Yes, the white "growth" you are seeing is die off. It is normal. It will go away in time, but if there is a lot, it's usually better to siphon it out.
Yes, you had uncured live rock. When you get it home, unless it's been removed from a long established tank and shipped in water, it's going to be uncured. The LFS kind of told you a "half-truth".
Don't feel too bad about all this, it's not really a mistake. You just need to wait for the tank to cycle. This usually takes 2 weeks to a month, but can run longer.
Lastly, you'll find out very fast that many LFS are clueless when it comes to reef systems. It's best to verivy all there advice, and get multiple opinions.
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