Pancho Villa

[lundbaek]

Excerpts from an article in the “Church News” section of the 11 November 1967 “Deseret News”

“At 86, James Elbert Whetton still remembers the time he taught the Gospel to Pancho Villa, famous Mexican Revolutionary leader.”

“Two missionaries assigned to labor in the town of Namiquipa, located several miles from the Mormon colonies, needed supplies, so early in March, Elder Whetton and Stake Pres. Joseph T. Bentley headed out in buggies loaded with food.”

“Passing through a mountain area, the brethren were halted by armed men and taken to a guerrilla camp. Later, they were moved into a town which the guerrillas had captured and held prisoner through the night.”

“Pres. Bentley and Elder Whetton were invited to have breakfast with the man in the checked suit and a light – complexioned gentleman. During the meal, the light – complexioned man asked many questions about the Mormons. Elder Whetton answered since Pres. Bentley did not understand Spanish.”

“Finally, the light – complexioned man identified himself as Felipe Angeles, a noted and highly trained military officer. He introduced the Mormons to the man in the checked suit – Gen. Villa”

“”I always admired the Mormon people,” Villa said. “They mind their own business.

“General, for my part, I wish the whole republic would turn Mormon. When this revolution is settled, I am going to join this church if there is any opportunity for me to do it.”, Angeles declared.

““Why haven’t any of your people explained these things to me before?, Villa asked. “This is the first time I have known anything about your teachings. If I had known these things earlier, this would have been a different Pancho Villa. Is there any chance for a man like me to join the Mormon Church?””

“He encouraged the brethren to continue their journey to Namiquipa and gave them a hearty “abrazo” when they parted.

“Not long afterward, Angeles was captured and shot by the opposing forces. Villa also met a violent death in 1923 at the hands of assassins.”

“Years passed. Pres. Bentley died and Elder Whetton became an old man. One night , Pancho Villa, whose real name was Doroteo Arango, appeared to him.

“Do you know me”, Villa asked.

“Si,”

“You told me that if there was ever any time that you could do something for me, you would do it,” the general said. “You are the only one who can help me. I want you to do my temple work.”

“Elder Whetton wrote to the Church Offices in Salt Lake City for permission to do the work and received approval. After the genealogical sheets were prepared, Doroteo Arango was baptized by proxy on Feb 25, 1966, in the Arizona Temple. Whetton himself did the endowment work for the general a few days later. He also had the temple work done for Angeles.”

I first learned of this from a copy of a few pages of a Whetton family journal given me by a member of the Alma 11. Ward about 15 years ago. Recorded in that journal are a couple of things that might be of added interest:

Felipe Angeles had been trained at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY., and may have been serving U.S. interests as well as advising Pancho Villa’s forces.

When Brother Whetton told his wife of his dream of Villa’s appearance, she told him it was brought on by something he must have eaten the evening before.

Brother Whetton also travelled to Mexico to obtained permission from Pancho Villa's wife to have his temple work done.

[WYp8riot]

I watched a movie, but wondered about the acuracy of it.

Are you familiar with it?

[lundbaek]

I only read about Pancho Villa and Felipe Angeles on Wikipedia, and still do not understand what their personal causes or agendas were. As with most if not all persons at the center of controversy, there are always multiple sides to their stories. I have no reason to doubt the Whetton journal report or the Church News report so I have to assume that Pancho Villa was permitted to come and ask Brother Whetton to get his temple work done. The only other such instance I know of in which spirits of the dead came and asked for their temple work to be done was the appearance of 54 of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence and a host of others to Wilford Woodruff in the St. George Temple in August 1877, asking that their temple work be done. I imagine there are other similar instances of this sort. I recently felt impressed, even pushed to get all the temple work done for a man and his wife who had no children and certainly had their detractors. Doing his work as proxy was one of the nicest expereiences I can recall having in the Temple. So much for judging people on the basis of history books, stories, movies, and even acquaintanceship.

[jbalm]

Back when I was a kid in Arizona, there was a film circulating called "And Shall We Die," (I think) about 2 LDS missionaries in Mexico during late 1800's or early 1900's. I don't remember any details, but I remember being quite moved by it.

My question for you, Lundbaek or HiddenTreasure, is are either of you familiar with that movie and if so, is it related to the Pancho Villa episode you described?

[WYp8riot]

Sorry, I am unfamiliar with that movie.

I believe the one I watched was titled Poncho Villa, as himself or something along those lines. It portrayed him as a defender for the downtrodden and victims of tyranny who let his growing power and influence and anger and frustration go to his head at the end of the movie.

[lundbaek]

All I know about Pancho Villa I posted or referenced above. Between Hollywood, history books, novels, accounts by LDSs in the colonies who were contemorary to PV, and people who were close to him at different times in his life, we could never in this life get an accurate picture of the real PV.

History doesn't lie, but liars write history.

[Gary R. Van Horn]

In my opinion, the recent movie "Pancho Villa" was not an accurate portrayal of the man. Indeed, TRUE history doesn't lie, but liars do write history.

My researches these past many years have convinced me that much of what I was taught in the public schools and in college was NOT true.
My economics text book was socialist propaganda written by a Swedish socialist.

My history text books, I found, were unreliable. They were evidently written to justify the actions of those who have smuggled themselves into power over the past century by deceiving the voters.

Government schools will always teach the government line, or the line layed down by those who have captured control of the government and the government schools.

Most Americans (and, unfortunately, most LDS) would be horrified at the thought of taking personal responsibility for educating their children. (What?! Actually teach my children myself?!)

The hidden history of the last 230 years is radically different from the "politically correct" history we have been fed by the public fools. . . er, schools.

"The Children of Light," in too many instances, are darker than the gentiles around them.

For example: Pick any Mormon member of Congress versus Representative Ron Paul.

Actually, many of these pols I would regard as MINOs: Mormons In Name Only.

(I will now quickly leave by the nearest exit!)

Gary VH

[Proud 2b Peculiar]

LOL