Argentina Neuquen Mission

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.

	Elder William Bailey www.mymission.com/elderwilliambailey	2024
	Sister Mandalyn Baker www.mymission.com/sistermandalynbaker	2024
	Elder Jett Beckstrom www.mymission.com/elderjettbeckstrom	2024
	Elder Emmett Hart www.mymission.com/elderemmetthart	2024
	Elder Emmett Hart www.mymission.com/elderemmetthart1	2024
	Elder Payson Norman www.mymission.com/elderpaysonnorman	2024
	Sister Leticia Paredes www.mymission.com/sisterleticiaparedes	2024
	Elder Craig Ricks www.mymission.com/eldercraigricks	2024
	Elder Peter Fossum www.mymission.com/elderpeterfossum	2023
	Elder Jacob Morrison www.mymission.com/elderjacobmorrison	2023
	Elder Brooks Peterson www.mymission.com/elderbrookspeterson	2023
	Sister Josie Cole www.mymission.com/sisterjosiecole	2021
	Elder Carter Grgich www.mymission.com/eldercartergrgich	2021
	Elder Josh Novakovich www.mymission.com/elderjoshnovakovich	2021
	Elder Grant Palmer www.mymission.com/eldergrantpalmer	2021
	Elder José Luis Ramírez Castro www.mymission.com/elderjosluisramrezcastro	2021
	Elder José Luis Ramírez www.mymission.com/elderjosluisramrez	2021
	Elder José Luis Ramírez www.mymission.com/elderjosluisramrez1	2021
	Elder José Luis Ramírez castro www.mymission.com/elderjosluisramrezcastro1	2021
	Elder Matthew Ritchie www.mymission.com/eldermatthewritchie	2021
	Elder jose luis ramirez castro www.mymission.com/elderjoseluisramirezcastro	2021
	Sister Anna Christensen www.mymission.com/sisterannacheistensen	2020
	Elder Talmage John Knight www.mymission.com/elderjohnknight	2020
	Elder Tegen Murdock www.mymission.com/eldertegenmurdock	2020
	Elder Jason Smith www.mymission.com/elderjasonsmith	2020
	Elder Weston Griffiths www.mymission.com/elderwestongriffiths	2019
	Elder Jaden &Jake Hathaway www.mymission.com/elderjadenjakehathaway	2019
	Elder Jake Hathaway www.mymission.com/elderjakehathaway	2019
	Elder Jake Hathaway www.mymission.com/elderjakehathaway1	2019
	Elder Michael Johansson www.mymission.com/eldermichaeljohansson	2019
	Elder Michael Johansson www.mymission.com/eldermichaeljohansson2	2019
	Elder Mitchell Kirkham www.mymission.com/eldermitchellkirkham	2019
	Sister Makayla Palmer www.mymission.com/sistermakaylapalmer	2019
	Sister Allyson Soper www.mymission.com/sisterallysonsoper	2019
	Elder Trefor Morgan www.mymission.com/eldertreformorgan	2018
	Elder Trent Reilly www.mymission.com/eldertrentreilly	2018
	Elder David Torres www.mymission.com/elderdavidtorres	2018
	Elder Darin Tschida www.mymission.com/elderdarintschida	2018
	Elder Chase Moss elderchasemoss.blogspot.com	2017
	Elder Ryan Stuart elderryanstuart.blogspot.com	2017
	Elder Pedro Renato Dias dos Santos Elder dos Santos www.mymission.com/elderpedrorenatodiasdossantoselderdossantos	2017
	Elder Dallin Heward www.mymission.com/elderdallinheward	2017
	Elder Levi Le Baron www.mymission.com/elderlevilebaron	2017
	Elder Ignacio Rosas www.mymission.com/fontfontelderfontfontbyronrosas	2017
	Elder Byron Rosas mymission.com/..elder..rosas	2016
	Elder Clayton Wessel elderclaytonwessel.blogspot.com	2016
	Elder Dane Nielson danenielson.blogspot.com	2016
	Elder Darren Bramell darrenbramell.blogspot.com	2016
	Elder Jacob Gallegos missionsite.net/elderjacobgallegos	2016
	Elder Matt Moser missionsite.net/eldermattmoser	2016
	Elder Nicholas Grondel eldernickgrondel.blogspot.com	2016
	Elder Riley Newman elderrileynewman.blogspot.com	2016
	Elder Tyler Clifford elderclifford.blogspot.com	2016
	Elder Jacob Larson www.mymission.com/elderjacoblarson	2016
	Sister Anika Van Boerum argentinaanika.blogspot.com	2016
	Sister Bethany Bailey hermanabailey.blogspot.com	2016
	Sister Brooke Farrow hermanabrookefarrow.blogspot.com	2016
	Sister Janessa Houston houstonjanessa.wordpress.com	2016
	Sister Lynzee Slade lynzeemission.blogspot.com	2016
	Sister Mallory Jones hermanamalloryjones.blogspot.com	2016
	Sister Rachel Farr 6143miles.blogspot.com	2016
	Elder Erik Barros www.mymission.com/eldererikbarros	2015
	Elder Zachary Brimhall www.mymission.com/elderzacharybrimhall	2015
	President & Sister Lovell lovellsinargentina.blogspot.com	2015
	Sister Kylee Terry hermanakyleeterry.blogspot.com	2015
	Elder Camilo Supelano www.mymission.com/eldercamilosupelano	2015
	Elder & Sister Asbell asbellmission.blogspot.com	2014
	Mission Alumni mission.net/argentina/neuquen	2014
	Sister Jennsine Davis missionsite.net/hermanajdavis	2014
	Sister Jessica Judd sisterjessicaisabeljudd.blogspot.com	2014
	Sister Kaylee Hill iknowchristlives.org/sister-kaylee-hill	2014
	Sister Mikayla McChesney hermanamcchesney.blogspot.com	2014
	Sister Sarah Smith missionsite.net/sistersarahannsmith	2014
	Elder Bronson Wagstaff missionsite.net/bronsonwagstaff	2013
	Elder Douglas Emmett missionsite.net/elderdouglassamuelemmett	2013
	Elder JJ Davis elderjjdavis.wordpress.com	2013
	Elder Jordan Hanzon missionsite.net/elderjordanhanzon	2013
	Elder Kyle Hudgins thismissionarylife.com	2013
	Elder Nate Heaps missionsite.net/eldernateheaps	2013
	Sister Danielle Velez missionsite.net/sisterdaniellevelez	2013
	Elder Andrew Naylor missionsite.net/eldernaylor	2012
	Elder Shawn Reed elderreedinargentina.blogspot.com	2012
	Elder Spencer Higgs missionsite.net/elderspencerhiggs	2012
	Elder Austin Page elderpage.wordpress.com	2011
	Elder Taylor Jensen taylorjensen.blogspot.com	2010
	Sister Gabriela Riquelme www.mymission.com/sistergabrielariquelme	2009
	Elder Charlie Gochnour www.mymission.com/eldercharliegochnour	2001
	Elder Jacob Richey www.mymission.com/elderjacobbenjaminrichey	2001

1.	Mision Argentina Neuquen Group
2.	Mision Argentina Neuquen 2009-2012 Group
3.	Mision Neuquen Argentina Group
4.	Companeras de Mision Neuquen Group
5.	Mision Argentina Neuquen 2009 Group
6.	Neuquen Mission Moms and Friends (LDS) Group
7.	Argentina Neuquen Mission – President Coronel Group

Argentina Neuquen Mission