THE RESTORED CHURCH IN SPAIN To be truly comprehensive, a history of the Church in Spain would have to start with the early missionary trips of St. Paul, who is believed to have visited Cadiz in the early years following the death of the Savior. Such a history would necessarily have to include the events which led to the spread of the Great Apostasy in this province of the Roman Empire. On the positive side, it would also recount the great faith and sacrifice of the Spanish missionaries who accompanied the Conquistadores to the New World and the spread of the Catholic faith to Latin America, preparing the way there, as in Europe following the Reformation, for the Restoration of the Gospel. So far as is known, Latter-day Saint missionaries did not attempt to introduce the restored gospel in Spain at the time missionaries were sent elsewhere in Europe in the 1840s. It is true that English-speaking sailors introduced the gospel to Gibraltar, then as now a British possession. But it was not until the United States established diplomatic relations with the Franco government after WW II, that regular LDS Church services began to be held on US military bases in Spain under the Status of Forces Agreement negotiated to permit the presence of US military personnel in Spain. Until that time it had been strictly against the law for non-Catholic services to be held in Spain because of the Concordat between the Franco government and the Vatican. By 1966, LDS Servicemen's Groups were functioning at Torrejon Air Force Base just northeast of Madrid; at Moron, near Seville; and at Rota, near Cadiz. There had also been a servicemen's group in Zaragosa until that base was deactivated about 1964 or 65. Each of these units were made branches in 1966 with Branch Presidencies. There was also a District Presidency organized that year under the direction of the French Mission. The new District Presidency was given the responsibility for overseeing the servicemen's groups in Kenitra, Morocco and Lajes in the Azores. The new Spain Servicemen's District took the place of a former France Servicemen's District which had previously had oversight of both Spain, Azores, and Morocco groups. At this time, the Spain LDS Servicemen's Group consisted of George Hall, President, with Dean Hunger as Counsellor. The Madrid Servicemen's Branch Presidency consisted of Robert Eddington, President, with David Timmins and Perry Allred as Counselors. The Branch met initially in the American Elementary School in Royal Oaks, the Servicemen's housing area about four miles north of Madrid. In 1967 the meeting place was moved to the High School auditorium at Torrejon Air Force Base. At this same time, General Franco was beginning to think about the steps which would be necessary to effect a transition between his strict Falangist government and a more liberal successor government which he recognized Prince Juan Carlos would require to lead Spain into NATO and the European Community. Spain was already becoming a major attraction for tourists from the rest of Europe, and for several years the police had been under instructions not to interfere with Protestant religious services held under appropriately discrete conditions. In 1967 a draft law was introduced in the Cortes (parliament) which would modify the Concrodat by formally recognizing "non-Catholic" churches in Spain. This was known as La Ley de Libertad Religiosa (the religious liberty law). Matters were also moving forward in the LDS Church in Spain. Several LDS Servicemen had married Spanish wives. Relatives of these Spanish members (most baptized across the border in France in strict conformity with Spanish law which prohibited on-soil conversion) were also attending meetings. In 1966, an outstanding young Spanish attorney who had married the American sister of an LDS official of the American Embassy, joined the Church, being baptized in Bordeaux, France. Several of his friends and family started attending the Branch and became serious investigators. This was Brother Jose Oliveira Aldamiz. He was called to teach a Sunday School class in the Spanish language for the benefit of these Spanish investigators and members. Sacrament meetings were held half in English and half in Spanish. Among these investigators was the wife of a Spanish policemen. Each Sunday to obtain access to the military facility, the Spanish nationals were required to sign in and sign out with the Spanish Military Police who controlled access to the Base. (The Madrid Branch Presidency provided a locally rented bus to transport them each week from Madrid to Torrejon -- a distance of forty miles, round trip). A member of the Madrid Branch Presidency was Head of the Economic Section at the American Embassy at that time, and a result of attendance at Embassy staff meetings was aware of the favorable attitude of the US Government to the pending Religious Liberty Law and the progress being made in moving it through the Cortes. He reported these matters in a Branch Presidency meeting as a possible resolution to the concerns which some Spanish members and investigators had expressed to the Presidency about creating an official record of their attendance at services through having to sign in and out with the Spanish Military Police. The matter was brought to the attention of the District Presidency. Shortly thereafter, Brother David Timmins was called as Second Counselor in the District Presidency (while simultaneously carrying on as Counselor in the Branch Presidency). President Timmins was directed to continue following this issue, keeping President Hall informed of developments. Brother Timmins accompanied the Embassy Political Officer on some of his calls on Protestant clergymen and the President of the Clergymen's Association, where he soon learned that opinion was mixed. Some clergymen welcomed the proposed law, feeling it would establish their rights to worship without fear of police interference (there had been, despite the policy of nominal tolerance, some cases of Protestants being arrested and jailed for practicing their religion). Others considered that the requirement in the draft law to apply for recognition and to submit a membership list, was beyond the legitimate rights of the state. Time was running out. It appeared the law would be enacted within a few months and local LDS leadership felt guidance was required so that appropriate action could be taken within the time period provided. The District Presidency wrote to President McKay, setting forth the situation and asking for guidance. Within a few weeks the visit of Elders Howard W. Hunter and Gordon B. Hinckley was announced. Because of his position at the Embassy, his familiarity with making appointments with government officials for senior US visitors, and because of his knowledge of Spanish, Brother Timmins was asked to coordinate the Apostles' visit. Elders Hunter and Hinckley called on the US Ambassador Angier Biddle Duke and his Political Counselor Frank Starrs who reviewed the situation from the point of view of the US Government and encouraged the Church to comply with the new legislation. The Apostles then called on the Minister for Education and Religious Affairs of the Spanish Government. He, too, assured the visiting Brethren of the Government's honorable intentions, encouraging the LDS Church to take the lead in submitting its application for recognition. They also called on the President of the Protestant Ministerial Association, who took a more nuanced position because of the opposition of some of his members, but he encouraged Elders Hunter and Hinckley to follow their own judgment in the matter. The visiting Brethren again called on the Political Counselor at the American Embassy to report their interviews and seek his guidance regarding an attorney to represent the Church. It so happened that the law firm used by the Embassy Abogados Garrigues had as its senior partner the Spanish Ambassador to the Vatican. His nephew, the attorney with whom Elders Hunter and Hinckley and Brother Timmins spoke, had in part been educated in the United States, knew of the LDS Church, and had a good opinion of it. He had been following the evolution of the draft law with interest and suggested that it would make recognition simpler if the Church proceeded without delay to organize an indigenous Spanish Branch of the Church meeting apart from the English-speaking unit In early 1968, such a branch was organized, first as a dependent branch functioning under the direction of the Madrid Servicemen's Branch. Convenient premises were located in downtown Madrid in a private girls school just off Avenida Castellana . The modest rental included janitorial services to put the auditorium and classrooms back in shape for school Monday morning. Brother Timmins was called as the first President of the first indigenous Spanish Branch of the Church in this dispensation, with Brother Wallace Baker as First Counselor and Brother Jose Oliviera Aldamiz as Second Counselor. At the first meeting there were just over forty Spanish-speaking members and investigators in attendance. There was a Deacon's group of three, taught by the Branch President, a Relief Society of twenty-five, and a Melchizedek Priesthood of six. By the end of 1968 this dependent branch was made an independent branch and had grown to over sixty. The legal documents were ready by June of 1968. Brother Timmins was asked to sign them as President of the church group seeking recognition. (The LDS District and Servicemen's Branch did not file for recognition, not being required to do so inasmuch as they already had legal status under the Status of Forces Treaty). It is understood that the LDS Church was the first non-Catholic religious organization approved for recognition under the Ley de Libertad Religiosa and one of the small number who were so approved. Spain went directly from the Primitive Christian Church through the Great Apostasy to the Restoration without any formal Protestant interlude. When President Timmins was transferred from the Embassy in June 1968, his Counselor Jose Oliveira was named Branch President. At a later time, President Oliveira was called to be the first Stake President in Spain. Other Branches. A number of Spanish citizens had joined the Church in Northern Europe while residing there as temporary workers. A handful of these were grouped in or near Barcelona, Spain's second great city. A US businessman was living in Barcelona as his company representative. Membership records were sent to him and a small Sunday School was organized there in mid-1968. Missionaries Within a few months Church Headquarters began thinking of sending missionaries to Spain. Elder Hunter telephoned Brother Timmins during his Home Leave while he was staying at his mother's home in Salt Lake City in July or August 1968 to ask his advice on this matter. Since the Religious Liberty Law did not explicitly provide for proselyting, it was suggested that these be nationals of South American countries. Spain considers these former colonial possessions as of first importance in her world role as the mother of Hispanidad and goes out of her way to avoid political conflict with them. It was believed that she would avoid harassment or interference with the missionary work of nationals of such countries. As the work progressed and it was found that the Spanish government was indeed abiding by the spirit as well as the letter of the new law and had no intention of inhibiting proselyting activities, the initial missionary force was supplemented by North American elders. Within three years (i.e. by 1971) there were sixteen branches of the Church in Spain. In Six years there were two missions (Madrid and Seville). Currently, there are three Spain Missions: Madrid, Seville, and Barcelona. Prospects The Spain Seville Mission presently has responsibility for the few scattered members in Morocco. Until the closure of the US military base at Kenitra, there had been a Servicemen's Group there. Spain possesses four small enclaves on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco -- akin to the UK possession of Gibraltar on the south coast of Spain. Just as Spain desires the return of Gibraltar, Morocco ardently desires the return of Ceuta , El Penon de Velez de la Gomera, El Penon de Alhucemas, and Melilla. Notions of religious liberty have not proceeded as far in Islamic Morocco has they had in Spain at the time the Religious Liberty Law was adopted -- but there does exist a regime of de facto tolerance for established Christian churches. It could prove useful, as entree to future missionary work in Morocco, to establish functioning branches of the Church in Ceuta and Melilla in anticipation of the return of these colonial outposts to Morocco.