Jorge F. Zeballos
Encyclopedia
Jorge Fernando Zeballos (born 19 July 1955) has been a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) since April 2008. He is the first Chile
an to be a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy and only the second Chilean to serve as a general authority
of the LDS Church. The first was Eduardo Ayala
.
Zeballos was born in Ovalle, Chile
. He joined the LDS Church when he was twelve and later served as a missionary
for the church in Concepcion. Zeballos and his wife Carmen Gloria Valenzuela traveled to São Paulo
, Brazil
to marry in the São Paulo Brazil Temple
. The Zeballoses now have five children.
Zeballos holds a degree in civil engineering from Santa Maria University and an MBA from Brigham Young University
.
Zeballos worked as a mining engineer and later as a manager of corporate affairs for a mining company before his call to full-time church service. For a time he mangaged corporate affairs for Minera Escondida Limitada, which was at that point the biggest copper
-producing mine in the world.
Zeballos became an area authority of the LDS Church in 1995. He was released from this position in October 2004.
At the time of his call as a general authority, Zeballos was serving as the president
of the Chile Concepción
South Mission
of the LDS Church.
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an to be a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy and only the second Chilean to serve as a general authority
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
of the LDS Church. The first was Eduardo Ayala
Eduardo Ayala
Eduardo Ayala was the first Chilean general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .Ayala was born in Coronel, Chile. He married Blanca Ester Espinoza in 1959. They eventually had three children: Patricio, Viviana and Ricardo...
.
Zeballos was born in Ovalle, Chile
Ovalle, Chile
Ovalle is a city in the Coquimbo Region of Chile, founded in 1831 as a settlement of more than 113,000 people. The name Ovalle was chosen to honor to Chile's vice-president José Tomás Ovalle...
. He joined the LDS Church when he was twelve and later served as a missionary
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
for the church in Concepcion. Zeballos and his wife Carmen Gloria Valenzuela traveled to São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
to marry in the São Paulo Brazil Temple
São Paulo Brazil Temple
The São Paulo Brazil Temple is the 19th constructed and 17th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in the Brazilian city of São Paulo, it was the first LDS temple built in South America, and also the first temple to use the single story, single spire design...
. The Zeballoses now have five children.
Zeballos holds a degree in civil engineering from Santa Maria University and an MBA from Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
.
Zeballos worked as a mining engineer and later as a manager of corporate affairs for a mining company before his call to full-time church service. For a time he mangaged corporate affairs for Minera Escondida Limitada, which was at that point the biggest copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
-producing mine in the world.
Zeballos became an area authority of the LDS Church in 1995. He was released from this position in October 2004.
At the time of his call as a general authority, Zeballos was serving as the president
Mission president
Mission president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . A mission president presides over a mission and the missionaries serving in the mission...
of the Chile Concepción
Concepción, Chile
Concepción is a city in Chile, capital of Concepción Province and of the Biobío Region or Region VIII. Greater Concepción is the second-largest conurbation in the country, with 889,725 inhabitants...
South Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
of the LDS Church.