BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — It’s been more than 40 years since Tabernacle organist Richard Elliott was in Argentina as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Now, he’s back in the country with the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square’s “Songs of Hope” — “Canciones de Esperanza” — tour stop from Aug. 17-24.
Elliott is one of several performers in the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square who have ties to Argentina and other South American countries, including serving a mission or have extended family in the country.
In addition to being a tour stop, the choir and orchestra are helping to celebrate a century of the Church in South America. The choir and orchestra are performing Aug. 22-23 in Movistar Arena, with the concert on Aug. 23 will be streamed on the Tabernacle Choir’s YouTube channel. (See below for more information.)
Elliott was “over the moon” when he heard that Argentina would be one of the tour stops.
“Then it coincides with the centennial, and it couldn’t be more wonderful to me,” he said.
Elder Melvin J. Ballard, an early 20th-century Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on Christmas Day 1925 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.
“The work of the Lord will grow slowly for a time here just as an oak grows slowly from an acorn. It will not shoot up in a day as does the sunflower that grows quickly and then dies. But thousands will join the Church here,” he said.
‘A great, great blessing’
Elliott served in the Argentina Rosario Mission from 1981 to 1983 — during a short window when missionaries were called to serve for 18 months.
He had joined the Church the year before at 23 years old — he was baptized the same week he graduated with his bachelor’s degree. Another student introduced him and others to the gospel while at the school.
A few months later, he went to the branch president and asked about serving a mission — a lifelong desire to follow the scripture of Jesus Christ’s instruction to be “fishers of men.”
“I had a desire to serve and enthusiasm. It’s all a great, great blessing,” Elliott said of serving a mission.
“It was the perfect mission for me,” Elliott said. “I already had a love for Spanish language and culture.” He had also written papers on Alberto Ginastera, who is an Argentine composer — and the choir and orchestra are performing one of his works during the concerts in Argentina.
Referencing Elder Ballard, Elliott said that it’s neat “to see how an acorn can turn into an oak tree, as far as missionary work, and expand it and touch many, many people in the process.”
While in Buenos Aires, he’s planning to do a masterclass for local organists. He’s also looking forward to reconnecting with a mission companion who lives in the south of the country and is flying in for the concerts. Also, another missionary he served with now works in the Church’s South America South Area office.
‘People who are simply amazing’
Dan Ritchie, who sings baritone, said the choir and orchestra’s tour stop has helped him reconnect through social media with many people he met or served with in the Argentina Buenos Aires North Mission from 1986-1988. It includes the area where the choir and orchestra are staying and performing at.
“It was during a time — which is picking up again now — where we had just many people joining the Church and accepting the covenant of baptism. It always has been a highlight in my life,” said Ritchie, who hasn’t been back to Argentina since serving a mission.
He said when he heard the announcement of the tour stop in Argentina, he had a lot of “feelings of love and happiness for a people who are simply amazing.”
He’s also been able to connect on social media with past mission companions and people he taught and knew in Argentina, including people he hadn’t been in contact with since he was a missionary.
He’s been deliberate in preparing to go, from learning all the music to attending the temple.
“It’s been nothing but a strengthening to me,” he said. “I’m just thankful.”
Sharing the gospel in Argentina — again
Kenna Mills, a second soprano, served 1990-1992 in Argentina Rosario Mission, which is north of Buenos Aires.
“It was fabulous. One of the best experiences of my life,” Mills said of serving a mission. She added: “I love the people. The people are amazing.”
Like Elliott and Ritchie, she hasn’t been able to visit Argentina since returning home.
The people she knew in Argentina “were kind and humble and good to the core.”
Mills is looking forward to sharing the gospel again in Argentina — this time through music.
“I’m hoping that they will feel the Spirit through our music,” Mills said.
‘Joy of music’
For second soprano Lori Hayward, this stop of the tour is about family. Her sister’s husband is from Argentina, and she’s also met several of his siblings and their families.
“Family is family,” said Hayward, who has been in the choir for 14 years. She felt the excitement when the Argentina tour stop was announced and has seen it build on social media. This is her first time in Argentina.
Hayward is a junior high choir and theater teacher and is grateful she was able to get off during the first week of school for the tour.
Her students come from a variety of countries.
“Every time I’ve gone to one of my students’ countries, I come back with a really great appreciation for them and their culture,” Hayward said. She’s hoping this will help her connect to her sister and brother-in-law and his family more.
And, she acknowledged feeling the excitement and joy from people in the audience.
“When we were in Peru [in February], I don’t think we comprehended how huge that moment was,” Hayward said.
She added, “We’re bringing the joy of music and hope and love.”
Her husband served a mission in Brazil, so she’s looking forward to going on that tour stop next February.
Global participants from Argentina
Joel Villagra and Florencia Battista, a married couple from Buenos Aires, Argentina, are two of the choir’s global participants — musicians from around the world who audition to come to sing with the choir at general conference. The global participants’ audition process mirrors that of the choir members who live within 100 miles of Salt Lake City.
The couple are artistic directors and producers and have been helping with the choir and orchestra’s concerts in Argentina. Villagra sang in the April 2024 general conference, and he and Battista sang in the April 2025 general conference.
“This concert will be historic,” Villagra said. “It will mark a turning point for the choir and especially for the people of South American nations.”
Camila Cardus, who sings second soprano, works for the Church’s area office and has been helping with coordination for the choir and orchestra, including planning the welcome at the hotel with dancers.
“The idea of having global participants is like a dream” come true, Cardus said of being able to sing in-person with the choir. She sang in the October 2024 general conference. She also served a mission for the Church on Temple Square in Salt Lake City and had many opportunities to hear the choir in-person.
Now, with the choir and orchestra coming to Argentina, her family can hear them sing in-person and also singing some songs in Spanish.
“For me, to have them have this chance … it’s just a blessing,” Cardus said.
How to watch, stream the concert in the Movistar Arena
The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square’s concert on Saturday, Aug. 23, will be at 7 p.m. Argentina Standard Time, 4 p.m. Mountain Time. An in-person preshow starts at 6 p.m.
Watch parties are planned across the continent. The concert is expected to be available for streaming.
There are 387 members of the volunteer choir and orchestra on tour, along with organists, choir leaders and staff. These “musical missionaries” are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and choir members have a monthslong audition process. The choir’s origins date back to 1847 when pioneer members of the Church formed a choir to sing at a conference of the Church weeks after arriving in Utah’s Salt Lake Valley.
The Tabernacle Choir first went to South America in 1981, when it performed in Brazil. The second time was earlier this year for the Peru tour stop. The choir and orchestra are scheduled to return to Brazil in February 2026.
Rehearsal photos
Prior to performing in Movistar Arena, the choir and orchestra will perform in Palacio Libertad earlier in the week. It originally was the Buenos Aires Central Post Office, which opened in 1928 and was operating until 2002.
Here are photos from the rehearsal at Palacio Libertad on Monday, Aug. 18.
