LDS Church Response

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- All of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' missionaries serving around Chile have reported in safe after a massive earthquake, Church officials said Sunday.

Two young men who helped others move to higher ground on remote Juan Fernandez islands 400 miles off the coast were the last missionaries to report in after Saturday's magnitude-8.8 quake, according to the Salt Lake City-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.



A missionary training center in Santiago, Chile's capital, was undamaged, church spokesman Scott Trotter said. Santiago, 200 miles northeast of the quake's epicenter, sustained other damage.

Members of other proselytizing missions in neighboring Argentina were safe, Mormon church officials said. They expected to update their plans later Sunday for reacting to the quake.

In Utah, parents of the missionaries -- young men on a two-year tour of duty -- said they had not been able to contact their sons but were confident they were OK.

Connie Reynolds' son, Chase, is serving on a Concepcion Mission, based in the largest city near the epicenter with more than 200,000 people.

"I was on pins and needles," Connie Reynolds told the Standard-Examiner of Ogden, Utah. "It was another missionary mother on the phone and she asked me if I had heard about the earthquake."

Hours later, Tony and Connie Reynolds got word from the church that the Santiago delegation was safe. Their son was in town called Molina, about 70 miles south of the epicenter.

"It was pretty awful to see the images of the quake on TV," Connie Reynolds said. "We certainly hope the members and the Chileans are doing OK. We know Chase loves the people of Chile and we have grown to love them through him. We feel for them and our hearts go out to them. We're sure Chase is rolling up his sleeves and helping the people of Chile right now."

Jeffrey Stagg, the son of Dr. Neil and Ruth Ann Stagg, of South Ogden, is serving in the Santiago East Mission, which is approximately 200 miles from Talca, the quake epicenter.

"We haven't heard from Jeffrey yet but as far as we know he is safe," said his mother, Ruth Ann Stagg. "I would love to hear from him. Just hear his voice."

Mark and Julie Tensmeyer, of Ogden, whose son Kyle is serving in the Vina Del Mar mission, are "just expecting the best unless we hear otherwise," said Mark Tensmeyer. "Kyle is in a rural area where there aren't a lot of large buildings, which is good when there's an earthquake, but I'm sure we won't hear from him until communications have improved."

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)