It would seem Elders Ballard, Clayton and De Feo have had a busy week moving from country to country throughout Europe. Following their broadcast to adults from Germany on Sunday 15th, a meeting specifically for youth was broadcast from Rome during the week. Hedgehog-daughter attended and took notes. Elder Dini Ciacci, is an area authority seventy.

Presiding: Elder M Russell Ballard

Conducting: Elder Massimo De Feo

Opening Hymn: We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet

Opening Prayer: Brother Jordan Arriante

Musical Item: As Sisters in Zion/ We’ll Bring the World His Truth EFY medley sung in Italian by a youth choir.

Opening Speakers: Elder Alessandro and Sister Sara Dini Ciacci

Sister Dini Ciacci bears her testimony. Christ knows us and can touch us wherever we are. He can help us change. He will answer your prayers.

Elder Dini Ciacci tells the youth he is proud of you all. You chose to be here tonight. The Saviour can be your personal friend. Elder Ballard’s testimony at the Rome Temple was powerful. An apostle of the Lord is here tonight.

Speakers: Elder Massimo and Sister Loredana De Feo

Sister De Feo tells the youth to listen to the prophets and what the spirit will tell you tonight. There are many examples in the scriptures where age didn’t matter, callings at young ages. Jesus was 12 in the temple. She is grateful for all things in her life, because all things can be blessings if you see with the Lord’s eyes.

Elder De Feo tells the youth we have living prophets today. He was baptised age 10 years old. His parents didn’t join the church. He had good leaders and teachers. It wasn’t always easy. The Lord tells us not to be discouraged. In D&C 45 “in that day shall be heard of wars and rumors of wars..” There is a way to be happy anyway. We have the light of the gospel. Don’t let the world overcome you. “my disciples shall stand in holy places, and shall not be moved” He always tried to stand in holy places. The only way to not be moved is to go to church every Sunday. The “power of godliness is manifest”. He was ordained a deacon and felt the power of God whilst passing the sacrament. Be prepared to go to the temple and do the ordinances for your ancestors. Your home can also become a holy place. If it is not, make it a holy place. Joseph Smith made the sacred grove holy. Elder De Feo tried to find a way to have spiritual experiences every day. Invite your friends to your holy places and you will be happy to be with them in the gospel.

Speakers: Elder L Whitney and Sister Kathy Clayton

Sister Clayton visited sites of interest while living in Argentina. Her favourite place was the zoo. It was possible to enter the lion enclosure and pet the lions. How is this possible? The lions were controlled by small dogs. This is a life lesson. The lions could not see how much more powerful they were than the dogs. We are stronger than the dogs.

Elder Clayton spoke about an island in the Caribbean, where there were brightly painted fishing boats containing wire cages; fish traps with bait inside. The fish can swim in, but can’t get out. It is easy to get into trouble, not so easy to get out. There are fish traps all around in life. Learn in your youth to keep the commandments and stay out of the traps.

Sister Clayton spoke of serving with the young women in Salt Lake City. The young women wanted to know what swim suits were okay. She told the young women to ask God. They spent the next few months doing scripture study and having discussions etc. and all the young women got personal answers because they were searching with real intent.

Sister Clayton grew up with an inactive mother and a non-member father. She wanted to know the truth, so she prayed and gained a testimony. You can’t survive on others’ testimonies alone. You need your own. Good things are ahead. Find out for yourself.

Elder Clayton was raised in a less active family. They became more active during his teens. He met returned missionaries and decided to serve a mission. His mission president told them not to be “tape measure Mormons”, not to be looking for the edges of the straight and narrow path because they might fall off. “narrow is the way that leadeth unto life”. Life is full of opportunities and blessings.

Speaker: Elder M Russell Ballard

Elder Ballard invites the pianist to the stand, and praises him. Elder Ballard talks about school. Friends in a school who are not members of the church. You may be the only members of the church. In Toronto his children started bringing their friends to church. Several joined the church. The same is possible for you. When he was a Bishop there was a young man who didn’t want to serve a mission, but to marry his girlfriend instead. Elder Ballard told him “the Lord is calling you on a mission. It’s between you and the Lord. Tell the Lord why you don’t want to go on a mission.” The young man came back a week later willing to go on a mission. He married 5 days after coming back, went on to become a bishop and then mission president. All because he allowed the Lord to tell him what to do. Prayer is a wonderful blessing and a tremendous power.

In 1 Nephi “I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, … and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God”. He prayed to the Lord and received answers. This was Nephi’s sacred grove experience. Joseph had a great desire to know the things of God. Joseph and Nephi were both teenagers when they went to enquire of the Lord. You don’t know what’s ahead of you, what the Lord has in mind for you. Elder Ballard had no idea as a teenager that he would receive any of the callings that he did. Current leaders will die, today’s youth will become the next generation of leaders. Prepare.

Elder Ballard spoke about the building of the temple in Rome. Would you like to give a gift to the Saviour? Touch the life of someone before Christmas. Let your minds go to Gethsemane as well as Christmas because Christ gave us everything that we could not achieve by ourselves. Ask God to open up the way for you to have an influence on someone else spiritually. Elder Ballard refers to the missionary work element of the area plan. Bring a friend. If you bounce through life you’ll have other people bouncing along behind you who will want what you have.

Closing hymn: Keep the Commandments

Closing Prayer: Sister _____

This was assembled from my daughters notes taken at the time, and is my interpretation of those notes. I take responsibility for any errors, and the choice of hyperlinks is again my own.