In 1919 a new chapter began for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in San Antonio. Rudolph John and Lucia Cord Bremer along with their son Rudolph became the city’s first converts. This was seventy-two years after the pioneers trekked to Utah. Their story is part of the Church’s rich history.
The first branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in San Antonio was organized in 1921. Fifteen members gathered in a member’s home for this momentous occasion. Rudolph Bremer became the first branch president. Services were initially held in a rented hall above a bar. Members diligently cleaned the space before each Sunday service.
Imagine the dedication of those early members. José Pedraza a Mexican American from Monterey Mexico became one of the first members. He heard missionaries preach in the street. A crowd prevented him from approaching them. He later found a pamphlet. It confirmed his feelings about the gospel. He wrote a letter to the author in Salt Lake City. The letter eventually reached the missionaries in San Antonio. José embraced the gospel and was baptized in the San Antonio River in 1924. He became a dedicated missionary himself.
The Church’s growth in San Antonio led to the acquisition of two small frame buildings in 1928. These buildings previously belonged to the Prospect Hill Christian Church. One building housed the chapel a baptismal font and small classrooms. The other building had a cultural hall and a small living area. The missionaries lived there briefly. They were also serving as district presidents elsewhere. An insurance requirement prompted President Bremer to find a family to reside on the property.
Leonard Parsons and his family became those residents. They paid ten dollars a month in rent. They lived in a small dwelling behind the cultural hall. Their living room and bedrooms often served as Sunday School classrooms. The Parsons family helped maintain the chapel grounds. Twelve-year-old Leonard remembers the Relief Society sisters helping with the yard work. They transformed the yard from haphazard to immaculate.
Henry Eyring Turley a chiropractor moved to San Antonio from Mexico in 1923. He later returned to Mexico married Louise Robinson and eventually moved back to San Antonio in 1927. The San Antonio Branch and the Spanish Branch became part of the Texas Mission in 1931. An encampment was held in Glen Rose Texas in 1941. Elder Charles A Callis attended.
The Church continued to thrive. By 1942 a new chapel was built on Bailey Avenue. Roland C Bremer a general contractor oversaw the construction. Elder Harold B Lee dedicated it. Henry E Turley was the branch president. The San Antonio Ward became a stake in 1958. Elders Spencer W Kimball and Harold B Lee were instrumental in this decision. Roland C Bremer despite serious illness became the stake president. His family took him to Houston for meetings. He served until 1968.
The San Antonio Stake initially covered a vast area. It later underwent divisions creating new stakes. The San Antonio Texas Temple the fourth in Texas was dedicated in 2005. It stands as a testament to the faith and dedication of those who first brought the gospel to San Antonio. The temple’s beauty and spiritual significance are a source of pride for the community. The story of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in San Antonio is one of perseverance faith and remarkable growth.