The Church in Uruguay
The first branches of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Uruguay were organized in the late 1940s. After decades of growth, the Church has established several stakes and dedicated the Montevideo Uruguay Temple in 2001.
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History of the Church in Uruguay
In 1927, missionaries from the South American Mission, headquartered in Argentina, traveled to Montevideo to assess the possibilities of preaching there. However, it wasn’t until 1944, when Frederick S. Williams was working with the US State Department and living in Montevideo, that Latter-day Saints worshipped in the country. Williams and his wife, Corraine, began holding meetings in their home with a few other members living in the country. They petitioned the First Presidency to create a mission, which was organized in 1947 with Williams as president.
Missionaries soon came to Montevideo from Argentina, and in four years, 23 branches were organized across the country. During the 1960s the Church in Uruguay matured as local members were called to replace missionaries in leadership positions. Even recent converts were enlisted to lead branches, and in 1967 the Montevideo Uruguay Stake was organized, with Vincente Rubio as stake president.
In 2001, the Montevideo temple was dedicated, a testament to the growth of the Church and the faith of the Saints in the country. Uruguayan Saints have served frequently in their community and have become important leaders in the Church. In 1990, Luis Alberto Ferrizo, a regional representative, was elected as a national deputy, and in 1996, Francisco J. Viñas was called to serve as a General Authority Seventy. When flooding along the Paraná and Uruguay Rivers forced the evacuation of 80,000 people, members collected food and clothing for flood victims.