Deseret Language and Linguistic Society Symposium

Volume 26 Issue 1 Article 6

4-7-2000

LDS Ethnic Wards and Branches in the United States: The Advantages and Disadvantages of Language Congregations

Jessie L. Embry

Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/dlls

BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Embry, Jessie L. (2000) "LDS Ethnic Wards and Branches in the United States: The Advantages and Disadvantages of Language Congregations," Deseret Language and Linguistic Society Symposium: Vol. 26 : Iss. 1 , Article 6. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/dlls/vol26/iss1/6

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Deseret Language and Linguistic Society Symposium by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. LDS Ethnic Wards and Branches in the United States: The Advantages and Disadvantages of Language Congregations

Jessie L. Embry

But integration was not always the INTRODUCTION answer. Meraz went to seminary with n the 1980s Esmeralda Meraz's parents English-speaking students. She complained moved from Mexico to Southern that the teenagers there "saw me as a differ­ I California, seeking better economic possi­ ent person.... They would make remarks bilities. They moved back and forth between and say things that didn't make me feel very the two countries, finally settling south of good and didn't make me feel like 1 San Diego. Her father was a Mormon; her belonged." She liked going to the branch mother converted to the Church. They because "they were not going to make a ref­ became leaders in their Spanish-speaking erence to my skin color or the fact that [she branch. As Meraz (1991) explained, "Though is] Mexican"(9-1O). my dad speaks English, he has not mastered The Meraz family is a classic example of the English language and he can't communi­ why The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day cate very well. ... My mom has had less Saints has had a roller-coaster view of spon­ schooling than he has" and could say only a soring ethnic congregations in the United few words in English. When asked what she States. What works for one person does not would do if there were no Spanish-speaking work for another. branch, Esmeralda's mother pleaded in Spanish, "Please don't make me go to the LOS CHURCH POLICY TOWARDS English ward." She continued, "I think it ETHNIC CONGREGATIONS would be a step backward for me. I like to be helping, working in the Church" (5). Over the years, LDS Church policy Yet there were disadvantages to the toward ethnic congregations in the United branch. Esmeralda Meraz went from a fully States has varied. Sometimes the Church functional ward in Mexico to a Spanish­ encouraged the formation of language wards speaking branch in California. "It was kind of and branches where members could hold discouraging to see only ten people ... in the meetings in their native tongues. Other times meetings. It was also discouraging not to see such specialized wards have been disbanded. any youth. We [she and her three sisters and These plans operated from mutually exclu­ one brother] were the only kids that were sive premises. Both met some needs of ethnic attending church." It was difficult to operate members and failed to meet others. Primary and Young Women's. Meraz contin­ Integration into multicultural, multilingual ued, "We always had a feeling of not being units was based on the ideal-and ideal­ complete and of not having everyone there ized-philosophy that gospel unity produces that needed to be there to make it a success­ social unity. But the contrasting philosophy ful experience for us every Sunday" (5, 10). of ethnic independence recognized language

DLLS 2000 46 JESSIE L. EMBRY

disabilitiesv(Embry 1992, 84; Florence back and forth in an effort to find a one­ 1992,36). policy-fits-aU solution. Separate congregations have always The existence of separate missions to existed in the Church at least to some proselyte nonmembers in Utah and other degree. In 1849 Welsh immigrants met as parts of the United States raised the same a group in Salt Lake City, although some questions. Some members of Apostle of their activities were in English. In 1852 Spencer W. Kimball's Indian and Danish and German immigrants held Minority Group Committee, composed of meetings in their native languages. It is other apostles and some church mem­ not clear whether these meetings were bers, felt that separate branches encour­ officially church sanctioned, but later aged segregation. They argued that peo­ organizations were. For example, in 1860 ple from different cultures needed to Brigham Young called Karl G. Maeser to meet and know each other as individuals preside over the German meetings. In and therefore that integrated congrega­ 1877 all the non-English branches became tions were best. Others felt integrated part of the Salt Lake Stake. Ethnic congre­ wards had a poor record of keeping eth­ gations continued in Salt Lake until nic minorities fully involved and World War I, and again until World War growing. II when they were all shut down except Following established procedure, for the Mexican branch in Salt Lake City Kimball rarely mentioned what hap­ (Jensen 1987, 276-81). pened in meetings of the Quorum of the In 1952, Church leaders organized a Twelve in his journal. However, he broke regional mission to convert non-English­ with that tradition on 3 February 1966 to speaking members in the Salt Lake express his deep misgivings about Valley, believing that it was easier to con­ attempts to eliminate the ethnic branches vert immigrants than to travel to foreign and the language missions. He wrote: countries. The newly created mission was " Among others was the matter of the the motivation to re-create language possible integration of the minority Sunday Schools. Then in 1962 and 1963, group branches with the Anglo branches Apostles Spencer W. Kimball and Mark and the possible combination ... of the E. Petersen organized a branch for mem­ missions, doing away with the Spanish­ bers speaking each of the following lan­ speaking missions in the United States.... guages: Japanese, German, Dutch, I vigorously protested and while several of the brethren seemed to feel the other Swedish, and Danish; they also orga­ way would be better, I was so vigorous in nized a second Spanish (Cumorah) my protestation that the President did branch and two Native American branch­ not take a vote on it but asked us to es. There were also French, Mandarin, return with the matter next week." He and Cantonese Sunday Schools. Each continued, "While it would be easier, branch became part of an organized stake more adaptable to administration, I feel (Church News, 21 April 1962, 7; Jensen sure we would lose ground and many of 1987,287-88). our members and cease to grow as fast as While these branches helped the eth­ we have done" (1966). nic members feel at home in the Church, Despite Kimball's resistance, admin­ it meant a separation and different treat­ istrative changes were made in the 1960s ment from their neighbors and other and 1970s. Since the ethnic congregations Mormons. Apostles disagreed whether in Salt Lake City were active members of separate language congregations or inte­ stakes and stake missionaries could talk grated wards best met the needs of all to nonmembers, the Salt Lake Regional members. The apparent uneasiness with Mission was closed in 1967. While the a mixed policy kept the seesaw going Salt Lake ethnic branches continued to LOS ETHNIC WARDS AND BRANCHES I N THE UNITED STATES 47 operate, the General Authorities stopped hundred congregations in the United organizing new ethnic congregations and States operating in a language other than even disbanded some. In a 1972 letter to English; two-thirds were Spanish­ all stakes, wards, and branches, the gen­ speaking. eral leaders asked all local leaders and How do ethnic members feel about members to be conscious of "racial, lan­ the language wards and branches? As the guage, or cultural groups." Where there Meraz example has already pointed out, were language barriers, the congrega­ reactions are mixed. Whatever the tions should organize special classes. If nationality, there are Mormons who want there were sufficient need, a stake presi­ to worship with people who share lan­ dent could ask for permission to organize guage and culture and others who want a branch, but its boundaries had to match to intermix with the larger American cul­ those of the stake. Some stake leaders, ture. Leaders also worry that ethnic con­ including those in Oakland, California, gregations do not reach people like thought that the letter was asking them Esmeralda Meraz, the second generation. to dissolve their ethnic congregations. The history of two congregations-one Others, including the leaders in the Los Spanish-speaking and one Asian-in Angeles Stake, interpreted the letter as Provo, Utah, show some of the dilemmas. authorization to create language branch­ es, but when stake leaders requested per­ SPANISH-SPEAKING mission to do so in the 1970s the General Authorities refused (Larsen and Larsen CONGREGATIONS IN PROVO, 1987,55; Orton 1987, 262-63). UTAH However, the pendulum swung back. A Mexican branch was organized in By 1977, the General Authorities realized Provo in 1960. Enoc Q. Flores, a Mexican they were not meeting all the needs of American from the Mormon colonies in ethnic members. Small branches, espe­ Mexico, came to Provo in 1964 after serv­ cially those on Indian reservations, were ing a mission. He remembered then there unable to fully staff themselves. In was a small Spanish branch in Provo response, General Authorities approved a with fewer than fifty members. He Basic Unit plan which identified "essen­ worked as the ward clerk and a coun­ tial" church programs for small congre­ selor in the branch presidency. "I went gations. Stakes used this simplified plan through all the organizations .... Almost to set up ethnic branches. In explaining everything that you can imagine I had the need for these units, Spencer W. the opportunity of doing there because Kimball, then Church President, told there were not a lot of us" (1991,6-7). Regional Representatives at a seminar in Flores eventually left the branch to 1980, "Many challenges face all of us as attend a geographical ward. In 1981 we fellowship and teach the gospel to the when the Spanish branch became a ward, cultural and minority groups living in he was asked to return as the second our midst. ... When special attention of bishop. He recalled, "It was a great expe­ some kind is not provided for these peo­ rience to see the development and the ple, we lose them"(Church News, 11 growth that the people had done. They October 1980, 4). were mostly new people because the Despite periods of intense misgivings ward was used as a spring board or as an about foreign language congregations in entry into the Church. Once the people the United States, LDS Church leaders learned the language they would move have never completely eliminated them. into the different wards" (6-7). During the 1990s the numbers have In 1991 a Spanish-speaking ward met grown. In 1996 there were over four in a chapel at 800 North and 500 West in 48 JESSIE L. EMBRY

Provo. The ward was so large that at a the predominate language and culture. missionary farewell, the congregation While the members shared a common overflowed from the chapel to the back of language, their culture was not always the cultural hall. Ricardo Diaz, a Mexican the same. A Native American from Peru American BYU student, was attending and an immigrant from Spain, to cite two the ward then. He explained, "The 33rd extreme examples, have very different ward is the best ward that I've ever been cultures. While many interviewees to ... because it is fully active." The ward enjoyed the mix, others complained sponsored two or three activities a week. about cultural misunderstandings There were so many members that they (Embry 1997, 67, 77, 91-100). were "just asking for jobs." In addition to all the members, there were often visitors ASIAN CONGREGATIONS IN who came consistently but left their memberships in geographical wards PROVO, UTAH (1991,24). During the 1970s, Church leaders George I. Monsivais, a Mexican organized a branch for all Asian interna­ American and a research analyst for the tional students at Brigham Young Research Division of the Correlation University. Since members spoke so Department of the LOS Church, listed many languages, sacrament meetings some reasons LOS Latino Americans pre­ were in English with Sunday School ferred separate congregations: to hear the classes in Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, gospel in the language of their hearts; to and Japanese When Southeast Asian participate in classes, meetings, and call­ refugees started arriving in the late 1970s, ings without embarrassment or concern the branch added a Vietnamese Sunday over English language ability; for chil­ School class (Embry 1999, 78-81). dren to see their Spanish-speaking par­ Unlike other BYU wards and branch­ ents participate in classes and meetings es, the Asian branch combined married and function in callings in their wards and single students. It also did not and stakes; to receive training in the require members to be BYU students, so language in which they are most comfort­ Asians from throughout Utah Valley able; to have interviews conducted with­ attended. In 1994, Honam Rhee, a Korean out the need of a translator; and to have professor at BYU, served as bishop. Church-centered associations with indi­ While he believed that Koreans moving viduals who share a common language to the United States needed to "get into and cultural heritage (1996, 15). the mainstream" of American life, he felt The Charles Redd Center for Western that the ward provided an essential Studies at Brigham Young University col­ "bridge" in learning the American cul­ lected 94 interviews with Spanish­ ture. It also helped some members who speaking Mormons. Fifty-two lived in were not immigrants but who planned to Provo and 34 were BYU students. Of the return to their home country after com­ 79 cases where branch/ward member­ pleting their education (1994, 15). ship could be determined, 55 percent Jennifer Chenn, a BYU student who attended ethnic congregations. Of those grew up in the United States, remem­ whose views could be determined, 67 bered attending the combined branch. percent (45 of 67) reported positive expe­ Coming from BYU single wards, she felt riences. Only 5 said that they had nega­ "It was so nice to be around a family tive feelings about ethnic congregations, ward again" (1994, 11-12). Ying Yuet 17 said they had mixed reactions. Those (Jane) Liu, a BYU student from Hong who expressed concerns complained that Kong, also liked attending the combined the members did not work on learning Asian congregation. "This Asian ward LDS ETHNIC WARDS AND BRANCHES I N THE UNITED STATES 49 used to be a huge ward, a family ward were married to Asians. Sacrament meet­ with kids, old people, students, and any ings held in English were sometimes tur­ kind of people. We felt like we were a bulent with children running in the aisles family." She felt, however, that "it was during the talks. Sunday School classes just too big, so it was hard to get to know were held in Cantonese, Mandarin, people" (1994,12-13). Korean, Japanese, and English. Most of BYU student Helen Lai Fong Chan, the European Americans attended the who grew up in Singapore and joined the English class. Native speakers-men and Church when she was in junior high women-taught the rest of the classes. school, was newly married and com­ The Relief Society met together plained it was hard in the Asian ward to except on the first Sunday of the month, relate to couples with children while "the when the women split into language singles ... were not interested in speak­ groups. Most Japanese and Chinese ing to [those] who were just married" women could speak English, but most (1994,9-10). Korean women could not. Jessica Kwan, In 1995 Church leaders split the a Korean who was adopted by an Provo Asian congregation into a ward American family as a preteen and grew and a BYU student branch. Both contin­ up in the United States, explained, "I've ued to combine Asian groups and operat­ never liked the Asian wards." As a single ed much like the earlier congregation. BYU student, she attended a student According to Arien Hamblin, who ward and reluctantly began attending the conducted interviews for the Redd Provo Asian ward after she married a Center, more than 120 attended the Asian Korean. "What I didn't like is it doesn't singles branch every week; branch mem­ seem like it is one. Everybody speaks all bers were from Japan, Korea, Taiwan, these different languages. Korean people Hong Kong, Thailand, and Singapore. get to know Koreans. The Japanese know About ten European American returned Japanese, and the Chinese Chinese." She missionaries came regularly. Since most taught Relief Society and felt frustrated members attended Brigham Young by the hubbub. Some of the chatter was University or Utah Valley State College, translation, but others "don't even care everyone spoke some English. Sacrament about the person who is in the front" meetings were in that language. (1994, 18). Sunday School classes were in At the Deseret Language and Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, Linguisitic Society Symposium on 7 April and English. The Relief Society was in 2000, I learned that the Asian ward had English, although women tended to sit been dissolved and a Chinese ward for with their own ethnic group. Ying Yuet students, local residents, and anyone (Jane) Liu enjoyed the new branch: "It is interested in the Chinese language had just like a college ward. I feel like we are been formed. The ward still combined really strong. We are really united"(1994, Cantonese and Mandarin. A combined 12-13). Activities included a Chinese Cambodian and Laotian branch had also New Year's celebration and other parties. been created. While the new congrega­ Some interviewees, however, said they tions solved having so many languages did not attend the parties very often represented, they each still served two because they spent all their out-of-class different language groups. time studying. Most members of the Asian ward CONCLUSION came from Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. A few members were from These are just two ethnic examples in mainland China who were married BYU one city. Similar concerns can be found students, baptized in the United States, throughout the United States with almost and some were European Americans who all ethnic groups-even African 50 JESSIE L. EMBRY

Americans who speak English. As I have Florence Jr., Giles H. 1992. City of angels. In Ensign 22 studied ethnic congregations, I have (September):36. found that my views have varied as Flores, Enoc Q. 1991. Oral history. Interview by much as the Church's. Initially, I believed Esmeralda Meraz. LDS Hispanic American. strongly in integration so that European Honam, Rhee. 1994. Oral history. Interview by Steven Americans could learn about other cul­ Jenks. LDS Asian American Oral History Project, tures. But as I listened to the concerns of Charles Redd Center for Western Studies, L. Tom ethnic members, I realized the advan­ Perry Special Collections and Manuscripts, Harold tages of worshiping in one's native B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University, Provo, language. Utah (hereinafter referred to as LDS Asian A Japanese professor here at BYU American). expressed some of the same concerns but Japanese, Indian branches formed in Salt Lake City. came up with the opposite opinion. 1962. Church News, 21 April. Masakuza Watabe was in the bishopric of Jensen, Richard L. 1987. Mother tongue: Use of non­ a BYU ward that I attended when I start­ English languages in the Church of Jesus Christ of ed working at BYU in 1979. His English Latter-day Saints in the United States, 1850-1983. In was so perfect, I did not guess he was a New Views of Mormon History: A Collection of Essays first generation immigrant. Watabe ill Honor of Leonard J. Arrington. Edited by Davis believed strongly in integrated wards Bitton and Maureen Ursenbach Beecher. Salt Lake and spoke out against language congre­ City: University of Utah. gations in his interview. But he also dis­ Kwan, Jessica. 1994. Oral history. Interview by Arien cussed the struggles that he sometimes Hamblin. LDS Asian American. has communicating in English because it Larsen, Robert, and Sharlyn H. Larsen. 1987. Refugee is not his native language (1994,9-10). Converts: One stake's experience. In Dialogue: A The LDS Church, of course, is not Journal of Mormon Thought 20(Fall 1987):55; Chad M. alone in these concerns. The Catholic Orton, More Faith than Fear: The Los Angeles Stake Church in Provo struggles on how to Story. Salt Lake City: Bookcraft. combine the Spanish- and English­ Lium, Ying Yuet Qane). 1994. Oral history. Interview by speaking members. Because there is no Arien Hamblin. LDS Asian American. easy answer, churches, like other Meraz, Esmeralda. 1991. Oral history. Interview by Jessie American institutions, will go back and Embry. LDS Hispanic Oral History Project, Charles forth, trying to please everyone and in Redd Center for Western Studies, L. Tom Perry doing so always leaving out someone. Special Collections and Manuscripts, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah (hereafter referred to as LDS Hispanic American). REFERENCE LIST Meraz, Rosalinda. 1991. Oral history. Interview by Aid minorities, President Kimball asks leaders. 1980. In Esmeralda Meraz. LDS Hispanic American. Church News. 11 October. Monsivais, George I. 1996. Our respective lands of Chan, Helen Lai Fong. 1994. Oral history. Interview by Jershon. In "For Ye Are All One in Christ Jesus": The Arien Hamblin. LDS Asian American. Global Church in a World of Ethnic Diversity. Provo, Chen, Jennifer. 1994. Oral history. Interview by Arien UI: David M. Kennedy Center for International Hamblin. LDS Asian American. Studies, Brigham Young University. Diaz, Ricardo. 1991. Oral history. Interview by Spencer W. Kimball Journal. 1966.3 February. Used by Esmeralda Meraz. LDS Hispanic American. permission of the farnily. Embry, Jessie L. 1992. Ethnic groups in the LDS church. Watabe, Masakuzu. 1994. Oral history. Interview by Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 25(Winter):84 Jessie Embry. LDS Asian American. ---.1997. "In His Own Language": Mormon Spanish­ Speaking Congregations in the United States. Provo, Utah: Charles Redd Center for Western Studies. ---. 1999. Asian Americans: Bridging Cultures. Provo, Utah: Charles Redd Center for Western Studies.