"Andiamo al mare. Ci sentiamo alla fine d'agosto."
"We're going to the sea. We'll talk at the end of August..."
That seems to be the catchy phrase the kids are saying nowadays. I don't like it. I will teach you about eternal happiness NOW thank you very much.
Other than that, the work is great. Lately in the mission we've been trying to put a much bigger focus on the family. We've each taken a "My Family" booklet (https://familysearch.org/campaign/myfamily) and decorated the front with pictures of our own families. Yesterday we took it out and tried to stop people with it. It was neat. It gave a much more personal approach than "Have you ever seen this book?" and it gave people an immediate thing to talk about that means something to them. I like it. I still haven't finished the inside though. It's basically a four generation pedigree chart in book form. There's a page for each ancestor where you can put a picture and write some stories/memories of that person. It was originally designed to help new converts prepare to go to the temple, but it's become also a great missionary tool.
In district meeting on Monday we also talked about similar methods of finding people. We talked about using the "four points" to explain clearly and simply the message of the Restoration. These four points serve as a good to us missionaries in giving a brief overview of our message and how it can be a blessing in the lives of those we teach. Really they're a great summary to what we as members of the Church believe.
God is our literal Father in Heaven. He loves us. Every person on earth is a child of God and a member of God’s family. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is our Savior and Redeemer.
Our loving Father in Heaven reached out to His children throughout biblical history by revealing His gospel to prophets. Sadly, many people rejected that gospel; even some of those who accepted it changed gospel doctrines and ordinances and fell into unbelief and apostasy.
Our Father in Heaven sent His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to earth. He performed miracles and taught His gospel. He accomplished the Atonement and was resurrected.
Beginning with the First Vision, God has again reached out in love to His children. He restored the gospel of Jesus Christ and His priesthood authority and organized His Church on the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith. The Book of Mormon is convincing evidence of this Restoration
Good stuff. I love being a missionary. Overall, the goal of Anz. Atwood and I is to find people to teach. In this summer period we have to take a bit of a different approach. A lot of people want to just take a break from the things that worry them and the world around them in general. What we're trying to help them understand is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ IS this relief from the troubles of the world. The thing about the common view of religion however seems to be that the true faithful should have no problems or concerns. That's false doctrine. We read in Matthew 5:45 that God "maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Faith does not decrease our problems. In some cases it might even temporarily increase them! The true doctrine however is that having faith in Jesus Christ gives us the strength to overcome the difficulties in our life and/or endure these difficulties having a more eternal perspective of what our mortal existence means. We are here for a purpose. As the famous verse in the Book of Mormon reads "Men are that they might have joy!" (2 Nephi 2:25). Faith in Jesus Christ gives us that joy, even if the trials of life seem unending. All things are in the hands of He who created all things!
All my love I send to you and yours! Love, Anziano Simcox.
Picture: Anz. Atwood and I (In hiking clothes of all things, that's a rare sight) at the peak of "Parco Campo dei Fiori." In the background is the Swiss border and the Pre-Alps. I promise I'm not that short. He's standing on a rock or something...
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