lesson emphasizing the importance of planning.

 We put all our energy (air) into our mission balloons...

 ...faith, prayer, study, commitment, sacrifice, desire to baptize, etc....

 With our balloons filled to the brim, we are now ready to reach our goals... 

and we have many goals...

mission, zone, district, companionship, and personal.

 We see our goals.  They are in our sights.

We take aim!

 We let go of our balloons filled with missionary energy!

 Our desires and efforts fly around the room!

Only one balloon even came close...

 ...just because there wasn't a plan.

We took time to study about setting goals

and the importance of planning in PMG.

We want our plans blessed to receive heavenly help.

Enter - the plan...

 A string, straw and tape.

President holds one end of the string with the Mission Goals

 We attach our efforts (balloon) to the straw (PMG) with tape (our "stick-to-it")

thread the line through the end of the straw...

 And let go!

 Our goals are reached!!

All we needed to prayerfully add was THE PLAN!

(and then prayerfully DO it!)

Time for Pranzo!

Special thanks to the Anziano and Sorella Russo's for fixing our delicious lunch!

The Griffiths Finish Serving Their Mission

We regretfully say good bye to another office couple.
Anziano and Sorella Griffiths.
Thank you for serving so very well.
During a time when our mission compliment
(the number of missionaries in the mission)
was reduced,
they oversaw and manned
the closing of at least 20+ apartments.
That included everything from closing utilities and contracts
to physically cleaning and clearing the location.
No small task for every one of them.
This was alongside their responsibilities managing
all the financial, legal and physical needs
of the missionaries.
The missionaries were well cared for by people who cared.

It has been a marvelous "season of service".

The office crew at the time of their leaving:
Anziane Favro, Ochs and Griffiths, Slle Griffiths and Allen, Pres Allen, Anziani Laudert and Kjar

What a great team!

Thank you from us all!

Ci Vediamo!!

Going Home...

Perspective comes from where we are standing.

One day we stand with new missionaries

who have their missions 

yet to unfold...

so much time ahead.

The next day we

are caught up in the chatter of comrades

who have served so faithfully.

Their time has come

and it always catches them off-guard.

It is the energy and smiles and hope

of the new missionaries

that carried us through the loss

of these great "war horses".

It has been such a pleasure to serve with them.

Sorelle - Larsen, Ewing, Mitchell (Slla Allen) Nelson, Pacheco

Anziani - Burkert, Christensen, Van Natta (Pres Allen) Christensen, Castillejos, McCuen

I can whole-heartedly say...

they have "become".

Ci vediamo!