'A day of thanksgiving' for Italian Latter-day Saints
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ROME, ITALY
Rome is synonymous with high fashion, superb cuisine, remarkable architecture and, yes, Roman holidays.
Latter-day Saint Italians have added Oct. 23 to the local holiday list. That was the date when President Thomas S. Monson gripped a shovel and turned a scoop of rich Roman soil, commemorating the symbolic beginning of construction on the Rome Italy Temple.
"This is a holiday for us — a day of thanksgiving," said Rome Italy Stake President Massimo De Feo.
A day after the ceremonial groundbreaking at the temple site, President De Feo presided at a fireside in the Rome Italy Stake Center. There he shared temple construction plans with hundreds of Roman members and testified of the miracles that will, in the coming years, make Italy's first temple a reality.
Members at the fireside also watched a recording of the groundbreaking ceremony from a day earlier. Similar viewings were held at other sites in congregations across Italy.
After the Church announced plans in 2008 to build a temple in Rome, local priesthood leaders here thought the municipal building approval process could take as long as seven years.
Instead, "it happened in a year's time," said President De Feo. "We have seen many miracles."
Folks of all ages and backgrounds gathered for the Rome fireside. They were shown a video of President Monson making the temple announcement during a session of general conference in 2008.
Then President De Feo displayed several renderings of what the future temple and neighboring Church buildings will look like when the project is complete. The temple will be a towering white building, standing about 10 stories high with spires on opposite ends. High vertical glass windows will be included on each side. A golden statue of the Angel Moroni will stand atop one spire.
Many in the congregation wiped tears from their eyes as they viewed renderings of the future temple, perhaps for the first time.
"Do you like the Rome temple?" asked President De Feo, smiling. "I think it's the most beautiful temple in the world."
The temple will not stand alone on its locale in a northeast section of Rome. The Church will also build a new Rome Italy Stake Center, a visitors center and a patron housing building.
The temple building project offers Roman members — and their counterparts in other areas of Italy — an opportunity to build and fortify their lives, and the lives of others.
"Christ is the rock of this Church," said President De Feo. "We want to look for those who have strayed from the Church, those who are less active."
President De Feo warned that the adversary is aware of what is happening in Rome. He sees the people in Rome building foundations of faith. Satan, he said, will try to undermine that faith and separate families here. The adversary wants the people to have fear and doubt.
"But we will win," President De Feo said.
The seemingly small things that members do today will determine the future success of the Church in Rome.
"Remain worthy to enter the house of the Lord," counseled President De Feo. "Remain worthy."
