‘As an oak grows slowly from an acorn’: 100 years of growth in South America

Two small, monumentlike markers commemorating a prayer for and a prophecy about the preaching of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ throughout South America can be found in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Both feature words pronounced in that city by Elder Melvin J. Ballard, an early 20th century Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. On Christmas Day 1925, he offered a prayer dedicating South America for the preaching of the gospel; then on July 4, 1926, he followed with a prophecy of the Church’s growth from then on — small and slow at first, but increasing in size and strength.

His phrase “as an oak grows slowly from an acorn” has been repeated and acknowledged in the decades since.

The Church is commemorating this year’s 100th anniversary with a series of events and celebrations across most South America nations. (See coverage linked below.)

A marker honoring the dedicatory prayer is found in Buenos Aires’ sprawling Tres de Febrero Park. The larger monument commemorating the prophecy is located on the grounds of the Buenos Aires Argentina Temple. A distance of some 12 miles separates the two.

However, the true monuments of that prayer and prophecy are not made of stone — rather, they are the nearly 4.4 million Latter-day Saints currently residing across the 12 South America nations and one territory, as well as past generations of their ancestors who helped establish and fortify the Church.

The true monuments of the Church’s growth and strength over the past century are also the more than 100 missions spread across South America — and the current and past missionaries who have served — as well as the 61 total temples dedicated, under construction or announced for South America.

Below is a graphic showing a country-by-country breakdown of those totals for membership, stakes, missions and temples.

Note: Membership and stakes as of end of 2024 from newsroom.ChurchofJesusChrist.org/facts-and-statistics; missions as of July 1, 2025; temples dedicated, under construction or announced as of July 3, 2025.

More coverage of the 100th anniversary:

• Celebrating a century: Latter-day Saints commemorate 100 years in South America
• Pioneers of Argentina: Saints recall huge growth in the Church and know ‘wonderful times are coming’
• Pioneers of Uruguay: Stories of faith and perseverance from Latter-day Saints who have watched the Church grow
• Builders and blessings: How early Latter-day Saint pioneers shaped the growth of the Church in Chile
• A prayer and a prophecy: A look at Church growth in South America over 100 years
• How the houses of the Lord in Argentina reflect a century of Church growth