In 1963, Luis A. Ramirez was a major in the Paraguayan army. One day he found a copy of the Book of Mormon on a table in his home in Asuncion. He picked it up and wondered where it cam from. It sparked his interest and he began to read.

He later recalled: "For about three months, I felt the need to get closer to God, and I began to pray to God -- not the kind of prayers I had been taught to pray, but very similar to what the missionaries later taught me. This continued for three months. Then I found the book."

As he continued to read the Book of Mormon, he asked family members where it had come from. A young relative said that two missionaries had given it to him at a friend's house. "I continued reading it, and it interested me even more. So I said to the boy, 'When you see the missionaries again, invite them to come here.'" (See "Pioneers in Paraguay" by Marvin K. Gardner, Ensign, March 1994)

By the time the missionaries returned a few days later, Luis had already finished reading the Book of Mormon. He started to take the missionaries discussions and a few weeks he and his wife, Hortensia, were baptized. Soon Luis Ramirez became the president of the Moroni Branch in Asuncion, Paraguay.

In 1969, Luis A. Ramirez was promoted to the rank of colonel. He taught at a military college until he retired in 1975. He was a wondeful example to others. The Ramirez family went to Utah for five years where Luis earned a degree at BYU.

LDS-GEMS subscriber, John M. Stapp served a mission in Paraguay, in 1979-1981. He submitted the following experience which illustrates the power of Luis Ramirez' example. This experience occurred in 1980, a few weeks after the ex-President of Nicaragua was murdered in Asuncion, Paraguay.