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New temples in Rome and in what may soon be (if it isn’t already) the world’s largest French-speaking metropolitan area

New temples in Rome and in what may soon be (if it isn’t already) the world’s largest French-speaking metropolitan area

Last updated on: March 12, 2019 at 10:20 am by Dan Peterson

New temples in Rome and in what may soon be (if it isn’t already) the world’s largest French-speaking metropolitan area 2019-03-12T10:20:29-06:00 Dan Peterson

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Every member of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dressed in white temple clothing, posed for an iconic photograph in the Rome Italy Temple Visitors’ Center in Rome, Italy on Monday, March 11, 2019. Front center are President Russell M. Nelson and his counselors in the First Presidency, President Dallin H. Oaks and President Henry B. Eyring. Also included are members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: President M. Russell Ballard, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Elder David A. Bednar, Elder Quentin L. Cook, Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Elder Neil L. Andersen, Elder Ronald A. Rasband, Elder Gary E. Stevenson, Elder Dale G. Renlund, Elder Gerrit W. Gong, and Elder Ulisses Soares. Photo by Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News.
(I hope that they won’t mind my use of this astonishing photograph, with acknowledgement. If there is an objection, I can be reached at [email protected].)

Here’s an updated account from Tad Walch, for the Deseret News:

“Rome Temple a ‘hinge-point’ in Latter-day Saint history, President Nelson says as he leaves Italy”

From the United Kingdom, Clive Glenister kindly brings this short official Catholic video to my attention:

“Pope meets Mormon leaders”

You will notice the way the Catholic video ends on a critical note. It’s interesting to contrast its tone with the tone of President Nelson’s remarks in the official Latter-day Saint video that’s available at the Church’s “Newsroom”:

“Prophet Meets Pope Francis at the Vatican”

***

This is really quite a remarkable testimony. I don’t personally recall ever hearing anything like it from the wife of a president of the Church. It lasts about three minutes, and I hope that you’ll watch it:

“Video: Sister Wendy Nelson shares her personal witness of President Russell M. Nelson’s prophetic ministry”

***

One of the Interpreter Foundation’s vice presidents, Dr. Jeffrey Mark Bradshaw, is back over in Africa to help with this:

“Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple Opens to the Public”

Did you realize, by the way, that Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is the second-largest French-speaking city in the world? Paris is the largest, with approximately 12.2 million residents. But Kinshasa has roughly 9-10 million (and perhaps even a little more), making it larger than any city in France other than Paris. And if you add in Brazzaville, the capital city of the separate Republic of the Congo, which sits directly across the Congo River and has a population of at least 1.8 million, the combined conurbation of Brazzaville-Kinshasa has something on the order of 12 million residents. In other words, Paris may already have been eclipsed as the largest Francophone city in the world — and, if it hasn’t yet been, it probably soon will be.

***

Did I already share this? I can’t remember. In any case, it won’t hurt if I repeat it:

Latter-day Saints Around the World Country Newsroom Websites March 1, 2019

***

She just passed away:

“‘I just want to be a 100-year-old missionary’: Nellie Leighton continues to serve 20 years after she was shot in the Family History Library”

An amazing woman.

***

If John Dehlin has influenced you or someone you know to doubt the claims of the Restoration, it’s time to do a little rethinking on that score. Here’s yet another entry on a new website that examines how far he can be relied upon:

“Was Steel Known in Nephi’s Day?”

***

Incidentally, I noticed at least one carping critic of the Church complaining that, while all fifteen members of the Twelve and the First Presidency were in Rome, there were — he had counted — only thirteen wives with them. He wondered what the secret (and, no doubt, disreputable) explanation for this might be. Maybe they’re closet doubters? Maybe they refused to come? Well, it’s easy to explain: Sister Barbara Ballard, the wife of President M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve, died on 1 October 2018, last year. And Sister Kathleen Eyring, the wife of President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency, has been seriously ill for years, and has not been out in public for a very long time. (A touching Deseret News article, again by Tad Walch, published on 8 November 2018: “President Eyring paints to capture memories of his wife, who is in failing health.”)

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