After Parley P. Pratt's unsuccessful attempt to establish a Church foothold in Chile in 1851-1852, the Church did not
officially come to Chile until Brother William Fotheringham moved to Santiago, Chile, in 1952, and requested that the Church
send missionaries there. The first regular missionaries arrived in Santiago just two weeks before Elder Henry D. Moyle, then of
the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, called Brother Fotheringham as the president of the first Chilean branch on July 5, 1956.
It was made up primarily of expatriate members, the first local Chilean convert being baptized that same year.

The first mission in Chile was organized on October 8, 1961, with A. Delbert Palmer presiding. That single mission has grown
to become eight  missions, with more than 50 percent of the missionaries called from the local members, many of whom have been prepared in large measure by their seminary and institute training. They are generally called to attend the Missionary Training Center in Santiago, the second such center in South America. The Church has grown rapidly in Chile, with almost 298,000 members on March 31, 1990. On January 1991, Carlos Cifuentes, one of those local converts, became the first native Chilean branch president and stake president.
May 30, 1981 the groundbreaking ceremony was held by President Spencer W. Kimball, The ceremony was held in a cold rain which 6,000 members attended. President Kimball made these remarks that day he said: "This day is stormy day but all says will not be stormy. Some days will be bright, shine and beautiful. Those days we will look forward to - a marriage day. The day will some when you can have allthe blessings of the temple....Millions will be greatful that you have prepared this for them." ("Faithful Families Sew Tapestry of Faith For Church in Chile" by Nestor Curbelo, Church News July 13, 1996).
On September 15, 1983, the Santiago Chile Temple was dedicated. Eugene F. and Rae Stephens Jones Olsen were the president and matron. On March 31, 1990, Elder Eduardo Ayala, a former mission president in Uruguay, became the first native Chilean called to be a Seventy.
 

 Articles on Church growth in Chile
 Chile Antofagasta
 Chile Concepcion
Chile Osorno
 Chile Santiago North
 Chile Santiago South
 Chile Santiago West
Chile Santiago East (coming soon)
 Chile Viña del Mar