Spanish-American Mission group still together after 50 years

While many missionary groups enthusiastically hold reunions for a few years and then lose interest, one group is still meeting regularly after 50 years.

These Mormon missionaries served under President Harold I. Bowman in the Spanish-American Mission between 1953 and 1958.

This mission was formed in 1936 to serve the Spanish-speaking people of the Southwestern United States.

Missionaries called it the only "foreign" mission within the United States.

Before there was a Missionary Training Center, missionaries served an additional six months to learn the language — elders for 2 1/2 years and sisters for two years.

The mission originally covered a huge area, including the states of California, Arizona, New Mexico Colorado and Texas. In 1950, three years before President Bowman's arrival, the LDS mission's territory was reduced to include only Texas and New Mexico.

Though smaller, the mission still extended more than a thousand miles from the pines of northern New Mexico to the palms of the lower Rio Grande Valley.

For many years, President Bowman had owned and operated the Jacob's Lake Lodge in the Kaibab Forest just north of the Grand Canyon.

His wife, Nina, had been a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. They were living in Salt Lake City at the time of their call.

Upon their arrival, mission headquarters was moved from El Paso to San Antonio, and a three-story residence with columned porches and beautiful grounds became the mission home.

Missionaries came to admire President Bowman's direct and down-to-earth leadership and his capacity to demonstrate his love for them and for the local members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They also admired his wife's energetic work with the mission's auxiliary organizations.

Their leadership helped weld the missionaries into a united group.

The Bowmans were released in April 1958 after five years of service.

Following a lingering illness, Mrs. Bowman passed away in 1959, just a year after they returned from their mission. A choir of former missionaries sang at her funeral.

The group's reunions started out in the usual way. At first they met in various church buildings at general conference time.

Rather than the traditional punch and cookies, however, they opted for tacos and other unique Mexican treats. Soon they were meeting in the Bowmans' Salt Lake City home.

The group has enjoyed other activities besides the semiannual reunions.

Just three months before President Bowman's death in 1974, they gathered for a summer reunion at Jacob's Lake. Seated around a large bonfire, they received instructions from their beloved president just as they had during missionary conferences two decades earlier.

With the Bowmans' passing, the missionaries felt they had lost their spiritual parents, and they renewed their determination to follow their counsel and examples of loving service.

In recent years the group has met in various homes along the Wasatch Front.

At each gathering, missionaries look forward to a delicious potluck meal including such Mexican favorites as homemade tortillas, chile verde or chile relleno casserole.

The group enjoys singing hymns in Spanish, seeing photographs and reminiscing about mission days. Updates and reports from those who have visited the mission area spark interest.

Ramona Gutierrez Forgacs, with the help of her husband, Walter, has made arrangements for the last several years for the reunions, sending out notices each time.

They have also prepared and regularly updated directories of the nearly 400 Bowman missionaries, thus helping members of the group keep in touch.

The missionaries have provided support to one another at times of illness, death or other special needs. Help has also been mobilized for individuals or groups living in the mission area.

Those who served under the Bowmans' leadership have become a mighty army of faithful builders of the kingdom. These missionaries have become priesthood and auxiliary leaders, bishops, stake presidents and patriarchs.

Several became members of the faculty at BYU or Ricks College (Now BYU-Idaho).

One headed the committee writing manuals for Sunday School gospel doctrine classes churchwide. Another became editor of the Ensign. Yet others became general authorities: Elders F. Melvin Hammond and H. Aldridge Gillespie of the Seventy.

Some of the missionaries' children have been called on missions, some back to the same area where their parents had served.

As group members themselves reached retirement, several have served second missions. Their reports at subsequent reunions have been sources of interest and inspiration.

The missionaries were also interested in the experiences related by E. Marshall McCoy, who served as mission president in the Caribbean and as temple president in Oakland.

After 50 years, these missionaries still look forward to gathering every six months (They will meet again on April 2 at 3 p.m. at the home of Elvin and Liz Tanner, 323 N. Main in Pleasant Grove).

While they realize the longevity of their group is unusual, they can't imagine discontinuing the reunions. They look forward to their association and opportunities for building the kingdom for many more years.

Richard O. Cowan is a professor of church history and doctrine at BYU.