This account, published in the Church News in March 1949, tells of early mission activity in Guatemala. It was written by Edwin M.G. Seeley (1924-2013) of Mt. Pleasant, Utah, who was then an elder of the Mexican Mission. Like so many such accounts, it is short on detail of local members and friends, focusing almost exclusively on the work of American missionaries – but it’s still not a bad first account.

Guatemalans to Hear the Restored Gospel

The Republic of Guatemala, the most northerly and one of the largest of the Central American countries, is also one of the most beautiful and most blessed countries in the world. Here in the cradle of the great Mayan civilization 51 per cent of the population is pure Indian and most of the remainder of mixed Spanish and Indian blood. And here lives a people that is ready to accept the Gospel, and now after 1900 years the Gospel in its fullness is again being preached due largely to the interest and efforts of John Forres O’Donnal, who has been sent there to establish a rubber plantation for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Juan Forres O’Donnal had perceived during his inspection tour of the country, that not only was Guatemala blessed with natural resources and climate, but that the inhabitants seemed to be dissatisfied with their present religions and seemed to be looking for a way of life that would give them greater satisfaction. The missionary work in Guatemala began in his mind at that time.

From the first he preached the Gospel whenever the opportunity presented itself, but he had more than a full-time job clearing the jungle and establishing the plantation. Full time missionaries were needed to give this open-minded people a chance to accept the Restored Gospel. With this thought uppermost he visited Salt Lake City in December of 1946, spoke to Pres. George Albert Smith, and left a letter stating the condition of Guatemala. This had been preceded by a visit by Pres. Arwell L. Pierce and wife [Mary] of the Mexican mission in September of the same year when the two made an inspection tour of some of the Central American countries.

Then during the summer of 1946 things began to happen. The countries of Central America: Guatemala, Honduras, E.l Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama were made part of the Mexican mission, and in August,1 947, four missionaries were chosen to open the work in Guatemala and Costa Rica. Leaving Mexico City by train the twenty-eighth of August with the second counselor of the mission presidency, the group arrived in Guatemala City six days later on the fourth day of September, and were met there by Pres. Arwell L. Pierce, who just four hours before had left Mexico City by plane.

In special sacrament services the following Sunday on a hill overlooking the City of Guatemala, Pres. Pierce asked in prayer that the missionaries might be especially blessed with the people of Guatemala, that the work might prosper. At this time Brother O’Donnal was called and set apart as a local missionary.

Elders Seth G. Mattice from Pima, Arizona, and Earl E. Hansen from Idaho Falls, Ida., remained in Guatemala as the first missionaries, making their home with Brother O’Donnal. A suitable meeting place had been secured and elders cast about for benches to seat members and friends.

One day, a friend of Juan’s and also the owner of a sawmill down near the rubber station, came to Juan to ask a favor and in return offered to the Church a lot of fine wood called “palo blanco,” a white wood rivaling mahogany for durability and beauty. The gift was accepted and the four elders overnight became carpenters, and with Brother O’Donnal, studied the benches in the different hospitals, public buildings, and parks for workmanship, design and comfort.

Down at the rubber station, near sea level, sheltered from the tropical sun and the daily rains by a shed, the elders with a local carpenter Eduardo Marien Camacho, and Brother O’Donnal helping when his work permitted, they began to fashion the benches. Twelve hours a day they worked and when the week came to an end, they had just made a good start. Another week of overtime days went by and at the end of the second week, three benches were assembled, and the parts of the other ten benches were ready for assembly.

Back again to Guatemala City they all went in the truck, taking with them their precious benches and finished parts. There in the chapel and on the flat concrete roof of the chapel, during the following weeks in their spare time, the est of the benches were assembled, sanded, and given two coats of varnish.

But back at the station things had gone badly with the carpenter, Eduardo Marien Camacho, who had helped them so much during the two weeks at the station. During the second week’s work with the benches he had been bothered with a temperature—but had continued working. They had treated him fr malaria. After Brother O’Donnal and the four other elders had returned to Guatemala, the carpenter had gone to his home and remained in bed for some time until he lost consciousness.

The family had waited until he was near death before they sent him to the hospital, and when Brother O’Donnal returned a few weeks later he immediately went to the hospital. There in the ward crowded with other patients, was his friend the carpenter, so far wasted away that he was unrecognizable. The doctors had diagnosed the case as typhoid; he was now in the so-called third stage, they said. he was unconscious and for days they had been feeding him intravenously. The doctors said that there was no hope. Brother O’Donnal stood there some minutes looking down on the flushed, wasted face of his friend. This was a case that only the Lord could handle. He placed his hands on the sick man’s head and there in the crowded ward gave him a blessing, speaking under his breath. The disease was told to depart from the sick man, and the promise was made that he would recover. President O’Donnal then walked out of the hospital.

The next day the doctors said something had happened that they couldn’t understand, the condition of the wasted form of a man had taken a turn for the better. Three weeks later Eduardo Marien Camacho was back working. Today, he looks as though he had never had a sick day in his life.

Back in Guatemala, with the chapel outfitted with benches and a borrowed piano, all was ready for the scheduled conference when again Guatemala was blessed with the presence of President and Mrs. Pierce, this time accompanied by Pres. Moroni L. Abegg, first counselor to President Pierce, and wife, the four arriving the middle of August.

At 190 o’clock Aug. 22, 1948, the first conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was held in Guatemala. President Pierce that day gave a comprehensive talk on the doctrine of the Church, covering the “Articles of Faith,” and President Abegg spoke concerning the Book of Mormon. Sixty-six persons, excluding the missionaries and the mission presidency, attended the conference, and each square inch of the 13benches was occupied.

After the conference, Brother O’Donnal was called and set apart as a full-time missionary in the Mexican mission and also set apart as district president, in charge of the work in Guatemala.

November 13th, in the bottom of one of these steep, deep, narrow canyons called “barrancas,” in a private swimming pond surrounded by tropical greenery, the first baptisms were performed in Guatemala in this dispensation. The first baptism in Guatemala was performed by our district president, Juan Forres O’Donnal, he himself leading his beloved wife [Carmen] into the waters of baptism, both of their little daughters interested onlookers. This was followed by three other baptisms performed by Elders Olsen and Welling.

Now the missionaries that opened up the work in Guatemala have all left. Fine contacts are being made through tracting, the Mutual is going 60 strong, English classes are bringing in many friends, the first Relief Society has been organized in Guatemala, and a basketball team made up of “Los Mormones” will be competing for the championship this coming year. Some of Pres. Juan Forres O’Donnal’s dreams are being realized, and diligent work coupled with prayer and the Spirit of the Lord will bring a great work to pass in the years to come.