Visiting the Latter-Day Saints Rome (Roma) Temple Open House in Italy

 

The real reason many of us wanted to visit Italy.  The Rome (Roma) Temple Open House for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  I've blogged in the past about other temple open houses, this is the furthest I've ever traveled to visit one.

That morning our tour group visited the Vatican City.  We saw the Sistine Chapel.  Saw the grandeur.  Marvelous works of art and architecture.  So it seemed visiting the Latter Day Saint temple open house would be a let down, but it wasn't.  This Temple is simple in comparison to that found in Rome and elsewhere, and yet it is elegant, the insides beautiful.  Sun light streamed through the stained glass windows in the most wonderful way while we stood in the Celestial room.  I didn't want to leave this room, looking over my shoulder to catch one last glimpse as I walked through the doors.

 First views of the Temple.

The visitors center.

There's a model of the Temple showing each room in miniature.

Christ and his apostles.

Early missionaries to Italy.

That Sunday we attended a church service in Florence.

There were 5 tour buses in total!  There were over 350 people scattered between the upstairs chapel and the lower rooms.  It took about 30 minutes to serve the sacrament to everyone.  Most of our tour opted to go to the other rooms were there was an English translator.  My Mom, Aunt, and I stayed in the chapel.  I don't understand Italian, but I wanted to hear the sacrament talk, given by one of the sisters in the ward, in the Italian language.  I didn't understand, but I felt what she was saying.  I felt her deep testimony and love for the Savior.  This was a truly beautiful experience.

It was also fun singing in Italian.

Before the meeting started a boy handed out these little papers to the visitors.  He was also waiting outside to say goodbye to everyone leaving.  He was probably 8 or 9 years old, and yet such an exceptional young man.

I really loved this visit.

Exploring Italy: Rome, Vatican City, Orvieto, Siena, Pisa, Florence, Verona, and Venice, a Summery.

I was going to review Alita: Battle Angel today--which I saw on Valentines Day day--because it's Movie Monday, but I've been up since 2 am, jet lag, and thought it would be nice to go through all my pictures from last weeks trip to Italy.  Killer cyborgs can wait till tomorrow.

I can't believe that just a literal week ago I was in Italy.  At this moment it's 4:22 pm overseas, and we, my Mom, Dad, Aunt Tam, and I, were wandering around Venice trying to find something to eat (we eventually settled on Hard Rock Cafe, which was my first time eating at one), but then decided to spontaneously ride a gondola.  You have to ride a gondola in Venice!  Yes, it's super touristy, and a little pricey, but so worth it.

I want to go back to Italy so bad.  I loved it!  Seriously.  Honestly, Italy is one of my favorite places I've ever visited.  It was wonderful.  And so many times I wish we had more time.  The trip was a whirlwind, a series of snapshots.

The tour started out immediately upon landing at 9:30 am, February 5th, 2019.  We had already been traveling about 20 hours if you count getting to SLC 3 hrs early, about a 4 hour flight to Atlanta Georgia, 4 hour layover, and about a 9 hour flight to Rome.  I sat towards the back of the plane in the middle of middle seats, and needless to say could barely sleep.  I had a migraine upon landing!!  And one of the ways I combat migraines is with Dramamine.  So with little sleep I took two less-drowsy pills, and still managed to stay awake till 9 pm.  What a long day!  I celebrated a little victory for not fainting at the Coliseum.  :P  Dang.  But it was so amazing I had to keep going and seeing as much as I could.

Rome (Roma)

As the tour I was on walked to Trevi Fountain, all the restaurants were setting up for lunch.  Unlike Japan where restaurants set out plastic food displays, in Rome all the showcased food it real and oh so tantalizing.

 Yes, I threw a quarter into Trevi Fountain, over my left shoulder, making a wish.

But what I wished for is a secret.

 My Mom showing off some gelato.  So Yummy!!!  And so cute.

 I love ruins.

Like, I REALLY, REALLY like ruins.

They're so exciting.

And I was just overwelmed by all the awesomeness.

SO MUCH AWESOMENESS!!

(And I really need more sleep.  I'm loosing it.)

 But really, SO MUCH AWESOMENESS!!!!!

Our second day was a free day, our only free day, and it was mainly spent walking to the Spanish Steps, shopping, eating around this place, and wandering back.

After sleeping in we spent most of the day here, which wasn't what we planned, because we were going to see some piazzas, and do the hop on/hop off bus, but that didn't happen.  So all day at the Spanish Steps.  They're nice.  Not a bad place to spend a day.

Vatican City

We saw cool stuff in Vatican City.

We saw the Sistine Chapel.  Mind-blowing.  (Wasn't allowed to take pictures).

 But this hallway!

I fell in love with the ceiling and all these old map paintings.

 So much so that as soon as we left this hall I wanted a book with all the maps, and as luck would have it there was a mini store in the next room.  But, as luck would have it, I was following a tour guide who walks really quick, and chided another person a couple days before for wanting to buy something.  So I moved fast!  Waited till she was slightly out of sight, searched the map books for the English copy, and whipped out 20 Euro.  My fastest souvenir shopping, ever.  I love that book so much.  And luckily I found my group, listening to the tour guide through the earpiece.

 Random, but I love how there's obelisks all over Rome.

Latter-Day Saint Roma (Roma) Temple

The reason for the trip in the first place.  A lot of Latter-Day Saints are touring Italy this month, and all because of the open house for the Rome Temple for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  All through the trip we kept running into Latter-Day Saints who were on other tours.  Honestly, I think we just wanted a great reason to visit Italy.  The open house was amazing.  The temple beautiful.  I'll be blogging about this in a few days.

 Nighttime around Rome

Orvieto

A volcanic hill top paradise of a medieval city.

Not a good picture.  Sorry.

 But I fell in love with Orvieto.

I was charmed.

 And Italian Cathedrals are something else.

Baroque style.

Look at the craftsmanship.

 It's amazing.

And I really love the patterns.

Siena

Not enough time.

Not. Enough. Time.

Goodness, our visit to Siena was quick.

As soon as our walking tour, which honestly lagged a little, was finished we only had 20 minutes of free time.  I wanted so much more.  The alleyways.  The shops.  So many places worth wandering around.

 In the open area below there's horse races.

Pisa

Another quick visit.

 Heh, I'm just a little too close to the tower.  Supporting the base isn't doing much.

Pictures don't do the Leaning Tower of Pisa justice.

 Florence (Firenze)

We saw the Statue of David.

 Visited an open market.

Saw amazing things.

Another city I need to revisit as I didn't get to all the highlights.

Verona

Enchanting Verona.

It was drizzling, but that just made the city more romantic.

 Venice (Venezia)

My favorite.

 I loved Venice the most.

I've seen videos and pictures of what Venice is like during high season, and I don't think I'd like that, so the low crowds of February is nice.  The only problem is chilly weather and chance of flooding, but we were lucky.  It was chilly, but the ocean was low-tide, which allowed gondola rides through the city.

 I was like, "Why is this building so familiar?"  And then I realized, Epcot, Disney World.  They have a reproduction of the above building, and the below tower which is cut off.  Not to scale, but similar.  

Italy is better for real and in person.

 St. Mark's Cathedral.  I couldn't take photos on the inside, but it's so beautiful.  Mosaics all through the inside ceiling and amazing patterned floors.  My favorite Cathedral visit of all time.

 A glass demonstration.

What a wonderful way to end the trip.