Christopher Columbus astronomy, and history. He formulated a plan to seek a western sea passage to the East Indies, hoping to profit from the lucrative spice trade. After years of lobbying, the Catholic Monarchs of Spain agreed to sponsor a journey west, in the name of the Crown of Castile. Columbus left Spain in August 1492 with three ships, and after a stopover in the Canary Islands made landfall in the Americas on 12 October (now celebrated as Columbus Day). His landing place was an island in the Bahamas, known by its native inhabitants as Guanahani; its exact location is uncertain. Columbus
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Chile The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Chile As of January 1, 2011, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) reported 563,689 members in 74 stakes and 23 districts, 620 congregations (421 wards and 199 branches), nine missions, and one temple in Chile. The LDS Church has been established in Chile for over sixty years. The church experienced some periods of rapid expansion during that time, becoming, by some estimates, the second largest church in the country. Early apostle Parley P. Pratt was among the first Mormon missionaries to preach in Chile, landing in Valparaiso