Argentina Buenos Aires North Mission

About Argentina

ARGENTINA Jan. 1, 2012: Est. population, 40,913,000; Members, 399,440; Stakes, 71; Wards, 480;
Branches, 343; Missions, 10; Districts, 36; Temples, 1, announced, 1; Percent LDS, .91, or one in 110; South America South Area.
Located on South America's eastern coast, the Republic of Argentina has a Spanish-speaking population that is 92 percent Roman Catholic, 2 percent Protestant, and 2 percent Jewish.
Latter-day Saints Wilhelm Friedrichs and Emil Hoppe and their families emigrated from Germany to Buenos Aires in the early 1920s, fleeing the economic uncertainties of postwar Europe. Friedrichs soon began publishing gospel messages in local newspapers andin1924asked the First Presidency to send missionaries to work among the Germans of Argentina.
Elders Melvin J. Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve and Rulon S. Wells (who spoke German) and Rey L. Pratt(who spoke Spanish) of the First Council of the Seventy arrived in Buenos Aires on 6 December 1925to begin missionary workin South America. Sbc days later the first latter-day baptisms on that continent were performed in the Rio de la Plata for German immigrants Anna Kullick and her brother Ernst Biebersdorf, their respective spouses, and two young women.
On Christmas Day, Elder Ballard dedicated South America for the preaching of the gospel, prophesying that "the work will go forth slowly just as the oak grows from an acorn... [but] the South American Mission will become a power in the Church." During the next six months, the three General Authorities rented a building in which to hold meetings and distributed thousands of flyers announcing those meetings.
In July 1926, K. B. Reinhold Stoof arrived to replace Elder Ballard as president oftheSouth American Mission, and young elders from the United States soon began to arrive. During the nine years that President Stoof and his family resided in Argentina, missionaries established branches in Buenos Aires and other nearby cities and also launched the preaching of the gospel amongthe German immigrants of southern Brazil.
When the mission was divided in 1935 to form the Argentine and Brazilian missions, missionary work in Argentina was confined to Buenos Aires, home to some 200members of the Church. By that time converts had been made among working-class immigrants from a dozen European countries who were living on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. With the exception of one German branch in Buenos Aires, missionary work and church meetings were conducted in Spanish.
The first LDS chapel was dedicated in the Liniers area of Buenos Aires in April 1938, and branches were established in other major cities such as Quilmes, LaPlata, Rosario, Bahia Blanca, Cordoba and Mendoza. World War 11 interrupted missionary work, but the mission president and the local Saints kept the Church alive until missionaries could once more return to Argentina. By 1949 Church membership had reached 1,000 but the missionaries continued to provide much of the leadership for the 27 branches.
Following the Korean War, with an increased number of missionaries available, new fields of labor were opened, leading to the establishment of the North Argentine Mission in 1962. Membership growth accelerated as local leaders were called and missionaries could devote more of their time to teaching others. In addition, missionary work was launched in neighboring Chile in 1956, with those efforts being supervised by the Argentine Mission during the next three years. By the end of 1960 there were over 4,000 Latter-day Saints in Argentina.
The increasing maturity of the Church was marked in November 1966 by the organization of the first stake in Argentina (which was also the first Spanish-speaking stake in South America and only the second such stake in the Church), with 20 more stakes being established by the end of1980. By that time,there were five missions (two in Buenos Aires and others headquartered in Cordoba, Rosario, and Bahi'a Blanca) and nearly 50,000 Latter-day Saints in Argentina.
Argentina hosted two area conferences attended by President Spencer W. Kimball and other General Authorities in March 1975 and October 1978. Further progress came in1986 with the dedication of the Buenos Aires Argentina Temple. Since 1984 Buenos Aires has been the headquarters of the South America South Area.
By December 2000, when the Argentine Saints celebrated the 75th anniversary of the arrival of LDS missionaries in South America, their country was home to 300,000 members, many of them representing the second and third generations of their families in the Church.
In recent times o fhigh unemployment and political and social upheaval, Argentine Latter-day Saints have drawn upon the strength that comes from Church membership. Church leaders have prepared their people for such challenges by reemphasizing the basic principles of tithing, fast offerings and financial self-sufficiency. Many members planted vegetable gardens and learned to make or recondition clothing. But the Argentine Saints, showing the resilience that comes with their faith, have also reached out to the larger society in which they live, giving many thousands of hours of humanitarian and community service to those around them.
In 2003, membership reached 330, 349. In 2005, membership reached 348, 396. Deseret News 2013 Church News Almanac 423
On 9 Sept 2012, thousands of members gathered under blue skies for the rededication of the Buenos Aires Argentina Temple by President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency. Tens oft housands more participated in meetinghouses across the country. The temple served as a spiritual haven for nearly a quarter century before it was closed in latter 2009 for major renovation to meet the demands of growing membership in the region. Two wings were added to the original building, dramatically increasing its size while paying respect to its original and distinctive design.

Missionary Blogs

Elder Aidan Bradley
www.mymission.com/elderaidanbradley
2024
Sister Sarah Burns
www.mymission.com/sistersarahburns
2024
Elder Charlie Candland
www.mymission.com/eldercharliecandland
2024
Elder Jackson Cavaness
www.mymission.com/elderjacksoncavaness
2024
Elder Federico Deresandro
www.mymission.com/elderfedericoderesandro
2024
Elder Ty Jones
www.mymission.com/eldertyjones
2024
Elder Michel Lines
www.mymission.com/eldermichellines
2024
Elder Jacob Soulier
www.mymission.com/elderjacobsoulier
2024
Elder Matthew Toler
www.mymission.com/eldermatthewtoler
2024
Elder Matthew Jess Ziel
www.mymission.com/eldermatthewjessziel
2024
Sister Jocelyn Perucca
www.mymission.com/sisterjocelynperucca
2023
Sister Abby Whitworth
www.mymission.com/sisterabbywhitworth
2023
Elder Leonel Carrera
www.mymission.com/elderleonelcarrera
2022
Elder Dallin Eldredge
www.mymission.com/elderdallineldredge
2022
Sister Isabele Fonseca
www.mymission.com/sisterisabelefonseca
2022
Elder Tyler Love
www.mymission.com/eldertylerlove
2022
Sister Ashlyn Eliason
www.mymission.com/sisterashlyneliason
2021
Sister Taylor Hobbs
www.mymission.com/sistertaylorhobbs
2021
Sister Sara Miller
www.mymission.com/shmills10gmailcom
2021
Elder Henri Salazar
www.mymission.com/elderhenrisalazar
2021
Elder Kade Saunders
www.mymission.com/elderkadesaunders1
2021
Elder Bridger Spendlove
www.mymission.com/elderbridgerspendlove
2021
Elder Thomas Stewart
www.mymission.com/elderthomasstewart
2021
Elder Thomas Stewart
www.mymission.com/elderthomasstewart1
2021
Elder Mark Albrechtsen
www.mymission.com/eldermarkalbrechtsen
2020
Elder Steven Armstrong
www.mymission.com/elderstevenarmstrong
2020
Elder Tanner Christensen
www.mymission.com/eldertannerchristensen
2020
Elder Matthew Headrick
www.mymission.com/eldermatthewheadrick
2020
Elder Matthew Headrick
www.mymission.com/eldermatthewheadruck
2020
Elder Tyler Heineken
www.mymission.com/eldertylerheineken
2020
Elder Blayde Martin
www.mymission.com/elderblaydemartin
2020
Elder Brady Norton
www.mymission.com/elderbradynorton
2020
Elder Paul Peterson
www.mymission.com/elderpaulpeterson
2020
Elder Pearson Wallace
www.mymission.com/elderpearsonwallace
2020
Elder Cooper Atkinson
www.mymission.com/eldercooperatkinson
2019
Elder Cooper Atkinson
www.mymission.com/eldercooperatkinson2
2019
Elder Brayden Campbell
www.mymission.com/elderbraydencampbell
2019
Elder Shelby Christensen
www.mymission.com/eldershelbychristensen
2019
Elder Blake Fillmore
www.mymission.com/elderblakefillmore
2019
Elder Daniel Mitchell
www.mymission.com/elderdanielmitchell
2019
Elder Brigham Perry
www.mymission.com/elderbrighamperry
2019
Elder Noah Caron
www.mymission.com/eldernoahcaron
2018
Sister Julietta Galarza Mariani
www.mymission.com/sisterjuliettagalarzamariani
2018
Elder Harrison Marcum
www.mymission.com/elderharrisonmarcum
2018
Elder Israel Orona
www.mymission.com/elderisraelorona
2018
Sister María Paladines
www.mymission.com/sistermarapaladines
2018
Sister Sara Silva
www.mymission.com/sistersarasilva
2018
Elder Evan Thomas
www.mymission.com/elderevanthomas
2018
Elder Jordan Clegg
www.mymission.com/elderjordanclegg
2017
Elder Kyle Hendricks
www.mymission.com/elderkylehendricks
2017
Sister Kristin Sparks
www.mymission.com/sisterkristinsparks
2017
Sister Nicole Carter
www.mymission.com/sisternicolecarter
2016
Elder Javier Culebro
www.mymission.com/elderjavierculebro
2016
Elder Jake Danneman
www.mymission.com/elderjakedanneman
2016
Elder Austin Steele
elderaustinsteele.blogspot.com
2016
Elder Brock Hardcastle
elderbrockhardcastle.blogspot.com
2016
Elder Frederico Ayres
elderfredericoayres.blogspot.com
2016
Elder Jace Yeoman
elderyeoman.blogspot.com
2016
Elder Jimmy Justice
elderjimmyjustice.wordpress.com
2016
Elder Jordan Clegg
mymission.com/elderjordanclegg
2016
Elder Jordan Ryan
elderjryanaban.blogspot.com
2016
Elder Matthew Jensen
mattsamazingadventure.blogspot.com
2016
Elder Tanner Erickson
www.mymission.com/eldertannererickson
2016
Elder Cadence Perry
www.mymission.com/eldercadenceperry
2016
Sister Courtney Haight
hermanahaight.blogspot.com
2016
Sister Kristin Sparks
mymission.com/sisterkristinsparks
2016
Sister Mallory Dickson
hermanadickson.blogspot.com
2016
Sister Savanah Tujague
hermanatujague.blogspot.com
2016
Sister Susan Ostler
susie-qsie.blogspot.com
2016
Elder Parker Wilhelm
www.mymission.com/elderparkerwilhelm
2016
Elder Adam Goff
elderadamgoff.blogspot.com
2015
Elder Brian Damitz
elderbrianmdamitz.blogspot.com
2015
Elder Connor Olsen
elderconnorolsen.blogspot.com
2015
Elder Heather Tenney
elderheathtenney.blogspot.com
2015
Elder Parker Roberts
elderparkerroberts.blogspot.com
2015
Elder Taylor Chriss
tchrissstormsargentina.blogspot.com
2015
Elder Troy Hicks
eldertroyhicks.blogspot.com
2015
Elder Connor Olsen
www.mymission.com/elderconnorolsen
2015
Sister Hannah Van Wagoner
hermanahannahvanwagoner.blogspot.com
2015
Sister Nicole Carter
hermananicolecarter.blogspot.com
2015
Elder Caleb Hogge
missionsite.net/eldercalebhogge
2014
Elder Tory Zollinger
eldertoryzollinger.blogspot.com
2014
Sister Katelyn Syphus
hermanakatelynsyphus.blogspot.com
2014
Sister Rebecca Sirrine
hermanarebeccasirrine.blogspot.com
2014
Elder Cody Buxton
codysmissionblog.blogspot.com
2013
Elder Matthew Dewsnup
dewingsomethinggood.blogspot.com
2013
Sister Jessica Alvey
hermanajessicaalvey.blogspot.com
2013
Sister Rachel Hill
hermanarachelhill.blogspot.com
2013
Sister Shelley Kailei
hermanashelley.blogspot.com
2013
Elder Bryan Grover
missionsite.net/elderbryangrover
2012
Elder Christopher McElwee
missionsite.net/christophermcelwee
2012
Elder David Arrowchis
elderarrowchis.blogspot.com
2012
Elder Doug Gardner
elderdouggardner.blogspot.com
2012
Elder Michael Watson
eldermwatson.blogspot.com
2012
Elder Zachary Trayner
eldertrayner.blogspot.com
2012
Sister Aleta Bray
missionsite.net/sisteraletabray
2012
Sister Aleta Bray
sisterabraymission.blogspot.com
2012
Sister Suzette Gonzalez
suzettemissionblog.blogspot.com
2012
Elder Andrew Ludwig
drewsmissiontoargentina.blogspot.com
2011
Elder Joshua Wray
missionsite.net/elderwray
2011
Elder Michael Watson
missionsite.net/eldermwatson
2011
Elder Thomas Bennett
missionsite.net/elderthomasbennett
2011
Sister Haley Jones
hermanahaleyjones.blogspot.com
2011
Elder & Sister Kroff
kroffmission.blogspot.com
2010
Elder Kyle Denton
elderdenton.blogspot.com
2010
Sister Carrie Marx
www.mymission.com/sistercarriemarx
2009
Elder John Williams
www.mymission.com/elderjohnwilliams1
1987

Address

Gral. Lavalle 1828
1646 San Fernando
Buenos Aires
Argentina

Mission President

Robert T. Smith

Region

South America

Church Statistics

Argentina

Members: 432007
Congregations: 765
Missions: 12
Family History Centers: 107

Languages

Spanish

Population

5,000,000 (approx.)

Operating

89
Years
1
Months
27
Days
Organized on 14-Aug-1935