Deconstructing Narratives: The New History of the Beginning of the Church in Brazil

The writing of history does not always accurately reflect the complexity of events. Often, it is shaped by choices—whether conscious or not—that privilege certain protagonists, timeframes, or convenient interpretations. For decades, the narrative of the LDS Church's beginnings in Brazil has been told through devotional celebrations, established names, and repeated versions in commemorative publications. This construction, marked by edifying intentions and selective choices, has consolidated an institutional memory that engages little with the complexity of historical facts. To question or even deconstruct such narratives does not mean rejecting them entirely, but rather revealing their gaps, tensions, and alternative possibilities—thus allowing for the emergence of a more pluralistic, critical, and source-based historical account.In this sense, the deconstruction of historical narratives can uncover hidden layers of power, ideology, and subjectivity that operate within them, enabling a reassessment of accepted truths. Jacques Derrida,1 who coined the term “deconstruction,” argued that knowledge structures are permeated by binaries and hierarchies that need to be challenged in order to achieve a more pluralistic and inclusive understanding of reality. By reassessing historical events through new lenses, historians and researchers can expose intentional or unintentional gaps and omissions that perpetuate cultural and political hegemony.Furthermore, deconstruction does not propose a mere replacement of one narrative with another, but rather a continuous process of critique and revision. It challenges the notion of a singular and static historical truth, arguing that history is an open field of interpretation where the past is constantly reinterpreted in light of new contexts and discoveries. This movement allows for a more democratic approach to history that acknowledges the multiplicity of human experiences and challenges monolithic discourses.Over more than two decades of research on the history of the Church in Brazil, I have occasionally come across inaccuracies in institutional publications related to dates, descriptions of places, statements, and photographs either lacking captions or used out of context.2 When examining these publications, I often found discrepancies that could alter the historical interpretation of events. A notable example is the founding date of certain branches of the Church in Brazil, which often varies depending on the consulted source. Moreover, the descriptions of places occasionally contain errors, stemming from incorrect transcriptions or misinterpretations of the original texts. Another problematic aspect is the statements and testimonies recorded in historical documents. The subjectivity of personal accounts can significantly influence the understanding of facts. Statements may be biased, influenced by the beliefs and worldviews of the authors, making a critical and contextual examination of these sources necessary. Historical photographs, in turn, are valuable for a visual understanding of the past, but the lack of captions or their presentation out of context can lead to misinterpretations. For example, an image of a religious event may be interpreted completely differently if there is no adequate description or if the photograph is out of the correct chronological sequence.The objective of this article is to critically review traditional historiographical interpretations concerning the early years of the Church's presence in Brazilian territory. This entails deconstructing predominant narratives that were based on limited sources or partial readings of events, as well as reconstructing a more accurate history grounded in primary documentation. The use of previously unpublished sources, located at the Church History Library in Salt Lake City, has enabled a broader and deeper understanding of the proselytizing efforts, as well as the social and political conditions that shaped that period. As a result, new protagonists have emerged in the narrative, while the roles of others have been clarified.Finally, although this article focuses primarily on publications produced by the Church, it is essential to acknowledge and highlight the importance of the academic work already carried out on the subject. In particular, the contribution of Mark L. Grover stands out, whose research is marked by methodological rigor, intellectual responsibility, and careful analysis of sources. His studies provide a solid and reliable foundation for any serious investigation into the history of the Church in Brazil and remain an indispensable reference for critical engagement in this field.3Elder Melvin J. Ballard played a crucial role in the mission to dedicate South America for the preaching of the gospel, a significant event in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In his capacity as a senior leader of the Church, Ballard was instrumental in organizing and executing missionary efforts in the region, reflecting his commitment to the expansion and strengthening of missionary work in South America.His interest in the expansion of the restored gospel extended beyond Argentina.4 Ballard was aware of the potential of the German immigrant colonies in Brazil and expressed a desire to visit them. In a letter to Heber J. Grant, the president of the Church, he wrote: Our own plans for the future are to prosecute the work here until missionaries arrive, and we have got them started, which will probably take us until about the last of April, when the fall season will be on here, then Brother Pratt and myself would like to visit the southern provinces of Brazil, where we have a few friends, and large German colonies who speak the Portuguese, which is similar to the Spanish, and Brother Pratt will have little difficulty in understanding them and making them understand him. From there we would like to go west into Paraguay, then up into Bolivia, and from there to Peru, where there are large numbers of Indians in a fair state of civilization. This trip can be made by rail now, as the last link of the road was completed at the close of last year. From there we would comedown the coast of Chile, then back over to Buenos Aires. This would take us all of their winter season here, which is your next summer season at home, and would be the best time to go into those northern parts, and will give us a comprehensive idea of the missionary possibilities in these other countries, and we will be ready to make other recommendations to you concerning the future of the mission.5The First Presidency signaled positively to Ballard regarding his visit to southern Brazil: We discussed that part of your letter suggesting a trip to Brazile [sic], Bolivia, Paraguay, Chile, Peru, etc. We think it would be better to confine your labors for the present, until we have some good elders with you, to and southern The trip can be discussed Ballard letter to the First his about the of missionary work in South America and a interest in the of the In this he his desire to visit Brazil: the missionaries have and we have them well in the work here, we like to visit a few in this this where there are German where it is that the work the is This would not take us but that we could be back few the work here, and a little if you are we like to visit the German colonies in Brazil, which is not from to this the First Presidency his your that you visit the German colonies in southern a letter from the First Presidency was by Ballard on the that he expressed his to visit The of Brazilian Brother Ballard a letter from the Presidency that and and and been to the South Brother to take of the when Brother Ballard to the Ballard made a to the First Presidency regarding proselytizing in missionaries to the German immigrant that were established in the southern part of the Ballard that these of which cultural and religious to their be open to new religious in light of the political and social in Brazil at the was with some who in Brazil and could to the of Church branches in their the German in the it to be an time to visit In a letter to the First wrote: In the that some missionary work be in future the German colonies in Brazil and in a few colonies in the northern part of I would like to here that the can the of Brazil and better than the missionaries from we have in a In I can that the are not by the in In and I found this From to Brazil it about or on a and there are German which have the as the in I I in a German the work be in the German colonies of Brazil and we there with good it may be that we could missionaries from In Brazil there is a who about one as a missionary in the German was by J. his for them in This could be a good in the mission work in Brazil, that such a work be In that I rather would like to his missionary labors for two years he and now, he can the there is an made by who was as the of the Church's mission at the This is to and as in the First The of this the importance of the as well as the desire to that the of the Church were about the at This that the in question significant for the and of missionary the of the of the First It to that if he there is a field for in Brazil the German he could take one of the German elders with and one of the elders in Buenos to take of the work of to be one of his Brother J. who here in of last was in and the he has a knowledge of the no would be a good to of who here in of last has a knowledge of the German expressed on the Church's proselytizing efforts in Brazil, Heber J. not the some to the idea of Brazil, a in the two regarding the and importance of the mission in the In to to the German colonies in Brazil, would it not be to work where you are for a while or at until you more than to be out when you to it was already for any by his and missionary already for In a letter expressed his over the I that I not early your letter of where you to and not to go to the German colonies in I Brother he told to visit those colonies as as one of the German here could take of the German work on I will give you a of I found in I would have with if I your letter in but on the of I with of Melvin J. Ballard in South his commitment to and missionary work the German immigrant colonies in Brazil, a significant in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. his to these from the First the and the of to lead the mission the and reflect the challenges and the Church in to influence in new This of events the complexity of missionary work and the need for careful and to and the for the future of the Church in South in Brazil, the importance of and of Melvin J. interest in missionary work to the German immigrant colonies in Brazil a new and significant to the of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day in the now, the traditional narrative about the of missionary in Brazil on the efforts of and his with little of that Ballard already the potential of these German and to visit them to the a new on the Church's missionary efforts in This that the for Brazil as a mission field was in the of Church as early as the of the by a interest in Brazil, Ballard as a more and in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day in the His was not limited to the challenges of the mission in South America but extended to such as the German immigrant colonies in southern Brazil, revealing an understanding of the missionary potential in the This of Ballard not his historical but his contribution to the Church's in His of the potential of these a commitment to the gospel in until not from Church this new not the understanding of the of missionary work in Brazil but the importance of the in the context of the Church's missionary that even if this was not This new and there was an of the missionary Buenos his and missionary on the German on and in Brazil, on to the possibilities of proselytizing the in the of the South and to that Brazil would be a field for the future of missionary When about his visit to Brazil, was to about work in Brazil and primarily the to a in Brazil a that time there were German in that We about the of and up to and We I in a German the were and their and we or like but a I to the to the to was It is an from one in Brazil where the were and then into a German It was like from into I to the of the their and The German of was Brother was with he found We about a to We a which a few to up there Brother to German which I for about I could a little and I even a in I think in we that would be the to to the work the German and then it over into the more or as it with the in We back in about the of a the and to and the for to a German a in the that he could them in the Church in some that the significant presence of German in the were which would make it to the gospel and the Church them. was not to to work them in the a from the South that it would not be to to missionary in that to their original which was to out where the were more more for the Church's while in Buenos that the immigrant in southern Brazil would be more for missionary the and the and to the state of in the of a to which as German in a by the was a marked by German and as an in and with a to The South History and Historical recorded the of the and their in and the were in and for a by Brother in a an of and when would be trip was made to the of in the of the a few from Another field of the of to and to a of by these two places there is a with all by good for missionaries who would like to take and to two German in the one a a few and the of lack of and the of his to a visit to little by the elders to where some The the and the of the the elders in where Brother to an and of about of this were on the to to two them in their a the interest in the of the the on for Buenos on The interest of the with the potential of the to proselytizing work in that of Brazilian as as their experiences that Brazil would be a field for the future of missionary a in and to by he in the in Buenos will always be he to the First is with a work the in was to missionaries to was always an in but was not to the and I This South Brazil is the and missionaries and J. to Brazil the of organizing a new the proselytizing work in the The historical of the South In order to open a missionary work in Brazil, the elders and Buenos with the on the of in at the of on the of the to the of in the of with for an on and The was in the of the of in the of a more than the elders a little in the with more than the of Church with in that The elders a for and with for the in the is a all that was for the future of the Brother on the of and on the to Buenos on the at Buenos on the of the of an the Church in one of his all the A few on a a article the Church in an in elders a of for his own In of all the of the of the of the the the Church with a and his to the Church was as of those the of the the elders were as the by the was the Church in the mission president in for a his he with the and Church and His presence a and he a good that he the work was This visit was at the of missionary and for the In a the history of proselytizing in the region, the was president here in for a the for Buenos here all and all he in a when he here he that he the work here was that the work was the may not reflect the reality. It is that there were such as in a lack of or that were not the of to at the the missionaries to could some in southern the the elders were to give in of other the and their to be by the of from and who the missionaries and their This from the and it was that the the the years of the Church in of them or close of a few early by his to to where a could be to the of the of Saints. to the of proselytizing in the give in the region, and the of the Church in Brazil, the the of that a was over by J. the of The at with the the The was by J. by the by the was by and the of the by the that would be as a of the The and in their made some by from on then about the The of the was by the by the J. a on the of the gospel, by who on the of of a significant on the as recorded in the Brazilian History of The was with the by the by the and his an while to The of the all The was the movement on the of with the of and the of who been The movement was on and as The Church the large of in in and by of a and the of the of the their of and the in from their a in these for any of the and were to remain and his to on for Buenos making the This by the and myself the to the on the is to Buenos but will at to for the here, has and to the of the of these was in the region, as where the This out to the Church by a visit from missionaries and for Church the were that for two the Church already established missionary and a in located about from The visit was an to with the their and and visit of and his to the is recorded in the South to visit a of of Church who from years as in the of which is in the in the of the of the a with them on the of on which he a of that to the of in the the and of the of he with of and letter to J. that this was the time come into with the The of the that the his trip that suggesting that until that he not the I a good trip to and found the who are all the and to their best to their in of the that the is to the The who is years is in the work for the is always to give his to other I in the two that I with them, with of and I a with two which from in the until of those two told that it would be a to them would be if there could be a missionary with them to them the trip was the for and the a crucial in the of missionary work in that Moreover, by to the visit as a notable event in his the idea that this was there been it is he would not have the visit it as part of an process rather than significant and the letter that this was the in the and the until not the the missionaries in to visit the if in and some missionaries can the This the for the of missionary work in the and the by the missionaries at that A few this and were to visit the that the was to take This visit the the missionaries and the early the proselytizing efforts in that the early and to the when the two elders for will for the work in and the of a to in and will with this of while in and his in on and in the until of the year. this to strengthening missionary and organizing the of the Church in the their mission in the to where the to the for missionary work in the of then to Buenos where would on their and of the Church's in South His next visit was at the of a in the of the a of Church by Church with for two the visit with the his and of his who interest in the which the for from his visit to Brazil, by in order to time as the were in their narrative about and the proselytizing of and his elders in Brazil the challenges and as to the Church in a new The in Brazil, in to other of South a where such as the of cultural and religious significant The of and other in southern Brazil, with a presence of German as it a more and for and the efforts were not limited to a religious there was an at cultural as by their of the German and in events. the that was with of reflecting the complexity of a new into already established the of the with a of in with a of German was crucial for the Church's early in such as the of religious and the the missionaries to the of a religious although potential for the of the played an role in the expansion of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day in the where by Church in to the visit of missionaries and be with the Church in the In missionary work already in Brazil in two years The that the Church was already established in Brazil the from the missionary and the of a in which in those two missionaries to the Church in the region, as by the in he was not missionary work in Brazil but rather strengthening and efforts already that he found a to the gospel, for the who was to the This visit was an to and about the gospel, but the that that the missionaries from visit the occasionally that the missionary was already established in the that and were to visit the a few that the missionary was already to for such and The trip to was a of the work already carried out in not the of a new although letter was significant and to the of the Church in the region, it is that the of the Church in the in with the of missionary in The be as part of this expansion not as the early history of the Church in Brazil is often with the in the of the letter to the First Presidency missionaries to visit them. This narrative has a and in the region, where the it is to that the of events by to of the visit made by by and in rather than in when to This that the narrative in some into the context of even not a letter to Heber J. Grant, who with the Church, and he us a that we to the president of the who was a we already from it was We the letter and with a few back and in with from all over to in that to for the time and a with he more and the Brazilian the and then to where he missionaries and as the to the the contribution of the was significant for the of the Church in the region, missionary work and the of the Church in the already been in the of the while the of the is for the of the Church in the region, it is essential to that missionary work their with the of missionaries and the of an in of this article the discussed the the importance of deconstructing narratives for a more accurate understanding of the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day in a critical analysis of historiographical sources, the work historical examining and photographs in been or used out of This the complexity in narratives about the of the Church in the the need to correct incorrect and the discussed the of such as Melvin J. whose role in the missionary for the German immigrant colonies in Brazil was as a new historiographical This the understanding of the early missionary work in the even the of there was a of the missionary potential in the this has the of such as or the for future research that may light on the of and whose presence and to the early history of the Church in Brazil lack and historiographical research based on primary sources, the correct of the and the roles played in the narrative of the Church's beginnings in it was to more accurately the events and the of the Church in the in versions of the This investigation to light about the the where was and the social and religious that influenced the of the Church in is that historical is a to that the narrative of the Church in Brazil is accurate and The a crucial role in these a critical analysis that the of the this article not but new for significantly to the strengthening of the and memory of the Church in