LDS in Italy

Post 5

The above picture is part of our study group at Padova. These are several couples who informally meet together in my basement almost every Sunday to study the scriptures. I believe that they come more for my wife, Fernanda’s home made cookies than for my teachings. Last year we studied the signs of the times and this year we are delving into the geography of the Book of Mormon. I am the designated teacher not because I am any good at teaching but because I have access to the books in English that will never be translated into Italian.

For those who are keeping up I have moved from being a suppressed branch president to a member of the newly organized high council of the Venice Stake. I will be visiting the US servicemen ward in Aviano, which happens to be the biggest ward in the stake with over 100 active members. I will thus have new sources of stories for this blog. I say newly organized because even if the new stake is the Verona stake, almost all the old stake leaders remained in that stake and the Venice stake is being newly organized from scratch, starting with the stake presidency to the high council and to all the stake organizations.

The problem will be where do we find thirty plus worthy priesthood leaders in the stake that are not already being overused in the wards and branches? If we could use sisters to fill the priesthood callings we would be in good shape as we have an abundance of worthy and capable sisters.

My question is then: why do women seem to have a lot more faith than men? In my ex branch of Ferrara we had five priesthood holders and 20 active sisters. Maybe the proportion is not that high in other branches or wards but a 2 or 3 to 1 ratio is not exaggerated. Not only but many of the worthy priesthood holders are stimulated, motivated or just dragged to their duties by their more worthy wives. So men what can you say in your defense?

Is this the same in other parts of the world or do I have to take a closer look at Italian men?

Next time we will talk of the fullness of the times of the gentiles.