Rome Temple Dedication

https://youtu.be/vqEwZunGXuk?t=64

That link hopefully directs to a point in a Church video of the Youth Devotional in which Justin, Julia, and Elisabeth show up. We copy a run-down of the weekend's events from Justin's personal journal entry:

"The long-awaited weekend has arrived. All fifteen ordained apostles are gathered in Italy—the first time in the history of the Church that has happened outside the United States—for the dedication of the Rome Temple.

Yesterday I drove down to Rome with Julia and Elisabeth for a youth fireside. (We also gave a ride to a couple from a neighboring branch.) Julia and Elisabeth got to be in the chapel of the new stake center adjacent to the temple. I watched the fireside in the visitor center.

President Nelson presided at the fireside and was accompanied by his wife, Wendy. Several members of the Quorum of the Twelve were also present—President Ballard and Elders Holland, Rasband, Renlund, and Soares.

The first speakers were Elder and Sister Massimo De Feo. In 2005, then-Elder Nelson called and set apart Brother De Feo as the first president of the Rome Stake. (In that capacity, he called our dear friend, Gabriele De Matteis, to be the bishop of the Rome First Ward.) In 2016, he became the first Italian general authority. Both of the De Feos gave powerful messages. Elder De Feo told the youth that they could access a special power by asserting their identity as children of God, and that if they added to that power the power that comes from serving in the temple, they will be unstoppable. (I’m paraphrasing.)

They then showed a video presentation, highlighting how the youth of the temple district have prepared for the dedication by doing family history research. The video showed pictures of the youth—including Julia and Elisabeth—researching on their computers. In the background, they played the music of David Archuleta’s “Glorious.” At the end of the video, two of the youth told President Nelson they wanted to show him the fruits of their labors. At that point, all the youth raised white temple name cards and waved them from side to side. It looked, quite appropriately, like a congregation conducting the Hosanna shout.

President Ballard then spoke to the youth, giving some practical advice about basic devotional practices that will help keep them faithful throughout their lives. His talk was translated into Italian by President Ballard’s missionary grandson. President Ballard’s message was surrounded by two musical numbers by a younger man named Nathan Pacheco—obviously an American, but who spoke good Italian. The first number was in Italian, called “Fantasia,” and the second, “Forever,” was in English. The second was about the resurrection and was quite moving. He had the youth sing an Italian chorus in which they repeated again and again the phrase “Cantiamo Alleluia!” followed by “L’Agnello vincerà!” (“We sing Hallelujuh! The Lamb shall triumph!)

Sister Wendy Nelson next bore a powerful testimony of her husband’s prophetic call and mantle. She spoke very intimately and bore a firsthand witness of the patterns of revelation that have intensified in his life since he became President of the Church fourteen months ago.

President Nelson gave the youth ten points of advice—five things he wanted them to know and five things he wanted them to do. I don’t remember them all offhand (Julia wrote them down), but I do remember that he wanted them to know that they are children of God, that truth doesn’t depend on what is politically popular, that their bodies are temples, and that they should learn and live the doctrines of “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” and strive to understand what it means to be children of the covenant and heirs of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He urged them to prepare constantly for marriage, to feast upon the words of Christ, to honor their parents (and grandparents and ancestors), and to pursue education ceaselessly. It was a wonderful message. He is a wonderful man.

I must add that the great highlight of the night for me, besides hearing from the Lord’s prophet, was running into my beloved former mission companion, Christian Castaldo. Anziano Castaldo and I served together for the final six weeks of his mission in Torre Pellice, the sacred place where Lorenzo Snow dedicated Italy for the preaching of the gospel in the early 1850s and Ezra Taft Benson rededicated it in 1966. We had joyous, powerful experiences together, and I loved him dearly. But I hadn’t seen him since he went home in November 2002. I can’t say how sweet it was to embrace him in the shadow of an Italian temple.

Christian is now serving as a bishop in his native Taranto. He works in a steel factory—hard and heavy labor that he performs in order to provide for his family (his bride and their three-year-old boy) without having to leave Southern Italy. He is deeply committed to building the Kingdom in his homeland. I was so touched by his humility and nobility. I tried to tell him how proud I was of him, but I couldn’t say all I felt.

We got home late. For the return trip we picked up our passenger couple’s daughter, Francesca (16), as well as a sister from Prato. I was grateful that we could give them rides. I feel so blessed that the Lord helped us find this van that it is a pleasure to use it to serve His saints. Julia and Elisabeth sat in the backseat with Francesca and chattered away in Italian the whole ride home. Their Italian was far from perfect, but they tried harder than they ever have before. Julia said later that they were emboldened by Francesca’s kindness and encouragement. I sat in the front seat with Giovanni, Francesca’s father, who turns out not (yet) to be a member of the Church. He’s been going to church with his wife and daughter for years but remains, as he put it, asciutto (dry). I told him that if he gets baptized in the next four months to let me know and I’ll come see it happen.

Today was the big day. We could watch sessions in our Florence chapel at 9 a.m., noon, and 3 p.m. I took the three big girls to the 9 a.m. session, and Lia took Julia (who couldn’t get enough) to the 3 p.m. session.

What an outpouring! Anziano De Feo conducted the session I attended. A small choir of members from the temple district—five men and five women—sang several numbers in the celestial room as part of the session. One of the men was Christian Castaldo. Christian rolled in and out of the hall a dear brother who though confined to a wheelchair nonetheless sang with vigor and zest. The man in the wheelchair called to mind another precious friend of mine who would have loved to have been there singing. As I watched Christian care for this brother, and as I watched him sing “Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee” and “This is the Christ,” I seemed to see standing behind him generations of ancestors—centuries’ worth of Southern Italian laborers who struggled and suffered in poverty and want. Somehow it seems that this Temple will redeem their trials and compensate for all their toil.

Christian will be a great leader in Italy for decades to come. I was thrilled to hear him sing at the dedication.

President Ballard spoke again in this session, bearing a powerful testimony of Christ as the rock of our salvation and the chief cornerstone of our faith. We also heard messages from Craig and Julie Anne Paccini, the new temple president and matron. The Paccinis are from Utah, I believe, and presided over the Rome Mission many years ago. The Italian saints talked of them with great veneration during my mission.

President Nelson devoted his remarks to the history of the Church in Italy—from Lorenzo Snow’s early efforts, to Vincenzo di Francesca’s decades-long search for the identity of the discarded book of scripture he had found without a cover, to Elder Benson’s return in 1966. But he also spoke personally of his own thirty-four-year ministry in Italy. He spoke of the leaders he had known and love and called to serve. Many were names I recognized. A large lump filled my throat as I thought of how valiantly these men and women have served for so many years to build the Kingdom in Italy.

Then came the powerful, beautiful dedicatory prayer. I hope you get to read the words. I believe the Rome Temple will be the beginning of better days for all of Italy.

Bishop Gerald Caussé next led us in the Hosanna Shout. Lia purchased five heirloom, hand-stitched white handkerchiefs at Eredi Chiarini in Florence’s fashion district for the occasion. How I loved crying, “Osanna! Osanna! Osanna! A Dio e all’Agnello!” I have never participated in the Hosanna Shout with such joyous enthusiasm. My spirit overflowed with happiness and joy. The choir then sang Evan Stephens’s great “Hosanna Anthem” (“The House of the Lord is completed! Thanks be to God!”). What a thrill it was to join in, on a signal from the conductor, to sing, “The Spirit of God like a Fire is Burning.” I really let loose, inhibited only by my own tears. I couldn’t quite make it through “Osanna! Osanna! Al Padre e all’Agnel!” without cracking a bit. Thankfully, we were singing and shouting with the armies of heaven, and so had formidable backup.

Some moments in life are just perfect, and this was one of them. I don’t have the right words to say what it all meant for me, but I left with a deep desire to give my life to the Lord—to serve Him all my days in whatever capacity He directs until the last breath of my life. One of the strongest impressions from the dedicatory prayer was the simple, overwhelming reality of the Beings we worship—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Thanks be to Them for the mighty work of the Restoration, for the blessing of living prophets and apostles, and for the surpassing gift of a dedicated temple in this sacred, lovely land."

Julia indeed wrote down the ten things from President Nelson and sent them to her friends. We quote them here: 

"Carissimi amici,

This weekend has been a historic moment in the church in Italy and I have been able to be a part of it.  ( I wrote this three weeks ago; the weekend was the 9-10th) Yesterday I attended a special devotional for the youth in the stake centre on the grounds of the Rome Temple. We listened to messages of church leaders and were able to see many of the Apostles of the Lord. I would like to share some of their messages with you. 

President Ballard: President Ballard's message was about the simplicity of the gospel. He listed many small and simple actions that we can and should be taking. I shall include them for those of you who would like to know everything instead of just the basic summary. 

• think deeply and often about the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement
• read the scriptures
• make sure you don't get so busy that you can't read the scriptures
• Pray every morning and night
• make sure you do these things
• attend your meetings and keep the Sabbath day holy, especially when the sacrament is being passed
• Never give up your beliefs or love for Christ
• Stay mentally and spiritually clean
• Be careful what you watch and listen to
• Get the best education you can and study
• Do the best you can
• Be careful how you spend your time
• Limit your time spent on electronic devices and video games
• If there's anything in your life that you're doing that you know you shouldn't be doing, stop it. It's called repentance

But I think the most important messages he shared were these: Fix anything broken in your life. Start tonight. Fix it in your prayers with Heavenly Father. God loves us. His love is real. Jesus is the Christ. This is His church, His power, His ordinances, His covenants, His prophet, and His work. 

Sister Nelson: Sister Nelson's talk was very powerful. She bore witness that the Lord has prepared President Nelson to be the prophet and that he is the prophet on the earth today. She told us that she was deeply saddened by the news that President Monson had passed away and very concerned about President Nelson becoming the prophet. Two days later, she had a sacred and memorable experience where the Lord confirmed to her that President Nelson is the new prophet. This experience was so powerful that every detail of it is now seared into her mind. Two days after that, she had the exact same experience again. She now knows of a surety and can testify to anybody anywhere that President Nelson is the prophet. 

                         She also explained that during their thirteen years of marriage, she had become accustomed to President Nelson awakening in the middle of the night and recording ideas and promptings for general conference talks on a notepad on a bedside nightstand. However, since becoming the prophet, the number of times he receives revelation during the night has increased exponentially. Sometimes he will slip into their closet without waking her and write down 1/2 to 2 1/2 pages of spiritual dictation. Early one morning, long before she was ready to wake up, she felt a strong impression to get out of bed. She left the room and worked on some projects, including Family History. Two hours later, President Nelson came down. He had begun receiving specific instructions of personal revelation as soon as she had left the room. She testified that she knows he is the prophet. 

Last of all, President Nelson. His message was divided into two groups of five things: five things to know and five things to do. Note that all of these are from my notes and some things are paraphrased. Most of them are direct quotes, though. 

• Know the truth you stand for even if it is not popular. The world is growing more secular and less spiritual. Your growth should be more spiritual and less secular. Stand for principle and not popularity.
• Know and see yourself as the Creator sees you. You have an eternal spirit that has been preserved for this time & place. Remember that you are living for eternity and not just for this life. 
• Know that you will be accountable for your deeds & desires. 
• Know your identity. This includes your spiritual identity as a child of God, your scriptural identity as a child born under the Abrahamic Covenant, and your family identity. Memorize your family tree, and when you can't recite any further, get on Family Search and start working. 
• Know your purpose. You were sent here for a reason. Educate your minds. Never stop learning. Use your education to bless the lives of others. 

Now 5 things to do: 

• Prepare for marriage continually. Prepare to be a parent. Don't ever stop preparing. Family is the center of the plan of salvation. You want to be ready to have children. Obtain education and experience. Understand and apply the teachings of the gospel. Remember that your personal purity will be a priceless gift to your children. 
• Prepare and pursue your education. Your education is a religious responsibility. "Education is the difference between wishing you could help people and being able to help them." 
• Feast on the words of the Lord. Read them daily and you will have spiritual life insurance. Pray about them. You can pray in any circumstance. Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings. 
• Pay your tithing. It teaches you to be honest. Make sure your intended companion pays his/her tithing. He/she will be a better person 50 years from now if he/she pays his/her tithing. Tithe-payers will be blessed. (President Nelson didn't say this, but tithing is spiritual fire insurance, because then you won't be burned at the last day. Fits with the insurance theme. )
• Honor your parents. Learn from your parents and grandparents. Ask them important questions about their lives. President Nelson shared that his grandmother came across the plains, and he only ever asked her questions like "Where's the cookie jar?" Ask them real questions.  As you treat your parents, so you will be treated by your children. 

This is the true gospel, my friends. There is no other name nor way given under heaven whereby man can obtain salvation than that of the Savior Jesus Christ. May you all ever remain faithful in this work and this church. 

Dominus vobiscum. 

Julia Collings