Elder Ulisses Soares on the blessing of latter-day prophets

Elder Ulisses Soares (born October 2, 1958) has served as a Seventy since April 2005, and as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy since January 2013. He was sustained to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles on April 1, 2018.

"Isn’t it a blessing to have prophets, seers, and revelators on earth in these days in which we live, who seek to know the will of the Lord and follow it? It is comforting to know that we are not alone in the world, despite the challenges we face in life. Having prophets is a sign of God’s love for His children. They make known the promises and the true nature of God and of Jesus Christ to Their people. I have learned that through my personal experiences....

"I testify that the prophets speak by the power of the Holy Spirit. They testify of Christ and His divine mission on earth. They represent the mind and heart of the Lord and are called to represent Him and teach us what we must do to return to live in the presence of God and His Son, Jesus Christ. We are blessed as we exercise our faith and follow their teachings. By following them, our lives are happier and less complicated, our difficulties and problems are easier to bear, and we create a spiritual armor around us that will protect us from the attacks of the enemy in our day."

- Ulisses Soares, "Prophets Speak by the Power of the Holy Spirit," General Conference April 2018
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Elder Soares bore a brief testimony as his first message since being sustained as the newest member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, testifying of the blessing and power that come as we heed the counsel of inspired leaders. Particularly important is the thought, "Having prophets is a sign of God's love for His children." Through them, He sends guidance, warnings, and encouragement for us to confront "the challenges we face in life." But prophets, seers, and revelators are a blessing to us, only to the degree that we follow their teachings:

Elder Soares now assumes the weighty burden of being one of those messengers from God. We look forward eagerly to his counsel as he begins to serve and teach.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2018)