How Early Latter-day Saint Pioneers Shaped the Growth of the Church in Chile

This story appears here courtesy of TheChurchNews.com. It is not for use by other media.

By Trent Toone, Church News

Editor’s note: The latest in a series of articles during 2025 featuring Latter-day Saint pioneers in South America as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints commemorates 100 years on that continent.

Two years after he was baptized at age 18 in Concepción, Polibio González was called on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Santiago in 1962.

In those days, Chile was part of the Argentina Mission. González thought he would knock on doors and teach the gospel, but his mission president had something else in mind — building meetinghouses.

“We’re going to have you work in the Church’s construction system because we’re just starting to build chapels,” the mission president told him.

González had studied surveying at the University of Concepción. He understood blueprints, electrical plans and sewage systems.

His mission president continued, “You’re needed more in construction because the American supervisors don’t understand Chilean building techniques, especially for earthquake resistance.”

For the next two years, González built chapels from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., then showered, changed clothes, ate dinner and performed traditional missionary work until 10 p.m. He remembers being one of 30 missionaries who worked in construction at the time.

“Apparently, I did a good job because the Church hired me afterward to continue working — but with a salary this time,” González said with a smile. “It was a great learning experience. I had just finished university, but I only had theoretical knowledge. I didn’t know how to apply it. My mission became practical training for my career. It was a blessing. It was what Heavenly Father intended. At the time, I didn’t realize it, but He was shaping me. You understand these things with time.”

In the decades that followed, González supervised the construction of more than 90 Latter-day Saint meetinghouses across Chile. He also served three times as a bishop, three times as a stake president and once as a regional representative.

González is one of several Latter-day Saint pioneers of the Church in Chile who recently shared memories and experiences with the Church News.

Church News Pioneer Chilean Saints Tell Stories of Faith, Reflect on Church Growth

‘Built Through Hard Work’

At one point, González remembers overseeing the construction of chapels in several locations across Chile, including Valparaíso, Viña del Mar, Concepción, Quilpué, La Cisterna and San Bernardo.

Most members couldn’t contribute financially, so they provided labor — digging foundations, mixing concrete, landscaping and other jobs.

González wasn’t involved with building the Santiago Chile Temple, but he does have an interesting story about it.

At the same time the temple was under construction, González was overseeing the construction of a meetinghouse next door. He said initial temple plans didn’t include an angel Moroni statue. González, however, had designed a beautiful spire for the chapel. When the temple architect realized this, he expressed concern that the meetinghouse would deflect attention from the temple.

González suggested the idea of placing a spire with the Angel Moroni statue on the temple, and he would leave the tower off the chapel. The temple architect liked the idea and moved forward.

Reflecting on the growth of the Church in Chile, the 85-year-old González said he tried to imagine how the Church would look 20 years after his mission in the early 1960s.

“The reality far surpassed my imagination,” he said. “I don’t dare predict what it will look like in 50 years because I know it will be wrong — it will be greater than I imagine.”

González continued: “The Church is built through hard work, and I hope my experiences help others understand the sacrifices that have been made.”

Perla García Sepulveda

Perla García Sepulveda’s father, Ricardo García, was the first Chilean to enter the waters of baptism in 1956 after being taught by the first two missionaries, Verle M. Allred and Joseph C. Bentley, who flew over from Argentina.

A short time later, 10-year-old Perla and her mother were baptized. Perla’s future husband, Juan Fernando Bravo Campos, was baptized at age 13 in 1962.

With a sparkle in her eyes, García reflected on the early days when her dedicated parents served in leadership callings, supported the missionaries, attended meetings, prepared meals for large gatherings, faced opposition and sacrificed to help establish the Church in Chile.

“The work in Chile began very quickly. I have so many wonderful memories of wonderful people and many miracles,” she said. “We were blessed with super faithful parents. ... They sacrificed a lot, but they were happy.”

García served in the Uruguay-Paraguay Mission from 1967 to 1969. She and her husband were married in 1971 and later sealed in the Santiago Chile Temple in 1984.

Today Garcia and Bravo are both in their late 70s and serve each week in the temple alongside several family members. They cherish the fact that many in their family have served missions, are sealed and serve faithfully in the Church. They feel honored to have witnessed the tremendous growth of the Church in Chile.

“The most beautiful thing is our family,” Garcia said. “So truly, living and growing in the Church has brought so many spiritual experiences — so many miracles in our lives, incredible, incredible.”

They also find great joy in ministering and helping members return to the faith.

One morning around 3:30 a.m., the elderly couple awoke thinking about a young woman who had stopped coming to Church and moved away. They felt impressed to send her a Facebook message expressing their love for her and how much they missed her. They shared their testimonies of the gospel and pledged their support.

Less than an hour later, the young woman responded, saying their message was an answer to her prayers. She wanted to return to the Church and couldn’t believe they had found her.

“I feel that we have the responsibility to share the gospel and help those who have left,” García said.

Ercilia Ocampo

Ercilia Ocampo Paz was baptized in 1960 after meeting sister missionaries. Despite initial reservations about the Church, her mother supported her decision to join the Church and even participated in Church music programs.

Throughout her life, the 81-year-old Ocampo has served in a wide variety of callings, especially with youth programs and camps. She played a significant role in establishing youth camps, translating training materials for young women and serving as mutual president for both young men and young women, an uncommon role at the time.

“We taught them how to set up tents, cook outdoors, build a fire. We played games, went on hikes and had devotionals,” she said.

On the home front, Ocampo credits the Church with helping her form meaningful relationships and raise her children with strong values. Despite challenges, including the tragic death of her son years ago in an accident, she has remained steadfast in her faith and provided an example of dedication and resilience for her family.

Her favorite scripture is 1 Nephi 3:7, which says in part, “I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded.”

“It represents how we are taught to live in the Church,” she said.

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