MISSIONARY WORK REPORT FROM SWITZERLAND

"Let us go
into the
house of the
LORD"
(Psalms 122: 1)

Feast in the Swiss Field

"I was glad when they said unto me, 'Let us go into the house of the LORD'" (Psalms 122: 1). It is a great joy that the Swiss Field has inaugurated its new missionary house in Taverne (7 kilometers from Lugano). It is a two-story house with a surrounding garden, offering diverse possibilities, and use, for the community.

The feast took place from October 15-17 of 2004. The Sabbath was a special day that was dedicated to fraternal communion with the brethren from Northern Italy, Germany, and inner Switzerland. More than 80 people were present, filling the hall and every córner of the church.

Bro. Gustavo Castellanos, the President of the Germán Unión, dedicated the house to the Lord, reminding us of the importance that each one of us has before the eyes of God, and that a temple, no matter how wonderful, has no valué without the continuing presence of our loving Saviour.

The midday was crowned with various experiences related to social, missionary work on a global level. Bro. Stefano La Corte, the Treasurer of The Good Samaritan, was present. We could feel how God guided the acquisition, and the reconstruction work, of this missionary

house with His hand. Another instant of happiness occurred when the Waldis's were accepted in our community. We are sure the Lord has an established plan for them and they will be an instrument of salvation in His hands. The next day, we did wonderful missionary experiences when we extended an invitation to anyone who wanted to collaborate in the restructuring of the house, so we could spend some moments with them and offer them refreshments; in this manner, 25 people (who were not from the church) accepted the invitation. They got to know the purpose of the missionary house, they got to know some of our Biblical principles, and they got information about our social work in the world. The day concluded splendidly, with hymns solicited by the invitees. This is the only house owned by the Swiss Field, for the Ginebra group meets in a rented place, the Basilea group meet in a private apartment, and we count with some isolated members in Munich and in San Gallo.

The situation is not always easy; the 31 members, whom we count on, must face different languages (French, Italian, and German), and some are far from each other. There is also a huge obstacle for the two Bible workers (Matthieu Dutuor and David Jornod), who work full-time for the church; they need the proper material in different languages, but this is not easy when there is a desire to work on various fronts.

With the help of the Lord, each of us is doing our part to distribute brochures and flyers, and maintaining contact with neighbors, family, and friends. The distributed seed has brought forth small fruit, and, even though it is small, we are sure that nothing is ever planted in vainbecause it is the work of the Lord and not our work.

A very positive, and personal, experience was conducted with high school students. I was offered the possibility to speak in a classroom of a high school where 2 brethren and 25 students, 17-19 years of age, were present. For two hours, I was able to talk about various subjects chosen by the students themselves, like their beliefs, the history of the Adventists, the papacy, and spiritism. They also asked me about our social work and about sexual relations during our conversation. After the two hours, I offered them the possibility to obtain some of our books, which dealt with the spoken topics, and I was very happy to see that the publications were a huge success; after many days, the students still solicited otherbooks through our brethren.

Naturally, I cannot express in words my initial worries when I started this activity. I had to confront young people between the ages of 17-19, and I was thinking how they were going to react, what they were going to ask me, and with how the professors were going to be observing me.

I could prove the great peace that God gave me as soon as I opened my mouth. In the time that the students were asking me many questions, where you do not even have five seconds to think, I could tell how Jesus was by my side and he transmitted the words I pronounced. Thanks be to God, for I can say that I

had the same experience as Jeremiah. "Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, 'Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth'" (Jeremiah 1:9). Every one of us can do this experience when we let ourselves to be guided by the Saviour. Let us do our part. Let's become the instruments of salvation, without worrying of the words that we should say to the people with whom we relate with. God himself will give us the opportune words.

I send all of you the warm greetings from the Swiss Field.

Jornod David

Bible Worker in the Swiss Field

HISTORICAL PANORAMA

"A few weeks after the birth of Luther in a miner's cabin in Saxony, Ulric Zwingli was born in a herdsman's cottage among the Alps. Zwingli's surroundings in childhood, and his early training, were such as to prepare him for his future mission. Reared amid scenes of natural grandeur, beauty, and awful sublimity, his mind was early impressed with a sense of the greatness, the power, and the majesty ofGod.

"Zwingli's labors at Einsiedeln had prepared him for a wider field, and this he was soon to enter. After three years here

he was called to the office of preacher in the cathedral at Zurich. This was then the most important town of the Swiss confederacy, and the influence exerted here would be widely felt. The ecclesiastics by whose invitation he came to Zurich were, however, desirous of preventing any innovations, and they accordingly proceeded to instruct him as to his duties." -The Great Controversy, p. 179.

"The light shone also in France and Switzerland. At Geneva, where Farel and Calvin had spread the truths of the Reformation, Gaussen preached the message of the second advent. While a student at school, Gaussen had encountered that spirit of rationalism which pervaded all Europe during the latter part of the eighteenth and the opening of the nineteenth century; and when he entered the ministry he was not only ignorant of true faith, but inclined to skepticism. In his youth he had become interested in the study of prophecy. After reading 'Rollin's Ancient History,' his attention was called to the second chapter of Daniel, and he was struck with the wonderful exactness with which the prophecy had been fulfilled, as seen in the historian's record. Here was a testimony to the inspiration of the Scriptures, which served as an anchor to him amid the perils of later years. He could not rest satisfied with the teachings of rationalism, and in studying the Bible and searching for clearer light he was, after a time, led to a positive faith." -The Great Controversy, p. 364.

"The second session of the European Missionary Council was held in Basel, Switzerland, May 28 to June 1, 1884,

Eider George I. Butler, from América, presiding. At this meeting, resolutions were adopted, requesting the General Conference to ask Mrs. E. G. White and her son, W. C. White, to visit the European missions. At the General Conference held in Battle Creek, Mich., the following November, the request was acted upon, and they were recommended to go. "Leaving London September 2, the party arrivedinBasel, Switzerland, the following morning. Here the annual meeting of the Swiss Conference and the third session of the European Missionary Council were soon to be held." -Life Sketches of Ellen G. White, pp. 281.

"Sabbath and Sunday were precious seasons for those assembled. The Lord especially blessed in speaking Sunday afternoon. All listened with the deepest interest, and at the cióse of the discourse an invitation was given for all who desired to be Christians, and all who felt that they had not a living connection with God, to come forward, and we would imite our prayers with theirs for the pardon of sin, and for grace to resist temptation. This was a new experience for many of our brethren in Europe, but they did not

hesitate. It seemed that the entire congregation were on their feet, and the best they could do was to be seated, and all seek the Lord together. Here was an entire congregation manifesting their determination to put sin away, and to engage most earnestly in the work of seeking God.... "After prayer, one hundred fifteen testimonies were borne. Many of these showed a real, genuine experience in the things of God.-RH, Nov. 3, 1885" -Daughters ofGod, pp. 242, 243

Produced and Published by
The International Missionary Society
of the Seventh Day Adventists Church
Reform Movement
General Conference