One day in 1969 missionaries knocked on the door of Maria Tenorio's parent's home. Sister Tenorio was visiting at the time and an appointment was set up for that evening. Maria told her husband about the meeting and Horacio came along "to refute them." For several months they met with the missionaries. Elder Tenorio related: "I felt of the Spirit one night while reading their scriptures. Then I knew that all the teachings of the missionaries were true. I said to my wife, 'I am ready to be baptized.' She had already been converted and was waiting for me." (Church News, July 1, 1989).

They had never attended church and didn't learn until after their baptism that they were the members of a branch that met far away, in a rundown rental house, on the outskirts of Mexico City. There were only two other families active in the branch. After meeting is several rundown buildings, they decided to build their own meetinghouse. During this time, Brother Tenorio also left his job because it required unethical practices. "I had a fight with myself, but I decided to renounce my work after ten years. I went to work for wages, which was a challenge."

The Tenorios became very busy in the Church. Brother Tenorio was called to be a Sunday School teacher and within a year was called as branch president. In 1971 hew was called as a bishop in the Mexico City Stake. While bishop, he had the privilege of traveling to Salt Lake City for general conference. His long experience in purchasing was recognized and he was hired by the Church as a purchasing agent for the Church in Mexico.

In 1974 Bishop Tenorio was called to serve as a counselor in the Mexico City North Stake presidency. In just one year, the stake grew from eight units to twenty-eight! During this time the Tenorios traveled with the rest of the stake presidency and their wives to the temple in Mesa Arizona. The Tenorios were sealed together at that time.

In 1975 Howard W. Hunter came to Mexico to divide some stakes and ended up creating ten new stakes. Horacio Tenorio became president of one of the new stakes, the Mexico City Mexico Satelite Stake. After three years of wonderful service as president, he was called as a regional representative and three years later was called as the president of the Mexico Torreon Mission. President Tonorio later related: "I knew, by a feeling inside, that I would preside over the Torreon mission." After his mission, he established two distributing businesses involving ice cream and irrigation systems. He also again served as a regional representative.

In April, 1989, he was called as the first native-Mexican General Authority, a member of the Second Quorum of Seventy. (Waldo Call from the Mexican Colonies had previously received his call.) Elder Tenorio said: "I am the first from Mexico to be called to this position, but most likely not the last. We have been waiting many years for a Mexican Lamanite General Authority. But never, never in my imagination did I think it would be me. I realize I have a great responsibility. The Lord has opened the door now, and there are many good leaders in Mexico. . . . In the next 10 years, we expect to have more than 30,000 returned missionaries who will be able to be leaders. We will have upward of 200 stakes, and the corresponding members for those stakes. We will have the members and we will have the leaders - we see great possibilities." (Church News, July 1, 1989).

As a new General Authority, during 1989, Elder Tenorio created a new stake in Honduras. Later in the year he was assigned as the first counselor in the Mexico/Central America Area Presidency.

In April 1990 General Conference, Elder Tenorio shared the sad story of the recent death of his fifteen-month-old grandson. "My wife and I immediately left to be with our children at this difficult time. We flew all night, and it was painful for us to talk about what had happened. We spent long waking hours in thought and prayer. I didn't know how I could comfort our children. What could I say when I, myself, felt such deep pain. So I prayed a great deal, and a loving Father came to my aid. The answers came one by one at the appropriate time, fulfilling the Lord's promise: "Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me" (D&C 19:23). . . .The sense of pain and suffering diminished, leaving in its place sweet feelings from the Spirit."

In May 1990, Elder Tenorio accompanied President Thomas S. Monson at a regional conference in Mexico City in a makeshift "arena" set up at the Benemerito Church school. At the conference President Monson said: "The spirit of the Lord seems to lift a people at a certain time, and the last few years have been the beginning of a time of real growth for Mexico. I definitely feel it will continue - it's bound to." (Church News, May 26, 1990).

During 1990 Elder Tenorio create two stakes in Mexico and was assigned as the first counselor in the Mexico Area Presidency. In 1991 as floods hit the Los Mochis stakes in Mexico, Elder Tenorio helped with the relief efforts. He observed the Mexican Saints pull together during this emergency. He said "It is touching to see the feeling and spirit of self-sufficiency begin to grow among the members of the Church in Mexico." (Church News, March 9, 1991).

In 1992 Elder Tenorio was assigned as the first counselor in the South America South Area Presidency. He created four stakes in Chile and three in Argentina during his two years in South America.

In October 1994, after his term of service, he was released from the Seventy. During the previous month, a group of members met together in Santiago, Chile to bid farewell to their leader. Elder Tenorio told the Chilean Saints that it had been an honor for him and his family to serve among them and added, "I know you have a beautiful and great future ahead." He encouraged the members to follow the counsel of the leaders, and to continue to prepare their youth to serve full-time missions. (Church News, September 10, 1994).

Elder Tenorio spoke in October 1994 General Conference on Satan's efforts to tempt the youth of the Church. He counseled the Saints to build "fortresses" of protection, such as prayer, scripture study, and family home evening to protect the youth. He also shared the touching story of an interview he had with this three-year-old grandson. Elder Tenorio left his testimony: "I know we have a loving Father who is waiting for us. I know that he instructs us through his Only Begotten, our Savior and Redeemer."