Temple moments: Language of angels
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In December 2001, Daniela Battezzato and a group of ward members, all of whom spoke Italian fluently, arrived at the Boston Massachusetts Temple for the baptismal session she had scheduled. With the names of many of her forebears ready for proxy baptism, she had her heart set on having a baptismal session all in Italian.
But when Sister Battezzato, Primary president of the Lowell Ward, Nashua New Hampshire Stake, inquired at the desk, she learned to her dismay that the temple had no record of her reservations. But they sent her to the baptistry to ask.
Sister Battezzato was keenly disappointed. Finding the names of her ancestors had been an inspirational experience. She'd searched without success for 16 years, finally to be blessed with an impression to call an old friend who was microfilming records for the Church in her hometown of Barri, Puglia, in Italy. He soon found marriage records that opened a new window on her past and provided essential dates on her grandfather and great-grandfather's families.
As she walked down the steps to the baptistry, she saw that the youth group there was finishing and some of the lights were turned off. They were about to close.
She explained the situation to the officiator, who listened to her story before answering her. He answered in Italian. He explained that his shift had been changed at the last minute to this night. Then she noticed his name tag, Craig A. Cardon.
She was almost speechless. "I know about you," she said. "You were the president of the Italy Rome Mission."
The baptistry lights flicked back on and the session began as planned, in Italian.
"We had a great night. I was so happy," said Sister Battezzato. "I felt like an invisible hand had threaded a series of unexpected events to make our joy more complete."
"Italian for me is the language of angels," said the former mission president, now Elder Craig A. Cardon of the Second Quorum of the Seventy. — John L. Hart
