Eduardo Balderas, the Church’s first official full-time Spanish translator, was so influential among Spanish-speaking Latter-day Saints that many called him the “thirteenth apostle.” He played a pivotal role in making the gospel accessible in Spanish by translating scripture, temple ordinances, and other Church literature. Trusted by Church leaders and admired across cultures, Balderas helped bridge linguistic and cultural divides for Mormonism Around the World. In this interview, biographer Ignacio Garcia explores how this quiet pioneer helped make the gospel truly global.
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How would you introduce Eduardo Balderas to those not familiar with him?
Eduardo Balderas came to the United States from Mexico with his family as a refugee fleeing the Mexican Revolution in 1910. He was three years old when his Father, Mother, and a younger brother crossed the border to El Paso, Texas. He would become The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ first official, full-time translator (Spanish), and without doubt its most significant translator since Joseph Smith.
Why was Balderas sometimes referred to as the “thirteenth apostle”?
Spanish-speaking Latter-day Saints came to admire Eduardo Balderas for his translation work of the Doctrine & Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, the temple ceremony, and other works he made accessible in Spanish. Similarly, they observed him as a patriarch and often saw him traveling with other General Authorities.
Since there was no Spanish-speaking General Authority, they chose to recognize him as an unofficial one, thus giving them someone who “spoke with authority”.
Which mission presidents influenced him?
The first mission president to influence Eduardo Balderas was Rey L. Pratt, a man who would spend most of his adult life presiding over the Mexican mission, and someone who came to love and be loved by the Mexican Saints. He was the first to take Eduardo under his wing, allowing him to help translate church materials and teach him how to translate for visiting authorities.
No one taught him more about the gospel than Pratt.
Antonine Ivins followed, and he would later recommend Eduardo for the position of official translator. Ivins was also his boss for years when Eduardo moved to Salt Lake City and became an official translator.
Harold Pratt was the third mission president Eduardo worked with before he moved to Salt Lake City. Harold Pratt would increasingly use him as a translator for visiting authorities and also called him to be a branch president, teaching him about church administration and protocols.
How was Eduardo Balderas similar to Margarito Bautista?
In essence, both men sought to make the Church more accessible to the Spanish-speaking. Balderas and Bautista believed that Spanish-speaking leadership was extremely important. Additionally, they both valued the importance of literature in Spanish, so the members could receive the “fullness” of the gospel and not “milk” as Bautista described it. They were also firm believers in the promises of the Book of Mormon to the Lamanites.
How were the two men different?
The main differences between Eduardo Balderas and Margarito Bautista were their relationship to church leaders and perspectives on the fulfillment of Book of Mormon promises.
Balderas believed that church leaders knew what was best for the Spanish-speaking, while Baustista believed that white leaders had to move aside and let the people govern themselves. Bautista also believed that the “Blossoming of the Lamanite” was already here, whereas Balderas believed it was unfolding as the church grew among the Spanish-speaking.
Balderas was humble, soft spoken, and did not want to “steady the Ark” (2 Sam. 6:6-7). However, when given a chance, he was an articulate defender of the faith. Bautista was confident (to the point of arrogance, some thought), well-grounded in theology, and a leader of the Saints.
Bautista also came to believe in polygamy. He eventually left the church—though he retained a belief in the Book of Mormon—and formed his own group.
How did the Third Convention increase pressure for church materials in Spanish?
The Third Convention was both an event and an organization. When the Mexican Revolution forced the church’s white leadership to leave the country, the Mexican Saints tried to move forward as best as possible. They called conventions—or conferences—to discuss the situation.
The first two conventions concluded that the Church needed a Mexican president for two reasons. First, the government demanded native leadership. And second, the Spanish-speaking Latter-day Saints believed that they were now ready for one. The Church refused, however, and sent Mexican-born Harold Pratt to serve as president. He never got along with the Mexican church leadership until years later.
Church leaders believed the Mexican Saints needed greater leadership opportunities.
At the Third Convention, the Mexican leaders who believed they needed a Mexican president voted to secede from the church until they got one. “La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Ultimos Dias—Tercera Convención” took nearly one-third of the church membership in Mexico with it. It would take ten years to get them to come back.
Church leaders—likely influenced in part by Antonine Ivins and later Harold Pratt—came to believe that Mexican Saints needed greater leadership opportunities (though not the mission presidency), more chapels, increased financial support as resources allowed, and access to translated scripture and additional materials in Spanish.
How did Balderas’ hymnal differ from the Church’s previous Spanish hymnals?
The first hymnal in Spanish only carried the words, and members depended on a missionary knowing the tune and being able to play the piano. Also, some of those hymnals carried songs about Lamanites and other more Latter-day Saint-focused themes.
The hymnal that Balderas translated was more focused on hymns by members and less a copy from Protestant hymnals. The hymns were also more attuned culturally to the Spanish-speaking members. Balderas wrote four hymns—mostly for youth—but they became popular among Spanish-speaking adults.
Who were Lorin and Levie Jones?
Lorin Jones and his wife, Levie Jones, presided over the Mexican mission, and both were committed to helping the Spanish-speaking members learn genealogy and perform temple work.
Lorin called Andres González to be a counselor and had him train the Mexican members on their priesthood duties. González, who also merits a real biography (not a family history one as there is now), was also one of the first translators of church hymns.
President Jones, while active in getting the Church to change its stance on the temple rituals—that they should only be in English—was responding not only to his own views, but to Spanish-speaking leaders who were asking for the translation of the temple rites.
Why was the Spanish translation of the temple endowment significant?
For Spanish-speaking members, translating the temple endowment into their language enabled them to understand the words and meanings of temple ceremonies as they sealed themselves to their families.
Additionally, it provided training in aspects of the gospel not commonly taught in classes and helped the Mexican community develop leadership.
Translating the endowment into Spanish also meant that it would need to be translated into other languages across the world. Making the sacred accessible to most members was a great breakthrough for the church, and one more instance of the Church growing into a global faith. Without a translated endowment and a translated canon, the Church’s mission to take the gospel to all the world would have been stymied.
What trips did the Latino/a Saints take to the Mesa Temple?
The collective trips taken to the Mesa Temple were seen as excursions, and they later came to be known as the Lamanite Excursions. People came from throughout the Southwest and from many parts of Mexico, and eventually Central America, to receive their endowments in Spanish and to get sealed to their families.
These excursions brought people together, allowing them to share their knowledge of the gospel and their spiritual experiences in the church, and helped future leaders begin to stand out.
Why was it important to Balderas to translate the Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price?
The translation of those two scriptural books provided the Spanish-speaking Saints a greater understanding of the gospel. It also provided them with a deeper doctrine than normally taught, and the Doctrine and Covenants gave them a better understanding of church leadership and protocol.
Lacking these books, the Saints would have found it difficult to progress in the church and would have kept them like children in their own branches and wards.
Why was Balderas asked to help create the Portuguese Book of Mormon?
Eduardo Balderas was asked to help create the Portuguese Book of Mormon because of his expertise with the translation process—even though he didn’t speak the language.
At the time that new translations were necessary, it was obvious that Eduardo Balderas had developed a way of translating that made it easier and more orderly than previous efforts.
Although he didn’t speak Portuguese, Balderas had a strong grasp of the translation process. Translators would render the text into Portuguese, then back into English, and the results were reviewed collaboratively. More than anyone in his time, Balderas understood what it took and what it meant to translate the Church.
Why did Balderas believe that translation was essential to gospel living?
Eduardo Balderas believed early on that people would live the gospel more fully if they had access to its fullness. That’s why he actively sought out materials to translate. While he valued translating manuals and urgent letters and enjoyed assisting General Authorities, he wasn’t content with just that. He wanted Spanish-speaking members to have access to everything others had, enabling them to live their faith fully.
Over time, Balderas recognized that the work he was doing for Spanish-speaking members would eventually be needed for all non-English-speaking Saints.
One often overlooked insight is that translating the gospel and scriptures required close collaboration with Church leaders, deep research into Church history, and careful clarification of commonly preached doctrines. Translation, he came to see, was a labor grounded in both study and faith.
How did his process resemble the way Joseph Smith translated?
Balderas believed inspiration was fundamental to the work of translation. He found that reflection, contemplation, scripture study, historical research, and counsel from Church leaders helped him better understand the task.
Like Joseph Smith, he often had to revise and rework his translations.
But unlike Joseph, Balderas didn’t have the luxury of time—his translations were needed immediately and, once finalized, were quickly published or distributed.
How did Spencer W. Kimball champion Spanish-speaking members?
Spencer W. Kimball was a strong advocate for the role of the Spanish-speaking, especially those he referred to as “Lamanitas”. He believed strongly in the idea that the church’s final flourishing would come when the Spanish-speaking took their place in leadership positions, and when they had raised their educational and social levels.
President Kimball once said that the language of the church would one day become Spanish. He also called the first Latin American general authority and was the first Church president to have a major conference in Latin America.
How did Balderas support President Kimball’s vision?
Balderas believed that the only way to have President Kimball’s prophecies fulfilled would be for Spanish-speaking members to have the fullness of the gospel, that is, have all the literature of importance translated for them.
To this end, the temple rituals, the Liahona, two books in the Latter-day Saint canon, and other important church-related materials needed to be translated.
How did Eduardo Balderas serve as a worldwide patriarch?
Spanish-speaking Saints started coming to Balderas soon after he was called as a patriarch. When he started going to the Mesa Temple to help with the endowments, he soon was also giving patriarchal blessings to all who came. Sometimes, that group numbered in the hundreds.
When he travelled with General Authorities, particularly President Kimball, Spanish-speaking Saints were encouraged to get their blessings. There were also a couple of times when Balderas might have gone on his own. No doubt that there were probably some blessings given to English-speaking Saints.
Balderas would sometimes give hundreds of patriarchal blessings in less than a week, starting very early in the morning and going into all hours of the night. Before blessing each individual, however, he took time to explain their importance, as well as what went into giving one.
What do you hope people take away from your Eduardo Balderas biography?
There are three things that I hope people take away from my biography of Balderas.
First, there are many people from diverse backgrounds, including various ethnicities, nationalities, and races, who have contributed to the growth of the Latter-day Saint gospel. We must know their history, and Eduardo Balderas: Father of Church Translation, is my contribution.
Second, individuals—even just one person—can and still do make a meaningful impact. In today’s Church environment of committees, consultants, and legal teams, it’s easy to feel like a single voice doesn’t matter. But Eduardo’s work shows that one person can still make a profound difference in the lives of many.
Finally, the Church is made up of and led by imperfect people, but it is still incredible how much has been accomplished.
Now, if we can just tell a real global story as we write our institutional history, we will truly appreciate that the gospel of Jesus Christ is for all of God’s children.
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About the Scholar
Ignacio Garcia is the author of Eduardo Balderas: Father of Church Translation, 1907–1989. He is the Lemuel H. Redd Jr. professor of Western American History at Brigham Young University and a former president of the Mormon History Association. In addition, he has written seven books related to Mexican-American politics and history, including his memoir, Chicano While Mormon: Activism, War, and Keeping the Faith.
Further Reading
- Global Mormonism: Latter-day Saints Around the World
- Who Wrote “Oh, How Great Is Our Joy”?
- Who Is Ignacio Garcia?
- Who Was Another Thirteenth Apostle?
- How Was the Book of Mormon Translated into Portuguese?
Eduardo Balderas: Mexican Translator and Religious Leader
- Eduardo Balderas: Father of Church Translation, 1907–1989 (Signature Books)
- How the Scriptures Came to Be Translated into Spanish (Ensign)
- The Mexican Mission Hymns Project (Times and Seasons)
- Meliton Gonzalez Trejo: Translator of the Book of Mormon into Spanish (Improvement Era)
- Translation Division Relies on Spirit, Training to Capture Meaning in Work (Liahona)
Signature Books Brief Lives series
- Eduardo Balderas
- George Q. Cannon
- Martha Hughes Cannon
- Tracy Y. Cannon
- Harold B. Lee
- Bruce R. McConkie
- David O. McKay
- D. Michael Quinn
- Virginia Sorensen
- Wallace Stegner
- John A. Widtsoe
