Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord: Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission

Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission

Mission Website(s)

LDS Mission Network (David Lewis)

Pictures

Blog(s)

Sister Samantha Nicole LaPray 2010-2011

Sister Kasidy Seegmiller 2010-2011

Elder Bryce Taliercero 2009-2011

Elder Nick Gaughan 2009-2011

Elder Joshua D. Wartena 2009-2011

UTube Video Two Missionaries

Articles

Country information: Argentina, Church News ]Saturday, 15 October 2009].

"New Mission Presidents," (Esteban Gabriel Resek, former missionary called as mission president Chile Rancagua Mission) Church News [Saturday, 19 May 2007].

John L. Hart, "Comfortable in the Camera's Eye," (Elder Ricardo Villarini) Church News [Saturday, 23 June 2001].

Judy C. Olsen, “Argentina’s Bright and Joyous Day,” Ensign, Feb 1998, 36

Richard M. Romney, “Same Difference,” New Era, Sep 1997, 21

"Reactivations bring buildings," Church News [Saturday, 15 February 1992].

“LDS Scene,” Ensign, July 1990, 80

“Nine Missions Announced, Four Lands Dedicated in the Americas,” Ensign, June 1990, 77–78

Michael S. Nielsen, “Without Saying Good-bye,” Ensign, Jun 1990, 30

"New regional representative: Miguel Angel Reginato," (former mission counselor) Church News [Saturday, 16 September 1989].

"Two missionaries in Argentina die of accidental asphyxiation," (Sisters Yunette Harris and Gabriela Maria Cristina Nieva" Church News [Saturday, 10 June 1989].

“Stakes Total: 1,125 By End of March,” Ensign, June 1980, 80

Stories

LDS Mission Network

29 comments:

Anonymous said...: Why did you post this collection of links?; September 22, 2008 at 12:52 PM
Dr. B said...: I posted them because looking at all the sites that have links none of them have a comprehensive list of links for missions, missionaries, articles, etc.; September 22, 2008 at 2:11 PM
Dr. B said...: Francis M. Gibbons, Harold B. Lee: Man of Vision, Prophet of God Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1993 wrote:

Elder and Sister Lee flew to Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 13, [1959] where they were met by Mission President Lorin Pace and over two hundred members of the Church. The twelve-day tour of the mission began the same day with a zone conference at Rio Cuarto. There followed missionary and member meetings at Mendoza, at the foot of the Andes, La Plata, Rosario (where son-in-law Ernest Wilkins had served as a young missionary and where he was remembered by some of the members), Bahia Blanca, Tres Arroyos, and Mar del Plata. At this last city, Elder Lee gave the missionaries a three-step formula for approaching the Lord for his blessings: First, keep the commandments. Second, do everything possible to solve one's own personal problems. Third, "pray to the Lord with real intent and desire."

Elder Lee received more media attention in Argentina than in any other South American country. At a press conference held in Buenos Aires, representatives of the four leading newspapers were present to question the apostle from the north. It was only thirty-four years before that when another apostle from the north, Elder Melvin J. Ballard, had come to Buenos Aires to dedicate South America for the preaching of the gospel. Unknown and unnoticed, he and his companions, Rulon S. Wells and Rey L. Pratt, went to the Tres de Febrero Park near the banks of the La Plata River on Christmas Day, 1925, when Elder Ballard dedicated the continent of South America for the preaching of the gospel. After serving for nine months, during which there were only six conversions, Elder Ballard predicted, "The work will go forth slowly for a time just as the oak grows slowly from an acorn," but, ultimately, "thousands will join here." (From Acorn to Oak Tree, p. 30.) From what he had seen in Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina, and from what he would see later in the tour, Elder Lee could attest to the accuracy of Elder Ballard's prediction as there were then almost twenty thousand members in South America.; September 28, 2008 at 12:47 PM
Dr. B said...: "Two Missionaries in Argentina Die of Accidental Asphyxiation, Church News [Saturday, 10 June 1989] 4:

Funeral services were recently conducted in Argentina and Holly Springs, Miss., for two missionaries who died of accidental asphyxiation on May 28 at their living quarters in Comodoro Rivadavia, Argentina.

Agricol Lozano, president of the Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission, said Sister Yunette Harris, 22, of Memphis, Tenn., and Sister Gabriela Maria Cristina Nieva, 21, of Godoy Cruz, Mendoza, Argentina, were asphyxiated while they slept. Fumes from a malfunctioning gas heater were the cause of death. Their bodies were discovered after they failed to show up for Church services later in the day.

Sister Harris had been serving in the mission for the past nine months and Sister Nieva for just two months.

Representing the First Presidency at the May 30 funeral services for Sister Nieva was Elder Waldo P. Call, a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy and South America South Area president. Elder Rex D. Pinegar, a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy and North America Southeast Area president, represented the Church at the services for Sister Harris on June 4.; September 28, 2008 at 12:52 PM
Dr. B said...: "From Around the World," Church News [Saturday, 13 February 1988] 12:

South America South Area

Video aids leaders

BAHIA BLANCA, ARGENTINA - A video produced under the direction of stake Pres. Daniel Fucci is helping leaders understand the importance of staying close to youths. The video portrays a young man becoming inactive because leaders weren't available at critical times. In the video, the youth eventually becomes active again and, as he leaves for a mission, thanks those who helped, saying that his mission is the result of their work.; September 28, 2008 at 12:55 PM
Dr. B said...: In Church News [Saturday, 15 February 1992] 12:

South America South Area

Reactivations bring buildings
BAHIA BLANCA, ARGENTINA

Missionary efforts, particularly with reactivations, in the Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission have helped five branches qualify and receive new buildings in recent months, according to Pres. Gayle Bluth.

In addition, six new branches have been created in the eastern area of Mar del Plata in recent months, he said.

``Missionaries are doing a good job in reactivations,'' he said. ``It takes time, but they are making progress.''; September 28, 2008 at 12:59 PM
Dr. B said...: "New Mission Presidents," Church News [Saturday, 7 March 1992] 12:

E. Reece Finlinson, 64, assigned to the Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission; Oak City 2nd Ward, Delta Utah Stake; stake emergency preparedness director, former stake president's counselor, high councilor, stake Sunday School president, bishop and counselor, district Scout commissioner, and Scoutmaster; served in Spanish American Mission, 1947-50; Millard School District administrator; received bachelor's, master's equivalent, and doctorate degrees from BYU, and a master's degree from the University of Utah; born in Oak City, Utah, a son of Esdras and Ethel Margaret Shipley Finlinson; married Cherie Alldredge, nine children. She is a Relief Society president, former board member of stake Primary and stake Relief Society, stake camp craft director, ward Primary president and chorister, Young Women adviser, and Relief Society chorister; received bachelor's degree from BYU; born in Oak City, Utah, a daughter of Mervyn Jay and Bernice Roper Alldredge.; September 28, 2008 at 1:01 PM
Dr. B said...: "New Leaders Assigned," Church News [Saturday, 7 March 1992] 7:

Returning
Mission president New President

Argentina Bahia Blanca

Gayle Bluth E. Reece Finlinson***; September 28, 2008 at 1:03 PM
Dr. B said...: "New Mission Presidents," Church News [Saturday, 25 March 1995] 5:

R. Quinn Gardner, 53, Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission; Bountiful Hills Ward, Bountiful Utah Central Stake; high councilor; former stake Young Men president, high councilor, bishop and counselor, Sunday School teacher, and missionary in the Uruguay Mission; president of Senergy Inc.; received bachelor's degree and master's degree in English from BYU; born in Colorado Springs, Colo., to Ralph Miller and Grace Robinson Gardner; married Donna Jeanne Hilton, eight children. She is Relief Society president; former stake Young Women president's counselor, stake Relief Society president's counselor and board member, Primary president and counselor, choir director and organist, Sunday School organist and teacher, Relief Society teacher and Primary teacher; received bachelor's degree in English from BYU; born in Albuquerque, N.M., to Lyle and Sally Electa Palmer Hilton.; September 28, 2008 at 1:04 PM
Dr. B said...: Erin K. Moreno, "Mexico City Temple Leader Devoted Lifetime to Church, Church News [Saturday, 23 October 1993] 10:

A quest to ``influence a little to make a big difference'' has been the lifelong motto of pioneer Church leader and attorney Agricol Lozano.

Pres. Lozano, 67, newly called president of the Mexico City Temple and the first native of Mexico City to serve as stake president, was instrumental, as the Church's legal counsel here, in the recent recognition of the Church by the government of Mexico.He has served in many capacities in the Church and is known for his brilliance as an attorney and his penchant for excellence. His ardor for the gospel and for his homeland is almost legendary. He is a former regional representative and has served as president of the Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission.

``He is among a small handful of people who have had decisive influence on the growth of the Church in Mexico,'' said Elder F. Burton Howard of the Seventy, a longtime associate of Pres. Lozano and recently returned from serving as president of the Mexico South Area.

``He is one of those who has seen the Church grow and provided advice to the First Presidency and Council of the Twelve since 1961.''

Rex E. Lee, president of BYU and a former missionary in Mexico, is also well-acquainted with Pres. Lozano.

``The name Agricol Lozano is probably as closely tied to the development of the Church in Mexico in this century as any other name,'' said Pres. Lee. ``His father before him bore the same name, and was one of the outstanding and prominent leaders of the Church during the 1950s when I was a missionary there. Young Agricol was then a young married man, already establishing himself as being totally devoted. Over the years since then, Agricol has lent his skills as a lawyer and administrator to the building of the kingdom of God in that important country.''

Pres. Lozano said his life changed in the 1940s after hearing the words of Elder Spencer W. Kimball, then of the Council of the Twelve, discussing the future of the Lamanites and how they would ``blossom as a rose.''

Brother Lozano, then a returned missionary and student at the University of Mexico, and a few friends had gone on an annual bus excursion from Mexico City to the Arizona Temple. While there, he heard Elder Kimball speak. His words that day had an impact on Brother Lozano's life forever.

``I remember leaving the conference and going into a room where I could be alone to think about what I had just heard,'' he recalled. ``It was at that moment I realized I could do anything I wanted to in this life.''

Afterward, another event happened that was almost as influential. ``I remember being on the temple grounds with a couple friends, just thinking and meditating, when a man dressed in white approached me and told me I would become a lawyer and do great things for the Church.''

Following this encouragement, Pres. Lozano eventually decided to become ``not only a good lawyer, but the best lawyer in Latin America.''

His goal was to first, advance the Church, and second, improve respect for the Mexican people. He is eager to see that all citizens of this nation are respected by others.

The Church leader was born to convert parents in Tula, Mexico. His mother, Josefina, had worked for Raphael Monroy, one of the martyrs for the Church featured in the film ``And Should We Die.'' She introduced the gospel to her husband, Agricol, and taught him to read using the Book of Mormon as the text.

Their son Agricol was the eldest of 13 children. He was given special attention by his parents.

``My mother frequently told me I was here for a special purpose,'' recalled Pres. Lozano. ``I remember being taught at a young age the principles of the Church and how important it is to live the gospel and to be worthy for the Spirit of the Lord.''

Helping his brick-layer father and learning this trade didn't leave young Agricol much time for school. At his mother's insistence, though, he continued his schooling. He earned money for school expenses by gathering and selling kindling wood and scrap metal. He finished grade school at 16 years of age.

But education wasn't his only challenge while growing up. Because of his small stature, he was teased and tormented by other children. As a result of this torment, and from having to defend himself, he gained athletic abilities as a boxer and a soccer player. He also was the state champion in the 200-meter, and 1,500-meter races for three successive years. It was his talent for soccer that prompted him to leave Tula and go to Mexico City in an attempt to play professional soccer.

He did not make the team but he was not defeated. ``I took it as a sign that I was meant for other things in my life,'' he said.

He accepted a mission call and served with distinction. ``I knew the gospel very well,'' he recalled. He remembers his companions being amazed at how such a young man could know so much about the doctrines of the Church.

After his mission, he worked as a custodian in Mexico City's famous Museum of Anthropology and History. The educated men he associated with at the museum encouraged him to return to school.

He began his high school education where, once again, his peers were impressed by his knowledge and leadership abilities. Following high school, he entered the University of Mexico.

In order to reach his goal to become an attorney, he cut back his amount of sleep to two or three hours each night. He spent several years in school, working and studying during the long nights.
While attending the university, he was the leader of progressive student groups. One of his most faithful supporters was Rosa Malinche Gomez. They were later married and eventually had their marriage sealed in the Salt Lake Temple.
After he completed his studies, he became an attorney for some of the most prominent unions in Mexico.
He is currently working primarily for the Church. ``Because the Church asked me to give of my legal expertise I would say that means I achieved my goal [of being a top lawyer,'' Brother Lozano said.

In addition to practicing law, he also writes Church books. He has written several books to help increase respect by members across the world for Mexicans, and has written books to help the youth gain a better understanding and knowledge of Jesus. He also wrote a history of the Church in Mexico, called, Historia Del Mormonismo en Mexico.

Brother Lozano's life has been an example of one who has devoted his energy to intense service in the Church. Supported by his wife, Malinche, and his six children, Brother Lozano has served in many callings in the Church including elders quorum president, branch president, regional representative, mission president, and stake president.

It was while serving as stake president that he decided to help the members learn the value of being on time. ``I would allow the member to set the time for his appointment and if he wasn't there right on time I would leave and return in five or 10 minutes and I would continue to do this until they showed up,'' he said. ``Then they would usually tell me they had been waiting for me the whole time.''

He also taught that their appearance at Church was an important part of showing respect for the Lord.

Because of his intensity, he is occasionally perceived as an austere man.

``Many people think I'm an austere man who doesn't know how to love,'' he said. ``I guess my next mission in life is to show people I truly am capable of love.''

He's also set an example by accepting callings. He will continue to set an example in many ways as he presides over the work in the Mexico City Temple.

He recently told a friend that ``I'm going to be the best temple president that I know how to be. For one thing, I'm going to be there at the foot of the stairs to welcome every bus that comes to the Mexico City Temple. When the door swings open, I'll be there to welcome the patrons.''

Reminded that occasionally buses arrive at 3 a.m., he said, ``On those nights, I will sleep at the temple.''

That is a typical response of one who has always been determined to fight against the adversary, convert his weaknesses into strengths, and to serve wherever he is called to the best of his ability.

It is no surprise that the Church and its members in Mexico have been greatly influenced by his life.; September 28, 2008 at 1:08 PM
Dr. B said...: "8 Called to Head Mission Training Centers," Church News [Saturday, 23 December 1995] 5:

The First Presidency has called new presidents of eight of the missionary training centers around the world. The new leaders and their wives will be trained at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah, Jan. 8-12, and will begin their two-year terms of service following their training.

The new presidents and their wives and assignments are: E. Reece and Cherie Alldredge Finlinson, Chile; Melvin E. and Margarita Pazos Gardner, Peru; D. Birch and Melba Joan Larsen, Brazil; C. Gary and Dolores Rae (Lorie) Lunt, Argentina; Byung Kyu and Young Ji Rhee Pak, Korea; John D. and Mary Eileen Parker, New Zealand; M. Moreno and LaVinia Argyle Robins, Guatemala; M. Tom and Junko Idehara Shimizu, Japan.

E. Reece Finlinson, 68, was born in Oak City, Utah, to Esdras and Ethel Margaret Shipley Finlinson. He married Cherie Alldredge, and they are the parents of nine children. They are members of the Oak City 2nd Ward, Delta Utah Stake. Pres. Finlinson returned in July 1995 from presiding over the Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission for three years. He is a former counselor in a stake presidency, bishop, high councilor, ward clerk, and missionary. He was a district administrator for the Millard School District for 18 years and has been active in Scouting and local politics.

Sister Finlinson was born in Oak City, Utah, to Mervyn J. and Bernice Roper Alldredge. She taught for eight years in the Millard School District before accompanying her husband to Argentina. She is serving as a Primary teacher and has served as Relief Society president and chorister, Primary president and teacher, a counselor in the MIA, and has served on the stake Primary board.; September 28, 2008 at 1:10 PM
Dr. B said...: Craig K. Mayfield, "Missionary Moments: Like His Father," Church News [Saturday, 3 February 1996] 16:

In 1965, I was teaching at the Church College of Hawaii (now BYU-Hawaii), and my family and I were living in Laie. One Wednesday morning, the stake president called me to serve as bishop in the adjoining town of Hauula.

The next few weeks were quite difficult since I had to get acquainted with all of the members as well as learn the responsibilities of a bishop. This time was made easier by a very spiritual young full-time missionary, Elder Alan Tischner from Santaquin, Utah. His support and encouragement were very helpful for me, and the members really loved him.The next month when he left us, we bade him farewell by singing ``Aloha Oe,' with tears shed by all.

As the years passed, we moved to Provo, Utah, where I taught at and retired from BYU. My wife and I began serving missions in South America, including our present mission in Buenos Aires where I was called to be the executive secretary to the area presidency and area adviser for family history.

A month and a half after I arrived in Buenos Aires, the area presidency asked me to go to Bahia Blanca, Argentina, to serve as acting mission president, since the president needed to leave for a time due to his wife's illness.

At the mission office in Bahia Blanca, we met a young missionary who had just been called as assistant to the president - Elder Tischner. My wife and I looked at each other and almost in unison said, ``Elder Tischner!'' Our next words were ``Santaquin'' and ``Hawaii.'' His reply was, ``My dad was raised in Santaquin, and he served a mission in Hawaii.''

Young Elder Tate Tischner looks like the Elder Tischner we knew in Hawaii: same height, same blond hair, same broad happy smile, and the same radiant spirit.

As we told him of past memories of his father, tears came to the young man's eyes.

As I gave a typical Argentina abrazo (hug) to this young Elder Tischner, I felt the same sweet spirit that I felt the first time I met his father. Elder Tischner, like his father, was there to help me in my new calling.; September 28, 2008 at 1:14 PM
Dr. B said...: "New and Returning Mission Presidents 1997," Church News [Saturday, 15 March 1997] 8:

Mission New President Returning President

Argentina Bahia Blanca

Brian E. Schuck Ramon A. Alvarez; September 28, 2008 at 1:16 PM
Dr. B said...: "Obituary," Church News [Saturday, 14 August 1999] 13:

Agricol Lozano Herrera, 72, the first Latin stake president in Mexico and former president of the Mexico City Temple, died July 29, 1999, in Mexico City.

He served as president of the Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission, as a regional representative, high councilor and twice as a full-time missionary in Mexico. He was called as the president of the Mexico Stake North in 1967.Brother Lozano was responsible for the Church's legal affairs in Mexico for many years, and helped the Church receive legal status in Mexico in 1993. Also an author, poet, and orator, Brother Lozano earned his way through a university education later in life. He was also a champion sprinter and once aspired to be a professional soccer player.; September 28, 2008 at 1:17 PM
Dr. B said...: "Missionary Training Center Presidents," Church News [Saturday, 18 December 1999] 10:

Hugo Nestor Salvioli, 70, Caseros 1st Ward, Buenos Aires Argentina West Stake; assigned to Guatemala; is a former president of the Buenos Aires Argentina Temple, the Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission, regional representative, stake president and bishop's counselor. He received a degree from the Industrial College and is a former lab manager for DuPont of Argentina, and area director for the Church Educational System. He was born in La Plata, Argentina, to Rafael and Mari Falchi Salvioli. He married Miryam Edme Pellegrini and they are the parents of three children.; September 28, 2008 at 1:18 PM
Dr. B said...: "New and Returning Mission Presidents," Church News [Saturday, 11 March 2000] 8:

Mission New President Returning President

Argentina Bahia Blanca
Cardon, Royal Lavor Schuck, Brian Edward; September 28, 2008 at 1:20 PM
Dr. B said...: "New Mission Presidents," Church News [Saturday, 18 March 2000] 7:

R. Quinn Gardner, 58, Uruguay Montevideo Mission; Bountiful Hills Ward, Bountiful Utah Central Stake; ward teacher improvement coordinator; former president of Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission, temple sealer, high councilor, bishop, Sunday School gospel doctrine teacher, and missionary in Uruguay Mission; president and chief executive officer of Equity Building Inc.; received bachelor's and master's degrees in English and economics from BYU; born in Colorado Springs, Colo., to Ralph "Rollie" and Grace Robinson Gardner; married Donna Jeanne Hilton, who died while he was serving as mission president in Argentina; eight children; after her death, he married Julie Brown and adopted six children. She is a ward activities leader; former counselor in ward Young Women presidency, Relief Society teacher, ward Young Women president and counselor in stake Primary presidency; sewing instructor; received bachelor's degree in youth guidance and family living from BYU; born in Idaho Falls, Idaho, to Vern Melvin and Donna Evans Cole Brown.; September 28, 2008 at 1:22 PM
Dr. B said...: John L. Hart, "Comfortable in the Camera's Eye," Church News [Saturday, 16 June 2001] Web:

HACKENSACK, N.J.

Working the streets of metropolitan New York City tests the mettle of emergency personnel and the journalists who follow them.

"I have seen it all," said Ricardo Villarini, who has covered the news ranging from riots to plane crashes to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and many events in between.

Brother Villarini, 37, is a news anchor and reporter for Spanish-speaking WNJU Channel 47, a affiliate of the international Telemundo network. He won an Emmy for his reporting in 1993, has been part of two news teams that have won that award, and has personally received eight nominations. From the studio here in New Jersey, his deep bass voice and authoritative demeanor make him well-liked by the sizeable Hispanic listening audience in one of the world's most famous markets.

He and his wife, Allison, are the parents of four children and he serves as first counselor in the Englewood 1st Branch.

All three responsibilities interact with the others. "Most of the things we portray in the media are negative. It can really be emotionally draining, even devastating. People think that reporters get used to this because they see so many tragic things."

They don't. But "the perspective the gospel gives on the purpose of life helps me deal with a lot of this," he said.

Rather, he said, seeing the terrible things that can happen has made him much more protective of his children.

Two experiences illustrate this. Once he and his cameraman happened on a fire in the Bronx. A family was trapped in a blazing home. Brother Villarini and his cameraman recorded a heroic rescue of children by firemen. Another time, he and a cameraman were in a small town and a similar situation began to develop. They recorded as the firemen were unable to help, and two children were lost before the eyes of their frantic mother, who was outside. He sees those scenes in his mind long afterward.

It's a stark contrast from how he started his career — as a radio disc jockey in Puerto Rico playing soft music. When the station turned to all-news, became a reporter. He was hired to New York from Puerto Rico and joined the Telemundo staff in 1995.

One advantage of being an anchor is that he is free on weekends to serve in the branch. As a returned missionary from the Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission, he supervises missionary work. Branch attendance averages 100 members and is growing. Their goal is to become a ward, and missionary work is their greatest challenge, he said.

"We work on perfecting the saints and making sure that everyone has a responsibility and is fellowshipped," he said. Missionaries say that people in the area are receptive, but investigators have a difficult time accepting and living Church standards.

"That's where we play a bigger role in fellowshipping," he said. "The members are doing pretty well."; September 28, 2008 at 1:25 PM
Dr. B said...: "New and Returning Mission Presidents 2003," Church News [Saturday, 8 March 2003] 8:

South America
Mission New President Returning President
Argentina Bahia Blanca
Wajchman, Luis Cardon, R. Lavor; September 28, 2008 at 1:27 PM
Dr. B said...: "New and Returning Mission Presidents," Church News [Saturday, 4 March 2006] 8:

SOUTH AMERICA

New President Returning President

Argentina Bahia Blanca

Raul H. Spitale Luis Wajchman; September 28, 2008 at 1:29 PM
Dr. B said...: "New Mission Presidents," Church News [Saturday, 15 April 2006] 12:

Raul Hector Spitale, 45, Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission; Rosedal Ward, Cordoba Argentina West Stake; stake president; former counselor in a stake presidency, counselor in the Argentina Cordoba Mission presidency, stake mission president, bishop and missionary in the Argentina Buenos Aires North Mission. Owner of Motorcycle Parts Shop. Born in Cordoba, Argentina, to Lorenzo and Maria Bettega Spitale. Married Monica Beatriz Francisquetti, five children.

A ward Relief Society president, Sister Spitale is a former stake and ward Young Women president, ward Primary president, temple ordinance worker and seminary teacher. Born in Malargue, Argentina, to Florentino and Antonia Mariette Olmos Francisquetti.; September 28, 2008 at 1:30 PM
Dr. B said...: "New Mission Presidents," Church News [Saturday, 19 May 2007] 12:

Esteban Gabriel Resek, 40, Chile Rancagua Mission; Progreso Ward, Neuquen Argentina West Stake; counselor in the Argentina Neuquen Mission presidency; former stake president, bishop and counselor, high councilor and missionary in the Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission. Attorney and coordinator for the Church Educational System. Born in Pergamino, Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Deolindo Antonio and Susana Nelly Guereschi Resek. Married Estela Raquel Vargas, four children.

A ward Relief Society president, Sister Resek is a former Sunday School teacher, stake Primary president and counselor in a ward Primary presidency. Born in Rosario, Argentina, to Cornelio and Elvira Haydee Brusatti Vargas.; September 28, 2008 at 1:32 PM
Dr. B said...: Michael S. Nielsen, “Without Saying Good-bye,” Ensign, Jun 1990, 3:

After the two lady missionaries died, many asked, “Why them?” “Why now?”

The lifeless bodies of two sister missionaries from the Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission were found in their Comodoro Rivadavia apartment on 28 May 1989. Apparently, they had arrived home the night before after walking many hours through the winter winds of Comodoro. They had taught twenty families that week, and when they finally arrived at their apartment, they were cold and tired. They had apparently shut their bedroom door before going to sleep, hoping to contain the warmth from their natural gas heater. With the door closed, the circulation of fresh air had been shut off. Within a few hours, the gas heater had used up all of the oxygen inside their bedroom, leaving the two lady missionaries in a deathly sleep.

On the day of the accident, I was in Trelew, a city about 250 miles from Comodoro. The mission president called me that night to tell me the shocking news. A numb, cold feeling passed through me. Only one month earlier, two missionaries had been killed in Bolivia. Words of disbelief left my lips: “It can’t be,” I said. “Why them? Why now?” Little did I know that I would spend the next month and a half answering these same questions for hundreds of others who loved these dear sisters.

During the night, I felt an enormous weight on my shoulders. I felt something telling me that my companion and I would be returning to Comodoro. The next morning I decided to call the mission president, but before I could call, the phone rang. Sure enough, it was him telling us to pack our bags and go to Comodoro.

Upon our arrival in the area, we were surprised as people stared at us from their windows and others stopped walking to look at us as we walked by. Even the little children stopped playing their games as we passed. In my twenty-two months as a missionary, I had never had an experience like this. Finally, we approached a group of little children who had stopped playing jump-rope as we neared them.

“Hola,” I said with a friendly smile.

“Hola,” they responded. “Are you friends of Sister Harris and Sister Nievas?” one of them asked.

“Yes,” I said, “I knew them very well.”

As we started talking, children from every possible house and apartment came and formed a huge circle around us. They asked us if we would sing them songs and teach them games as the sisters had always done. We could see the parents watching us from the windows with curiosity. We found that hundreds of people had known these two sisters by their smiling faces and the way they greeted every stranger and child. And yet few had understood the importance of their message.

Now the questions about life and death started coming. People asked what the sisters had been teaching. Thankfully, the two sisters had been very efficient in their record-keeping, so we were able to get the names and addresses of the families they had been visiting. We went to work right away planning a meeting in memory of the lady missionaries. The meeting was held in a school in the area where the two sisters had once worked. One of the members of the Church explained the plan of salvation, and then everyone watched the video Our Heavenly Father’s Plan.

All present were deeply touched. Many wounded hearts and bad feelings were healed, and a number of nonmembers were exposed to the gospel for the first time. The attendance in that little branch almost doubled that week, and the growth has continued ever since. At least three less-active families have returned to church.

In the neighborhood, doors that had previously been closed opened to us. Little children followed us wherever we went. The baptisms in the area have tripled as people receive answers to their questions and gain an understanding of life through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Even in death, Sister Harris and Sister Nievas continue to bless the lives of the people in Comodoro.; September 28, 2008 at 1:33 PM
Dr. B said...: “Nine Missions Announced, Four Lands Dedicated in the Americas,” Ensign, June 1990, 77–78

Argentina Trelew, from the Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission: no stakes, approximately 8,400 members, and a total population of nearly 1.5 million in southern Argentina.; September 28, 2008 at 1:36 PM
Dr. B said...: “LDS Scene,” Ensign, July 1990, 80

GAIMAN, ARGENTINA—Missionaries of the Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission went door-to-door and invited the entire city to family home evening. Gospel basics were shared with everyone in an effort to introduce nonmembers to the Church. Seventy-five percent of those attending were nonmembers.; September 28, 2008 at 1:37 PM
Dr. B said...: “New Mission Presidents Called,” Ensign, May 1989, 104–5

Mission

Argentina Bahia Blanca

New President Succeeding

Gayle Bluth Agricol Lozano H.; September 28, 2008 at 1:40 PM
Dr. B said...: “Mission Presidents, Assignments Announced,” Ensign, May 1983, 92

Mission

Argentina Bahia Blanca

President

Hugo N. Salvioli; September 28, 2008 at 1:41 PM
Dr. B said...: Richard M. Romney, “Same Difference,” New Era, Sep 1997, 21:

Not only are these twins alike in appearance, but they’re also alike in what really matters.

There’s something different about Chris and Jason Trevino of Huntsville, Alabama. Something different in a positive way, a way that makes you want to understand why they’re so upbeat all the time and why they seem to have life all figured out.

This is made all the more intriguing by the fact that the two 19-year-old brothers are identical twins—twins so much alike that people get confused, yet with something so different about them they stand out among their peers. For example:

—They spend a lot of time helping their neighbors, the Wellmans, take care of their three youngest children, Michael, Jennifer, and Nathan. They play and laugh with and tease them in a good-natured way. They organize parties for them and take them fishing or boating. Sometimes they all camp out as a group in the Wellmans’ backyard. Chris and Jason are more like older brothers than neighbors to them. And what do the twins get in return for their kindness? A squeeze play. The kids smother them with hugs.

—They take care of three horses at a nearby riding club, mostly in return for the privilege of being allowed to exercise them now and then. They do the dirty work without complaining. They show up when they say they will and do all that they’re asked. They help with expenses. They’re totally dependable.

—They love their family. Put Jim and Barbara Trevino and their twin boys together and it’s like you’re with a group of best buddies, friends who treat each other with ultimate respect. Add 15-year-old sister Allison to the mix, and it only gets better.

Bad mood? The twins make it disappear.

Help with homework? No problem.

Want to tag along while we go somewhere? Great. Hop in.

Yes, the twins treat everyone well, most of all mom and dad and sister. But there’s something else—fondness may be the closest description. This family really enjoys being together, in a way that lets you know they’ll always be close.

—Most of all, at a time in life when many young men of their age and athletic ability concentrate on which college they’ll attend, what teams they’ll be on, and what young women they’re dating, the twins are leaving all that behind.

Argentina. That’s what they want to talk about right now, because soon that’s where they’ll be. They’ve both been called to serve as full-time missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Chris in Bahia Blanca. Jason in Resistencia. Two years at their own expense. Two years bearing testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ. Two years focused entirely on the needs of other people.

And maybe that’s the clue to figuring out the Trevino twins. The difference that makes them both the same is their love for other people. It’s a love that comes from following the Savior and living his teachings, from concentrating on what really counts instead of wasting worry on worldly things. It’s a dedication that brings happiness so filling it spills out into everything they do and everyone they meet. Add that to personalities that have always been spontaneous, and you’ll find Chris and Jason telling everyone what they’re up to:

—Getting passport pictures taken, they keep telling the photographer about how they’ll be representing the Church. “That’s why we brought our suits for the pictures,” Chris explains.

—Meeting with the county sheriff, who has to sign letters for their visas, they can’t help explaining how excited they are about spreading the gospel. “I can tell,” chuckles the sheriff, who already knows their father.

—At the county government building, they tell the clerks about going to Argentina to preach the gospel. “Isn’t that great?” Jason beams.

—Their mother’s boss, Victor Howard, is a Church member who works across the street. Dropping in to visit, they soon have him joking along with them. But after a few minutes, they talk seriously about the mission he served and how much he loves the Lord, the gospel, and the Church.

You have to understand. Chris and Jason are the kind of guys who, if you ask about diving and you’re close to the community pool, will show you the dives they do. Never mind that they didn’t bring their suits. They’ve been lifeguards here, and the caretaker, who knows them well, gives permission. They look at each other, accept the challenge, and even though they’re in jeans, jump on the board and plunge in the pool. You get the feeling that’s the same way they’ll plunge into missionary work—follow the rules, be dependable, work hard. But get with it—no wimpy excuses.

It’s sort of like a lesson Chris says he learned at the stables.

“Horses are good,” he explains. “If you work with them you learn to love them. But there’s one named Alvin. I don’t like to ride him a whole bunch because of his attitude. He fights me and tries to get the reins from my hands. He thinks he should do what he wants when he wants. There are a few missionaries who are like that. If their mind’s stuck on somebody back home, or if they go out just because everybody else thinks they should be there, they’ve got to change their attitude. You can’t complain about the reins; you’ve got to concentrate on where you’re going.”

And that’s what Chris and Jason are doing—concentrating on where they’re going. Not just on their missions but in their lives.

Sure there are some things that will be tough to leave behind. Family first of all. Friends a close second. Even the horses they’ve taken care of. And school, and work, and just having a blast. But nothing stands in the way once you gain the perspective of eternity. Even having to work in separate missions.

“Chris opened his call letter first, and I saw Argentina,” Jason says. “Then I opened mine, and for a split second it was like, ‘We’ll be in the same mission!’ Then we read more and found out we’d be in different parts of the country. We’ve been together for 19 years, and now we’ll be apart. But that doesn’t matter. What matters is what we’ll be doing.”

Serving others. Bringing them the truth.

Like the times when they’ve talked with Mrs. Wellman about her oldest son, who died in an accident at age four, and where he is now and what he’s doing. Like the times when they’ve shared Church magazines with her, or watched the video Called to Serve.

“Don’t just let her borrow it,” Chris said then. “Let’s have her over here and we’ll all watch it together.”

These are, after all, brothers who are close in more ways than appearance. “We talk about everything together,” Jason says. “Now we’ll just do it through our letters.” That will make for some pretty great letters. Letters they’ll share with Mom and Dad and Allison. Letters they’ll share with the Wellmans and their kids. Letters they’ll share with close friends. Letters in which they’ll bear testimony and record the adventures of two years spent preaching the gospel.

“In the past we looked at missions like they were something they ask you to do,” Jason says. “Once we got closer to it, we thought, ‘It’s the Lord and the prophet who call you, and their way is the right way to go.’ We’d go to church and come home in such a great mood. We talk to everybody about it.”

That includes the 12- and 13-year-old Sunday School class he and Chris teach together.

“I’m learning more and more about the gospel,” Jason says, “especially when we talk about things like the plan of salvation and patriarchal blessings. It’s a learning experience. And I think a lot about Heavenly Father and how much he loves us. He gave up his son for us. He must have a lot of love for us to do something like that.”

“Being as close as I am to my brother,” Chris continues, “it gives me some understanding of how close I should be to the Savior, who is also my brother. Even though Jason and I will be apart during our missions, we’ll be close to Him. And that will make the bond between us even stronger.”

Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s the something that makes these twins different from a lot of their peers, but exactly the same in what truly counts.

Editor’s note: Since this story was written, both Chris and Jason have arrived in Argentina and are faithfully serving their missions.; September 28, 2008 at 1:48 PM
Dr. B said...: "New Mission Presidents," Church News [Saturday, 15 April 2006] 12:

Raul Hector Spitale, 45, Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission; Rosedal Ward, Cordoba Argentina West Stake; stake president; former counselor in a stake presidency, counselor in the Argentina Cordoba Mission presidency, stake mission president, bishop and missionary in the Argentina Buenos Aires North Mission. Owner of Motorcycle Parts Shop. Born in Cordoba, Argentina, to Lorenzo and Maria Bettega Spitale. Married Monica Beatriz Francisquetti, five children.

A ward Relief Society president, Sister Spitale is a former stake and ward Young Women president, ward Primary president, temple ordinance worker and seminary teacher. Born in Malargue, Argentina, to Florentino and Antonia Mariette Olmos Francisquetti.; September 28, 2008 at 7:59 PM