Great works in this city began with small branches. In the approximately 75 years that the Church has been in this city, small branches have multiplied and grown into strong stakes, evidence of the vibrant spiritual energy of the membership.

When the first missionaries came in about 1920, Monterrey had only 100,000 residents to whom the Church was unknown. Since then, the Church has grown to 29,900 members in nine stakes, with 49 wards and seven branches. The growth doesn't stop at the city boundaries, either.Monterrey itself has grown to a population of about 3 million. This city rings a mountain known for its two distinctive pinnacles - reminiscent of a saddle horn, called "The Saddle Seat." Monterrey is an industrial center, a sort of Chicago of Mexico, layered with factories.

The industrialization of the city has played a part in Church growth as well as the city's growth, said Elder Angel Abrea of the Seventy and Mexico North Area president.

Church membership grew during the city's rapid expansion, but now, as the expansion has slowed, so has Church growth. Many of the residents of the city work long days at factories and don't have time or the inclination to hear about the Church. The Church emphasizes conversion, reactivation and retention.

"We have some good members that have been here for many, many years," said Elder Abrea. "We are now sending out fourth-generation missionaries. We have members who are 70 years old who were born in the Church." In March of 1995, a regional conference will be held in Monterrey at which some 10,000 members are expected to attend, he said.

"The Church is here to stay," affirmed Elder Abrea.

One long-time member is Humberto Gonzalez Garza, the second stake president in Monterrey who now serves as patriarch and historian. He commented, "I have seen the small branches increase and become the growth of the Church.

"I think that the future will be yet more glorious and yet more progressive as branches are established farther and farther from the existing stakes of our precious city of Monterrey and her metropolitan area. As happened in the past, we will organize a small branch and it will quickly grow.

The first branch in Monterrey was created in 1922 with 35 members. Missionaries served in leadership positions and the branch met in various homes of the members. In the early years the branch grew very slowly.

"There were many problems then, many difficulties," Brother Gonzalez said. "We had earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and a revolution. I compare those years with the years of the plagues of Egypt. But through them, little by little, the people were prepared for the gospel. The people began to progress economically, culturally, socially and spiritually beyond anyone's dreams."

In 1949, the Church here had grown to two branches with 477 members. By 1962, 40 years after the first branch was created, the branches doubled again and four were in existence: Monterrey, Libertad, Mitra and Roma. But then, a miracle of growth started and within 14 more years, each of the branches - still carrying their original names - had become stakes.

The story of the Campestre Ward, Monterrey Mexico Roma Stake, is illustrative of the growth in Monterrey during the 1970s and 1980s. The ward began as the small Campestre Branch in June 1978. Membership of the branch consisted of 25 people in five families. "At first opposition within the branch almost extinguished the small fire of faith," said Brother Gonzalez. "But the good programs of the Church and the desire of the members overcame the opposition. On Jan. 20, 1979, with the help of the missionaries, the branch had grown to 60 members and 17 families. By December of that year, membership reached 114, and land was purchased for a meetinghouse. A year later, the Campestre Ward was created and at the same time, divided to create the San Angel Branch as well. The meetinghouse was completed in 1983."

The story of the Church's development in Monterrey is best told by those who were there. The following are anecdotes of some of the Church's early members:

Manuelita and Maria Antonia Saldana Ramirez

Sisters living in the Industrial Ward, Monterrey Mexico Anahuac Stake, Manuelita and Maria Antonia Saldana Ramirez, remember well the early branch were they served so diligently.

Their first contact with the Church came in 1924 in Monterrey. At that time, the Saldana family of eight saw two missionaries on a street corner. The missionaries seemed to be having trouble finding directions.

The family discussed whether they should help the missionaries. The children were afraid the missionaries would preach to them. Still, an older child went to help them and sure enough, returned with the missionaries who shared a message. "They said they represented the Lord, and they were from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," said Sister Manuelita Saldana. "My father enthusiastically welcomed them to come in." She said her father and mother had searched for truth for many years and soon embraced the gospel. His wife, who could not read nor write, also found what she had been seeking, said Sister Saldana.

Except for one older brother, all in the family were baptized. Tragically, however, within six months, their father died.

"Missionaries came to our house every day," Sister Saldana said. "Mother struggled and struggled to provide for us."

The family worked in the petroleum industry to earn wages, leaving early in the morning and returning late at night. During this time, missionaries taught their mother to read. She read the Bible late at night. Later, she was called as Relief Society president.

The branch struggled as well, she recalled. "Four families met in one small home. We put the furniture outside so there would be room for us. Inside were just four very small chairs for the missionaries. Eventually the owner of the home lost all her furniture. What faith those members had."

In 1926 the Mexican government expelled all foreign clerics, including the LDS missionaries. The Saldana sisters recalled those years when the branch was without missionaries, and no baptisms could take place.

Today, the sisters live in a modest apartment not far from a meetinghouse.

"We are very happy in the Church," they said.

Manuel and Marina Iris Bernal de Govea

Soon after the missionaries were allowed to return to Mexico in 1934, they met Manuel and Marina Iris Bernal de Govea, now of the Mitras Ward, Monterrey Mexico Mitras Stake. The Goveas began attending the branch in the mid-1930s and were baptized in 1941.

"I was visiting an aunt of mine the first time I met the missionaries," said Brother Govea, a retired cabinet maker. He said he invited them to his home where they taught his family the lessons.

During this time, when he was not a member, the branch held many social activities to which the public was invited. He was asked to be in charge of the dances, which he organized and advertised with handbills.

The Goveas recalled their baptism in 1941, and the growth of the branch. Some of the activities were held on the patio of the home where they still live.

Sister Govea recalled the elegant dances that were performed by the youth on special occasions.

Nefi Trevino

Nefi (Nephi) Trevino, former president of the Mexico Hermosillo Mission, was, as his name indicates, born in the Church. He has served as an accountant for the Church Educational System for 24 years. Brother Trevino was the first labor missionary from Mexico.

Pres. Arwell L. Pierce invited the Trevino Family to take part in the first excursion from Mexico to the Arizona Temple.

In the excursion, "I remember we went on the train to Torreon," said Brother Nefi Trevino. "There were many people in the second class cars. When the train stopped at the station, the whole multitude wanted to get out at the same time. So my father passed me out through the window to the branch president waiting below."

In 1957, at age 16, Nefi was called on a labor mission and served under Jasper McClellan in constructing meetinghouses.

The work was difficult, but "those were the good times," he said. The missionaries slept on wooden bunks with no mattresses and worked long hours. They were fed by local Relief Society sisters. The missionaries had many experiences, including weathering out a hurricane.

During the hurricane, flooding began and "we were watching through the window and all our wood began to float in the water. We waded in water up to our waist trying to recover the wood."

The arduous labor mission convinced Brother Trevino not to be a mason, so he attended accountancy school. He later served from 1961-63 in the Northern Mexican Mission under Pres. Ara Call.

He said during that period, many local leaders were trained in leadership positions, positions rapidly increasing as more branches were created.

Brother Trevino and his wife, Rosa Elia Flores de Trevino, were married in the Arizona Temple. "My younger sister and I were married at the same time," said Brother Trevino. "Pres. Pierce had promised my father that he'd perform our family's sealings. He came to the temple in a wheelchair to seal us. As far as I know, these were the last two sealings he performed before he died."

Humberto and Guillermo Gonzalez

Humberto Gonzalez was 19 when he heard the missionaries posing three very interesting questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? and Where are we going after death?

The missionaries taught him the first lesson and he asked for more lessons. "No," the missionaries told him. He was instructed that he had a reading assignment to complete and meetings to attend before he could receive the next lesson. "After two months, I was baptized," he said.

His brother, Guillermo, was not as patient. One day the missionaries came at 8 a.m. to Guillermo's home. They taught him the first lesson and were about to leave when Guillermo asked for more information. Missionaries told him he'd have to read first and wait until next week. Guillermo jumped up, locked the door and secured the bolt. "You can't leave until you teach me all the lessons," he told the missionaries.

At 8 p.m., the missionaries said they had more no teachings they could give.

"Tell me about the stakes of which you spoke," asked Guillermo.

So the missionaries told him of the program of the stakes. Satisfied, he unlocked the door. A short time later, he traveled to Salt Lake City and was baptized by Elder LeGrand Richards of the Council of the Twelve. Guillermo Gonzalez Garza was the first president of the Monterrey Mexico Stake when it was created in 1970.

For his part, after his baptism, Humberto Gonzalez became deacons quorum president, teachers quorum president, assistant to the branch president in the priests quorum, elders quorum president, and full-time missionary. He was branch president six times, the second president of the Monterrey stake and later president of the Mexico Guadalajara Mission.

"I have seen much progress of the Church," he said. "Now, with the area presidency here locally, the Brethren are a valuable influence for the work and organization of the Church."