Scared. I'm just gonna say it. This is a big venture for me. I'm a white and we like to kind of coast along life and find it hard to stick with goals but I feel incredibly committed to this. I've always wanted to be a writer. So I'm going to try to eat this elephant one bite at a time. I'm almost unsure how to begin such an endeavor but I've finally come up with an idea. I should take the feedback I've gotten and categorize it into different areas and then go from there. The only thing I know I am lacking is anecdotes. Everyone loves a good anecdote and I need more of those...
Maribel
My name is Maribel Bittner and I was raised in Cd. Juarez, Chih. My family comes from Durango.
One really wise priest once told me that I was not Mexican and I was not American but a Mexican American.
And now a Mormon, Mexican-American J
I realized from that moment that I have my own culture. I can never fully be American because I keep many of my traditions but will never be fully Mexican as I was not raised in that culture all my life.
I listen to Mexican music and Mariachis bring out the Mexican in me..Yippee!
But I listen to the Star Spangled Banner and the pride in me of belonging to this wonderful country which is the US just swells.
How do I keep the heritage? By doing my ancestral work, by not forgetting the “Latin celebrations” (day of the dead, 5 de Mayo) and celebrating X-mas with tamales, and champurrado but also having some ham and yams (yum) with pumpkin pie.
The pioneers I do relate to because they went thru all that they went thru so that I could one day be a part of this wonderful church…they are my brother’s and sisters in Christ , my Mormon Raza.
Thank you for your article…by the way I am not from Manasseh as per my patriarchal blessing J
Desiree
My grandmother came from Mexico and my grandfather was American so
technically that would make me 1/4 Mexican. However, because I never
learned the Spanish language I wasn't Mexican enough to be considered
Mexican and to those of my friends who were white it was. This has led
me to believe to much emphasis is placed on race. If race was so
important to the Lord why is not race emphasised inside the Temple?
I'm sure the Temple experience is the same for all members with the
exception of the language spoken inside and how it is decorated. When
one comes to America and decides to become a citizen America's history
is their history just as when one converts to the Mormon religion the
pioneer history now becomes theirs. It would benefit not detract to
learn your new adopted history. The Thanksgiving meal doesn't have to
be turkey and stuffing but we can all share the same gratitude and
reverence for the colonists, founding fathers, and just living in this
land with much freedom and opportunity.
I don't see a need to worry about assimilating too much in any country
they live in. Just learn the history of your ancestry and celebrate
the good within it. One can also celebrate the history of the country
they now live in whether it be America or Canada etc. Anyone will
naturally take on a bit of the local ways that is not to say one is
loosing their connection to the old country. Continue to learn your
own personal history and the history of your ancestors then you will
be confident and not ever worry am I to this or that.
Everyone has an opinion and mine comes from people telling me what I
am or not am and tired of the labels we put on each other.
Thank you
Timothy
Sister McAllister:
I can relate to what you have written about in your LDS Living article. My family and I chose to move to Mexico 11 years ago to accept a job offer. We thought we would be here for 1 year, and here we continue 11 years later. I spoke Spanish when we moved here, but neither my wife nor any of our other four children did. Since moving here, we have had another child, we call her our Mexicancita.
First of all, let me tell you that I have a great respect for the Colombian people. I travel to Colombia at least twice a year--in fact I am going there on the 25th of this month for a week. I tell people that Colombians are a little more dedicated and a little better prepared than other people from other cultures in Latin America.
Now to my opinion on your article. For the first few years that we were here in Mexico, I really was anxious about my "own" U.S. culture, trying to preserve it for my children, even excited about others seeing the world from my cultural point of view. This is similar to what you mentioned in your article. However, 11 years on, I see this attitude in many ways as an expression of insecurity. I realize that I don't need to have anyone else care about what aspects of my own culture make me proud, happy, etc. Nor do I feel that others don't respect me if they don't understand aspects of my culture. I am here in Mexico and I respect the culture here, participate in it, enjoy many aspects of it, am driven crazy by many other aspects of it, and that's pretty much it. My wife and I have taught our children what our feelings are about our U.S. heritage, and beyond that my ancestral heritage going back to old Europe. I am also glad that my wife and children understand Mexican culture, speak Spanish, and are enthused by many aspects of this culture as well as aspects of other cultures of other countries we have visited as a family.
Please don't take this negatively, but as I read at your article, the first thing that popped into my mind was "who cares about how to preserve Colombian culture in the U.S. or in the church?" What I have found during these 11 years of living outside of my home culture is that we as a family have a great result and living condition if we celebrate privately our traditions from the U.S. and from other countries outside of Mexico that we treasure and celebrate publicly, together with our local neighbors, our new traditions from Mexico as they celebrate them here where those traditions and customs originate. As "outsiders" here in Mexico, we cannot expect the locals here to have an opinion about our cultural heritage and traditions, even though many aspects of that heritage and those traditions are good and positive. We learned early on that if we try to preach our country's traditions and heritage, the listeners feel like we are saying, "you feel that your culture/heritage is better than mine" and they close up.
Now if they ask us how something is done in our country of origin, that's a different story! That's when we can tell them about what we enjoy, what works, what doesn't work, and have an honest interchange of ideas.
One final point....I also get misty-eyed at pioneer parades, but not because the pioneers are "mi raza". I think there may be a deeper meaning to what your husband feels when he sees Pioneer Day parades in Utah. I also get misty-eyed when I hear the story about the Mexican church members here during Pancho Villa's days when the followers of Villa would wander the countryside looking for Zapatista enemies. They suspected that two church leaders in Guerrero were Zapatistas and said, "surrender your weapons." These humble men turned over their Bibles and Books of Mormon and said, "these are the only arms we carry." They were then told to renounce their religion and they would be set free. They would not do that and they were executed--the first Mexican martyrs for the truth.
The feelings of gratitude I feel at a Pioneer Day parade have nothing to do with race, culture, nationality. The Pioneers were the brave, valiant vessels/servants of our Heavenly Father who preserved the restored gospel for us, sacrificing everything including, in many instances, their own lives to ensure that we could have the restored gospel in these days. Just like the martyrs in Mexico and pioneers in many lands all over the world. If you want to equate that to something racial, then OK....the pioneers are the "raza" of every converted member of the church, not just your husband's "raza", but yours as well.
Well, I don't know if my comments are helpful or hurtful......they're honest!! and I certainly didnt' intend for them to be hurtful. I wish you luck in your quest to preserve your heritage in the U.S., and hope you feel enriched by the new traditions and culture you have the blessing of being exposed to in the U.S. just as my family and I feel being here in Mexico.
Buen día--
Felice
Hello... I just read your article. I had a smile throughout. Great grandfather parents are from England on side of my father. Great grandmother parents came from what was then called Alta California and states in Mexico. My father spoke perfect spanish/english and my mom only spoke spanish. As the children were being born and went to school, learned english. No spanish was allowed to be spoken in our house. Three oldest brothers and sister did not know english by the time they went to school..but learned it and so as the last of us came into the world, no spanish was spoken. Well at least while my dad was in the house. So, we learned to understand somewhat but not speak. I always felt cheated by this.
The warmth felt by members from the Spanish wards that I've been to are as you say...full of warmth and affection. I miss that as we do not have a large branch in my area. However, my search for ancestors has been very exciting and rewarding to say the least. I am so very thankful for the opportunity I have to take their names to the temple. This preparation has afforded me many opportunities to shared my family heritage with others. As their names are found, I am able to research the geographic areas they lived in. Google the area and look down and visualize their surroundings. I am grateful for them, I am thankful for their sacrifice and my heart cries out to them. What we share here now, I pray to assist them the same opportunity.
And yes, I hear the voice of the spirit speak to me. And yes, I get the look... When I first joined I thought everyone HEARD. I learned not to tell.
Thank you for your article... it brought me warmth and memories.
Nadine
Leí tu artículo en LDS Living y me dio mucho gusto saber de otras personas como yo, que compartimos los mismos pensamientos y las mismas preguntas sobre nuestra identidad como lo mencionaste en la sección, “Lost in the Melting Pot.” A mí también me preocupa ese resultado de la inmigración, que perdamos nuestra herencia cultural. Desde hace años que empecé a pensar sobre este tema y me puse de meta de siempre mantener mi cultura… ¿pero cuál es esa exactamente?
Nací en México y a los 3 años de edad nos mudamos a Estados Unidos por el trabajo de mi papa, no porque deseábamos tener una vida diferente y mejor en Estados Unidos. En nuestro hogar, siempre hablamos español, y cuando mis hermanos empezaban a hablar “Spanglish” mi mama les decía, “O hablan en Ingles en español, pero no mixto.” Como ella se le hace difícil el ingles, optábamos por hablar en español. Así que siempre crecí hablando un buen español y aprendí a decir me estacione, en vez de me parquee. Frecuentemente visitábamos a la familia en México; los abuelos, tíos, tías, primos, etc. Nunca pensé en mi identidad cultural hasta que vine a estudiar a la universidad. Yo me diferenciaba de mis compañeras americanas porque yo nací y me crie como mexicana, pero al conversar con otras personas que si se crearon en México, me di cuenta que yo no era 100% mexicana. ¿Que era entonces?
Aunque hablo bien en ingles, me siento mas cómoda hablando en español, pero cuando pienso y hago oración en mi mente, ¡es en ingles! Admiro los principios por las cuales los Estados Unidos fue fundado y siento algo de orgullo por la constitución y el esfuerzo de los fundadores, pero la cultura Americana se me hace poco atractiva. Ahora agradezco a mi madre por haberme metido a clases de ballet folklórico, donde aprendí unos bailes típicos de mi país nativo. Agradezco que siempre hablamos en español en mi hogar y nada de “Spanglish.”
Me da lástima que nunca aprendí la historia de México, pero es algo que ahora estoy tratando de corregir al leer libros sobre la revolución y de figuras importantes en nuestra historia. Estoy estudiando cine en la universidad, y entonces busco películas Mexicanas que me ensenen más sobre la historia del país. Espero poder viajar a lugares históricos de México como las pirámides aztecas a las cuales yo nunca he visitado, pero que muchos compañeros Americanos lo han hecho como turistas con sus familias.
En respuesta a tu pregunta de cómo mantener la cultura en estos días, creo que es importante aprender la historia y el lenguaje de nuestro país nativo, ya si somos mexicanos, colombianos, franceses o chinos. Es importante saber por qué se festejan fechas como el 5 de Mayo, 16 de Septiembre, 2 de Noviembre, etc., en vez de simplemente hacer una pachanga. No tomamos el sacramento sin saber el sagrado significado de tal ordenanza. Básicamente es importante saber el porqué hacemos las cosas. Creo que así podremos mantener intacta nuestra cultura y de cierta manera, nuestra identidad.
Me gustaría mucho seguir en contacto contigo. Toma la libertad de agregarme en Facebook si lo deseas.
www.facebook.com/nadejla. Tambien, encontré un poema titulado “Soy Como Soy y Qué” por Raquel Valle-Sentíes y lo puse en mi blog porque describe muy bien lo que pienso y siento en relación a mi identidad cultural
http://nadinelugo.blogspot.com/2010/01/soy-como-soy-y-que-translation-below.html.
Qué padre que vayas a escribir un libro sobre ese tema! Este verano pasado le comente a mi papá de una idea para un libro o un documental similar a lo que tienes en mente, y como yo no me considero lo suficientemente hábil para hacer tal proyecto y aun sigo aprendiendo del cine, alguien más debería de hacerlo. Que gusto me da saber que alguien si lo va hacer, y también me daría mucho gusto ayudar en cualquier manera.
Tocante a tu libro, ¿Cuál sería tu enfoque de atención? ¿Escribirás sobre mormonas latinas en Estados Unidos, en México, o las que han vivido en ambos países? ¿Cuál sería tu audiencia, hispanas mormonas o personas que no son hispanos y no conocen sobre la cultura mormona? ¿Sería un libro informativo sobre la paradoja de ser hispana y mormona, o seria un libro simpático hacia otras hispanas mormonas?
Creo que me gustaría ver temas sobre cómo hay valores muy similares entre ambas culturas. Por ejemplo, en la cultura hispana, es típico de que la mujer sea ama de casa y ella misma crie a los hijos. ¿Porque es así? ¿Sera por el machismo? O tal vez es una sabiduría escondida de que esa es la mejor manera para crear una familia. Es lo mismo en la cultura mormona, pero la razón es conocida, es el deber de la mujer porque así lo ha mandado Dios y es nuestra naturaleza divina. En Estados Unidos esto ha cambiado por el movimiento de los derechos civiles. El cambio no se ve en todas las mujeres pero si es evidente.
En un tema similar, ¿qué es la opinión de la típica mormona hispana sobre el matrimonio? ¿Que son las cualidades que busca en una pareja? En mi caso, busco casi lo mismo que otras mormonas de cualquier otra cultura buscaría, pero también busco alguien que hable español y se interese por compartir la cultura mexicana con los hijos ya sea si él es hispano o no. El que hable español no es necesariamente para compartir la cultura, pero para que haiga más y mejor comunicación entre él y mis padres. Tengo el concepto que en la cultura americana es típico que las relaciones de padres con yernos son solamente existentes por la esposa. Cuando una pareja se divorcia, esa relación de padres y yernos se desvanece. Para mi es importante que se establezca una relación más profunda que la de yerno y suegro. Mis padres son divorciados, pero la relación entre mi padre y mi abuelo materno aun existe. El apodo de mi papa es “el angelito” y lo trata como un hijo. No estoy completamente segura si este es un resultado de la cultura mexicana, o simplemente mi padre y abuelo son la excepción. ¿Es importante esto para otras mujeres…las relaciones entre suegros y yernos?
En fin, hay muchos otros temas que mencionar (el efecto de cultura Mexicana y religión hacia el conocimiento de historia, genealogía, política, percepción de otras culturas etc.) pero las ideas y preguntas especificas al tema de la cultura y religión no se me vienen a la mente en este momento. Te escribiré otra vez cuando los recuerde, pero esto es lo que tengo por el momento. Si tienes alguna pregunta sobre mi punto de vista de otros temas, ten la libertad de escribirme.
Marcie
I really enjoyed reading your article. I was like"WOW!" there are other's just like me! I can totally relate to what you are talking about. I grew up in the Van Nuys, California Spanish Stake and then transfered to the English speaking Stake this year. There is definately a big difference. I like the warmness of the Hispanic people, its probably because speaking spanish brings a feeling of "home". I love that LDS Latinos are outgoing and buena honda! My parents were both born in El Salvador but growing up in California, I learned to love the Mexican Culture. I feel like I adopted it because it's part of who I am also. I love the food and the music and have been to Guadalajara a couple times. I keep La Raza in my heart by visiting the spanish ward once in a while when I go to see my parents and when I join in hispanic heritage month with them in September. I have the best of both worlds!
Matthew
Hermana McAllister,
I imagine that your name is your first obstacle to being perceived as a Latina by many WASP Americans. Of course those same people are probably unaware of such Latin American figures as "Bernard" O'Higgins and "Ken'ya" Fujimori (to name just two). That brings me to my first point: when I was working as a missionary among the Spanish speaking community of Southern California, they all assumed that I was ignorant of the kinds of things you mention in your article when, in point of fact, I was not. Nor had I ever said anything to them to trigger such an assumption. They were applying a stereotype to me as part of their personal reaction to the stereotypes they had encountered other people hold about them. For this reason I think Martin Luther King, Jr. was absolutely on target when he waxed eloquent about a dream of a "color-blind" society (or in this case "culture-blind"). If color, or culture, is the primary prism through which we view the world, then that is going to shape our perception of everything. A saying of mine is that there is no one so racist as the person that thinks everyone in the "other" group is a racist. This is a common human failing. We cope with a complex world by grouping and generalizing. It is a useful tool, but, like a sharp knife, one that must be used with caution. If a group of randomly selected Latter-day Saints walks into your hypothetical Hispanic meeting house (perhaps wearing ear plugs to remove that influence (:>)) each of them is going to immediately categorize the people they see. Some will start with gender and see, first and foremost, males and females. Others will start with skin color and see brown people and "white" people (more accurately beige or pink?). Still others will see clothing first. Others will see age first, etc. etc. Of all these people, some will be relatively unsophisticated in that they will be satisfied with that single grouping. Others will subdivide those first groups into some of the different subgroups (i.e. brown female in expensive clothes). The thing that we all need to do is strive to move beyond all this and start seeing, amongst the ninety and nine, the one. We need to look at that individual that our natural mind unconsciously categorized as a short, old, white-guy in ill-fitting clothes as a brother of great complexity and with the same divine potential that we should see in ourselves. Our celestial soul should automatically pursue understanding all it can about that fellow Child of God. That way the "culture" won't disappear entirely, it will just be secondary. If you married well, your husband probably would see, first and foremost, "his people" (Latter-day Saints). Would that surprise you?
Stepping back from that ideal for a moment, I think that we must all recognize that what we call culture is fundamentally a social, or societal, construct. As such, it is a fundament part of the group of people with whom one lives. If one moves from one culture to another, one must make a choice. One choice is to choose to be part of the new society/culture; to become a part of the new. The other choice is to choose to remain part of the old society/culture; to remain apart from the new. Certainly one can embellish and enrich an adopted culture with features borrowed from the old, but "a man cannot serve two masters." This is actually a dilemma that every Latter-day Saint faces, not just those that are immigrants. We are asked to live "in the world" but not be "of the world." Each of us is probably doing her or his best to achieve this. As I look around me in Sacrament Meeting each week, I can't help bet be impressed that the spectrum of achievement is very broad in-deed. Returning to my mission, I saw some people that sought to completely cast off the old and put on the new. I saw some people that would cast off just some of the old for themselves while wanting their children to have nothing but the new. I saw some people that refused to let go of any of the old and they rejected all of the new. Now I ask you: as I spoke of old and new in the preceding sentences, was I speaking of culture or religion? It doesn't matter, because the observations are equally true for both. What everyone needs to understand and accept is that there are consequences to such choices in both areas and we don't get to choose the consequences that go with our choices. If we embrace the new, there are blessings that will accrue (or curses, depending on the culture. Think of Lot and his neighbors) . If we cling to the old then we keep that of which we know the value, but we will unavoidably lose what might have been (for better or worse). The worst of all possible worlds is to complain against the unfairness of not being able to "have it all." Too narrow, or selfish, an approach to societal change can easily result in inadvertently throwing out the proverbial baby with the dirty bath water. One example of this that comes to mind is the food shortage and economic chaos that resulted in Zimbabwe as a result of simplistically trying to "right old wrongs" by seizing farms from wealthy, white land owners and giving the land to others. The old system may have been flawed, and needed reform, but the new system has made everyone worse off.
From my perspective, looking out my little window on the world, the best approach to moving into a new culture is to:
Nurture both languages in the home
Don't completely replace your recipe book but rather add pages from the new culture that are the most emblematic (like Turkey Dinner with all "the fixin's" on the fourth Thursday of November)
Reserve the special elements of your old style of dress for special occasions and set aside most of the rest completely. (This latter in the same way that a convert would get rid of the bikinis, mini-skirts, and that Budweiser tee-shirt)
Be eclectic and selective in your choices of music. American culture is very open in this regard.
Try and have you circle of friends be somewhat like the general population in the community around you. If you live in a predominately Catholic community, some of your friends should be Catholic. If you live in a predominately Asian-American community, some of your friends should be Asian-American. This has its limits, but it is a good guide.
Don't be afraid of becoming a member of your new community. Doing so will never take away the rich experiences that shaped you into who you are. Also recognize that both your new community and your old background have elements that will enrich the lives of your children. Don't try and diminish the richness that both can bring to their lives. The things that you and your children avoid should be soundly based on eternal principles, not cultural biases.
Those are some of my thoughts on the matter. Are you sorry you asked?
Donna
I was a convert to the Church at 19-even being a US citizen I had to figure out who the pioneers were. I didn’t have the cultural differences to try to figure out, but being the only LDS in my family meant I had to have a lot of help getting up to speed. “Pioneer Day” was a new celebration to me. Missions where the missionaries were supported by self, family or the Ward was a novel idea to me.
But mostly I wanted you to know I have two sons who served missions in Brasil and they had a horrible time coming home. They loved the “Latino Saints” so much. The older son said their faith was so inspiring, their humilty so touching. He is a little reserved so he didn’t comment about their exuberance and zest for life. He and his younger brother have tried to retain some of the language, but the rest of we gringos in the family are hopeless.
We are so grateful for the tender open hearts of the people south of the border who are expanding the Gospel. I am grateful for the brethren who talk at General Conference and touch my heart with the tenderness of their spirits. I watch those ranks of the South American brethren grow and know the Lord has a special work for them to do and I am grateful I can witness it.
We lived in San Diego for years and so our Wards there often had Saints from Mexico, who were special additions to our Wards. I have a daughter and her family who live on the Arizona border and often travel into Mexico on assignment. The are always so touched by their opportunity to meet with those good brothers and sisters.
I can imagine how little we understand of their wonderful culture, but I do know the Gospel and the Saints are all headed the same direction regardless of where they live. It is like a wonderful bouquet of God’s children with all our different fragrances, growing seasons, colors, hues and garden areas.
Thank you for your wonderful article. Everyday I remind myself what a narrow perspective I have in my little part of the world.
God bless you sister and never lose the gratitude you expressed for your Raza.
Pepe
Me permito escribirle por la invitacion que nos hace en su articulo sobre The LDS Latina.
Primero, deseo agradecerle por sentarse a escribir sus sentimientos pensando ayudar a lograr integrar a los latinos a la Iglesia en los Estados Unidos, y a que los latinos seamos mejor comprendidos y aceptados por los miembros Americanos.
Yo conoci la Iglesia en Canada y la vivi alla por mas de 10 años, y sigo yendo un par de veces al año y he experimentado mucho de lo que decribe usted, pero tambien he experimentado incomprension y hasta discriminacion de parte de algunos miembros canadienses y americanos. Y eso considerando que tengo educacion y hablo tres idiomas, lo que me ayudo a participar en Obispados y Sumo Consejos. Esos sentimientos son mas pronunciados para quienes hablan el Ingles con dificultad o tienen menor educacion, sin importar el idioma.
Su pregunta de como mantener el sentimiento latino vivo, la contesta usted misma. Lo primero es sentir ese orgullo de ser Latina que usted describe. Por cierto, que bueno que el Presidente Uchtdorf aclaro la diferencia entre tener orgullo y ser orgulloso durante su discurso en la reciente conferencia general. Ahora podemos expresar ese sentimiento legitimo de orgullo sin que nos digan que es malo sentirlo...
Otra cosa que funciona para que viva la llama latina en nosotros es hablar, escribir y, si, cantar en Español. No permitir que se deje de practicar nuestra cultura entre nosotros. Hay muchos latinos en los Estados Unidos, y en Canada tambien, que no quieren ya oir su idioma y sus hijos pierden la ventaja de la doble cultura, una ventaja que llevamos sobre los norteamericanos que, en su mayoria, solo hablan el ingles, tanto dentro como fuera de la igesia.
Tambien, como usted lo hizo, lanzar una iniciativa a mantener contacto con la tierra, Mexico en nuestro caso, y promoverla permanentemente. Ese contacto constante con la tierra, o con alguien de ella, no permitira que el Melting Pot nos absorba. Algunos americanos nos critican al hacerlo, pero es nuestra linea de vida y de mexicanidad.
Y una forma muy activa que tenemos, y se la recomiendo, hermana McConkie, (qué apellido, de lustre!) es tener contacto con los misioneros que han servido en America Latina y en particular en Mexico. Ellos se van motivados por todo lo que aprendieron y disfrutaron en su vida entre los latinos por dos años y no quieren perderlo. Ellos bien recuerdan que los Lamanitas floreceran como la rosa, y no quieren perder el contacto con esa fuente de bendiciones directa del Libro de Mormon. Tengo muchos ejemplos de ese tipo de contacto, tanto entre los Elderes que sirvieron su mision en Español en Canada cuando vivi alla, como los que han servido entre nosotros en Mexico.
Me he permitido traducir su articulo al español y la he enviado a mis contactos de 50 o 60 miembros en Canada, Estados Unidos, Mexico, Centro y Sud America, esperando se motiven y entren en contacto con Usted. El mensaje que les envie sigue abajo.
Me complace ponerme a sus ordenes en la Ciudad de Puebla o a traves de mi correo electronico.
Reciba mis cordiales saludos.
Jose Moreno Arzac
Otilia
QUE LINDO LEERLA EN ESTA HERMOSA REVISTA DE NOTICIAS DE LA IGLESIA.
SI RECIBE ESTE MENSJAE , POR FAVOR DIGAME Y SI LE PUEDO ESCRIBIR EN ESPANOL. SU APORTE PARA LOS HNOS LATINOS ES MARAVILLOSO.
LE AGRADEZCO DE TODO CORAZON Y TAN PRONTO COMO ME CONTESTE, ME ENCANTARIA MUCHO SEGUIRME ESCRIBIENDO CON UD SI ESTA BIEN.
SOY LA HNA OTILIA PEREZ DE COLOMBIA, VIVO EN PROVO UTAH, TENGO 64 ANOS, MI ESPOSO ES UN ENFERMO TIENE 70 ANOS, YO LO CUIDO . AMAMOS LA IGLESIA, EL EVANGELIO DE NUSTRO SALVADOR JESUCRISTO ES LO MAS HERMOSO QUE HA PASADO EN NUESTRAS VIDAS DESDE HACE YA CASI 40 ANOS.
DISCULPE QUE LE ESCRIBA EN ESTA LETRA PERO YA ESTOY UN POCO CIEGA.
MUCHAS GRACIAS.
GRACIAS NELDA; ME AGRADA SABER DE UD Y QUE PUEDO ESCRIBIRLE. LA FELICITO POR LA IDEA DE ESCRIBIR EL LIBRO. YO PUEDO CONECTARLA CON MUCHAS FAMILIAS MIEMBROS DE LA IGLESIA LATINOS; HE VIAJADO POR DISTINTOS LUGARES Y TENEMOS MUCHOS AMIGOS DE DIFERENTES CULTURAS.
TENGO UNA HIJA, BUENO , EN REALIDAD TENGO SEIS, PERO ESTA HIJA SE LLAMA JENINE PEREZ ELLA CANTA MUSICA PARA LA IGLESIA; HA GRABADO ALGUNOS CDS CON LA HERMANA JENNY PHILLIPS ( ELLA ES LA PRODUCTORA Y DUENA DE TODO AQUI EN UTAH. A VECES VIAJAN EN GRUPOS Y CANTAN PARA LA JUVENTUD, DE HECHO, LA MAYOR PARTE DE LA MUSICA QUE LA HNA PHILLIPS HACE SE BASA EN LOS TEMAS DE LA JUVENTUD QUE LA IGLESIA HACE CADA ANO. MI HIJA SE LLAMA JENINE PEREZ, ELLA HIZO LA MISION EN HOUSTON TEXAS Y TAMBIEN CONOCE MUCHAS HERMANAS DE GRAN FE Y FUERTE TESTIMONIO DEL SENOR.
CON MUCHO GUSTO ESCRIBIRE MI TESTIMONIO E HISTORIA DE COMO CONOCI EL EVAGELIO EN MI PAIS COLOMBIA Y LO QUE SIGNIFICA PARA MI SER MORMONA COMO LATINA.
HACE MUCHO TIEMPO VENGO PENSANDO EN EL GRAN CRECIMIENTO DE LOS SANTOS HISPANOS Y LAS DIFICULTADES QUE LA MAYORIA DE ELLOS TIENEN PARA QUE LES LELGUE EL CONOCIMIENTO Y DESARROLLO DE TODAS LAS VERDADES QUW HAY EN LOS TESTIMONIOS DE LOS PROFETAS MODERNOS ESCRITOS EN LIBROS MARAVILLOSOS , PERO QUE NUNCA ESTAN AL ALCANCE DE NOSOTROS PORQUE NO SON TRADUCIDOS, ESCEPTO EN INGLES.
ADEMAS DE LIBROS HAY MUCHAS OTRAS COSAS , COMO LA MUSICA , ES UN CAMPO TAN IMPORTANTE Y QUE DEJA MUCHA ESPIRITUALIDAD.
LE CONTARE UNA EXPERIENCIA ACERCA DE LO QUE IMPACTA LA MUSICA EN LA VIDA DE LOS SANTOS LATINOS, ESPECIALMENTE EN LA VIDA DE LA JUVENTUD;
LA HNA PHYLLISPS HA VISITADO PAISES COMO MEXICO Y CON UN GRUPO DE JOVENES, ELLAS CANTAN Y ENSENAN A LOS JOVENES EN LOS LUGARES QUE LLEGAN Y HACEN UNA CHARLA FOGONERA DONDE LOS JOVENES DE ESOS LUGAES JUNTO CON LOS QUE VAN , CANTAN Y HABLAN DE ACUERDO AL TEMA QUE LA HNA LES ENSENA.
ES ALGO MARAVILLOSO. MI HIJA LO HA HECHO EN ESPANOL, AQUI EN ALGUNOS BARRIOS Y TAMBIEN FUE A COLOMBIA Y VENEZUELA E HIZO LO MISMO. ELLA HIZO UN VIDEO Y MUESTRA LA GRAN EXPERIENCIA QUE ESOS JOVENES VIVIERON Y SE FORTALECIERON POR PARTICIPAR Y COMPARTIR SU FE.
MUCHOS DE ESOS JOVENCITOS LE ENVIARON CORREOS A JENINE DANDOLE LAS GRACIAS Y QUE SE REPITAN ESOS PROGRMAS, PERO ELLA NO PODIDO VOLVER.
EN UNA PALABRA; LO QUE LE QUIERO EXPRESAR ES QUE HAY UN GRAN DESEO DE CONOCIMIENTO ENTRE LOS MORMONES LATINOS Y MUCHO POR HACER .
SINCERAMENTE LE AGRADEZCO SU LABOR Y DESEO DE AYUDAR Y YO SE QUE SUS ESFUERZOS VA A LLEVAR A MUCHAS ALMAS DEL SENOR AGRANDAR SU FE Y PERMANECER EN EL REDIL DEL SENOR , CUAL ES SU PROPOSITO.
MUCHAS GRACIAS POR TENERME EN CUENTA. HARE LO MEJOR PARA APORTARLE A COMPARTIR ESTA HERMOSA LABOR..
Kelly
My name is Kelly, born and baptized in El Salvador and now living with my husband and three children in Australia. During my youth we attended a Spanish speaking branch (funny, everyone except RS and Priesthood spoke English in classes). Even though the Spanish branch no longer meets, every time i see a member from the branch my heart jumps for joy. In Australia, where there's less Hispanics, much less LDS Hispanics, its interesting how unified we can be, even when here we really are a minority.
As for ideas on keeping traditions etc, i think showcasing our different cultures in cultural nights at a stake level really does help.
Good luck collecting more feedback and ideas!
Aurelio
One way to keep your heritage is doing what Lehi did, as Nefi said in the first and second verse of chapter one of the book of Mormon, he received instructions in the language of his parents.
keeping the language fluent that's is a important part on keeping alive your heritage, that is my best suggestion.
1 I, Nephi, having been aborn of bgoodly cparents, therefore I was dtaught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many eafflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a frecord of my proceedings in my days.
2 Yea, I make a record in the alanguage of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.
Your brother in Faith.
One topic could be " Latinos Testimonies of the restored gospel" or how millions. Of latinos join the church, probably this topic is enough to wrte a whole book.
Cynthia
Thank you so much for your words! That article was amazing!! It made me laugh and feel so proud of our heritage.
When my husband and I moved to States, we never thought about how would we be raising our children in regard race or culture. We knew raising our kids in the gospel and within the bonds of strong family values was the most important thing to do.
As traditions and heritage is very important for our individual personality, I have teach my children that they are children of God with a divine nature and unique qualities. Part of those qualities are their heritage. I love telling them stories of our ancestors. We keep some Mexican traditions that I grew up with and of course, I love to cook real Mexican food.
We teach our children values and traditions that go along to our believes.
Base of the knowledge that we are children of God, we teach them to love everyone no matter their look or race. We have friends from all around the world, we value their different cultures and respect everyone believes.
I tell my children that they have the best of both worlds, they have a rich heritage, and they were born in a wonderful country. America has become our land, our future.
I feel so blessed to have such rich culture. Living in a melting pot culture has open my understanding of the plan of salvation and has make me love who I am even more!
Jonathan
Hello,
I very much appreciated your article. My wife is from Colombia, and I am from the US. I was a missionary in Mexico DF and for years it has been extremely hard for me to get back into an "american" ward. We have been married for 5 years, and for all of those years we have been going to Spanish-speaking wards. It has been more for me than for her...I have found that people are so loving, kind, friendly, and personable in Spanish-speaking wards in a way that they are not in "american" wards. Not that the people in English speaking wards are bad or mean, not at all, but they tend to keep to themselves more and everything seems to start and end with a simple "hi, how are you." I think your article hit it right on the head. My dad got taquitos for our wedding reception...and my wife thought they were for me because she had never liked tacos.
I think there is a real struggle between assimilation and holding on to your culture, especially in the church. On the one hand we teach that there is no different culture in the church because we are all members of God's kingdom...but on the other hand we have separate barrios, traditions, languages, and ways of life. My wife always tells me that the way she confronts that issue is by taking the good from the different cultures, and leaving behind the bad.
I forwarded the article to my mother. She has never been exposed to Latin American culture, and she is now a relief society president. This will help her understand the latinas in her ward...and hopefully it will help her come to know her daughter in law even better.
Thanks!
Jonathan Shaw
9860 Rosemont Ave. Apt. 101
Lone Tree, CO
80124
Ph: 720-229-8351
Claudia
Muchas gracias por este cocktail de ideas, sugerencias, miradas. Como latina nativa, orgullosamente chilena, sufrí la discriminación fría e implacable de la madre de una familia de Bountiful con la que tuve que vivir un tiempo hace ya muchos años. “Indian”, “dark”, eran las cosas más dulces que la madre de la familia me decía. Nunca logré hacerle entender que también era una hija de Dios. Lo más divertido es que mi tipo no es tan “indian” puesto que muchas veces los gringos han pensado que soy italiana. Sólo por venir del sur de USA caía en la categoría de indeseable e indigna.
¡Qué bueno que con estas palabras nos redimes de alguna forma ante los “americans”. ¡Hasta de este nombre se han adueñado! Yo también soy profundamente americana y disfruto de mi gente. Me gusta mucho Estados Unidos para visitarlo, para estudiar y ver cosas lindas, pero me quedo con mi pequeño Chile, que progresa, que ama, que “aperra” con todo, que aguanta terremotos y maremotos extremos y saca mineros de lugares imposibles. Mi sangre latina me hace amar fervientemente a mi familia, a la Iglesia, a mi Padre Celestial. Mis ancestros latinos (españoles, argentinos) me dieron ejemplo de lucha, de garra, de esfuerzo. Mi alma latina me ha hecho ser una soprano lírica que ama a Pavaroti, a Domingo, a María Callas. La sangre nos hierve de cariño cuando saludamos a los demás con besos y abrazos sin importar si conocemos o no a esa gente, si huele bien o no, si nos muestra confianza o no. ¡Somos así, de abrazos besos e invitaciones a nuestra casa! Somos cálidos y confiados y sufrimos con las derrotas futbolísticas así como con los problemas ajenos.
Qué rico es poder decir estas cosas a alguien que puede entenderlo. Soy de la tribu de Manasés, a mucha honra, al igual que mi esposo (su familia es de Noruega, Alemania e Italia) y dos de mis cinco hijos son de Efraín, otro de Manasés y ya sabremos el origen de las dos más pequeñas. Amo mi mundo latino, las comidas ricas de toda esta América morena, la poesía de Mistral, Neruda y Huidobro. La prosa de Isabel Allende y Oscar Castro, el folklore colorido y melódico de nuestra gente, los bailes de norte, centro y sur. Nuestro desierto, valle central fértil que alimenta al resto del mundo con frutos exquisitos y nuestro mar con su variedad maravillosa de fauna marina y el sur maravilloso, permanentemente verde y húmedo. No tenemos animales venenosos ni excesivamente agresivos, somos una tierra en paz a pesar de las diferencias. La Iglesia funciona con puro amor porque la gente no es precisamente muy responsable pero en muchos casos es porque no pueden ni con sus propios problemas y los horarios de trabajo son muy largos, etc. Pero somos una gran nación, una parte maravillosa de esta sección latina.
By the way, even when I have not lived in any other country, I speak Spanish, English and Italian.
¡Nelda, qué maravilla! No pensé nunca en recibir una respuesta. Hasta pensé que no era muy interesante lo que escribí. Muchas gracias.
Por supuesto que estoy dispuesta a colaborar aún cuando mi nombre no salga en ninguna parte. Ofrezco humildemente mi ayuda en el libro. En el Área Chile trabajo como voluntaria en el Comité de Publicaciones haciendo edición de textos en español y traduciendo del inglés al español también. Es un trabajo que me apasiona. Si es útil este tipo de trabajo, yo lo hago feliz, de todo corazón.
Con respecto a su mamá, ¿será el mismo gringo que yo conocí? (Ja, ja, ja). Ese es un tema muy fuerte y me llegó muy duro y me costó años dejar de sentirme triste por ser latina, pero ahora siento que es lo mejor que me pudo suceder. Tengo un esposo rubio y de ojos verdes aunque no es gringo y mis hijos son muy mezclados, con ojos y pelos de todos colores. Él es la tercera generación de su familia en Latinoamérica pero han mantenido los rasgos claros. Me encanta mi familia tan variada, me encanta que el me llame “mi negrita”. Se me fue mencionar que tengo una bisabuela mapuche, que es la gente de la tierra que estaba en la zona central sur de Chile a la llegada de los españoles. Un pueblo guerrero que demoró quinientos años en ser dominado. Ahora están nuevamente reclamando sus derechos y levantando la voz. Tenemos muchos de ellos en la Iglesia.
Quizás sería muy lindo el tema relacionado con las madres latinas que han aportado hijos a las misiones en USA. Mi hijo mayor terminó hace unos meses en la Misión Massachusetts Boston, honorablemente. Mi próximo hijo tiene hoy su última entrevista con el presidente de la estaca para enviar su carpeta misional y estamos ansiosos de que se vaya. Y si va allá, sería otro aporte de latinos a gringos. Yo creo que esto de haber sido tan discriminada me dio la garra para criar una familia lo más fina posible, un poco para demostrar al mundo anglo que no somos mediocres cuando nos proponemos hacer todo bien. “The chilean way” dicen ahora en el mundo debido a cómo hemos superado las emergencias que hemos vivido en este bicentenario. Eso es lo que estoy tratando de imprimir en mi familia: la excelencia. Mis hijos tocan instrumentos musicales, somos un coro familiar de cuatro voces bien educadas (yo estudié música en un conservatorio desde pequeñita), trabajamos en nuestros llamamientos y tratamos de servir siempre. No somos diferentes de los gringos, salvo en nuestro aspecto aun cuando tres de ellos podrían pasar por gringos. Nuestro hogar es limpio y organizado, somos una familia de clase media. Mi padre es un industrial en la zona central de Chile, uno de los lugares más devastados por el terremoto, perdió todo por causa de este, pero se está levantando de nuevo a los ochenta y dos años. Ese es mi ejemplo de trabajo. Mi madre, quien murió a los cuarenta y cuatro años, fue dedicada, dulce, industriosa, excelente cocinera, talentosa, hermosa. A ambos siempre los vi disfrutar los buenos libros, la buena música, pero nunca se unieron a la Iglesia. A lo que quiero llegar con esto es que muchas latinas conversas estábamos siendo preparadas por padres y familias honorables para que recibiéramos el Evangelio en su forma simple y maravillosa. Me tomó dos semanas bautizarme. Hace un año logré reanudar el contacto con los misioneros que me enseñaron y bautizaron y fue todo un acontecimiento encontrarlos y ellos todavía recordaban a esa jovencita que no les daba mucha esperanza de permanecer en la Iglesia ¡hace treinta y tres años! Las latinas que permanecemos en la Iglesia somos implacables.
Otro tema hermoso es la entrega en el servicio en la Sociedad de Socorro. Hay ejemplos tan increíbles de servicio entre nuestras hermanas, aun cuando no tienen un auto (ni siquiera saben conducir), aun cuando no tienen medios económicos. El amor que entregan. O las obreras del templo que llegan al alba al templo después de recorrer distancias por dos horas, cuando la ciudad no ha despertado, está oscuro y se hace peligroso el transporte público. Y ahí están, entrando como hormiguitas al templo para servir.
Voy a pensar en algunas historias lindas, he vivido en varios lugares de Chile, entonces conozco varias realidades. Te pido un poquito de paciencia porque yo trabajo para la Iglesia, pero no por mucho tiempo más, yo creo que solo hasta noviembre. Esto fue algo temporal, por una necesidad económica puntual. Vuelvo a mi hogar que es lo que más amo, no cambio esa empresa por ninguna otra. Puedo hablar con mis amigas de esos lugares bellos y remotos como Puerto Varas con su lago y volcanes, como Chiloé, nuestra isla mágica, maravillosa y llena de gente sencilla y muy esforzada. Ahí están la Juanita, la Ceci, la hermana Pardo, la maravillosa Betty, tantas mujeres hermosamente latinas en su corazón.
Estoy muy entusiasmada con esta colaboración y espero que cumplas con este sueño de tu libro.
Un abrazo y felicitaciones. Yo creo que te va a ir muy bien.
Pat
What a wonderful message.
I am a English member of the Church and was baptised 39 years ago. Just after joining the Church I went to live in New York City for a year. It was really great fun (I was 22 at the time), and I had a wonderful time and experience there. Later when I returned to England I found that in the larger areas with wards and stakes, rather than small branches it was sometimes very difficult to feel the same sort of welcome. Maybe it was because to the Americans " We love the way you talk" , and I was able to understand most of what the activities etc., were about.
I now live in Spain, and all of the members speak Spanish - one or two have a little English - Thank You or Good Morning. When I first arrived here I had no Spanish, but I have never felt so loved or wanted. All of the sisters made sure to hug and kiss me on arrival and departure, they showed such kindness and started taking some English lessons from the missionaries to help me. I am now in my 2nd year and they help me with my Spanish by talking slowly to me, and getting me to give talks, and read parts out during Sunday School. On my first trip to the Temple in Madrid, they made sure they stayed with me, and that I had the headset to hear everything in English. They insisted on my sharing the food they had brought with them and constantly let me know how happy they were that I was with them.
When it is a sisters birthday, they meet in the RS room and all sing Cumpleaños Feliz, when it was my birthday they did just the same, but when I went to sit down they made me stay in place at the front and then they sang again Happy Birthday to You in English, which they had got the missionaries to teach them so they could sing to me.
I for one want to keep our cultural differences, I love my new home and my new friends both in and out of the Church. I think that maybe what we should all be aiming for is to try and take the best parts of other cultures into our lives. What a wonderful world it would be if we all had the same love and kindness that I have found here, not just with the Spanish people, but also the people who live here from other hispanic countries. Venezula, Peru, Mexico, Argentina to name just a few.
With all of our differences we have at least one thing in common - our love for our Lord Jesus Christ.
Please keep your hispanic roots alive, they are what make you the wonderful person you are.
Besos
Patricia Cartwright
