I found a great video that helps dispel the myths of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hosted by Steve Young, former NFL quarterback, and Sharlene Wells Hawkes, a former Miss America. (After clicking on the link above, scroll down until you see "Myths and Reality" and choose between Windows Media Player and QuickTime video.)
If you want more information, videos, or answers to questions, go to www.mormon.org.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
So Who Goes to Your Church?
I get this question from time to time and have to smile. There are various reasons why people ask this. Sometimes they are asking because they have a hard time believing that Italians really join our church. Sometimes they assume that most of the members are “stranieri” (foreigners) – people not originally from Italy. Some see our church as an American church (even though a fifth of our missionaries are Italian and more members live outside the U.S. than in). The fact is, we have a wonderful mixture of Italian members and those from many other countries.
Some leaders in the church who come from Italy and other countries
Approximately two-thirds of those who are joining the church right now are Italians.
In addition to Italy, we have members from South America, Africa, the Philippines, other countries in Europe such as Romania and Ukraine. And, yes, even America is represented – mostly by those who work at the U.S. Embassy or for the military. Several months ago, the Relief Society hosted a stake dance festival where couples performed dances from their countries and there were a total of fourteen countries represented!
Members from the Philippines, Italy, Venezuela, and Finland
Members from Pescara
It might surprise some to know that many of those who attend our church are third-generation members. Oftentimes, grandparents joined long ago and have brought their children up in the gospel.
Long-time member from Napoli
Sisters - one lives in Rome and the other in Florence.
Both are strong women who have raised wonderful children in the church.
Now their grown-up grandchildren are the ones who are serving missions, marrying in the temple, and leading the church. They run the various organizations such as Relief Society, Primary, Young Men and Young Women. I am constantly impressed at the strength of their testimonies and the energies with which they willingly serve.
One of our returned missionaries and his fiance'
I remember attending a baptism in Pescara where I got to know more members of the Bosco family. One of their sons, Stefano, lives in Rome and was Scott’s Young Men leader. He always tried to teach these boys things that would help them be good men and fathers someday. He married a beautiful young woman who is originally from South America. I watched in amazement as this young woman would teach a Relief Society lesson and then run upstairs and lead the singing with the Primary children. On weekdays, she would organize activities for young girls aged 8-11 as part of the Achievement Days program. These fun and educational projects helped these young girls serve others and learn important skills. I thought of the strength of these two as they were married and knew that the church here was in good hands.
Stefano and Itala on their wedding day
Stefano and Itala today
But back to this young man’s family from Pescara . . . His grandmother joined the church decades before and raised her children in the church. This young man’s father and mother are instrumental in the missionary work in that ward, bringing their friends—and their families—into the church. They have further contributed to the missionary effort by sending four sons on missions. As these sons have returned from their missions, they have married in the temple and continue to serve in various capacities. What an amazing family the Bosco family is!
Fratello and Sorella Bosco from Pescara
The Calabrese family is another example of good and faithful latter-day saints. Brother Calabrese is the Stake Patriarch and works on a volunteer basis in the mission office helping with a myriad of tasks. Brother and Sister Calabrese lived in La Spezia years ago when President Acerson was a young missionary—unfortunately, he didn’t find them at that time. They joined the church about eight years later in 1983 in Siracusa, Italy and their conversion story is inspiring. Brother Calabrese’s mother, sister, and others joined the church shortly thereafter. The Calabreses continue to raise their children in the church.
Fratello and Sorella Calabrese
We met their youngest daughter, Norma, when we first came to Italy. She is truly one of the most beautiful and amazing young women we know. A recent university graduate, Norma knows six different languages, including Arabic, and works in an embassy for a country from the Middle East. She is very good and kind and finds various ways to serve. She recently married an Italian returned missionary in the temple. He was just called as the Elder’s quorum president. Norma teaches and plays the piano for the Primary children and in Sacrament Meeting. They both are very helpful in providing translation for the English-speaking members, helping with church activities, and organizing dinners and game nights for themselves and the other young couples in the area.
Daniele and Norma
We love these good and faithful members who attend every week, fulfill their assignments, and inspire and help others to serve.
A few new young adult members from the Napoli District
A cute couple from Sardegna
But there is another group of members I wish to tell you about: those who visit bella Italia and make it a priority to attend church meetings while they are here. I am always impressed with their faithfulness when I see them. Why? Well, first of all, because you would think that there are many more exciting things to see in Italy than the inside of a chapel! Second, they are doing it because they want to – not to keep up appearances (who’s going to know if they went to church while they are here??). Third, if they are not Italian, there is a language issue and they realize that there might not be anyone who can translate for them. They come anyway.
Why do they come? I think it’s because they want to feel the beautiful spirit that is there. They want to meet with the saints from another country who, in spite of cultural and language differences, believe in the same things that they do. They know they will get the same teachings they would get back home. They want to worship God and show respect for Him by taking time out of their busy schedule to come to His church. They want to take the emblems of the sacrament which symbolize the atonement of Jesus Christ and help us to remember His great sacrifice.
Let me tell you about some of these visitors whom we have met in our travels around the mission. One was a group of men of various ages from Peru who came to church in Pozzuoli near Napoli. There was a grandfather, his two sons, and a grandson. They were performers who were on tour throughout Italy and had to do some real searching for the church meetinghouse since it’s fairly tucked away in Pozzuoli. They even took time out of their busy schedule during the week to ride the train and find the church so they wouldn’t get lost on Sunday. That Sunday they arrived early and stayed for all three meetings. Since they spoke Spanish, and not English, none of the missionaries could translate for them. They said they understood enough with some of the similarities between Spanish and Italian. What a beautiful and faithful family!
One hot summer Sunday, we were visiting the branch in Cagliari, which is on the beautiful island of Sardegna. People come from all over Europe to vacation in Sardegna because it is surrounded by huge stretches of white-sand beaches. So it was with great surprise when I saw a group of five or six young men who were visiting that Sunday from France. As I talked to them before the meeting, I found out that some were returned missionaries, one had just received his mission call, one was just submitting his mission papers, and one had just recently joined the church. They had found out where the church was located, found the busses that they needed to take to get there, and then gave up a day at the beach to sit through meetings that were all in Italian – no one spoke French and so they, too, had to do without translation. When it was my turn to speak in church that day, I spoke about them and their dedication in attending church (luckily my Italian was slow and clear enough that they were able to understand enough). Where else would you find this love of God and commitment to something you believe in? I hope my daughters marry someone like these young men someday.
We have met those who come to visit family and friends from other parts of Italy and who make sure to attend church. Sometimes their family and friends aren’t members, but they come anyway, giving up valuable visiting time so they can show their children that attending church is important. It’s been especially fun for us because we have met those who know our daughter Kimberly as she serves in the northern part of Italy!
Family (who knows Kimberly) from northern Italy attending church in Napoli
And then there are lots and lots of visitors to our home ward in Rome. Yesterday there was a young man and a young woman who were visiting from Paris. They had each served missions (to Romania and France) and were now going to school and working in Paris. They knew each other through church and decided to go to Rome and do some sightseeing for the weekend. Knowing that they only had about a day and a half after traveling, they came to church anyway. They found out that there was a baptism after Sacrament Meeting and wanted to stay. They then asked about visiting the temple site, and because we didn’t have pressing concerns, took them there for a few minutes. When we finally left them at the bus stop, it was 3:30 p.m. and they were hoping to see a little of St. Peter’s Basilica before it closed. We figured with all the travel time and activities at church, they had taken six hours out of their schedule to do what they did. It really is amazing to me.
And this happens week after week with couples and families who are here on vacation or just stopping through on a cruise. One family who just dropped in one Sunday was Mitt Romney (yes, that Mitt Romney, former candidate for the office of President of the United States of America), his wife, Ann, and two granddaughters. They came to Sacrament Meeting and quietly sat in the back not wanting to attract attention, shook hands with several of the members afterward, then slipped away to finish their time in Rome. Just in case he runs for President again, and just in case anyone wants to know if he really is a religious, God-fearing man who feels it is important to partake of the sacrament, showing his love and respect for his Father in Heaven and his Savior, Jesus Christ – well, the answer is yes.
I’m so grateful that we are able to attend church with such good people! If you are traveling to our mission, you can find the location of church meetinghouses and meeting times here. Otherwise, go to the Meetinghouse Locator at www.mormon.org to find a meetinghouse anywhere in the world. Wherever you go, you'll be more than welcome!
Some leaders in the church who come from Italy and other countries
Approximately two-thirds of those who are joining the church right now are Italians.
In addition to Italy, we have members from South America, Africa, the Philippines, other countries in Europe such as Romania and Ukraine. And, yes, even America is represented – mostly by those who work at the U.S. Embassy or for the military. Several months ago, the Relief Society hosted a stake dance festival where couples performed dances from their countries and there were a total of fourteen countries represented!
Members from the Philippines, Italy, Venezuela, and Finland
Members from Pescara
It might surprise some to know that many of those who attend our church are third-generation members. Oftentimes, grandparents joined long ago and have brought their children up in the gospel.
Long-time member from Napoli
Sisters - one lives in Rome and the other in Florence.
Both are strong women who have raised wonderful children in the church.
Now their grown-up grandchildren are the ones who are serving missions, marrying in the temple, and leading the church. They run the various organizations such as Relief Society, Primary, Young Men and Young Women. I am constantly impressed at the strength of their testimonies and the energies with which they willingly serve.
One of our returned missionaries and his fiance'
I remember attending a baptism in Pescara where I got to know more members of the Bosco family. One of their sons, Stefano, lives in Rome and was Scott’s Young Men leader. He always tried to teach these boys things that would help them be good men and fathers someday. He married a beautiful young woman who is originally from South America. I watched in amazement as this young woman would teach a Relief Society lesson and then run upstairs and lead the singing with the Primary children. On weekdays, she would organize activities for young girls aged 8-11 as part of the Achievement Days program. These fun and educational projects helped these young girls serve others and learn important skills. I thought of the strength of these two as they were married and knew that the church here was in good hands.
Stefano and Itala on their wedding day
Stefano and Itala today
But back to this young man’s family from Pescara . . . His grandmother joined the church decades before and raised her children in the church. This young man’s father and mother are instrumental in the missionary work in that ward, bringing their friends—and their families—into the church. They have further contributed to the missionary effort by sending four sons on missions. As these sons have returned from their missions, they have married in the temple and continue to serve in various capacities. What an amazing family the Bosco family is!
Fratello and Sorella Bosco from Pescara
The Calabrese family is another example of good and faithful latter-day saints. Brother Calabrese is the Stake Patriarch and works on a volunteer basis in the mission office helping with a myriad of tasks. Brother and Sister Calabrese lived in La Spezia years ago when President Acerson was a young missionary—unfortunately, he didn’t find them at that time. They joined the church about eight years later in 1983 in Siracusa, Italy and their conversion story is inspiring. Brother Calabrese’s mother, sister, and others joined the church shortly thereafter. The Calabreses continue to raise their children in the church.
Fratello and Sorella Calabrese
We met their youngest daughter, Norma, when we first came to Italy. She is truly one of the most beautiful and amazing young women we know. A recent university graduate, Norma knows six different languages, including Arabic, and works in an embassy for a country from the Middle East. She is very good and kind and finds various ways to serve. She recently married an Italian returned missionary in the temple. He was just called as the Elder’s quorum president. Norma teaches and plays the piano for the Primary children and in Sacrament Meeting. They both are very helpful in providing translation for the English-speaking members, helping with church activities, and organizing dinners and game nights for themselves and the other young couples in the area.
Daniele and Norma
We love these good and faithful members who attend every week, fulfill their assignments, and inspire and help others to serve.
A few new young adult members from the Napoli District
A cute couple from Sardegna
But there is another group of members I wish to tell you about: those who visit bella Italia and make it a priority to attend church meetings while they are here. I am always impressed with their faithfulness when I see them. Why? Well, first of all, because you would think that there are many more exciting things to see in Italy than the inside of a chapel! Second, they are doing it because they want to – not to keep up appearances (who’s going to know if they went to church while they are here??). Third, if they are not Italian, there is a language issue and they realize that there might not be anyone who can translate for them. They come anyway.
Why do they come? I think it’s because they want to feel the beautiful spirit that is there. They want to meet with the saints from another country who, in spite of cultural and language differences, believe in the same things that they do. They know they will get the same teachings they would get back home. They want to worship God and show respect for Him by taking time out of their busy schedule to come to His church. They want to take the emblems of the sacrament which symbolize the atonement of Jesus Christ and help us to remember His great sacrifice.
Let me tell you about some of these visitors whom we have met in our travels around the mission. One was a group of men of various ages from Peru who came to church in Pozzuoli near Napoli. There was a grandfather, his two sons, and a grandson. They were performers who were on tour throughout Italy and had to do some real searching for the church meetinghouse since it’s fairly tucked away in Pozzuoli. They even took time out of their busy schedule during the week to ride the train and find the church so they wouldn’t get lost on Sunday. That Sunday they arrived early and stayed for all three meetings. Since they spoke Spanish, and not English, none of the missionaries could translate for them. They said they understood enough with some of the similarities between Spanish and Italian. What a beautiful and faithful family!
One hot summer Sunday, we were visiting the branch in Cagliari, which is on the beautiful island of Sardegna. People come from all over Europe to vacation in Sardegna because it is surrounded by huge stretches of white-sand beaches. So it was with great surprise when I saw a group of five or six young men who were visiting that Sunday from France. As I talked to them before the meeting, I found out that some were returned missionaries, one had just received his mission call, one was just submitting his mission papers, and one had just recently joined the church. They had found out where the church was located, found the busses that they needed to take to get there, and then gave up a day at the beach to sit through meetings that were all in Italian – no one spoke French and so they, too, had to do without translation. When it was my turn to speak in church that day, I spoke about them and their dedication in attending church (luckily my Italian was slow and clear enough that they were able to understand enough). Where else would you find this love of God and commitment to something you believe in? I hope my daughters marry someone like these young men someday.
We have met those who come to visit family and friends from other parts of Italy and who make sure to attend church. Sometimes their family and friends aren’t members, but they come anyway, giving up valuable visiting time so they can show their children that attending church is important. It’s been especially fun for us because we have met those who know our daughter Kimberly as she serves in the northern part of Italy!
Family (who knows Kimberly) from northern Italy attending church in Napoli
And then there are lots and lots of visitors to our home ward in Rome. Yesterday there was a young man and a young woman who were visiting from Paris. They had each served missions (to Romania and France) and were now going to school and working in Paris. They knew each other through church and decided to go to Rome and do some sightseeing for the weekend. Knowing that they only had about a day and a half after traveling, they came to church anyway. They found out that there was a baptism after Sacrament Meeting and wanted to stay. They then asked about visiting the temple site, and because we didn’t have pressing concerns, took them there for a few minutes. When we finally left them at the bus stop, it was 3:30 p.m. and they were hoping to see a little of St. Peter’s Basilica before it closed. We figured with all the travel time and activities at church, they had taken six hours out of their schedule to do what they did. It really is amazing to me.
And this happens week after week with couples and families who are here on vacation or just stopping through on a cruise. One family who just dropped in one Sunday was Mitt Romney (yes, that Mitt Romney, former candidate for the office of President of the United States of America), his wife, Ann, and two granddaughters. They came to Sacrament Meeting and quietly sat in the back not wanting to attract attention, shook hands with several of the members afterward, then slipped away to finish their time in Rome. Just in case he runs for President again, and just in case anyone wants to know if he really is a religious, God-fearing man who feels it is important to partake of the sacrament, showing his love and respect for his Father in Heaven and his Savior, Jesus Christ – well, the answer is yes.
I’m so grateful that we are able to attend church with such good people! If you are traveling to our mission, you can find the location of church meetinghouses and meeting times here. Otherwise, go to the Meetinghouse Locator at www.mormon.org to find a meetinghouse anywhere in the world. Wherever you go, you'll be more than welcome!
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