- Agricol Lozano
Agricol Lozano Herrara (1927–1999) was a
Mormon poet, historian, and leader inMexico . He was also an outspoken human rights lawyer once imprisoned by the Mexican government.Lozano was born to Mormon parents in
Tula, Mexico . ["Deseret News ",3 March ,1995 .] ] He was the eldest of 13 children. His mother had been an employee ofRafael Monroy , who was slain during theMexican Revolution of 1910 in large part because of his belief inMormonism . Lozano's father, also named Agricol, joinedThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after learning about Mormonism from his wife."Church News",October 23 ,1993 .]As a child, Lozano often helped his father in the brick-laying business. He went to
Mexico City to become a professionalsoccer player but never made the team. Instead he became a missionary for the LDS Church. After his mission, Lozano was a custodian at theMuseum of Anthropology and History of Mexico . It was largely because of a sermon he heard fromSpencer W. Kimball when he was on a trip to theMesa Arizona Temple in the 1940s that Lozano decided to pursue a life as a lawyer and an advocate from the indigenous people of Mexico.Lozano served two full-time missions for the church in Mexico.
Lozano married Maliche Gomez, a native of
Tampico . They had six children.Lozano received a law degree from
UNAM . ["Church News",June 26 ,1993 .]Lozano was for many years the Chief Counsel for the LDS Church in Mexico. He was one of the key figures in getting the church legal recognition in the country in 1993."Church News",
August 14 ,1999 .]Lozano was the first Latino to serve as a
stake president in Mexico. He became president of the Mexico City North Stake in 1967. Prior to this, he had served as a counselor in the first stake presidency in Mexico City. [http://www.inficad.com/~kdm/Veracruz/Cruznews.htm Veracruz in the News!] , inficad.com, accessed2008-03-14 .] Lozano served as president of other stakes due to rapid church growth and divisions of stakes from time to time. [ [http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=768ed2b9ae76b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1 “Six new stakes created; first one in Philippines,”] "Ensign", Aug. 1973, p. 78.]Lozano served as president of the
Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission. He was also aRegional Representative of the Twelve Apostles ; in this capacity, he would often emphasize that the Mexicans needed to step up and take part in leading the church in Mexico. [Orson Scott Card , [http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=c74a1f26d596b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1 "It's a Young Church... In Mexico"] "Ensign" Feb. 1977, p. 17.] Lozano was also involved with the Church School board in Mexico. [ [http://www.dublan.net/History/Personal/Bowman/Claudious_Jr._and_Nelle/Claudious_Chapter_5.html "Chapter 5: The Orchard Years"] , "Personal History of Claudious Bowman, Jr. and his wife Nelle", dublan.net, accessed2008-03-14 .]Lozano's poetry has been compared to that of
Walt Whitman and his full force living of the teaching of the LDS Church to that ofOrson Pratt andParley P. Pratt . ["Deseret News ",March 5 ,1995 ]Lozaqno is also the author of several books. His "Historia del Mormonismo en Mexico" (1983) (ISBN 9687207000) is aggressive in its assertion that the Mexican people have a special place as part of the
house of Israel as descendants ofLehi in theBook of Mormon . [Thomas W. “Other Mormon Histories: Lamanite Subjectivity in Mexico.” in "Journal of Mormon History ". 26 (Fall 2000):179–214] Other writings of Lozano include his short "Jesus el Cristo en la Biblia" (1983) and his much longer "La Apostasia" (1982). A 1980 work by Lozano was "Historia de la Iglesia en Mexico" which has the same general subject as his 1983 work.Lozano was president of the
Mexico City Mexico Temple from 1993 to 1997 ["Church News ",June 26 ,1993 andJune 20 ,1997 .]In a sermon given in Mexico in 1997,
Gordon B. Hinckley spoke of Lozano as having been, among other things, an assistant, translator, guide and friend.References
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