El Barrio Compañia

Since we came to Chile in March, we have been attending the Barrio Compañia (the Compañia ward of our church - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). I would like to share some thoughts with you I have had recently.

On July 25th, I marked 5 years since I returned from my mission in Brazil. I fell in love with South America and it's people while I was there. The gospel of Jesus Christ is true and special, but to me, it feel betters, makes more sense, is easier to share, and maybe even more a personal experience when I have lived it among the wonderful people of South America. Of course, there are challenges and differences, but when I am attending church here (in Chile or Brazil) it always feels like how it was supposed to be. There are amazing promised blessings for the South Americans, and all people of the Americas, but it has been apparent and powerful for me to watch those blessings being fulfilled while we have been here.

Our ward, the Barrio Compañia, is one of the oldest wards in Santiago, apparently. There are many strong and long-time members here, in fact a former president of the Santiago Temple is in our ward. Our bishop was newly called the week before we came in. He is a young family man who served a mission in Las Vegas. He is visionary and has organized a powerful group of leaders. This ward functions like a mostly perfect ward you read about, or hear church leaders describe. They really are able to make things work with the goal of bringing people to Christ.

Missionary work here is burning like a California wildfire. There have been MANY baptisms in our ward since we came in March. However, Sunday I attended Petar Saric's baptism. He came to a church activity by himself our first week in March. It was a simply an open house that invited people into the chapel to become familiar with it. He came to church the next Sunday and never stopped. Before his baptism, he was completely integrated in the ward. He participated in classes, came to English classes (even though he speaks English very well). There were about 60 or 70 people at his baptism, the ward choir sang, the messages were perfect and tailored to Petar, the leaders welcomed him in the most loving way, and the Spirit was so strong that almost everyone was crying. I felt so lucky to be there and witness one of the best baptismal services I have seen so far in the church. Petar bore his testimony and it was moving. This ward has followed the counsel of modern day prophets, and the Lord blessed them. I was sitting with a person named Juan who is investigating the church with whom I have developed a friendship. He told me that now he wants to be baptized because he wanted to be in a church where the people were so loving and where he could feel these feelings all the time.

Alexis and I have been able to share the gospel here as well. It almost feels different in South America. Maybe is seems this way because everyone we meet is new to us, and we both learned about being missionaries in another language. It's exciting and fun. This attitude is going to follow us home for sure, but there is just a special sweetness in the hearts of the people that you don't have in the United States. These people are blessed in a special way, and most don't even know it.

We have become good friends with some neighbors here, Sandra and Nur. We brought them to church a few weeks ago and introduced them to the missionaries. At their first church service, they were immediately embraced by the members of the ward. They were invited to several of the weekly activities. Alexis and I have been able to go to all of their meetings with the missionaries, the Bishop has visited them, and they love all of it. Last night, I was at a lesson with the missionaries and we were able set a date they want to be baptized as members of the Church. There wasn't anything special that we did, except to follow what we have been taught by our prophet. This family is now able to clearly see a path to happiness.

Thomas S. Monson
President, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

I have felt so lucky to see how this ward works. The members aren't perfect, but they try to live the gospel, and the gospel is perfect. The Lord's hand is at work here and we have felt like instruments in His hand. The promised blessings to the native people of the America's are strong and real. If they just try and live it, great things come to pass. I might be ready to come home next week to the States, but I will surely miss living the gospel in South America. My love of South America has grown to include Chile now as well.

The Santiago Chile Temple