Curbelo, Néstor, 1952-

Néstor Esteban Curbelo Armando (b. 1952) is a historian of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Uruguay and Argentina.

From the description of Néstor Curbelo papers, 1960-2007. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 432312952

Néstor Esteban Curbelo Armando (born 1952) is a historian of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Uruguay and Argentina.

Néstor Esteban Curbelo Armando was born in San José, Uruguay, January 8, 1948, to parents of Italian and Spanish descent. He was raised on a farming homestead. He was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at about age 20. He had already finished high school and had begun his education first in law and then to become a teacher, all the while funding his expenses with door to door photography. While in the process of pursuing his higher education, Néstor left for a mission to northern Argentina. Upon his return to Uruguay he married his wife Rosalina, whom he had met years earlier at a Church regional youth conference, and settled into a career as a traveling photographer.

He and his wife moved to Buenos Aires for better job opportunities, but as his family grew, he took a job as custodian in the local Mormon institute building. In 1975, with no formal degree or job title he was invited to teach a class. After about two years as custodian, he was placed in the organization's secretarial position. After five years he became the director of the institute.

He began working in the administrative areas of the church in 1978, and it was in this position that his lifelong interest in history took the form of a rudimentary exploration of the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in South America. It began in 1977 when he and several students conducted oral history interviews of local members. Little by little, self-initiated and self-funded, he began producing mini films for institute and traveling the areas, taking pictures and conducting interviews along the way. This became formal in 1985 when he received his official appointment as historian and was provided funds to continue his efforts. He later became director of public affairs for the Church in his area.

Néstor Curbelo has amassed hundreds of personal histories with pictures. He has written several short histories of various areas, and also several books about Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay in relation to the development of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His history was published by the church in 1986 and is called "Fifty years of the Church in Argentina." He has later published a number of articles in the Church magazines "Church News" and "The Liahona." In addition Curbelo has served as a correspondent for the LDS Church News and has produced a video on the history of the Church in Uruguay up until the dedication of the Montevideo Uruguay Temple in 2001.

Néstor continues to create a history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in South America for the benefit of the church members. He and his wife still live in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and have five children.

From the guide to the Néstor Curbelo papers, 1960-2010, (L. Tom Perry Special Collections)