Elder Ulisses Soares on developing spiritual awe

Elder Ulisses Soares (born October 2, 1958 in Brazil) 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.

"I have reflected on how much more spiritual wonder, so to speak, that we can and should feel for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the difference it can make in our discipleship and in our journey toward eternal life. The wonder I refer to is the sensation of emotion, awe, or amazement common to all who wholeheartedly center their lives on the Savior and His teachings and humbly recognize His presence in their lives. Such a feeling of wonder, inspired by the influence of the Holy Ghost, stimulates the enthusiasm to joyfully live the doctrine of Christ....

"My brothers and sisters, when we truly are in awe of Jesus Christ and His gospel, we are happier, we have more enthusiasm for God’s work, and we recognize the Lord’s hand in all things. Additionally, our study of God’s words is more meaningful; our prayers, more intentional; our worship, more reverent; our service in God’s kingdom, more diligent. All these actions contribute to the Holy Spirit’s influence being more frequent in our lives. Thus, our testimony of the Savior and His gospel will be strengthened, we will keep Christ alive in us (see Gal 2:20), and we will live our lives 'rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, … abounding therein with thanksgiving' (Colo 2:7). When we live in this way, we become more spiritually resilient and protected against falling into the trap of spiritual apathy."

- Ulisses Soares, "In Awe of Christ and His Gospel," General Conference April 2022, Sunday afternoon

Click here to read or listen to the full discourse

Elder Soares talked about some of my favorite words: awe, wonder, amazement. His premise was that a proper understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ brings us "spiritual wonder" that will change our entire approach to life, both mortal life and eternal life. It is a great key to discipleship!

I find it hard to believe that anyone who has truly made efforts to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ and particularly His Atonement, will feel anything but profound wonder and awe. They are such remarkable gifts to us! When we center our lives on the Savior and His teachings, our lives are deeply blessed. And we can "joyfully live" the gospel principles each day!

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2022)

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
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

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 has now assumed the weighty burden of being one of those messengers from God. We continue to look forward eagerly to his counsel as he serves and teaches.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2022)
April 17, 2018

Elder Ulisses Soares on serving with compassion

Elder Ulisses Soares (born October 2, 1958 in Brazil) 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.

"My dear friends, as we intentionally strive to incorporate a compassionate attitude into our way of life, as exemplified by the Savior, we will become more sensitive to people’s needs. With that increased sensitivity, feelings of genuine interest and love will permeate our every action. The Lord will recognize our efforts, and we will surely be blessed with opportunities to be instruments in His hands in softening hearts and in bringing relief to those whose 'hands … hang down' (D&C 81:5).

"Jesus’s admonition to Simon the Pharisee also made it clear that we should never make harsh and cruel judgment of our neighbor, because we are all in need of understanding and mercy for our imperfections from our loving Heavenly Father. Wasn’t this exactly what the Savior taught on another occasion when He said, 'And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?' (Matt 7:3.)

"We need to consider that it is not easy to understand all the circumstances that contribute to someone’s attitude or reaction. Appearances can be deceptive and oftentimes do not represent an accurate measurement of someone’s behavior. Unlike you and me, Christ is capable of clearly seeing all facets of a given situation. Even knowing all our weaknesses as He does, the Savior does not rashly condemn us but continues to work with us compassionately over time, helping us to remove the beam from our eye. Jesus always looks on the heart and not on the appearance. He Himself declared, 'Judge not according to the appearance' (John 7:24)."

- Ulisses Soares, "The Savior’s Abiding Compassion," General Conference October 2021, Saturday morning

Click here to read or watch the full talk

Elder Soares addressed a principle that is one of the most significant and important aspects of Christian discipleship—compassion and service. As we grow in our desire to help others, we'll be more sensitive to their needs, and our actions will reflect what is in our hearts.

I was grateful for this reminder—opportunities to serve will come to those who are prepared and seeking them.

As we seek for those in need of help and love, we must never judge unrighteously. People can be in need for many reasons, often not their own fault; only the Savior can truly evaluate what is in the heart and spirit. Our responsibility is to give, unselfishly and lovingly, whenever we see a need.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2021)

Elder Ulisses Soares on the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ

Elder Ulisses Soares (born October 2, 1958 in Brazil) 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.

"In addition to providing the majestic gift of salvation, the Savior offers us relief and comfort as we face our afflictions, temptations, and weaknesses of mortal life, including the circumstances we have experienced recently in the current pandemic. I can assure you that Christ is ever aware of the adversities we experience in mortality. He understands all of the bitterness, agony, and physical pain as well as the emotional and spiritual challenges we face. The Savior’s bowels are filled with mercy, and He is always ready to succor us. This is possible because He personally experienced and took upon Himself in the flesh the pain of our weakness and infirmities.

"With meekness and humility of heart, He descended below all things and accepted being despised, rejected, and humiliated by men, having been wounded for our transgressions and iniquities. He suffered these things for all, taking upon Himself the sins of the world, thus becoming our ultimate spiritual caregiver.

"As we draw nearer to Him, surrendering ourselves spiritually to His care, we will be able to take upon ourselves His yoke, which is easy, and His burden, which is light, thus finding that promised comfort and rest. Furthermore, we will receive the strength we all need to overcome the hardships, weaknesses, and sorrows of life, which are exceedingly difficult to endure without His help and healing power."

- Ulisses Soares, "Jesus Christ: The Caregiver of Our Soul," General Conference April 2021, Sunday morning

Elder Soares was privileged to speak on Easter morning, and he bore a powerful testimony of the Atonement of the Savior: both the miracle of Resurrection, and the peace that can come as we accept the blessing of repentance. But there is more - the peace and succor that come as we allow His Atonement to bless us in our daily challenges and difficulties.

Even through the frustrations of the pandemic, and all the greatest frustrations and challenges we have in life, we have the offer and promise of divine help. Elder Soares testifies of the Savior's awareness of our situations, and His willingness to help. That aid is only possible because He experienced our challenges during His mortal experience. How blessed we are to have that great gift available!

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2021)

Elder Ulisses Soares on taking up our cross

Elder Ulisses Soares (born October 2, 1958 in Brazil) 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.

"We all face adverse circumstances in our lives that make us feel sad, helpless, hopeless, and sometimes even weakened. Some of these feelings may lead us to question the Lord: 'Why am I experiencing these situations?' or 'Why are my expectations not met? After all, I am doing everything in my power to carry my cross and follow the Savior!'

"My dear friends, we must remember that taking our cross upon ourselves includes being humble and trusting in God and in His infinite wisdom. We must acknowledge that He is aware of each of us and of our needs. It is also necessary to accept the fact that the Lord’s timing is different than ours. Sometimes we seek for a blessing and set a time limit for the Lord to fulfill it. We cannot condition our faithfulness to Him by imposing upon Him a deadline for the answers to our desires. When we do this, we resemble the skeptical Nephites from ancient times, who mocked their brothers and sisters by saying that the time was past for the fulfillment of the words spoken by Samuel the Lamanite, creating confusion among those who believed. (See 3 Ne 1:4-7) We need to trust the Lord enough to be still and know that He is God, that He knows all things, and that He is aware of each of us. (See D&C 101:16.) ...

"Brothers and sisters, I want to testify to you that taking upon us our cross and following the Savior requires us to follow His example and strive to become like Him, patiently facing the circumstances of life, denying and despising the appetites of the natural man, and waiting on the Lord. The Psalmist wrote:

"'Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord' (Psalm 27:14).

"'He is our help and our shield' (Psalm 33:20).

"I testify to you that following our Master's footsteps and waiting on Him who is the ultimate healer of our lives will provide rest to our souls and make our burdens easy and light."

- Ulisses Soares, "Take Up Our Cross," General Conference October 2019, Sunday afternoon

Click here to read or listen to the full talk

To his ancient disciples, the Savior said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Matt 16:24). Learning to be obedient and submissive is, according to Elder Soares, "the price to be paid for the salvation of a soul." Many face great challenges in this life, and all of us will face some. But each of us must learn that critical lesson of taking up the cross that is given to us, and trusting in the wisdom of Him who knows intimately what cross we bear. Learning to fully trust in His wisdom and His timing is perhaps one of the most important things we must accomplish in our mortal experience.

Truly "He is aware of each of us and of our needs." But we can't set terms and conditions on God, whose knowledge and wisdom are far beyond ours. Our desire must always be to learn His will for us and follow it with obedience and submission.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2020)

Elder Ulisses Soares on turning our thoughts to the Savior

Elder Ulisses Soares (born October 2, 1958 in Brazil) 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.

"Being aware of all that is necessary for us in this life, the Savior invites us to seek Him in every thought and to follow Him with all our heart. This gives us the promise that we can walk in His light and that His guidance prevents the influence of darkness in our life.

"Seeking Christ in every thought and following Him with all our heart requires that we align our mind and desires with His. The scriptures refer to this alignment as 'stand[ing] fast in the Lord' (Philippians 4:1). This course of action implies that we continually conduct our lives in harmony with the gospel of Christ and focus daily on everything that is good. Only then may we achieve 'the peace of God, which passeth all understanding' and which will 'keep [our] hearts and minds through Christ Jesus' (Philippians 4:7)."

- Ulisses Soares, "Seek Christ in Every Thought," General Conference October 2020, Sunday morning

Click here to read or listen to the full talk

The concept of "alignment" is fascinating to me. The word align derives from old French and means to set or place into a straight line, a proper order or arrangement. You have to know what the proper or correct arrangement is in order to align. If we are clear about that correct positioning, we attempt to achieve it through adjustments. Or sometimes, when we know one thing is correct and true, and are not sure about a second thing, we can try to "align" the second to the first.

Elder Soares suggests that we align our mind and desires to the Savior. We know and believe that He is just and true; he is the perfect model. Our goal is to emulate Him. So we devote our hearts to Him and seek to follow with all our hearts.

Once something is in alignment, there may be things that can remove it from the proper positioning; it can be "knocked out" from the alignment. So it requires ongoing caution, periodic checking and evaluation, and occasional adjustments to preserve alignment. All of those things apply to our spiritual alignment to the Savior.

The real blessing of alignment with Him comes in the peace and joy that follow. Those are divine promises, and we constantly feel them reinforced as we follow that path.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2020)

Elder Ulisses Soares on learning and teaching the gospel

Elder Ulisses Soares (born October 2, 1958 in Brazil) 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.

"As recorded in the book of Acts, Philip the evangelist taught the gospel to a certain Ethiopian who was a eunuch in charge of all the treasures belonging to the queen of Ethiopia. (See Acts 8:27.) While returning from worshipping in Jerusalem, he read the book of Isaiah. Compelled by the Spirit, Philip came closer to him and said, 'Understandest thou what thou readest?

"'And [the eunuch] said, How can I, except some man should guide me? …

"'Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.' (Acts 8:30–31, 35.)

"The question asked by this Ethiopian man is a reminder of the divine mandate we all have to seek to learn and to teach one another the gospel of Jesus Christ. (D&C 88:77–78, 118; 130:18–19; 131:6.) In fact, in the context of learning and teaching the gospel, we are sometimes like the Ethiopian—we need the help of a faithful and inspired teacher; and we are sometimes like Philip—we need to teach and strengthen others in their conversion.

"Our purpose as we seek to learn and to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ must be to increase faith in God and in His divine plan of happiness and in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice and to achieve lasting conversion. Such increased faith and conversion will help us make and keep covenants with God, thus strengthening our desire to follow Jesus and producing a genuine spiritual transformation in us—in other words, transforming us into a new creature, as taught by the Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Corinthians. (See 2 Corinthians 5:17.) This transformation will bring us a more happy, productive, and healthy life and help us to maintain an eternal perspective. Isn’t this exactly what happened to the Ethiopian eunuch after he learned about the Savior and was converted to His gospel? The scripture says that 'he went on his way rejoicing.' (Acts 8:39.)"

- Ulisses Soares, "How Can I Understand?," General Conference April 2019
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

Elder Soares speaks of a two-fold "divine mandate" given to each of us: "to seek to learn and to teach one another the gospel of Jesus Christ." Learning must precede teaching, and so our quest should be continually to study, ponder, ad build on our understanding and testimony. Truly in this quest "we need the help of a faithful and inspired teacher." We should seek them out and be eager for their influence. Then, we are preparing to accept our opportunities to pass on what we have learned.

Our quest for divine knowledge brings many benefits: lasting personal conversion, increased faith, growing resolve to follow Jesus, spiritual transformation. And ultimately, the changes we experience "will bring us a more happy, productive, and healthy life."

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2019)

Elder Ulisses Soares on following Jesus Christ

Elder Ulisses Soares (born October 2, 1958 in Brazil) 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.

"You may recall that two disciples of John the Baptist followed Jesus Christ after hearing John witness that Jesus was the Lamb of God, the Messiah. These good men accepted Jesus’s invitation to 'come and see' (see John 1:38–39) and abode with Him that day. They came to know that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God, and followed Him for the rest of their lives.

"Likewise, when we accept the Savior’s invitation to 'come and see,' we need to abide in Him, immersing ourselves in the scriptures, rejoicing in them, learning His doctrine, and striving to live the way He lived. Only then will we come to know Him, Jesus Christ, and recognize His voice, knowing that as we come unto Him and believe in Him, we shall never hunger nor thirst. (See John 6:35.) We will be able to discern the truth at all times, as occurred to those two disciples who abode with Jesus that day.

"Brothers and sisters, that doesn’t happen by chance. Attuning ourselves to the highest influences of godliness is not a simple matter; it requires calling upon God and learning how to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to the center of our lives. If we do so, I promise that the influence of the Holy Ghost will bring truth to our heart and mind and will bear witness of it (see John 16:13), teaching all things (see John 14:26)."

- Ulisses Soares, "How Can I Understand?," General Conference April 2019
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

Elder Soares gave the opening talk in the recent general conference. It's appropriate that he discussed how we learn and understand the Gospel, and particularly how to find and follow truth.

I love the example from those early disciples, who were invited to "come and see" so they could further understand the message of the Savior. We need to take actions in our lives to come to Him, to see what His message is about, to follow His example and live His teachings. Then we will truly "see" the eternal importance and significance of the powerful life He invites us to live. Note that Elder Soares counsels that the important step is "immersing ourselves in the scriptures, rejoicing in them, learning His doctrine, and striving to live the way He lived." It's the "immersing" part that we sometimes fall short on.

Once we have immersed in the scriptures, we must call on God to find His counsel on "how to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to the center of our lives." Through the Holy Ghost, we will receive teaching and testimony from on high to guide and inspire us.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2019)

Elder Ulisses Soares on not allowing Satan's power in our lives

Elder Ulisses Soares (born October 2, 1958 in Brazil) 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.

"The war of good against evil will continue throughout our lives since the adversary’s purpose is to make all people as miserable as he is. Satan and his angels will try to shroud our thoughts and assert control by tempting us to sin. If they can, they will corrupt all that is good. Nevertheless, it is essential to understand that they will have power over us only if we allow it.

"The scriptures also contain several examples of those who gave that permission to the adversary and ended up becoming confused and even destroyed, like Nehor, Korihor, and Sherem. We need to be alert to this danger. We cannot allow ourselves to be confused by popular messages that are easily accepted by the world and that contradict the doctrine and true principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many of these worldly messages represent nothing more than an attempt of our society to justify sin. We need to remember that, at the end, all will stand before Christ to be judged of our works, whether they are good or whether they are evil (see 3 Nephi 27:14). As we encounter these worldly messages, great courage and a solid knowledge of the plan of our Heavenly Father will be required to choose the right.

"All of us can receive the strength to choose the right if we seek the Lord and place all our trust and faith in Him. But, as the scriptures teach, we need to have 'a sincere heart' and 'real intent.' Then the Lord, in His infinite mercy, 'will manifest the truth unto [us], by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost [we] may know the truth of all things.' (Moroni 10:4-5.)"

- Ulisses Soares, "Yes, We Can and Will Win!", General Conference April 2015
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

In some of father Lehi's final counsel to his sons, he warned them that Satan "seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself" (2 Ne 2:27). Elder Soares counseled that Satan is very active in that ongoing endeavor in our time.

The broader context of Lehi's counsel also includes that caveat stated by Elder Soares—Satan has "power over us only if we allow it":

"Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself." (2 Ne 2:27)

When we exercise our agency to follow the Adversary's temptations, we find ourselves "becoming confused" and losing our power to choose. The eventual result result will be that we choose "captivity and death." It becomes critical that we not be misled by the messages of the world, but that we stay focused on the foundation of the Gospel message and the Savior.

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2019)

Elder Ulisses Soares on our covenants to nurture and help one another

Elder Ulisses Soares (born October 2, 1958 in Brazil) 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.

"In a similar way that the Solimões and Negro Rivers flow together to make the great Amazon River, the children of God come together in the restored Church of Jesus Christ from different social backgrounds, traditions, and cultures, forming this wonderful community of Saints in Christ. Eventually, as we encourage, support, and love each other, we combine to form a mighty force for good in the world. As followers of Jesus Christ, flowing as one in this river of goodness, we will be able to provide the 'fresh water' of the gospel to a thirsty world.

"The Lord has inspired His prophets to teach us how we can support and love each other so we can become united in faith and purpose in following Jesus Christ. Paul, the New Testament Apostle, taught that those who 'have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ...: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus' (Galatians 3:27–28; emphasis added).

"When we promise at baptism to follow the Savior, we witness before the Father that we are willing to take upon us the name of Christ. (See Doctrine and Covenants 20:37.) As we strive to acquire His divine attributes in our lives, we become different than we were, through the Atonement of Christ the Lord, and our love for all people increases naturally. (See Mosiah 3:19.) We feel a sincere concern for everyone’s welfare and happiness. We see each other as brothers and sisters, as children of God with divine origin, attributes, and potential. We desire to care for each other and bear one another’s burdens. (See Mosiah 18:8.)

"This is what Paul described as charity. (See 1 Corinthians 13.) Mormon, a prophet of the Book of Mormon, described it as 'the pure love of Christ' (Moroni 7:47), which is the most sublime, noblest, and strongest form of love."

- Ulisses Soares, "One in Christ," General Conference October 2018
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

Elder Soares, the newest of the apostles who is from Brazil, used the analogy of smaller rivers merging to form the Amazon to describe the process of how we merge together in our church communities of faith. Bringing diverse backgrounds and compositions together can take some time as we learn to accommodate and cooperate; but the result is an even stronger combined presence including the best of all the contributing components. But the process of joining in unity is not always easy, especially for the smaller, newer components—the new members joining the Church. So Elder Soares counseled on things we can do to be aware of them and their challenges.

Some of the most important aspects of nurturing newer members are the inherent covenants and obligations that come with the covenants we make at baptism:

I appreciated Elder Soares' reminder; it's always beneficial to ponder covenants we have made, and consider if there are things we can do better as we strive to live up to our spiritual commitments. And strive is the key word; we should "strive to acquire His divine attributes in our lives." We're not perfect yet, but we're striving!

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

Elder Ulisses Soares on realizing our divine potential

Elder Ulisses Soares (born October 2, 1958 in Brazil) 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.

"Each of us was born with the potential to become like our Heavenly Father. Through our experiences and by properly using our agency, we can turn our lives in the direction of God and become like Him. Or we can be distracted by the world and fail to achieve our potential as it was promised to us. Figuratively, we all have the potential to become beautiful works of art in the Lord’s hands. In this sense, He is the sculptor and He uses a hammer and chisel to mold us through our experiences day by day. If we allow the Lord to shape us, the result will be wonderful.

"But without question, this world offers many distractions that can pull our focus away from the primary reason we are living here on this earth. These distractions can turn into detours in our lives that prevent us from being transformed into works of art."

- Ulisses Soares, "Becoming a Work of Art," BYU devotional, Nov. 5, 2013
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

We believe in a Father in Heaven who is literally our Father; we believe He knows us, loves us, and wants to help us in this life. Elder Soares, in this message given while he was serving as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy, reminds us that we need to remember Him and "turn our lives in [His] direction" in order to avoid being distracted by the world.

The image of a sculptor working a block of marble is so appropriate. God will "mold us through our experiences day by day" as we allow Him to shape us, trusting in His wisdom even when we don't fully understand the process. The key, Elder Soares warns us, is not to allow ourselves to become distracted from our focus on God.

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

Elder Ulisses Soares on the focus of priorities and programs in the Church

Elder Ulisses Soares (born October 2, 1958 in Brazil) 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.

"Jesus showed patience and love to all who came to Him seeking relief for their physical, emotional, or spiritual illnesses and who felt discouraged and downtrodden.

"To follow the Savior’s example, each one of us must look around and reach out to the sheep who are facing the same circumstances and lift them up and encourage them to proceed on the journey towards eternal life.

"This need today is as great as or perhaps even greater than when the Savior walked on this earth. As shepherds we must understand that we should nurture each one of our sheep to bring them to Christ, which is the purpose of all we do in this Church.

"Any activity, meeting, or program should focus on this same objective. As we stay in tune with the needs of the people, we can strengthen them and help them overcome their challenges, so they will remain steadfast in the way which will lead them back to our Heavenly Father’s presence and help them endure to the end.

"The gospel of Jesus Christ is about people, not programs. Sometimes, in the haste of fulfilling our Church responsibilities, we spend too much time concentrating on programs, instead of focusing on people, and end up taking their real needs for granted. When things like that happen, we lose the perspective of our callings, neglect people, and prevent them from reaching their divine potential to gain eternal life."

- Ulisses Soares, “Feed My Sheep," General Conference October 2005
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

This was the first general conference message shared by Elder Soares after his call as a general authority in 2005. He talked about the sacred responsibility we share as members of the Church to care for one another, truly following the example and teachings of the Savior. As recorded in the scriptures, His ministry focused on those who "felt discouraged and downtrodden" as He offered "relief for their physical, emotional, or spiritual illnesses." We might ask ourselves how well we are doing in following that specific example!

Truly, a primary reason for the organization and existence of the Church is to facilitate our serving one another in this manner. We must never lose that focus and priority! That is the way we help one another reach our "divine potential to gain eternal life."

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

Elder Ulisses Soares on the power of faith and trust in God

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.

"If we are not rooted by steadfast trust in God and the desire to serve Him, the painful experiences of mortality can lead us to feel as though we are burdened by a heavy yoke; and we can lose the motivation to live the gospel fully. Without faith, we will end up losing the capacity to appreciate those designs of our God regarding the things that will happen later in our life. (See D&C 58:3.)

"In these moments of trial, the adversary—who is always on the lookout—tries to use our logic and reasoning against us. He tries to convince us that it is useless to live the principles of the gospel.... We must not allow him to deceive us; for when we do, we falter in our faith and lose the power to obtain God’s blessings.

"If we are steadfast and do not waver in our faith, the Lord will increase our capacity to raise ourselves above the challenges of life. We will be enabled to subdue negative impulses, and we will develop the capacity to overcome even what appear to be overwhelming obstacles....

"Brothers and sisters, I invite you to place all of your trust in God and in the teachings of His prophets. I invite you to renew your covenants with God, to serve Him with all your heart, regardless of the complex situations of life. I testify that by the power of your unwavering faith in Christ, you will become free of the captivity of sin, of doubt, of unbelief, of unhappiness, of suffering; and you will receive all of the promised blessings from our loving Heavenly Father."

- Ulisses Soares, "Confide in God Unwaveringly," General Conference April 2017
Click here to read or listen to the full talk

Elder Soares shared these remarks as a member of the Seventy a year before his call as an apostle. He talked about the challenges of mortality and the difficulties that enter each life, often bringing feelings of burden and discouragement. One of the Adversary's tactics is to attack us in those times of challenge and steal our motivation to live the Gospel and continue in obedience. Elder Soares reminds us that through faithfulness and trust in God, we grow in our capacity to "raise ourselves above the challenges of life."

These are wonderful promises of help and inspiration. Elder Soares invites us to recommit, to renew covenants, and to continue in faithfulness in order to receive God's help now and attain the promises of eternity.

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

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)

Elder Ulisses Soares on developing Christlike meekness

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.

"Meekness is the quality of those who are 'Godfearing, righteous, humble, teachable, and patient under suffering' (Guide to the Scriptures, s.v. 'Meek, Meekness'). Those who possess this attribute are willing to follow Jesus Christ, and their temperament is calm, docile, tolerant, and submissive.

"The Apostle Paul taught that meekness is a fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23). Therefore, it can most easily be attained if we 'live in the Spirit' (Galatians 5:25). And to live in the Spirit, our lifestyle must reflect righteousness before the Lord.

"As we take Christ’s name upon us, it is expected that we strive to emulate His attributes and change our character to become more like Him each day....

"'Christlike attributes are gifts from God. [These attributes] come as [we] use [our] agency righteously. …With a desire to please God, [we have to] recognize [our] weaknesses and be willing and anxious to improve.' (Preach My Gospel 115)

"Meekness is vital for us to become more Christlike. Without it we won’t be able to develop other important virtues. Being meek does not mean weakness, but it does mean behaving with goodness and kindness, showing strength, serenity, healthy self-worth, and self-control.

"Meekness was one of the most abundant attributes in the Savior’s life. He Himself taught His disciples, 'Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart' (Matthew 11:29).

"We are blessed to be born with the seed of meekness in our hearts. We need to understand that it is not possible to grow and develop that seed in the twinkling of an eye but rather through the process of time. Christ asks us to 'take up [our] cross daily' (Luke 9:23), meaning that it must be a constant focus and desire."

- Ulisses Soares, "Be Meek and Lowly of Heart," General Conference, October 2013
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This talk was given shortly after Elder Soares was called to the presidency of the Seventy. His summary of the characteristics and qualities of meekness was interesting and helpful. The idea of our temperament being "calm, docile, tolerant, and submissive" seems like a distant goal at times, but is certainly one to aspire to and work toward. Elder Soares suggests that we obtain meekness as a "fruit of the spirit" through a righteous lifestyle, and through our efforts to emulate the Savior in our daily activities.

Developing qualities of meekness leads us to be more Christlike, one of the best goals we could have. It's especially important to note that we are "born with the seed of meekness in our hearts" but that the full development of the quality of meekness, like the growth of a plant from a seed, requires time and continuing nurturing. How important it is for us to continue that nurturing in our personal lives!

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