COLUMBUS, OHIO
Following President Thomas S. Monson's counsel, teens from the Youngstown Ohio Stake found many ways to "touch the temple" during their recent three-day youth conference, which had the theme "Stand in Holy Places," at the Columbus Ohio Temple and adjacent Gateway meetinghouse.
The youth and their leaders experienced the Spirit of Elijah as they learned how to do genealogy research, prepare names for temple ordinances and do indexing. And, in spite of the 90 degree weather and high humidity, many of the youth "put their shoulders to the wheel," working on some tough landscaping projects to help beautify the temple grounds.
Hearts were turned to their fathers as they performed more than 550 baptisms and confirmations for the dead, which included about 450 family file names.
Leslie Moore, Youngstown Ohio Stake Young Women president said shortly after she was called late last summer, she traveled to the Columbus temple. Walking around the temple grounds, she pondered about her new calling. The 2011 youth conference was foremost on her mind.
"I was impressed that the temple is where we needed to have youth conference," said Sister Moore. "The youth in the Church are ready and hungry for the gospel."
Clare and Dolores Bottorff, who recently served a two-year mission in the Salt Lake Family History Library, were in charge of the family history part of the conference. They held workshops prior to the conference, training adults as family history consultants for the youth. For the conference additional computers were set up at the meeting house next to the temple for youth and leaders to do research or to help with indexing.
Sabrina Delfrate found names of several relatives on the Internet. "It was the first time I've ever done family history. It was so amazing," she said. "I know that when we go to the temple and do the work for our ancestors we will be blessed. I've seen it in my Mom's life and I've seen it in mine."
For the Bottorffs, family history is fun. "Watching a young man say 'That's my grandfather,' when he found him on the census and seeing the expression on his face," said Brother Bottorff, is what makes it fun.
Jacob Rohal really liked indexing. He said he was able to enter about 43 names in half an hour.
"At last count at least 800 people were indexed," said Brother Bottorff. "They did a lot of British marriages."
Paul Kemp, Youngstown Young Men president, was in charge of the landscaping project, which included some cleanup around the temple and chapel grounds, pulling out some dead shrubs and laying rocks along the inner bank of the stream behind the temple.
President Kemp said they wanted to provide activities to get the youth moving and use some of their energy. "We wanted to show them you can be spiritual doing those kinds of things, too," he added. "The hardest part was the heat and humidity. They did a good job."
But the youth still had plenty of energy left for the dance Friday night. Youngstown Stake President James Kirk said the dance theme, "Black and White," was symbolic of making right choices. "There are only two choices, right and wrong. The adversary would paint things gray."
Prior to each of the four temple baptism sessions, Sister Moore gathered the youth in the Gateway meetinghouse foyer. "These individuals for whom you are doing this work have been waiting," she said. "They will rejoice."
She also taught them that the House of the Lord is a place where they can feel the Spirit, receive personal revelation and answers to prayer.
For several youths, it was their first temple experience.
"It was an amazing experience," said Macayla Gibbons. "The first person I saw was my Young Women leader and she looked like an angel. She was glowing."
Ian Harris, who was just baptized a month before the conference, said, "It was kind of overwhelming, very peaceful, a very spiritual experience."
Katie Adams, the only member of the Church in her family, submitted 30 names for baptisms. "I am a second generation Italian in America," she said. "I was baptized for my great-grandmother who died in 2009. One of the Young Men was baptized for my great-grandfather and I watched. I felt my great-grandfather was there. I felt him saying, 'Thank you, now I can be with my wife and my family forever.'"
John Adelman, who attended youth conference for the first time, is also the only member of the Church in his family. "This is an uplifting experience," he said. "We're not just adding numbers. These are people. We're linking families." He said he is looking forward to going to Brigham Young University where he will be close to many temples.
Eric Clark, the Lisbon Ward Young Men president, performed the baptisms for his great-great-grandparents on his father's side. "This was the first time I took names from my computer, to my printer, to the temple," he said. He had the Family Ordinance Request forms with him, but wasn't going to submit them that morning because he thought they wouldn't be able to process them in time for the temple session.
"I got a strong impression that I should turn in the names this morning," Brother Clark said. He was surprised how quickly the name cards can be printed and ready for patrons.
After the traditional group picture in front of the temple, the youth had the opportunity to place their hands on the marble wall of the temple as they passed by.
Anna Bailey, first counselor in the Youngstown Stake Young Women presidency, told the youth, "Touch the temple. Remember how you felt when you were in the temple."
"We wanted the youth to have the opportunity to be taught by the Spirit," said President Kirk. "This was a spiritual feast – a banquet."
