Here's an unsigned piece, from the November, 1970 issue of the mission magazine, "La Cosecha":

The First Colombia-Venezuela Missionary Reunion On October 2, 1970 in the Jesse Knight Building on the Brigham Young University Campus in Provo, Utah was held the first Colombia-Venezuela missionary reunion. Letters were sent out to all R.M.'s advising them of the reunion. Forty missionaries with their wives, friends, etc. attended and a very enjoyable time was had by all. Mark Skousen was Master of Ceremonies and was helped considerably by Greg Hansen. Ethel Julander was in charge of refreshments. Latest issues of the Cosecha were passed out and after a discussion of the latest developments of the mission, each person stood up to introduce himself and tell of his latest endeavors. Then, Gred Hansen showed them all an old time tourist movie of Colombia and Venezuela and it was said that many fond memories were brought back. The next reunion has been planned to be held in six months. See you there??

Last night (4 Apr 1997) was the Calvert Reunion (71-74). The Calverts are down in Bogota right now, presiding over the MTC there. A special guest at the reunion was Cesar Davila, brother to Julio Davila. Cesar is one of the new Area Authority/Seventy members called today in conference, but Friday night at the reunion he was the Temple architect. He showed us recent pictures of the construction, which was neat! The patron housing is complete, and the temple itself is up to the second floor. He pointed out one window that he said was the window of the Celestial room. The anticipated completion date is around October, 1998. The missionaries at the reunion were batting around the idea of putting together a tour to go down for it, but at this point it is too far away for either Morris or Murdock travel to commit to definite plans/prices although they estimated a package of flight/food/lodging for a week would be about $2500 per person (we're trying to get them to do better.)

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Dear President Brower, I am sending you this paper about the opening of the missionary work in Venezuela in hopes that you will have it published in your mission magazine. I served in Venezuela as a missionary from February 1967 to September 1968. I doubt that many missionaries are aware of the events leading up to the opening of Venezuela to the missionary work, or the problems that were encountered after its opening. I hope this article will serve as an inspiration to the missionaries now serving in Venezuela and that they might have a greater appreciation for the first missionaries that labored there.

Alan Manning
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"In the beginning....."
by Alan Manning

On the second of November, 1966, Apostle Marion G. Romney in the company of President Ted Brewerton of the Central American Mission, and a handful of Saints, stood in the garden of a private home in suburban Caracas as Brother Romney offered the dedicatory prayer for the preaching of the gospel in Venezuela.

Brother Romney in part had this to say, "We pray Father that thou will bless the people of this land. They need, O God, the redeeming power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that they may come out of darkness into the marvelous light of truth, and look forward and move toward that great day in the not too distant future when the Savior will return to earth. We pray that Thou wilt open their minds to the truths that shall be brought to them."

Apostle Romney goes on to say . . . "Hasten the day when we can carry the Gospel to the Indians themselves; when they will begin to have the darkness stricken from their minds and hearts and eyes, that they may be able to see the glories of the Gospel and come in mighty numbers. O Father, we know that from this time forth they will begin to come into the Church, and that Thou wilt work a marvelous work among them."

Concerning the missionaries, Brother Romney said, "There will soon come here, Heavenly Father, under the direction of the mission president, missionaries. Wilt Thou open the way before them and give them wisdom that they may know how to approach the people. Give them utterance from on high by the power of Thy Holy Spirit. Help them teach in wisdom and by the Spirit with such power that men in great numbers will be caused to listen and their hearts made to learn with testimony. Grant that people may come into the Church in great numbers and that the work may grow rapidly, Father, to the blessing of the people in this land."

Missionaries did come on the 29th of november, almost four weeks later to the day. Four missionaries chosen especially for this purpose landed at Maiquetia [Airport] from San Jose, Costa Rica. They began the great missionary work that Apostle Romney spoke of in his dedicatory prayer.

The day after their arrival at the home of the Branch President, they ended their two day fast with a prayer and study class. They were able to obtain many names and addresses from the 1964 World's Fair references. They subsequently spent the day dividing the city into 10 sections and trying to locate each reference on the map.

You can better appreciate some of the trials and problems of those first missionaries as they tried to figure out a totally unfamiliar transportation system as large as the one in Caracas, in order to locate their first contacts. Although these first references proved unfruitful in one sense, they were greatly aided in familiarizing themselves with the city. This was to help them later on as more and more Elders entered the city, and proselyting areas were being mapped out.

It was three long months before the first baptisms in Venezuela. The service was held at night in [a] fourteenth story penthouse swimming pool. As several American members and missionaries (now 8 strong) looked on, they beheled the surrounding view, the lights of the city and freeways. The Spirit was strong on that solemn occasion and gave them new hope in the work.

Their first meetings were held in the home of the Branch President with a small group of American members. It wasn't too many months later that roomier facilities were needed and they were able to acquire use of the American School located next to the country club in Chacaito (The Caracas I Branch presently meets there).

It was shortly after the first baptismal service that Brother Theodore Tuttle of the First Council of Seventy in the company of the Mission President visited Venezuela and interviewed the Elders. At that time all the missionaries in the country could be assembled in one small hotel room. Who could forget that occasion when Brother Tuttle, pointing from the hotel window, said, "Brethren, the purpose of this meeting is to plan the spiritual overthrow of these people."

It was a humbling experience for those first few missionaries who may never know how much they gave to the Lord's work in Venezuela. Their motto could well have been "...be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great." (D&C 64:33)

Who were the first four to initiate the Lord's work in Venezuela? By name they were Elder Neil O. Gruwell, Elder Floyd S. Baum, Elder David C. Bell and Elder Frederick S. Podlesny.

Since returning, these four have continued to excel and progress which indicates the caliber of missionaries they were. Elder Gruwell was the past Associated Student Body President of Utah State university and is presently serving in the Army. Elder baum is also serving in the Armed Forces as an officer in the Air Force. He is a graduate of BYU in Spanish and Air Science. Elder Bell is a chemical engineering major and hopes to return to Venezuela after graduation to work for one of the oil companies. Elder Podlesny was also active in student government and is presently a senior at BYU majoring in political science.

It is gratifying to hear that the work is progressing well in Colombia and Venezuela and to learn that the blessings promised by Apostle Romney are coming to pass.

Note from President Brower:
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Now, 2 years and 9 months after these first missionaries arrived in Venezuela there are 10 branches, 2 districts and 750 members.