Desiderio Arce

Who is Desiderio Arce?

Desiderio Arce is a Bolivian Argentine folk-singer. He is also often credited as the first Bolivian Latter-day Saint to serve as a missionary.

Arce is a Quechua. He grew up in the mining community of Quiriza and began schooling in La Quiaca. There he was discovered by La Voces de Huira which he then joined. He moved to Salta, Argentina and married Nelly Aguilar. They later joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were baptized on March 21, 1961. In 1966, the president of the Argentina North Mission, which also covered Southern Bolivia, Richard G. Scott, asked the Arces to move to Quiriza and help in establishing the church there.

The Arce family lived in Quiriza for several years. Besides helping to teach the gospel Arce also aided in the construction of a chapel in Quiriza, which was the first LDS chapel built in Bolivia.

After returning to Salta, Arce returned to singing music, making his first major appearance at Cosquin.