Making Waves in Argentina

By Larry A. Hiller

This is not a history lesson. But sometimes you have to know a little about the past to appreciate the present.

For example, on Christmas morning in 1925, three men walked down to the river’s edge in a park in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Most of the city was probably still sleeping late on a holiday. But these men had left their families behind and spent 21 days on a steamship to get here. Elder Melvin J. Ballard, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, had been sent by President Heber J. Grant to dedicate the entire continent of South America for the preaching of the gospel.

So while the rest of the city still slept, Elder Ballard entered a willow grove with Elder Rulon S. Wells and Elder Rey L. Pratt. They sang hymns and read from the Book of Mormon. Then Elder Ballard offered a prayer, using his apostolic authority to “unlock and open the door for the preaching of the gospel in all these South American nations.” From that time on, like a stone tossed into a pond, the ripples of the gospel message spread outward across a continent.

Since Elder Ballard’s visit to Buenos Aires, Church membership in South America has grown from less than a dozen to more than a million. Tens of thousands more are joining every year. There is an increasing number of LDS chapels, and temples have begun to dot the land.

At the Center

When you toss a pebble into a pond, the ripples quickly die out, beginning at the center. But spend a little time with the LDS youth in Argentina, and you realize that here, where it all started, the gospel wave is still building. And seminary gets a lot of the credit.

That’s why seminary graduation time in Buenos Aires isn’t just another weekend. When Elder Ballard offered his powerful prayer in that willow grove nearly 70 years ago, he asked the Lord to “remember in mercy … the youth of thy Church who are to bear the responsibilities of the future, that they may keep themselves clean … and come to their glorious destiny.” For the LDS youth in Argentina, seminary has been one of the most direct answers to that prayer.

As Eduardo LaTourrette says, “Seminary is a source of strength.” Debra Alvarez adds simply, “Seminary is where I gained my testimony.” That feeling is echoed by the other seminary students you talk to in Buenos Aires. That’s why seminary graduation is such an important event this weekend.

Parque 3. de Febrero

For some of the students in Buenos Aires, the weekend’s activities begin with an early-morning testimony meeting. And what better place to hold it than in Parque 3. de Febrero, where Elder Ballard dedicated their land?

The park is quiet at 6:00 on this Saturday morning. The palm trees are still dark silhouettes against the pale pink dawn. Sleepy bird calls mingle with the voices of sleepy students as they gather in a clearing, offer prayer, and begin to bear familiar testimonies: “I know the Church is true.” “I know Joseph Smith was a prophet.”

Afterward, walk through the park with Virginia, Esteban, Carolina, and the others. They cluster around a mulberry tree, picking the purple fruit and staining hands and faces. It’s obvious they like each other and spend a lot of time together. As María José Menjoulou observes later, “It’s easier to do the right things if we are surrounded by people who share the same goals and strive to achieve the same things.”

They spend as much time together as possible, playing basketball or soccer, bowling, eating pizza and ice cream. And dancing. They love to dance. In fact, they’d probably be dancing on this Saturday night if it weren’t seminary graduation.

Major Event

This is more than a ceremony; it’s an occasion. The building is decorated with banners, crowded with students and their families. While a torrential rain fills the streets knee-deep, a group of mothers are in the kitchen, piling plates high with food to be enjoyed at the end of the evening. The delicious smell of empanadas, savory meat-filled turnovers, begins to waft through the building.

And the ceremony itself? It’s more than just walking up to the stand, having their names announced, receiving their graduation certificates. There’s genuine affection between the students, their teachers, and their leaders. The handshakes are lingering ones. There are quiet words exchanged. It makes for a longer evening, but even with all of that good food waiting, no one seems to mind. Seminary graduation here is a major event. And it should be.

Sunday Morning

The next morning, Sunday dawns warm and sunny, with a sky full of puffy white clouds. Buenos Aires is a beautiful city of broad, tree-lined boulevards. Later in the morning, sidewalks and parks will fill with people out for a stroll. For now, some of the busiest places are the LDS chapels, like the one in the suburb of Belgrano. Here you meet young people like Federico Casco. His father was going to the United States on business, and Federico had the chance to go along and visit Disneyland. Instead, he stayed home so he could have four years of perfect attendance at seminary. Now that he has graduated, he says, “Seminary was a light in my life. It helped me obtain a stronger testimony and helped me decide to go on a mission.”

Going on missions is not easy for Argentine youth. The economy is just starting to improve after years of high unemployment and super-high inflation. There are very few jobs available for young people under 18, so saving money is hard to do. However, without part-time jobs, friends have more time for each other and for church service.

Sunday Night

Mauro Berta is first counselor in his ward Sunday School and an assistant to the bishop in the priests quorum. Florencia Gómez is Young Women secretary and teaches the Stars in Primary. And Guillermo Pitbladdo is Sunday School president. Sunday night finds them at the Pacheco chapel with other friends from their stake.

These are not recent converts, clinging to seminary to learn about their new faith. Many of them come from second- and third-generation Latter-day Saint families. They have been taught the gospel in their homes. But Diego Griffith says, “Everything I had not learned during the 14 years that I have been a member of the Church I learned in four years of seminary. That’s where I started to become more familiar with the scriptures and where I learned about the promises of the Lord.”

Besides, as Debora Walker points out, when you are a teen, there seem to be lots more temptations around, and without seminary “it would be much more difficult to resist those temptations.”

Maybe Juan José Zopetti sums it up best: “Seminary helps me primarily to increase my testimony of Jesus Christ—his love and his mission.”

That restored knowledge of Jesus Christ—his mission and commandments—that’s the gospel. That’s what Elder Ballard sent rolling forth across a whole continent nearly 70 years ago. And here, where it began, the LDS youth of Argentina are making sure the gospel wave continues.

Photography by Larry A. Hiller

Seminary graduation begins with an early-morning testimony meeting, right. Seminary is also service. Students, like these Scouts, right center, often participate in service projects. A formal evening ceremony marks the end of the seminary year, far right. One of the pleasures students share is picking fresh mulberries, below.

Seminary students in Argentina find their spiritual heritage strengthened as teachers help them develop testimonies of the gospel. Seminary offers a haven from the world and helps build lasting friendships through various activities—including eating ice cream.

Photograph by FPG International