The Church in Guatemala
The first Guatemalan Latter-day Saints joined the Church in the 1940s. A few years later, missionaries began teaching in Mayan languages, and a strong multilingual tradition developed among Guatemalan Saints. Those Saints also developed the first Gospel Essentials curriculum, which was later used worldwide. Central America’s first temple was dedicated in Guatemala City in 1984.
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History of the Church in Guatemala
John F. O’Donnal, a Church member from the United States, moved to Guatemala in 1942 and foresaw a day when the gospel would be preached to the country’s native peoples. After World War II, he petitioned President George Albert Smith to send missionaries to the country. John’s wife, Carmen Galvez O’Donnal, soon became the first Guatemalan to be baptized. In 1956 missionaries began to study Mayan languages, fulfilling O’Donnal’s dream.
By 1962 there were over 10,000 Guatemalan Latter-day Saints in the cities and the highlands. Many of these faithful Latter-day Saints made great sacrifices to attend the Mesa Arizona Temple. They returned “endowed with power from on high” (Doctrine and Covenants 38:32) and prepared to build up the Church among Guatemala’s many ethnic and language groups. As the Church expanded throughout the country, Guatemalans developed programs such as Gospel Essentials classes, which would come to benefit the Church throughout the world. In 1984 Saints filled to capacity 11 dedicatory sessions for the Guatemala City Guatemala Temple.
Over the course of the Church’s history in Guatemala, Saints have served and supported one another through natural disasters, civil strife, and economic struggles. Countless Guatemalan Saints have sought to develop new skills to bless their families and communities and to administer to the poor and needy.
Stories of Faith
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Notes
- Amado, Carlos H. “An Eternal Vision.” Ensign, Nov. 1993, 61–63.
- Amado, Carlos H. “Service, a Divine Quality.” Ensign or Liahona, May 2008, 35–37.
- Falabella, Enrique R. “Blessings of the Temple.” Liahona, Jan. 2004, F6–F7.
- GuatemalanFoundation.org
- López, Lisa. “A Culture of Faith in Guatemala.” Ensign, Sept. 2015, 18–19.
- Lyman, Melvin A. As a Rose. Newport Beach, California: KenningHouse, 1982.
- Monson, Thomas S. “Which Road Will You Travel?” Ensign, Mar. 1991, 2–5.
- O’Donnal, John Forres. Pioneer in Paradise: His Personal History, Including the History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Guatemala. Yorba Linda, California: Shumway Family History Services, 1997.
- Rodriguez, Derin Head. “Carlos H. Amado.” In From Every Nation: Faith-Promoting Personal Stories of General Authorities from around the World, 204–19. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1990.
- Searle, Don L. “Guatemala: Building toward the Future.” Liahona, May 2002, 40–46.