Prophecy was fulfilled Oct. 29 with the creation of this nation's 50th stake in an agricultural city of some 50,000, located in the heart of Central Chiless fruit belt.

Chile joins only two other countries outside the United States that have 50 stakes or more: Mexico with 92 and Brazil with 57. Chile's first stake was created in 1972, just 16 years ago.Creation of the San Fernando Chile Stake and the 49th stake in the country a week earlier fulfilled part of a prophecy made in 1977 by Elderr Bruce R. McConkie of the Coucil of the Twelve. Speaking at the organization of the seventh stake in Chile in Concepcion, he said, "From these seven stakes there will be seven times seven stakes, and then perhaps 70 times seven.

Elder John H Groberg of the First Quorum of the Seventy and a counselor in the South America South Area presided at the stake creation.

"Today is an important day in the history of Chile," Elder Groberg said. "With satisfaction, we can say the first part of Elder McConkie's prophecy has been fulfilled. Today we can say that we have begun the journey to fulfill the secondpart of his prophecy as we create the 50th stake.

"However," he continued, "it is important to always remember that what is more vital than this milestone is the testimony of the members and their faithfulness to the gospel. This is really the only measure of true progress."

Accompanying Elder Groberg were Benigno Pantoja, regional representative, andPres. Gerald L. Taylor of the Chile Santiago South Mission. Called as president of the new stake was Guillermo Patricio Marchant, with counselors Miguel Angel Soza and Adolfo Anselmo Montalban.(Their biographical information will be published in a later issue of the Church News.)

The stake was created from a division of the Curico Stake and the Santa Cruz District of the Santiago South mission., Sessions of conference were held in SanFernando and in Curico a city of 100,000 about 33 miles to the south.

The 49th stake, the La Serena Chile Stake, was created Oct. 23, from a district in the Chile Vina del Mar Mission.

Through the years, the Church has grown steadily in Chile. In modern times, the first missionaries to Chile arrived in 1956. The first baptisms came in November of that year, Ricardo and Perla Garcia of Santiago, and others soon followed. From that Start 32 years ago, Church membership has increased to nearly 230,000 in 50 stakes and six missions. About half of the country's missionaries are from Chile.

Since 1956, a long line of inspired mission presidents, regional representatives and General Authorities have all sensed something special in Chile, said leaders. Elder Gordon B. Hinckley, then of the Council of the Twelve, created the first stake here in 1972.

Pres. Carlos Cifuentes was called as stake president. "Who would have ever thought that a mechanic like myself would ever be called to preside over a stake of this marvelous Church," he once said. Pres. Cifuentes, who later served in thetemple presidence, died in 1983.

Pres. Patricio Ortega, president of the Santiago Nunoa stake, was the second missionary sent fronm the San Fernando area on a full-time mission. "The people of Chile have been very receptive to the gospel," he said. "It is because we have a natural urge to find the answers to spiritual questions that are in our hearts. When the missionaries come, they know that we have these questions, and theyalso know the answers to the questions."

David Deaz, a Chilean, is president of the Santiago temple, dedicated in 1983. He said the temple has inspired a new awareness of the members to their responsibilities for the dead.

Pres. Carlos Sandoval of the Santiago Las Canteras stake agreed that the temple has brought many blessings. "Before the temple was built, we had to travel to Brazil or the United States to be sealed to our families. Now we have our own temple for our own people."

The present size of the Church in Chile was probably never dreamed of when the first Church connection to Chile was made in 1846.

A group of saints led by Samuel Brannan aboard the Brooklyn sailed around Cape Horn en route to California. The Brooklyn attempted to reach the coast at Valparaiso, but was prevented by a severe gale. Instead, the ship stopped for provisions at Chile's Juan Fernandez Island on May 4 of that year. Juan Fernandez Island is well-known today as the island where Robinson Crusoe (Alexander Selkirk) was marooned.

The Brooklyn group not only went ashore for food and water, but also had the sad task of burying Laura Goodwin, who had died several days earlier due to complications developed from premature labor after losing her footing during the gale and falling down a companionway.

A few years later, in November of 1851, Elder Parley P. Pratt, accompanied byhis wife, Phoebe, and Rufus Allen, spent four months in Chile on assingment fromthe First Presidency.

When they arrived, they found the country in the midst of a revolution. They spent several months studying the language and arranged to have a tract translated into Spanish.

Their message, however, was not well-received, and they returned to Utah in March of 1852. Before they left, they buried their infant daughter who had died during the stay. More than 100 years passed before the next missionaries ventured into the land.

However, the reception of the people for the gospel since 1956 has almost made up for those years. When Elder McConkie prophesied about the growth of the Church in 1977, little did members know how soon his words would be fulfilled.