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Dr. Maruo Properzi is a native of Gorizia, Italy. He received a bachelor's degree in Social Work from Brigham Young University, a master's degree in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School, a PhD in Mormon Studies from Durham University in the United Kingdom, and an MPhil in psychology and religion from Cambridge University. He also holds a postdoctoral certificate in Interfaith Dialogue from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, Italy. His research interests focus on the theological and historical interface of Mormonism and Catholicism, the theory of religions, and religion and emotions. His publications can be found in prestigious journals as the Journal of Mormon History, Brigham Young University Studies, International Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Society, Issues In Religion and Psychotherapy, and others. His first book, Mormonism and the Emotions, an Analysis of LDS Scriptural Text, was published this summer. A Brigham Young University Professor, Dr. Properzi teaches classes on world religions and Christianity. Welcome, Mauro.

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Thank you, Deb, for that kind introduction and for the invitation to speak at this lecture series on the International Church. And thank you all for being here on a chilly November evening. There is a question that I'm asked quite often, and I anticipate that there may be some of you who want to ask me that question at the end of my presentation. And so I'm going to make things easier for you and address it at first. I don't have any insider knowledge or special scoop on the construction and completion of the Rome temple. I wish I did. Just like many of you, I have heard rumors of different kinds. But if there is one thing that I've learned in academia is to check your sources. And I don't have any reliable sources that will lead me to make any conclusion. It would be nice if the completion would be next year, 2016, because that would happen to be the anniversary, the 50-year anniversary since the reopening of the Italian Mission in 1966. But that desire may be fulfilled or not. While it is true that I am a Professor in the BYU Department of Church History and Doctrine, the perspective I am going to offer tonight is not exclusively or even primarily the academic perspective of a historian. What I am about to tell you is a story of my family, my home country, my people. It is my story. To be sure, my personal experience is only a small fraction of the history of Mormonism in Italy. Yet it is unavoidably what makes this story particularly compelling to me. I will then draw both from my life and from collective and institutional histories as sources for my presentation. In this, I am fortunate because I have been given access to a forthcoming book on the history of the Church in Italy, which is both comprehensive and excellent. Mormons in the Piazza is authored by James Toronto, Eric Dursteler, and Mike Homer and is scheduled for publication in early 2016 by the Religious Studies Center at BU and Deseret Book. For further details and analysis following what I'm presenting tonight, I refer you to that publication. I am particularly indebted to Jim Toronto for involving me in the process of the book's completion, by soliciting suggestions and comments and for giving me permission to use some of its images in my PowerPoint tonight. Through these tools as well as personal experience, I hope to be able to paint a picture of the Mormon experience in Italy that will be accurate, engaging, and hopefully inspiring. The Merriam Webster definition of pioneer highlights centuries meanings, one, a person or group that originates or helps open up a new line of thought or activity and, two, one of the first to settle in a territory. While the emphasis differs, these two meanings share several characteristics. They both involve newness, either in thought or location, and movement, both with an and toward this very newness. Since the new is often resisted and even opposed, these definitions imply that challenges, courage, and determination will often accompany the pursuit of the thought or location in question. Hence they implicitly point to the need for unity when working with leaders who act as beacons in these challenging pursuits. The second part of the definition, namely the settling of a new territory, doesn't quite fit Italian Latter-day Saints except for those Waldensian converts in the 19th century, who came to Utah from the valleys of Piedmont. They indeed contributed to settle this desert, state, and region. All Italian Mormons, however, fit the first part of the definition because Mormonism in Italy has not ceased to be new, thus requiring courage and determination, as is typical of religious minorities of many kinds. Therefore, to be an Italian Latter-day Saints is to be a pioneer, to follow in the footsteps of great teachers and leaders, to commit to something difficult, though rewarding, and to encounter challenges and tensions that are stretching and uplifting, at the same time. I will mention a couple of these challenges at the conclusion of my historical excursis. But obviously much more reflection could be given on what it means to be a Mormon in Italy. Every Italian pioneer is both a leader and a follower. He or she is both showing the way and following in the footsteps of someone else who showed it to begin with. I am then going to step out of historical order and highlight a few key pioneers of my early life as a foundation for the ecclesiastical history of Italy that will follow. My parents joined the Church at the very end of 1976. We lived, and they still live, in the town of Gorizia, a town of 30,000 people that borders Slovenia and is less than a two-hour drive from Austria. Gorizia is where I was born and grew up, but it is not the birthplace of my parents. My father is a Roman, born and raised in Rome, although both of his parents moved to the Italian capital before his birth from different parts of the country. Indeed all four of my grandparents, my parents, and myself were born in different parts of the country. This may be common in the US, but it is not that common in Italy. Interestingly, it underlies one of the classic dimensions of pioneering, new beginnings in new places. My mother's background is particularly interesting in this regard. At the young age of seven. She experienced a proper exodus, as she and her parents left her hometown of Pola. About 300,000 Italians took part in this exodus from the Peninsula of Istria, a corner of Italy that had been occupied by Yugoslav forces at the end of World War II under the leadership of Tito. Locals had been given the choice to either remain, with the likelihood of suffering under a communist regime, or to leave and relocate beyond the newly created borders, while taking only those items that they could pack with them. Whole towns, homes, and lands were abandoned. Certainly it was a painful departure for most, as they contemplated what they had left behind. The exodus was by ships and trains. My grandparents and mother, as well as a good number of Istriani, namely Italians from the Istria the Peninsula, now absorbed into Yugoslavia, decided to remain in the relative vicinity of the new borders, hoping for an eventual return to their homes, in the unlikely event that pre-existent borders would be re-established. That was not to be. In the meanwhile, LDS missionaries had come to Gorizia in 1975 and had established a branch with a handful of members. I was only four when the missionaries began to visit my home. And although I can vaguely remember some of those early encounters, I obviously could not even distantly imagine the impact that these visits would have upon the rest of my. Life Indeed, the life of my parents was about to be changed. My mother admits that when the missionaries first knocked on our door she looked for an excuse to send them away. She told them to come back when my father would be there, specifically on Sunday afternoons. But the truth was that we weren't usually there on Sunday afternoons except for the day when the missionaries returned. My dad had been searching for some answers, was not fully satisfied with his religious life. And the fact that we had just escaped a major earthquake a few months earlier probably prepared his heart further for the message of the restored gospel. He was baptized within a month, and my mother followed suit a couple of weeks later, initially simply to follow my dad in his decision, but soon acquiring her own testimony and love for the Church. We could say without hesitation that they were golden investigators. How common was this experience of conversion for Italians who came into the Church in the mid to late '70s? Well, every story is unique, and every person has his own timing. But being contacted and taught as a result of door-to-door approaches was very common. In fact, to date, the '70s and early 80s represent, in many ways, the golden age of missionary work in Italy, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Many joined the Church. And two more missions were added to the two already in existence. Moreover, several members and families who lead the Church in Italy today joined during this time period. I am going to mention only one of them, who was baptized in Gorizia in 1975, the year before my parents, Renzo Tomasetti. Renzo was my branch president when I grew up in the Church as a teenager, and he still is the Gorizia branch president today. To give you a sense of what it may mean to be a member of the Church in Italy, he has been serving as a branch president for about 20 of the last 25 years. He has always been a man of great faith and a leader who has always cared for his little flock. His oldest son, Christian, with whom I shared many primary and young man's days, is now a Professor of Biostatistics at Johns Hopkins University. How amazing that two Italian Mormons, raised in a relatively obscure place in a small branch of a religious minority in Italy, should be blessed to become professors at two large American universities. And it's those two troublemakers sitting on the wall up there on the picture.

My parents have always been active in the Church. And you just got a sense of how loaded that term active can be in the Italian context. Our small branch, whose average Sunday attendance hovers around 40 individuals, has benefited continuously from their faith, example, and willingness to serve. These characteristics have also propelled me in my own commitments and spiritual decisions. As you heard, my mom and dad, and especially my dad, were ready to accept the message of two American missionaries, Elder [? Scousen ?] from Arizona, and Elder Horner from Heber, Utah, who acted as a connecting link between the pioneers in this land and the pioneers in Italy. I don't know whether my parents realized that the time of their baptism that they would become pioneers or whether they now think of themselves as such. Yet the reality is that when you choose to become a Latter-day Saint in Italy and are serious about your decision, there is no way to shirk that position and responsibility. You are going to be a pioneer. Those who are not willing to take that charge tend to become inactive and lose connection with the Church. It is often a pretty black-and-white kind of decision because Church membership is demanding, especially in those contexts where much needs to be done and the laborers are few. True, being a Mormon is always going to involve being different from the world that surrounds you, wherever you are. But strength in numbers as Latter-day Saints does make a difference. Hence, although the Church in Italy is now a little larger than it was in my teenage years, I know several LDS youth who still experience what I experienced then, being the only Latter-day Saint of a certain age in a school, a neighborhood, or for some, being the only young man or woman in a branch or city. This is not unique to Italy, for sure, because many other countries, and even parts of this country experience that reality. I think of these settings as natural laboratories for courage that can be challenging but also deeply refining.

While these challenges are real, especially for youth, who may feel lonely and even isolated, the great news is that many who have come before us have shown us the way forward. In Italy, you can find these models of courage and devotion all the way back at the beginning of the story, almost 2,000 years ago, in names that every Christian is going to recognize, Peter and Paul. Peter, the chief apostle, "the rock," a fisherman of strong, personality that learned courage by facing his weaknesses, was a man who soon realized that following his master came with a price. However, his moments of hesitation were only temporary. And Acts tells us that he preached powerfully at Pentecost, that twice he boldly challenged the Sanhedrin, that he followed revelation resolutely in taking the gospel to the Gentiles, and that he was delivered by an angel out of prison. The New Testament doesn't add all the details of his life. But early Christian tradition claims that he dwelled in Antioch for some time and then moved to Rome, where he established the Church and found his death possibly in the years 64 AD. Tradition also states that he was martyred by means of crucifixion, upside down of his own request because he felt unworthy to die in the same way as his divine master. St. Peter's Basilica is built on what is believed to be the location of his tomb. And there's good archaeological evidence to confirm that. Paul of Tarsus, the Saul who had persecuted Christians prior to his conversion on the road to Damascus, is another early Christian whose life intersected significantly with Italy. He was a man full of emotions. Just as he had fervently persecuted Christians in the early part of his life, he lived, taught, and died passionately to advance the cause of Christianity. After three missionary journeys throughout the Mediterranean, he was taken captive to Rome to stand trial for his alleged crimes. While awaiting trial, he preached in the Italian city for about two years and then according to tradition, found his death in Rome probably not many years after Peter, at the time of the Emperor Nero. Several sources claimed that he was beheaded. With the exception of Jesus himself, could there be any more significant figures to have started the great Christian movement in Italy? I don't think so. They were great Christian pioneers. And Latter-day Saints all over the world should not allow the two millennia, the distances from them, to obscure the significance of their lives. If Mormonism is restored primitive Christianity, as it claims to be, then the story doesn't really begin in the 1800s, but it begins much earlier. For Italian saints, in particular, this is especially significant because these early Christian heroes walked and taught in the streets of our capital. And Paul stopped in Sicily, Calabria, and Naples during his final journey to Rome. A shared history is central to the development of a group's identity, hence that a greater recognition by Italian Mormons that we are surrounded by our own religious history and that this history is not only to be found across the Atlantic in Palmyra, Nauvoo, or Independence, but in our own backyard, will validate our identity not only as Italians, but also as Christians and as Latter-day Saints. This history will obviously include sites and events related to the preaching of the restored gospel in Italy in recent times, and that is the story I'm about to tell you. Yet Peter and Paul as early Christian pioneers are forerunners of all those groups that claim to be Christian, hence of Mormon Christianity as well, and especially in Italy, where they lived, taught, and died. Perhaps something similar could be said about some Christians who came after these early apostles, many of whom either were Italians or lived in Italy throughout the centuries that followed. Some were intellectual pioneers. Others were beacons of spirituality. And many were simply men and women of faith who did the best with what they knew, often in the context of personal and social challenges of great significance. Yes, they lived in times that we often consider problematic. But the great apostacy is not synonymous with the complete removal of light, truth, and inspiration from the world. There was loss of priesthood authority and partial corruption of truth. But the faith and acumen of some of these martyrs, saints, and theologians can truly be inspiring, notwithstanding the imperfections and gaps of knowledge which characterize all of us anyway.

True, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Catherine of Siena, or Francis of Assisi, to name only a few, are not included directly in our Latter-day Saints history. Yet if Mormons claim to seek for goodness and truth, whatever its source, then perhaps these Christian pioneers could at least be an appendix or a footnote in our history, particularly in Italy. At BYU, I teach courses on world religions and Christianity. And I'm also heavily engaged in interfaith dialogue, especially with other Christians. My personal perspective is that the broadening of historical consciousness in this direction can be enriching to one's faith rather than threatening it. Thus, as I recount to you the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Italy, a restoration of primitive Christianity that emerged in America in the first half of the 19th century, I do so with the recognition that preparations, anticipations, inspirations, and confirmations were also part of the picture, as were the errors in centuries before.

After the restoration, early Mormon missionary efforts in Italy did not focus on the large Catholic majority spread throughout the peninsula but were instead limited to a small geographical area in Piedmont, populated by a Protestant minority that took the name of Waldensians. The historical origins of the Waldensians can be traced to Leone, southern France, in the 12th century, when a man named Valdes, or Waldo in English, distinguished himself by preaching a form of Christianity that was based, among other things, on strict adherence to the Bible and on voluntary poverty. It did not take long for his followers to be declared heretical by Catholic authorities and for Waldo and his Waldensians to have to relocate to the Piedmont valleys of present-day northwest Italy. Although persecuted in subsequent centuries, including an order of extermination issued against them in 1487, the movement managed to survive, due in part to the isolation provided by their alpine surroundings. Following the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, Waldensian leaders join the Swiss reform tradition of John Calvin and became, to all effects, a Protestant denomination. In 1848, Charles Albert, the ruler of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia, extended civil rights to the Waldensians, who, for the first time in their history, were assured liberty of conscience. Only two years later, in 1850, the first Mormon missionaries arrived in Piedmont to begin their evangelization of the land that would officially become the kingdom of Italy in 1861. Lorenzo Snow, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve and one of the first Mormon missionaries to Italy, explained the decision to begin proselytizing among the Waldensians to be only partially due to the favorable legal setting brought about by Charles Albert. Snow was fascinated by the history of the Waldensians and, in fact, thought of them as the "rose in the wilderness" or the "bow in the cloud." When he visited a public library in Liverpool to obtain more information on this people, he read that they were a remnant of the primitive Christian Church and that they had been the means of preserving the doctrines of the gospel in their primitive simplicity. He and other Church leaders, such as Sidney Rigdon, Brigham Young, and John Taylor, saw striking parallels between the persecutions that both Mormons and Waldensians had had to endure and undoubtedly felt that the doctrinal parallels between the two faiths, including a focus on Christian primitivism, a belief in the apostasy, and the affirmation of spiritual gifts, would mean that the Waldensians would be receptive to the Mormon message. Consequently, the first phase of missionary work in Italy, which extended from 1850 to 1865, was almost exclusively concentrated in the four Waldensians valleys of Piedmont, [ITALIAN]..

Notwithstanding numerous obstacles, including language barriers-- most people spoke a dialect of mixed French and Italian-- political and social hurdles, difficulties of travel on challenging alpine terrain, isolation, discouragement, ministers' opposition, extreme poverty, and conflicts internal to the Church, the missionaries obtained a degree of success in nearly two decades of early Mormon proselytism in Italy. Early missionaries included Lorenzo Snow, Joseph Toronto, the first native Italian who joined the LDS Church in America, Thomas TBH Stenhouse, and Jabez Woodard. A total of Twelve missionaries served in Italy between 1850 and 1865. On Mount Vandalino in the vicinity of the town of Torre Pellice, Snow dedicated the land of Italy to the preaching the gospel. And in October 1850, Jean Antoine [INAUDIBLE] was the first Waldensian baptized into the new faith. The following year would bring two prominent families into the Church, the Malans and the Cardons, or "Maylans" and "Car-dons" as they're called here, numbering a total of about 30 individuals, with their houses functioning both as meeting houses and mission homes. The experience of Marie Cardon is worth a mention, because 10 years prior to her family's meeting with the three Mormon missionaries, at the age of six she had experienced the remarkable dream where three messengers taught her that there was a true gospel. They also told her that one day she would journey on desert plains to go to Zion. Her parents never forgot their daughter's account, and her father's curiosity about the possible fulfillment of this dream led him to the missionaries. Three branches of the Church were established in the valleys, and about 180 Waldensians would convert to Mormonism during the mission's existence, although most joined in the first five years of missionary activities. Three major emigrations to Utah took place in 1854 and 1855, with about a third of all converts leaving for Zion. The remaining converts were either excommunicated, returned to the Waldensian Church or are unaccounted for. Missionaries also attempted to spread the work into Catholic Italy through brief stints into the cities of Genova and Torino, but these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. This brought about much discouragement, and records only point to one baptism in Genova in 1853-- a 19-year-old young man by the name of Giovanni Battista Paganini. A major conflict between a missionary, Samuel Francis, and the local branch president, Elder [INAUDIBLE],, did not lift any spirits. To the contrary-- both were in love with the same schoolteacher, Mrs. Weisbrodt, who was baptized by Reuben but later married Francis. Her baptism raised the ire of her father, a diplomat at the German embassy in Turin, which only increased opposition to Mormon missionary activities. Waldensian pastors also did not sit idle when seeing some of their flocks being lured into a different religion. Overall, opposition, migration, internal conflict, and poverty, as well as the dwindling number of missionaries being called to serve in Europe also due to the trouble between the LDS Church and the US government at the time, contributed to the waning presence of Mormonism in Italy. When the mission was closed at the end of 1867, only one family of six individuals was what remained of the LDS presence.

While a harvest of less than 200 souls with about 70 representing permanent conversions may appear meager, it must be remembered that the Waldensian population in the valleys only amounted to about 20,000 individuals, a number that kept decreasing because of emigration to other parts of Europe and the world. The opposition that missionaries attracted points to the fact that their presence and activities were not unbeknownst to most. Indeed, Mormonism left a mark in Waldensian history. Last year, a Waldensian politician whom I interviewed told me that he had always known that 19th century Mormons had renamed Mount Vandelino Mount Brigham, because he had heard it as a child when he lived in the vicinity of Torre Pellice at the footsteps of that mountain. This Italian senator, Lucio Malan, is an important connecting link between 21st century Mormonism in Italy and its 19th century brief appearance among the Waldensians. Malan and other Waldensian politicians in academics together with individuals of Catholic persuasion were instrumental in supporting the LDS Church's application for Intesa status by the Italian government. This agreement, approved in 2012, recognizes the Church as a partner of the state, with associated rights and privileges enjoyed by every other major religion in Italy. The Church is now fully recognized and legally accepted into Italian Society through an act of parliament. Thus, Mormons and Waldensians in Italy went from conflict in the 19th century to collaboration in the 21st, a topic on which I have written more extensively elsewhere. I wrote a chapter in the book that you see on the PowerPoints. Back to 1867. We should remember the [INAUDIBLE] in 19th century Mormonism differed in perspective and objective when compared to the present. 19th century Mormonism was strongly millenarian, as the Saints anticipated an imminent return of the Savior to the earth. Missionaries' efforts were focused first, on finding the blood of Israel that had been scattered throughout the nations, second, on teaching the restored gospel to these elects, and third, on gathering them to the American Zion in preparation for the Second Coming of the Lord. When the stalwart Waldensian members had emigrated and the number of baptisms continued to dwindle, the use of missionary resources in that part of the world was viewed as unjustified. It was easy to conclude that the harvest was complete and that the elects, although few in number, had been found and gathered. The LDS Church will not officially return to the land of Italy for a full century, an early departure and a belated return that is crucial to explaining the Church's relative lack of success compared to other denominations in more recent decades. In fact, several Protestant denominations Evangelized in Italy in the second half of the 19th century, and census records indicate that by 1911, over 120,000 Italians identified themselves as Protestant. What are then the reasons for the prolonged Mormon absence? They can be traced both to factors that are internal to the LDS Church and to historical events that affected Italy's openness to Mormon proselytism. In the former case, Mormon attitudes toward Italy and Italians were influenced by American views about the same, including a romantic perspective of the country on the one hand, and negative profiling of its people on the other. Italians were viewed as uneducated and immoral, and the fact that they were Catholic only made things worse. Since early Mormon missionary successes came from Protestant countries, missionary resources were allocated to places anticipated to be more responsive to the gospel message. The Second Vatican Council, which took place between 1962 and 1965, certainly played an important role in opening Italy to the message of Mormonism. This ecumenical council represented an [? adjournamento ?] or updating of the Catholic Church's approach to the modern world that brought about significant changes in a direction of greater openness toward other religions. For example, the declaration [INAUDIBLE]---- the council in the Declaration [INAUDIBLE]---- the council affirmed and unequivocally that every human being as a foundational right to religious liberty.

It is in this interim period between what we call the first and second Italian missions that we locate the experience of Vincenzo di Francesca, who received recognition as a pioneer of the Church in Italy through the 1987 Church video entitled, How Rare a Possession. I don't have time to recount his life in this setting if not to point out that he first read the Book of Mormon in 1910, was baptized in 1951, and traveled to the newly-dedicated Swiss temple in 1956. He died in 1966, the year the Italian mission was reopened, having spent his whole life in almost complete isolation from the Church but faithful to its teachings. Although di Francesca is the best-known example, the social isolation and opposition he experienced were also the realities of other early members in Italy, both before and after the reopening of the mission.

The second phase of missionary work in Italy owes its existence to the internationalization of the Church under the administration of President David O. McKay. Evidence points to discussions of and explorations into the possibility of reopening Italy to missionary work as early as the 1950s. In 1965, just a few months before the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council, the Italian zone of the LDS Swiss Mission was formed, and missionaries were sent to 7 Italian cities, most being in the Northern part of the country. LDS American servicemen and a handful of Italian members who had converted in Switzerland, France, or Germany prior to returning to their homeland lived in these cities. Missionaries who had been reassigned to Italy from Switzerland or Germany generally commented that work in Italy was much easier than in Germany, because people wanted to talk to them and were more welcoming. One missionary described Italy as heaven and another as the celestial kingdom. The number of baptisms matched this enthusiasm, and branches in two cities, Brescia and Palermo were exclusively Italian in membership. Then with 42 members in the whole country, a separate Italian mission with John Duns as President was opened by Elder Ezra Taft Benson in Florence in August of 1966. A few months later, he also rededicated Italy to the preaching the gospel during his small private service in the vicinity of Torre Pellice in Piedmont were President Lorenzo Snow had first dedicated to land during his mission among the Waldensians.

35 cities were opened to missionary work before the end of the year, and the hard work of building the Church from the ground began in earnest. Efforts were aimed at Improving the image of the Church at the macro level and at contacting and teaching individuals at the micro one. In the first few years in particular, the mission experimented with several creative ways to bring the Church out of obscurity, including performances in music and sport, through mission singers and a mission basketball team, and through public showings of Church movies, especially Man's Search for Happiness. Membership grew slowly but steadily, notwithstanding difficulties in public relations physical facilities, challenges in training native leadership, the limited number of printed Church material in Italian, and other obstacles that are typical of an emergent Church setting.

In 1971, a second Italian mission was created with statistics indicating the presence of almost 1,500 members, organized into 25 Italian branches and four servicemen's groups. Two additional missions were created in the later '70s, bringing the total number to four, but later consolidated back to two in what has been termed the Golden Age of missionary work in Italy. At this time, visits by two Church prophets, Harold B. Lee and Spencer W. Kimball galvanized the Italian Saints and brought added media exposure to the Church. As previously indicated, my family joined during this decade, as did many others. Parenthetically, this was a challenging time for Italy and Italians, as the country experienced a period of recession, social changes, and unprecedented political violence. Murders and massacres by both right and left-wing terrorist groups swept the country and left hundreds dead. These were [SPEAKING ITALIAN],, or the years of lead, and perhaps the general climate of anxiety and the need for answers about the meaning of life led some to open their hearts to the message of the missionaries. For our family one such humbling experience was the May 1976 Terremoto de Friuli, one of the deadliest earthquakes in the history of Italy, which occurred a few months before the missionaries knocked at our door. About 1,000 people died, and the area incurred damages for billions of dollars. Thankfully, we emerged unscathed, although we lost our home, which was only about seven miles from the earthquake's epicenter. We then had to relocate to the town where the missionaries ended up finding us.

Accelerated rates of conversion in the '70s and '80s led to the construction of the first chapel in Pisa in 1979 and to the formation of the first two Italian takes-- in Milan 1981 and Venice 1985. I vividly remember this latter meeting, presided by Elder David B. Haight, and the great enthusiasm that accompanied it. In my area, becoming a stake felt like coming of age for the Church. This golden period of missionary work was followed by three decades of slower growth, by difficulties in retaining new members and by the burden of much responsibility over local leaders who continued to be few in numbers. When I served my mission in southern Italy between 1993 and 1995, the mission had no stakes. It has only been in the last 10 years that several states have been organized, with part of the growth being due to the influx of LDS immigrants, especially from South America and other parts of the world as well. Indeed, it is estimated that at least 20% of the membership of the Church in Italy is now composed by immigrants. Presently, 10 Church stakes dot the Italian map, and evidence of the maturation of the local leadership can be found in the calling of many Italians to senior positions in the Church hierarchy-- seven mission presidents, a Swiss temple president, and numerous regional representatives, area seventies, and stake presidents. Landmark events also played a role in the slow but steady trajectory of growth and public visibility. A highlight of the '90s was the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's European tour, which included a visit to Italy in 1998. The visibility of the choir in the Italian media contributed to a very positive meeting between Church leaders, such as then Elder Uchtdorf from the Europe West area and Italian President, Oscar Luigi Scalfaro.

President Monson's 2008 announcement of the Church's plans to construct a temple in Rome certainly marked a historic moment. More history would be made in 2012 with the achievement of the previously mentioned Intesa between the Church and the Italian government. To this was added a contract between the Italian National Archives and FamilySearch, which allowed FamilySearch to fully digitize the archives' historical records. Obviously, the next milestone will be the temple's completion and dedication. While these major events have certainly given and will continue to give greater visibility and exposure to the Church, my research on the Italian media's treatment of Mormonism suggests that these milestones can only do so much in bringing the Church out of obscurity. Ultimately, it is the continuous and sustained grassroots involvement of Italian Latter-day Saints that changes hearts and minds among those who observe and describe us. In recent years the most positive articles on the LDS Church in the Italian media have been those that announced or reported community service, cultural activities, and interfaith or humanitarian outreach by Italian LDS congregations. Articles that spotlighted Italian Latter-day Saints have been similarly positive. In other words, the more Italian and less American the Church appears to be, the more journalists and reporters in Italy tend to treat it favorably. This is both unsurprising and enlightening-- unsurprising because an American label always comes with political baggage that tends to be controversial, at least for some, and enlightening because it shows the way for the Church's increasing success in the international arena. On this note, let me transition to the conclusion of my comments and offer some summative ideas and possibly even a couple of take-home messages. On various occasions I have been asked the following question-- what is it like to grow up as a Mormon in Italy? After the usual where do you want me to start a counter question to point to the loaded nature of the original question, I usually introduce my response with what must appear like a contradictory statement-- it was both wonderful and very hard.

Terryl Givens, a noted LDS scholar of Mormonism, echoes this message in his book People of Paradox, where he talks about tensions and paradoxes which are inherent to the world of Mormonism. These tensions are not problematic in themselves. They are not contradictions that need to be resolved. Instead, they give Mormonism some of its strength and are necessary to its vitality. Indeed, they manifest the sought for balance between realities that often appear to be opposite although complementary.

Givens lists four tensions or paradoxes that broadly characterize Mormon culture, including authority versus freedom, searching versus certainty, the sacred versus the banal, and autonomy versus assimilation. I refer you to his book for further clarifications and greater insights on this topic. Here the point is that my experience as a member of the Church in Italy-- and other Italian members are likely to concur-- distinctively manifests some of these tensions, and that is why it was both wonderful and difficult. As recently as last Friday, November 6th, I officially became a citizen of the United States. What this means, among other things, is that what I have felt in my soul for most of my life is now true also on paper. I am a citizen of Italy and of the United States. I am a bicultural being-- a person with two homes and someone who is always going to feel like no place has it all. Because I now live in this country, it is often the Italian side-- especially its food, history, and culture-- that I tend to miss. But I am under no illusion as I know that if I were to be in Italy, I would instead be longing for my American life and the reality of this country. What does this have to do with the Church in Italy? When I think of my religious identity, I cannot help but realize that this tension is deeply embedded in my commitment to Mormonism and loyalty to it.

On the one hand, growing up in the Church in Italy I dreamed of the day when I could visit Temple Square, absorb its reality and not just see pictures of it in the Ensign. I wanted to feel the Spirit of the Salt Lake temple, perhaps see one of the apostles and prophets whose words I read on paper but whose presence I didn't experience. And remember, the internet wasn't around yet. I wanted to feel fully immersed in the Church I loved. This was the spiritual promised land, and BYU was my destination. I felt I needed to be here to fulfill my identity as a Mormon. Yet I also felt the tension, because I recognized the Church needed all the strength it could use in Italy, and I wanted to give all that I could in its service. I felt how much my own faith and commitment was owed to my parents and leaders, and I recognize that Italian Latter-day Saints were my brothers and sisters in a unique way. To put it differently, without my Italian experience of Mormonism, I struggle to even imagine what my LDS faith would be like. While I was probably more obsessed with America than most Italian Mormons, I think that for a number of Italian Saints there may be a similar milder paradox in the nationality of our faith. It may be difficult to deal with a sometimes messy Italian American nature of our religious life. What I often failed to distinguish is a young man was the difference between Mormon culture and the Restored Gospel, and some missionaries and leaders may have unconsciously perpetuated this conflation. This is clearly one of the challenges in the 21st century, as the Church moves increasingly both in Italy and internationally into a world that is global and multicultural. In this picture of the Institute in Rome, you have youth from the Philippines, Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe. The challenge is to distinguish between the essentials of the gospel, which must remain solid and non-negotiable, and the distinct cultural manifestations of its principles in action, which can coexist in diversity and localized expression. In Italy, I also experienced the Mormon paradox of uniqueness versus assimilation, specifically in the tension between a unique LDS identity and a broader Christian identity. Perhaps a better way to put it is that I didn't experience it as much as I now feel that I should have. As a member of a small religious minority, specifically one that was mostly unknown, misunderstood, or caricatured in public perception, I often lived my faith with a siege mentality of sorts, looking at the world that surrounded me with suspicion. I learned how to defend my faith and learned to give it my full loyalty in the face of opposition, but I didn't learn as much how to work with others to bring about good in the world. Although I had no specific experience that would lead me to feel this way, I often felt that other churches, and especially the majority Catholic Church were the enemy. All that mattered was Mormonism, and all truth was Mormonism, and the Latter-day Saint label was always more important than the Christian label. In short, I think I had a pretty provincial view on how God operates in the world. I can say that much that I experienced in the Church growing up wasn't pointing in this direction, but there are both advantages and disadvantages to being a religious minority. A certain isolationism, both brought in from the outside and reinforced from the inside may be one of these negative consequences. How ironic that several years later I would end up spending a year at Vatican University-- that I would have the opportunity to interact with Catholic bishops and Cardinals while at BYU, and that I would become the go-to person for some of my colleagues when they had questions about Catholicism. Now I enjoy studying Catholicism, the Catholic intellectual tradition, and find inspiration in its various forms of spirituality, which reach back through two millennia of religious history. So when I see the great work of public relations, cooperation, and civic engagement that the LDS Church has carried out in Italy in recent decades, I feel that we have grown up together. The future will continue to provide ample opportunities to work with other groups for family, faith, and religious freedom, both in Italy and globally. We can continue to love and treasure our unique truths without discounting the way in which the hand of the Lord operates among others whose faith differs from our own. Again, these are constructive tensions, and the objective is balanced between the poles, rather than victory of one side over the other.

If uniqueness was emphasized a little too much in me as a young Italian Mormon, at least it made the opposite danger of complete assimilation less likely to occur. The courage to be different was inculcated in me, as it was in many other Italian Latter-day Saints who experienced that difference on a daily basis. That's when social and cultural pressures were pushing against gospel truths, the choice was clear, although not necessarily easy. Some things were and continue to be either right or wrong, and my courage to stand up for truth or lack thereof did not change the nature of that truth. There wasn't much space for being wishy-washy or much time to postpone a decision to pursue a testimony or not. The call to be enlisted in the Lord's cause seemed to echo without pause every week and every day. It can be tiring-- even lonely-- especially for youth, but it can also lead to great unity in purpose and to a strong sense of identity as a people. The intensity of that unity can be difficult to experience in places where Latter-day Saints represent a more comfortable majority. As a teacher of LDS college students who live in an increasingly difficult world, the pursuit of this balance is both my challenge and responsibility. Without a doubt, I want to teach humility in knowledge with openness to the goodness of the world, but I also want to instill firmness of conviction and courage to face opposition-- even mockery-- of faith or moral values. It will be a never-ending quest, both at home and at work. There is more that I could say about being a Mormon in Italy, but besides the fact that I am out of time, I want other stories to be told. And for that, I refer you again to the forthcoming Mormons in the Piazza. I then conclude with a great sense of gratitude and admiration for the many Italian Latter-day Saints who have given much in showing me the way and inspiring, loving, and teaching me to be much of what I am. Whatever successes I have obtained in my family and career are also their successes, and their story is also my story. As President Benson said in his 1966 rededication of Italy, we know, Heavenly Father, that thou dost love Thy children, and we have in our hearts a love for the Italian people as we assemble here today. And Holy Father, we pray Thee that Thy blessings may be showered upon them. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

[APPLAUSE]

If anyone has any questions, there is a microphone, I think, that is going around.

Do you have any estimates of the number of Italian converts who eventually immigrated to America? You mean total, including the second Italian mission-- not just the Waldensians? Right. Unfortunately, I don't, but it could be a future research project. Thank you for suggesting that. Yeah. [SPEAKING ITALIAN]

Can you tell us about the opposition that you had as a missionary in Italy? Did you have any-- being a native and a missionary?

I don't know that I had any particular opposition because I was Italian. In fact, it may have been the contrary. It may have been easier for me to talk to some of the Italians in southern Italy among whom I served. But one of the things that I want to maybe clarify about my life is that often people think of Italy as this majorly Catholic place. And the difficult times that I had throughout my life were not ever, especially, with someone who was truly a Catholic. But it was more with people who weren't believers at all. And so any kind of religious belief was looked down with suspicion, and sometimes even mockery. And I would say I wish I had known some good Catholics. That probably would have made things easier for me at that time. So that's not where I personally experienced the opposition. I know that some other members, especially in the southern part of Italy, had more difficulties with local priests or Church members, but that was my experience. Hello, we've lived all over the US and actually lived in Switzerland for a while, and we lived right by the Bern temple. And one of the things that I remember is on Sunday we would always have Italian Saints that spent the Sunday with us. Many of them had traveled all the way from Sicily, Palermo, Trapani, which is over 20 hours to Bern there. And they would spend the whole week and go through the Bern temple and go through four sessions a day, spending eight hours in the temple. And those Italian Saints that I met have been some of the most dedicated Saints that I've met anywhere. And I just wanted to know is that your experience, too, of Italian Saints being that dedicated, and what do you attribute that to? Is that a cultural thing-- that once they take upon them baptism, that they're fully committed? Is that a cultural thing that the Italians?

I don't know that it's a unique Italian cultural aspect. I think it has more to do with much of what I talked about. When you are a religious minority, the choice is between being in or out. And if you're in, you're fully in. And if you're not willing to make that choice, you don't tend to stay in the Church. And so there's kind of a self-elimination process, which has its pros and cons. But going back to what you were saying about the temple in Switzerland, some of the fondest memories that I have as a young man was participating in these temple trips. And so all the young men and young women from the stake would get on buses and travel to Switzerland and spend a whole week there. And we would have baptisms for the dead, but also fun activities in the evening. I know that my dad has been a temple sealer at the Swiss temple for several years, and he's told me that often the Italian Saints were the ones who kept the temple running. And so I can confirm what you just said. It's great to be here tonight. Thank you for your words. I was part of that Golden Age you spoke of as a missionary in Northern Italy-- part of the 1980 to 1982 under President Watkins and President [? Lotito. ?] And I've had the privilege of returning to Italy several times over the subsequent years. As I visited with the Saints and the members there, there's almost a palpable discouragement at the lack of numbers and the growth. And particularly they compare the Church-- the Mormon Church-- to that of our friends [? Testimony ?] [? di ?] [? Jehovah, ?] whose numbers have swelled. Jehovah's Witnesses. Yes, Jehovah's Witnesses. Their numbers have swelled well over 100,000, 120,000 or so. Could you address that, please?

Yes if your question is why they have grown so much and we haven't.

Well, I think one of the reasons is they've just come much earlier. One of the things that I mentioned-- the fact that we were gone for a whole century has its cost. And when I think about my branch, it hasn't really changed in numbers when I compare 20, 30 years ago to now, partially because people like me who should be there or not. But nowadays you also have another issue, and that's the fact that Italy is going through some major economic crises, and so there's a very high unemployment. A lot of youth are just leaving because there's no work there. And so they're going to England. They're going to other parts of Europe. They're going to different cities. And so that plays a significant factor. So yes, I would have to say visibly it's difficult to see the growth, but obviously there are 10 stakes now and there weren't 10 stakes 20 years ago. In fact, there were only two or three. And so no matter how much you inflate the numbers, there must be some growth in that context. And I think the temple is going to also facilitate that to some extent. Hi, my name is [INAUDIBLE]. I'm actually from Naples, Italy. I was one of those people that traveled the many hours to the temple. And for us from the south, it's mostly a necessity, because it's so far away, and also it costs a lot of money to travel, and the trips are so far in between, as, in fact, maybe once a year or twice a year. So I'm very grateful to be here and have temples so close to us. But my question is, what made you want to study religions, except for the fact that you a member of the Church? What sparked your curiosity to get into-- become a professor? Yeah, thank you for asking. I was going in a very different direction to begin with. As you may recall, I studied social work for my undergraduate degree at BYU-- in psychology. I was planning to become a counselor. Part of what happened is that I realized that my personality was such that I probably would never be able to close the door and go home and leave the problems at work, and so it probably wasn't the best job for me. But I also had some experiences when I was at BYU. For example, I spent a semester in Jerusalem. That was one of the highlights of my time there. I taught at the MTC for 3 1/2 years. I took all of the religion classes that I could take, and I just got into my mind this crazy idea that I could become a religion professor at BYU. So I don't know if there's much more than that that I can say. In connection with the trips to the temple, you were mentioning those who come from Sicily. I believe those who come from Sardinia have even a longer trip, because they have to take a ferry from the island to the Rome area-- [INAUDIBLE]---- and then they drive up from there. And the ferry is, I don't know, 10 hours, 9 hours long. And so it's even more than a day trip. That's one of the reasons why you can only go once or twice a year and spend more than one day there. Want to make sure you stay longer than the amount of the trip.

Could you speak to in Intesa that was signed in-- I'm back here around, sorry. Could you speak to the significance of the Intensa that was signed in 2012-- maybe compare and contrast the relationship between religion and government in the United States with religion and government in Italy? Yeah, it may be surprising for Americans to hear that the Church has now achieved the status of being the full partner of the state. What about before? What happened before, since there is inherently this religious freedom in the American Constitution? But Italy has a system where individual churches have to reach an agreement. That's what Intesa means-- agreement with the Italian government-- to basically show that they are legit. And the government says at that point yes, I recognize you as a church in the full sense of the term, and give you every right and privilege. And so it's not an automatic process that any group that claims to be a religion can obtain. The Church went through three different stages when it comes to the status they had in Italy.

From 1978 to 1993, it was a foreign nonprofit corporation-- basically Corporation of the Presiding Bishop. From 1993 to 2012, it took the status of [SPEAKING ITALIAN],, which basically meant that it was recognized as an Italian religious organization, which is the first step in order to get the Intesa. But still it didn't have all the rights and privileges that churches that have obtained the Intesa have. And the process was quite long. It involved cooperation with other groups. Public affairs representatives in Italy have done an excellent job in working together for more than a decade, because it took that long from the time in which the application was submitted the first time to when it was approved for a variety of reasons. But it basically means that Church members can now receive a certain amount of tax deductions for the offerings that they give to the Church. It means that clergy-- LDS priesthood representatives-- have access to places without any problems, whereas before there may have been a question. It could mean if the Church wanted to do something with that that religion classes could be offered. Unlikely that anything like that will happen, but some other things of that nature. So it really means that Catholicism, the Waldensians, the Jehovah's Witnesses-- the other 13 or 14 churches that have achieved that Intesa-- all stand on the same level before the Italian government as fully legitimate.

Thank you for your comments tonight. Just one additional thought about the Waldensians. My great grandfather brought his Waldensian family to America in 1892, and my great grandmother's family came in 1894 from the valleys. And I think they came for a couple of reasons. But one of the reasons I think I've always understood from their stories to me was that even though the missionaries left in 1865, the impact of the missionaries in those valleys persisted. And there were stories told about Utah, about the Mormons-- about who we were. And I think that had a direct impact on their thought when they came to America, because they came directly to Provo in that process. And so the story of missionary work is you plant the seeds. You never know for sure when they're going to sprout, but I think they stayed in the valley much longer than 1865. Thank you. And correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that still today descendants of those Waldensians here in the United States and in Italy have meetings and reunions, and they keep in touch. There's a camaraderie there and a sense of a family that has remained throughout the centuries. Yeah, there's actually been quite a bit of research done on the Waldensians, probably more so than on the second mission. Several articles and there are several chapters in this book, too, that go much more in detail.

Unfortunately, I couldn't spend as much time as I would have liked on it. I really appreciate being here, and my friend coaxed me to come. My father was born in [INAUDIBLE],, Sicily, and he was very proud to be an Italian American. And I was raised Catholic, and so I had the reverse isolation that you felt growing up Catholic in a Mormon community. And when I joined the Church when I was 20, you kind of lose your identity as a Catholic-- I mean, as an Italian. Because you feel so isolated from the people you just left-- the Catholic people you just left to become a Mormon. And it's been an interesting road to live that life. My children have gone on missions, and I had a daughter go to Italy and had a chance to be able to realize the value of my heritage. So thank you for sharing that. Are there any cultural connections between the Italian American Mormons that may exist in our society and the Church?

I would have to say certainly at the level of mission reunions, if there happened to be connections of that kind. There are some organizations of Italians in various states, and there is one here in Utah, and that includes both members of the Church and non-members of the Church. So I don't know that there is a single organization or structure that would be just for Italian members of the Church in the United States. There are some informal gatherings, like that-- I remember when I first came to the United States, and I was down in Provo going to BYU. I was invited to a couple of picnics, several Italians-- and then you know what happens. People scatter and move to different places and didn't really keep in touch that much.

I'm not aware of anything specific. And by the way, I'm sorry. I just knew that we were going to be talking for a little bit, so I wanted to show off my kids. I hope you don't mind. One of them is in the back going-- yeah. Please. There's somebody. I'm [INAUDIBLE],, and I've noticed that the Mormon Church is spending a lot of time in Rome. In Rome? In Rome with the Catholic Church. I saw the Pope apologize to the Waldensian people recently. What is happening to start that process?

I think there is a recognition that we live in a society where often it is not specific denominational differences or unique point of theological doctrine that are attacked or that are challenged, but it is faith in general-- theism if you will, and belief in God and faith in God. And when you recognize that, you also see the importance of religious freedom and you see the importance of working together with other people that value that-- other people who value the family, who value faith. And so at that point, the theological differences are not an obstacle anymore. They can be bracketed out. They can be put on the side. And by the way, I would say that here in Utah there has been historically a wonderful relationship between Catholics and Latter-day Saints. I have personally known Bishop [INAUDIBLE],, who, as you some of you may know, recently became the new Archbishop of Santa Fe in New Mexico, and so left Salt Lake. But I know he had wonderful friendships with some of the brethren. He came down to BYU several times. And not just the bishop, but other individuals who have common interests in this regard. So I think it's going to continue.

And maybe why Catholicism-- maybe one of the reasons is that when it comes to our place in the Christian world, because we were born in a Protestant context-- 19th century American Christianity was Protestant Christianity-- we often seen more easily our connection with Protestantism. But I teach a class on Christianity to my students-- on traditional Christianity. And one of the things that I argue as we talk about different things is that maybe we are a little bit more similar to the Catholics than we are to the Protestants, at least nowadays. Because, of course, there are evolutions of denominations and changes. And so for example, the focus on priesthood authority, having a hierarchy of sort, the importance of ordinances, as we call them, or sacraments in the Catholic tradition-- to name only a few.

I served my mission in the Milan mission, and I've seen that there's a lot of branch presidents and bishops have served for more than five years. And as well, I've seen that missionaries have served as branch presidents as well. Do you know why that is? Well, you've got to work with the raw material that you have. Often that's simply the reality. What I have said about my branch president in Goritzia, certainly as I said he's a man of great faith-- a wonderful leader. But he probably wouldn't have been a branch president for 20 years out of 25 had there been others who could have served as capably and in the same way. So sometimes it's not a desire to create a dynasty or anything like that, but it's simply the need of the location. That's what I have experienced at least.

Do you have a feel for the genealogical activity that's going on in Italy? I work in digital image auditing, and I see records pouring in every day. Yeah, I don't know much about it to begin with, but I can say that one of the milestones of 2012 was the agreement between FamilySearch and the Italian National Archives, which basically allowed FamilySearch to digitize everything that they have. And so I imagine that there's a lot to that increased activity behind this contract.

Yes. On a personal note, tell us how you met your wife-- if you've been all over the place and you end up with this wonderful family. Yeah. We met halfway. I was doing my graduate studies in Boston, and she was doing her undergraduate degree in Boston. And we were not in the same ward, but we were part of the same Church building, which is the [INAUDIBLE] chapel in Cambridge, Massachusetts. And I guess I'll just leave it at that. There could be more details, but I'm not sure that anybody cares that much about those details. So yes. I'd like to go back to the Waldensians. I am personally born in the Netherlands. I have a Swiss mother who is from a family-- it's one of the oldest in Switzerland. And there is a story that came from or were associated with the Walsers, which are an offshoot of the Waldensians-- or they're called Walsers in Switzerland. Is there any study available about these people? Do you know? I don't. I must confess my ignorance on that. Well, it's rare, and most people don't even know that there are Walsers.

One of the cantons is called Valais. And that's what it comes from. And they are always living in the mountain areas-- high, as far away as can be. And there is a German group-- a German town in the Italian part of Switzerland, which I visited, where our family-- my mother's family actually-- is probably coming from, originating in that Walser time, you see. Well, the name that I can give you is that third author of the book Mormons in the Piazza, Mike Homer. Mike Homer is probably the best scholar of the history of the Waldensians that we have in the Church, and he has authored several articles and chapters that talk about the Waldensians in the book. So that's somebody that you may want to talk to. Yeah. I'd like to also add that I'm the niece of Walter [INAUDIBLE],, who was President of the Swiss temple for 13 years with his wife, Hermina. Hermina is my aunt-- mother's sister. Wow. That's wonderful. We have long connections there. Yeah, yeah. Thank you. Thank you. OK, in the United Kingdom a majority of converts are coming from transient people. People are coming from Poland and Africa-- Orientals and refugees. And I believe you have your amount of refugees coming into Italy. Is that similar thing happening in Italy? You mean the most recent refugee crisis from Syria and all that? Unfortunately, I haven't spoken to my parents or other Latter-day Saints in Italy recently about that issue. I've seen the news, but the way in which it has affected the Church, I don't know. But I would like to find out, now that you bring it to my attention.

Thank you very much. Thank you again for coming. [APPLAUSE]