Elder Cook meets Argentine president during centennial choir visit

Elder Quentin L. Cook of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints met with Argentine President Javier Milei at the Casa Rosada on August 20, 2025. The meeting took place during Elder Cook’s visit to Argentina for the centennial celebration of the restored gospel in South America by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.

Elder Cook described the encounter as positive, stating, “The meeting with the president was marvelous. We were quite frank with him that we felt like we have been given a wonderful gift in this country as a result of its dedication a century ago.”

In 1925, Elder Melvin J. Ballard, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, visited Buenos Aires and offered a prayer seeking God’s blessing for South America and its leaders. Elder Cook referenced this history: “I love the fact that in the dedicatory prayer, Elder Melvin J. Ballard had a whole paragraph blessing the heads of state and that there would be relationships with them and that they would bless the people. And so even from the initial prayer of dedication of all of South America, he was recognizing the significance of leaders of the nation.”

During his conversation with President Milei, Elder Cook noted that the Choir’s presence in Argentina was meant to express gratitude: “This is a small token and a way of saying, ‘Thank you for all that this country has done for the Church and its people and those who are of our faith,’” he said.

Elder Cook was joined by South America South Area President Elder Joaquin E. Costa, Tabernacle Choir President Michael O. Leavitt, and Church Hosting Director Gordon H. Smith.

Gordon H. Smith highlighted the importance of such meetings: “Among all of our meetings, the meeting with President Milei was a standout,” Brother Smith said. “It was important to the Church because when you meet with the chief executive of a nation, it sends a message to the entire government that you count, that you're included, that you matter.”

Elder Cook also spoke about building relationships with government and religious leaders: “We sustain leaders, and we want to have relationships with them, and we want to understand some of their objectives,” he said. “There are opportunities, particularly on the humanitarian side of things, where we can work together. Doing good in the world is something we do because we love the Savior and follow Him. We haven’t become a humanitarian organization disconnected from our mission, which is to follow and live the commandments of Jesus Christ.”