Pinochet's Coup on Sept. 11, 1973

General Augosto Pinochet's coup on Sept. 11, 1973 affected the lives of countless Chileans. As missionaries in Santiago, we often met people who had sad stories to tell of loved ones who left home one morning and never returned. The church was still very new in the country and members were working hard to establish strong roots. The following article by the Salt Lake Tribune's Peggy Stack, published June 22, 2006, describes some of the circumstances surrounding that time of turmoil and how it affected the growth of the church:

Church was pushed, pulled during 'time of trouble'

By Peggy Fletcher Stack
The Salt Lake Tribune

SANTIAGO, Chile - Though the LDS Church was founded in 1830, Mormon missionaries did not arrive in Chile until the mid-1950s, when several American business leaders with headquarters in Santiago petitioned for them.
The first proselytizing efforts were modestly successfully, especially in and around the capital city. But the political upheavals of the 1970s helped and hurt the church's outreach in certain quarters.
"It was a time of trouble," LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley said during his recent speeches here, noting that he was in Chile on the day in 1970 when leftist Salvador Allende was elected president.
Business and political leaders fought Allende and his socialist policies, creating economic crises and chaos.
Washington dispatched CIA operatives inside Chile to work against Allende and many Chileans thought Mormons were among the operatives, says Francisco Jara, a Santiago journalist who wrote his doctoral dissertation on Mormons in Chile.
Not so, Jara says.
"Mormon leaders and missionaries helped by teaching anti-Communist doctrines but they didn't serve as spies or covert agents."
Antagonisms culminated on Sept. 11, 1973, with Auguste Pinochet leading a military coup that toppled Allende's government. Pinochet then ushered in 15 years of repression during which he systematically eliminated his enemies through abduction, torture and execution. Catholic bishops spoke out strongly against the abuses and were soundly punished by the dictator.
This was the height of the Cold War and Mormon leaders lined up behind Pinochet, whom they saw as an opponent of Communism.
LDS President Spencer W. Kimball gave the dictator a copy of the Book of Mormon and called him, "one of the great leaders of Latin America."
Robert Wells, a Mormon executive assigned to the South America in the 1970s to establish friendly relations with conservative governments, reportedly said the coup was an "an act that served the purpose of the Lord."
Wells, Latin American representative for First National Bank, said of Pinochet: "If he had to shoot anyone, the great majority deserved it since they were terrorists."
The Pinochet regime responded to this support by calling the Latter-day Saints "true Christians who stayed clear of politics," Jara says, and recognizing the church's contribution to the "spiritual and social well-being of the nation."
And, more important for the church's growth, Pinochet lifted restrictions on Mormon missionaries, allowing them to operate freely in the country.
That, in turn, made the church a target for his opponents on the left.
Though no one was injured, between 1984 and 1990 there were 193 attacks on Mormon chapels, according to University of Utah anthropologist David Knowlton.
Most of the attacks came from guerrilla groups who opposed Pinochet and operated in the same neighborhoods as Mormon missionaries, Knowlton says.
Some chapels were painted with slogans such as "Yankee go home" and plastered with posters denouncing imperialism.
After Pinochet was defeated in 1988, the LDS Church began to re-establish connections with the left-leaning leaders who then came to power.
Apostle Jeffrey R. Holland had numerous meetings at the Chilean "White House" with President Richard Lagos, who was elected in 1999. Lagos' wife, Luisa Duran De Lagos, visited Utah in 2004.
In addition to improving its political relationships, the LDS Church has made extensive contributions to the country's social programs.
It gave 300,000 blankets and 13,000 quilts to the homeless, built homes, provided dental hygiene and gave money to a burn center, among other things.
The church gets little recognition for these gifts and usually works with well-established non-profits.
Still, the effort seems to be paying off, says Jara.
"Today the relationship between the leftist government and the LDS Church is excellent," he says.
"Mormon leaders should have done this 40 years ago, but they didn't."

Adventures with Old Investigators

Cristina’s 12-Year Journey to the Pila

In the Chile Santiago West Mission in the late 1990s, the average conversion for a new member took place in two weeks or less. In 14 days or so, the investigator typically attended church twice, received all six discussions, had every concern resolved and received a baptismal interview. It was very rare to see someone investigate the church for more than a few months.
That is just the way it was.
If an investigator needed more time, that was fine, but missionaries generally moved on because other golden contacts were waiting.
Cristina was unique. Her conversion lasted about 12 years (144 months, 625 weeks and 4,380 days).
For 12 extensive years, this elderly woman was an active member the Los Cerrillos ward, received the discussions multiple times from multiple companionships, attending meetings week after week, magnified her callings and helping her sisters in the relief society. But for some secret reason, she declined to be baptized.
“No estoy lista (I’m not ready),” she told the missionaries for 12 lengthy years, always crushing their hopes.
Elder Kevin Bake and I met Cristina sometime in September 1998 as we were becoming acquainted with the ward and sector. We were pleased to find she had been attending church for so long that like many missionaries before us, we had baptism symbols in our eyes. Surely she would be our first baptism in the sector.
But Cristina proved to be elusive. She loved the church, but for some odd reason, this kind, elderly woman delighted in recounting the fruitless efforts of numerous missionaries to persuade her to enter the waters of baptism. She was a mystery and when we tried to talk to those close to her, we got nothing. What was holding her back? What was she afraid of? Was there something in her past she didn’t want to talk about?
There were many questions swirling and she was unwilling to provide the answers. So we prayed and felt the best course of action was to just to be a friend, show love and hoped at some point she would change her mind.
Over the next several months, we occasional stopped by, but little progress was made. She continued to attend meetings, but declined to discuss baptism. It would prove to be a test of our faith and patience.
More than four months and two companions later, Elder Strydar Argo and I stopped for a quick visit sometime during a hot week in early January 1999. I only had a month left of mission and really desired to see this nice woman get baptized. As we sat in her small living room, I felt the compelled to bring up the dreaded subject one more time.
However, this time I was more aggressive. What did we have to lose?
“Why won’t you get baptized?” I asked. “You know you can’t get to heaven without being baptized. Why don’t you want to receive forgiveness or your sins?”
Her response surprised us.
“I need a sign to know it’s the right thing to do,” Cristina said.
A sign? Elder Argo and I were dumbfounded. For someone who had been active in the ward, unofficially held callings in the relief society and witnessed countless baptisms over 12 years, there had to be a bigger concern hiding back there.
As we looked at each other, a scripture I had read that morning popped into my mind. I asked her to open with us to Alma 32:16-21, which reads:

16 Therefore, blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble; or rather, in other words, blessed is he that believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without stubbornness of heart, yea, without being brought to know the word, or even compelled to know, before they will believe.
17 Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a sign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall believe.
18 Now I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for if a man knoweth a thing he hath no cause to believe, for he knoweth it.
19 And now, how much more cursed is he that knoweth the will of God and doeth it not, than he that only believeth, or only hath cause to believe, and falleth into transgression?
20 Now of this thing ye must judge. Behold, I say unto you, that it is on the one hand even as it is on the other; and it shall be unto every man according to his work.
21 And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.

As we related these words to her situation, Cristina changed. She realized what she needed to do. The words of verse 16 had touched something in her – “blessed is (s)he that believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without stubbornness of heart.”
That was all it took. After a 12-year wait, a date was selected and arrangements were made within minutes. She was baptized on Jan. 10, 1999, a month before I completed my mission. She later said getting baptized was one of the best days of her life.
Much to my regret, I missed Cristina’s baptismal service to attend a monthly meeting with the stake president and the mission president. As it turns out, President John Hadfield never showed. The service would have been more memorable.
Cristina also let me hear about it before consenting to a photo.
“How often do you get to attend the baptism of a 12-year investigator,” she scolded.

Old Maria

About a year earlier, in the nearby community of Ochogavia, Elder Matthew Weaver and I knocked on the door of an 80-year-old woman named Maria Villacorta.
The white-haired, feeble woman lived in a small apartment with family. They didn’t seem to care when we started to visit. She was a little hard of hearing, but sharp and enjoyed our visits and welcomed the message of the gospel. Before she died, she wished to be baptized by immersion like the Lord Jesus Christ.
We agreed to help her and she was excited when we showed her the baptismal font and explained how it would be done.
But getting her in the water proved to be more of a challenge that originally thought. Even though she lived minutes from the church, Maria was weak in her old age and required special care. On the day of her baptism, we paid for a taxi to take her too and from the church. Before we could get her in the taxi, her family, who had previously declined to even talk to us, protested us taking their grandma to the church. They thought we were going to kidnap her or something. When we invited them to come along, they relented.
Maria loved church meetings, but became cold and tired from sitting on the hard benches. When it came time for the service, she groaned and moaned that she just wanted to be taken home.
The eyes of the ward members were all on us as we tried to convince her to be baptized. A few members discouraged and suggested we take her home and try again another day, but we worried the 80-year-old might not come back.
Then something unexpected happened. A homeless woman who was often seen in the neighborhood came forth and calmed Maria down by speaking soothing words. This woman had requested baptism on many occasions, but had a laundry list of problems to deal with first. To our utter amazement, this foul-smelling woman in rags told Maria she could not get baptized, but Maria was ready and should do it right then. Even more amazing, Maria agreed.

The sound of church hymns seemed to raise the roof off the chapel as the service proceeded and Maria was baptized. The joy on Maria’s face was worth all the trouble.

Hard-Headed Javier

Toward the end of my time in Ochogavia, Paula Chavez, a stalwart member of the ward, introduced us to her husband Javier.
Paula was a golden member of the church who was always willing to feed and help us. Javier was a different story. Even thought the 41-year-old allowed his wife and children to attend the church, Javier had serious doubts about the church and was reluctant to talk with us.
I wish I had been more detailed in recording his concerns in my journal, but deciding whether or not Joseph Smith was a prophet was one we addressed.
Previous missionaries, including our zone leader Andrew Vigue had tried to teach Javier before and failed.
“There is no way that guy will ever get ‘tized,” Vigue had said once.
But we were not deterred. As long as he allowed, we visited and shared the gospel. With time, the Lord began to soften his heart. There were no spectacular moments in any discussion that led us to believe his heart was changing, but he simply continued to invite us back.
One day in February we were shocked when he informed us of his decision to follow Christ into the waters of baptism. Paula was moved to tears, as were many members of the ward, as Javier was baptized on Feb. 8, 1998.

Abbott and Hansen

Anyone who has trained before knows that the biggest desire of your heart is that the greenie to whom you have been entrusted will capture the vision of the West Mission as well as learn to face his or her fears. This was often accomplished by approaching men in the streets of Chile and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I was training Elder Travis Hansen in the beloved El Llano sector of Ochogavia. It was a hot December day in 1997 and Elder Hansen and I were kneeling down to pray before heading out for the afternoon. With a particular focus on baptizing varones, we asked to find a worthy male to share with and accept the gospel. No sooner had we stepped one foot out the door when my greenie darted towards a “varon” passing by. (I was proud). We quickly engaged a gospel conversation with a man by the name of Claudio Chaparro.

As we began to share the gospel, something familiar seemed to alert Claudio. He stopped us mid-sentence and explained that years ago he had heard this gospel we were sharing and that he already knew it to be true. He, however, had only been seventeen years old at the time, and his parents had forbidden him to join the church. Then, with a look of sudden excitement, he exclaimed, “I guess I don’t have to worry about that anymore, do I?”

Claudio proceeded to invite us over the next evening to meet his wife and two small kids and teach them all together. They both accepted the gospel and were baptized a few days before Christmas. What a present! Claudio changed jobs so he could attend church on Sundays and Elizabeth was called to the Relief Society presidency. Shortly thereafter, Claudio received the Aaronic priesthood and eventually the Melchezidek priesthood. Later I heard they had moved to southern Chile, although I still have not found them. As for Elder Hansen and myself, we were extremely grateful to have been a part of this West Mission miracle.

-Elder Jason Abbott 1997-1999

Cope and Pospisil

Missions are full of miracles, and I think by reflecting on them the Spirit reminds us that our lives can be full of the same miracles if we will just continue to believe and to live the commitment required. My first December in Santiago, I had just been transferred to the area Maipu, into a very affluent neighborhood called Ciudad Satelite. It was the only place I ever served where most everyone had automobiles. We had been taught by President Walker about the importance of leaving a door with love. He taught us that when a missionary leaves a slammed door with sarcasm or resentment or anger in his voice, his response, or his heart, that there is no impact on the person, and that we also are failing the Lord's test to see whether we are worthy to be led to those who are truly prepared. I specifically remember that we were promised that if we would leave a door with love, that those who slammed the door would, for the next two or three days, constantly reflect on the moment, and that they would regret their action and not be able to get the picture of we missionaries out of their minds, so that on the next visit of a missionary, they would be more gentle in their response, until they finally gave a positive response.

So it was in this sector that Elder Pospisil and I worked with our hearts as much as we did with our feet as we went from door to door, looking at each person eternally, and desiring nothing but eternal life for them, and exaltation, and just the small chance to tell them everything the Lord had entrusted to us to share. Well, if the affluent have a reputation for pride, it seemed doubly so in this sector, because the doors were not just closed, they were vehemently closed! Doors weren't just shut, they were slammed hard, people "no estaban ni alli" con nosotros (weren't here or there with us), and personally kicked us off their property, or threatened to call the police, or ripped us up and down, or warned us not to come back, etc. The worse it got, the more we loved them and longed for their salvation, and then it happened. Nothing we did--for we all know that the Lord brings it all to pass--but I think he had finished trying our hearts, and an effectual door was opened. As we got to the next "reja" (gate) and yelled "Halo," a woman came to answer. As long as I live, and even into eternity, I will never forget the look on her face or the moment in time. Time seemed to stop, and after we introduced ourselves she looked at us with the most curious stare, and said "pase." (come in). Once inside, she informed us that she didn't know why she was doing this, beause she never let door to door people or missionaries into her home. That was the first discussion we gave to the Correa family. In a few weeks the family of four was baptized--father, mother, and two teenage daughters. Despite the danger of being evicted from their very prestigious (private) Catholic school, they moved forward with faith. About a year later, just before I came home from my mission, Elder Pospisil and I accompanied this family through the Santiago Temple, where they were sealed together for time and eternity. It was, as president promised, "The Perfect Day."

Elder Mark Cope
March 1996-March 1998

Hartley and Ibarra's Carolita

One Saturday morning in the summer heat of March 1997, Elder Leonard Ibarra and I were finishing up a morning knocking doors on the outer border of our sector of Santa Fe, in the zone of San Miguel. The usual time had already passed for us to head in for lunch, when I said, “Let’s just knock three more doors.” The first two amounted to nothing, but at the very last door we met Carola Santander.

She seemed like a typical 20-year-old Chilean girl, living with her parents and studying. I thought it a bit odd that she had never made any contact with missionaries before, so we taught her the first discussion, and she committed to coming to church that Sunday morning. We agreed to come by the following day to pick her up for church and walk together so that she didn’t feel uncomfortable amongst people she didn’t know.

Sunday arrived, and in typical fashion Elder Ibarra and I split up to go pick up the long list of people who committed to come to church with us. It was a hectic Sunday morning list for me, running from place to place. I left sacrament meeting two or three times to go get more investigators while dropping off others. Sometime at the end of the third block Elder Ibarra leaned over to me and said, “Hey Hartley, what happened to that one girl (Carola)? Was she not home?” My heart immediately sank. It was then that I had realized I had completely forgotten about her. She was written right there on my “agenda”, and thoughts of her waiting on her doorstep waiting for us began haunting me. Had she really been eager to come, or would she have not been there anyways? “Oh, that’s just great!” I thought sarcastically. “The very first time she makes contact with the missionaries and we lie to her about coming to pick her up for church. Who is she going to think we are?”

After church ended, we ran to Carola’s house, not knowing what to say. It was almost one o’clock by then, and I was almost hoping that she wasn’t home. But, of course, that wasn’t the case.

“Nine o’clock, huh?” were the first words that came out of her mouth. “I thought you guys said I could come to church with you, but you never showed up! I was here waiting the whole time!”
Now what do you say to that? Needless to say, apologies were made, and we regained her trust. It turns out that the gospel was exactly what she was looking for, and we taught her the discussions and (this time around) took her to church. Ten days later she was baptized and within two months she was made a stake missionary. She was progressing nicely.

As I neared the end of my mission, I had the distinct impression to talk to Carola about a mission. I asked her what she thought about going on a mission, and she laughed, saying, “Are you kidding? I’m a new member. I’m just learning myself.” By then she had been a baptized for ten months. “Carola,” I said, “I’m not saying you should go, but I think that you’d make a great missionary and maybe it’s something you should consider.”

Six months later Hermana Santander was called to serve in the Chile, Osorno mission. She helped bring many others to the gospel and came home eager to serve in the church. Two years later she met a Chilean returned missionary at institute and was soon married in the Santiago Temple. They now have two children born under the covenant.

In a recent letter she said it best, “Siempre me acuerdo de mi bautismo y del dia que me dejaron plantada!” (I always remember my baptism and the day you left me hanging!”
-Elder Brad Hartley 1996-1998

Momita Peg leg

The Lord manifests His miracles when you cast out all fear and work diligently with all your heart, might, mind and strength.

One of the most meaningful experiences of my mission occurred in November 1997, in the sector of La Legua in the zone of Republica. The majority of my two months in Republica was spent in La Legua, a ghetto of numerous people, daily crime and poverty.

Elder Joshua Bigelow and I had been working with a part-member family around this time that we adored. We were in the process of teaching the non-members while reactivating the members. We always looked forward to the visits and loved these good people. Success was taking place and the family was happy, but there was one person who kept stiff-arming us in every visit - the grandmother. Here was a sweet woman who loved her family and listened intently to our discussions, but for some stubborn reason, refused to commit to baptism.

Over a period of several weeks, we visited the family until we had baptized everyone but Momita, as we called her. Our frustration was mounting and it was almost time to move on. Elder Bigelow was especially vexed because he had never lost someone in the "gran lucha," a last resort effort to help the investigators realize they had felt the spirit and what it was telling them to do. Bigelow was a master of the lucha, except of course when it came to Momita.

Our sector was quite a distance from where we lived and as the hour grew late one night, we were tempted to go in early. We had worked a full day by many standards, our feet were sore and our clothes were smelly. We were justified in calling it a night, and that was my vote. But Elder Bigelow wasn't ready to turn in. He challenged my missionary manhood and said, "Let's go try one more time with Momita." I protested at first thinking of a comfortable bed, then relented, despite my aching size-13 feet.

It was almost midnight when we arrived and being early summer, everyone was still up and about. We visited and soon focused our attention on Momita. As he had before many times, Bigelow started down that familiar line of questioning, but we were getting no where fast. For the first time I really asked myself, "What is keeping this woman from getting baptized?" That's when the spirit taught me a lesson.

At that moment I saw something I had never noticed before. Momita only had one leg and got around with the help of a 2x4 stump piece of wood. Simultaneously in my mind and heart I felt the spirit whisper to me this was what was holding her back. And then a third confirmation came as I noticed Momita's daughter across the room was mouthing something to me and pointing at her foot.

Excitedly I interrupted Bigelow and asked Momita if the one thing holding her back was her prosthetic leg. She was absolutely shocked, but responded it was so. She could not fathom how it would be possible. Then she asked how I knew. As I testified that Heavenly Father loved her and wanted her to follow His example, the spirit filled the room. The invitation for baptism was extended, and finally, gratefully, accepted.

I was transferred in the days leading up to the baptism of Momita, but received permission to return, as Momita insisted she wouldn't get in the water unless I was there. On Nov. 23, 1997, Elder Bigelow and I helped her into the font. With us both supporting her in the warm water, the family shed tears as she was baptized.

I am grateful beyond all measure that we didn't go in early that night. I am grateful Bigelow challenged my missionary manhood, otherwise I would have missed out on one of the most marvelous experiences of my mission. Momita might not have been baptized, because later she told me I was the only one she would have let baptize her. This experience taught me that miracles happen, that the Lord's grace is sufficient for us after all that we can do. I also realized the Lord has prepared certain people out there just for us to connect with and help through the mists of darkness to the Iron Rod. If we are not living up to gospel standards, those opportunities will be missed and we will be held accountable for them later. May we always stand ready, despite the fatigue of life, and not miss those special experiences, is my testimony. Amen.

Ninja Turtles

The Ninja Turtle account, as I remember it, is as follows:

In the month of July 1997 the Republica Zone was starting to come into its own. The previous month Republica was the only zone where every companionship had ten baptisms and we wanted to make sure we did at least that every month. By the end of the last week of July Avenida Matta had 7, Parque O'Higgins 5, Republica 9, and Yarur 5. There were a total of fourteen baptisms needed for all of us to have ten each and we felt the Lord wanted us to work towards that goal.

Avenida Matta, Republica, and Yarur were able to secure their part by Sunday afternoon and there was only Parque O'Higgins left. Parque O'Higgins was three short. Hma. Suarez and Hma. Monzon were companions in this ward and were full of faith. I had served with Hma. Suarez in a previous zone and had always been impressed with her light and unwavering faith.

Close to sunset on Sunday the 30th, we gathered as a zone to discuss any potential baptisms there might be for Hma. Suarez. We soon realized that there were no immediate possibilities in Hma. Suarez's teaching pool. Hma. Suarez pulled me aside and told me that she felt it was very important that she continue looking for those the Lord had prepared for her as she felt impressed that they were waiting to be found. We knelt down as a zone and prayed that we might be guided by the Spirit to find those who had been prepared to enter in the waters of baptism.

We then quickly left to the streets walking together towards Av. Libertador Bernando O'Higgins. Once closer to more people walking in the streets, we broke up speaking to any one we felt like speaking to. I had a distinct feeling to start walking across the east bound side of the street to the large median. Once on the median, I began walking west bound for no more than twenty yards when I noticed a large metal door opening into the ground underneath the park that was the median of the Avenue. I thought I heard voices down in the hole and was very confused as to what was going on. I called down into the opening when three faces showed themselves and asked if there was any thing they could do. I told them that we had been looking for someone to teach to about Jesus and they immediately invited us to go down.

I recall there being a ladder that allowed us to lower ourselves into the opening and when we realized that it was not a large space, only three of us went down while the other five of the zone waited in the park. The three people lighted a lantern and we could see that they were living there. They told us that is was the storage for equipment to maintain the park. They had recently came from the south and had no where to live and had discovered the opening a few weeks before. We introduced ourselves and they immediately knew who we were. They said that they had met with and received discussions from missionaries where they were living in the south. We told them of the church that was nearby and told them that they were invited any time to come and see it. I asked if they felt like walking with us to the church so that we could show it to them and teach them in better light. They agreed and climbed out of the ground opening and proceeded to walk with us to the church.

On our way back I remember looking at Suarez as she just gave me that familiar smile of confidence that she was doing what she had been called to do. When we arrived at the church, we gave them a tour and saw that there were a number of meetings going on. We found a room that was not being used and continued on with our teaching. We soon realized that they were very familiar with The Book of Mormon, the story of Joseph Smith, and Word of Wisdom. They also told us that they had gone to church several times and probably would have joined if it wasn't for the difficult situation they were in.

While teaching, my bishop popped his head in the door and asked to speak to me. I went into the hallway as he asked me who these people were and where they were from. I quickly told him the story and he asked if he could speak to the head of the household by himself. The bishop pulled him in his office to introduce himself and wanted to talk to him about the importance of tithing. The bishop came out of his office and asked me if I thought it would be a good idea to baptize the family now. I of course was praying for that but wanted to let things happen as the Lord wanted. We spoke to the family and told them that since the bishop and various other church leaders were at the church, we could have a baptismal service for them right away.

They didn't hesitate for a second! We interviewed them and found them worthy to be baptized. They changed into white clothing we had at the church and had a beautiful service where almost every axillary attended the baptism! The service was beautiful and one of the most organized and spiritual meetings I had ever had on my mission.

After the baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost, our little family asked to pay their tithing before they left to their hole in the ground. I found them an envelope and slip and showed them how to fill it out. Our bishop thanked them for being so faithful and they continued to come to church every Sunday until they moved.

Hma. Suarez and the entire zone of Republica saw that the Lord does want his servants to accomplish what they commit to do. We learned that the Lord will provide a way to find what He has required if we are humble enough to listen to His guidance.

Every one got their ten that month but that wasn't the point....was it?