Ragusa | week 6

4.13.2015

This week I completed step number 2 of my death packet which included writing a legacy letter. This letter is for all the new missionaries to read on their first day of the mission from the departing missionaries. Keep in mind this is coming from a mormon missionary to future mormon missionaries and includes the beliefs and ideas of Regan Smith and not the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I assume full responsibility for what is written. 

"On my mission I have come to know many of the mysteries of God. However, these mysteries are only the simple truths are taught in primary. The greatest of these mysteries is that obedience to the gospel is the law upon which happiness is predicated. 

Growing up, my dad and I loved a burger place called Ted's Montana Grill. Sometimes my dad would try to be healthy and order a Wedge Salad instead of a Bison Burger. In reality, the Wedge Salad had about 60g of fat because of the blue cheese dressing and bacon, while the bison burger only had about 40g of fat. 

In 325A.D. the adversary introduced the Wedge Salad to this country at the "Creed of Athanasius" and the world has believed it is the healthiest thing on the menu ever since. However, it cannot bring them the satisfaction or fulfillment for which they are searching because it is not in harmony with true doctrine. So...they have quit. They tried a diet with no success, so they went back to eating burgers. This is why Italy is one of the most secular countries on the face of the earth. It is full of all manner of iniquities (mafia, prostitution...bari spiders) which you will soon witness for yourself. 

However, Italians are truly incredible people. They are searching for something they don't even know is on the menu. When you tell them about it, they won't even believe you. It will be a complete mystery to them. It is a mystery you will never be able to convince them of on your own. The wedge salad tastes good, they like it (if they still eat it), and it is the tradition of their fathers. It is the chain that Satan veiled the whole earth with as he laughed and his angels rejoiced (Moses 7:26). 

The ONLY WAY for you to break this chain is to become an instrument in the hands of God as Ammon when he went to the Lamanites with his brothers (Alma 26: 14-15). He was able to become an instrument because he learned for himself the mystery of obedience. It is a pre-requisite for you to learn the mystery of obedience before you can help anyone come to know the mystery/truthfulness of the restored gospel. 

If you counsel with the Lord and pray for charity with all the energy of your heart, it will be a joy instead of a burden. I promise. 

There are more people pulling for you than you know - ex-missionaries, your family and friends, your mission president, the Italian members, the prophet, angels, your Savior, and your Heavenly Father. 

As you witness the joy that comes to the Italian people by obedience to true principles, you will see chains break as they come to "know the the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.", and your witness of the this gospel and this work will be undeniable."

As far as this week goes, we were truly blessed. We have an English course student named Marco, who has been a very close friend of the missionaries for several months now. He is working here in Ragusa, but his wife and kids have been living in Malta for some time for work and school. I actually met Marco in Malta at English Course about 4 months ago when he came to visit his family. Anyways, we were able to meet him on Thursday for a lesson for the first time since I have been in Ragusa. I knew beforehand that he was a really special man because of his humility and sincerity, but that was confirmed to me as we taught him. He truly wants to come closer to God and is willing to act on that desire. He came to church on Sunday, and everyone in the ward absolutely loves him. They already know him, his wife, and his kids because they use to come all together before they moved. Sunday night around 730 we were walking by the church and we saw Marco sitting outside in his car reading the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. He told us he had some free time and felt that he should come to the church to read some. We went in together and read 2 Nephi 31 and Alma 32 back to back. It made my whole day. We asked him to say the closing prayer, but we forgot to go through the steps of our how pray first (address Heavenly Father, express gratitude for blessings/love for him, ask for blessings, and close in the name of Jesus Christ). The end of his prayer was one of the most epic things I have ever heard. Instead of saying "in the name of Jesus Christ, amen" he said "ti abbraccio, amen" which translates to "I hug you, amen." He is pure gold. 

Anziano Smith