Early members often told stories of traveling long distances to a temple, and of the sacrifices required. They said that as more and more Uruguayan members receive the blessings and ordinances of the temple, they will be blessed temporally and spiritually and the Church will become stronger.

Now, the members in Uruguay do not have to travel long distances to Buenos Aires (Argentina), reducing the cost and possibility of accidents.  In 1999, the Uruguayan saints were moved by the tragic accident of a group traveling from Uruguay to the Buenos Aires temple; seven members were killed. This experience was vividly recalled by the members whose tears of sorrow were transformed to tears of joy, peace and faith at the temple dedication.

The Montevideo Uruguay Temple stands in a beautiful residential district east of the nation's capitol. The site has been owned by the Church since 1960, and today also houses two mission homes, a distribution center and a regional Church service center.

Uruguay is one of the smallest countries of South America with a population of 3.2 million people. The Uruguayan mission was the third created in South America, after Argentina and Brazil, and was organized in 1947 by President Frederick S. Williams. Today, there are 73,000 members in 15 stakes, six districts and two missions in this nation.

Members in 1978 began to attend the Sao Paulo Brazil Temple, which is more than 72 hours away by automobile. In 1986, the Buenos Aires Argentina Temple shortened the distance. Now, most members will be able to attend the temple and return home the same day.  The past pioneer struggles are now but a sweet memory of the legacy that has been passed down.