Notable quotes:
“For those who, for whatever reason, fall into temptation and are dwelling upon unrighteous actions, I assure you that there is a way back, that there is hope in Christ.”
“When we resist the little temptations, which often come unexpectedly in our life, we are better equipped to avoid serious transgressions.”
“By following Jesus’ example, we will avoid many tragedies and undesirable behaviors that might cause family problems and disagreements, negative emotions and inclinations, perpetrating injustices and abuses, enslavement by evil addictions, and anything else that would be against the Lord’s commandments.”
Summary points:
- Resisting temptation requires daily and constant personal effort — and relying on the Savior.
- The Savior set the example for how to overcome temptation.
- Seeking to “hear Him” in every thought will bring the strength and courage to say “No” and “Get thee hence.”
Talk summary:
Seeking the Savior in every thought and following Him with a full purpose of heart requires aligning one’s mind and desires with His. This means living life in harmony with the gospel of Jesus Christ and focusing “on everything that is good.”
Despite continuous efforts to seek the Lord, inappropriate thoughts may penetrate the mind. If permitted and invited to stay, such thoughts can shape the desires of one’s heart, what they will become and what they will inherit for eternity. By choosing to have wholesome thoughts, “We can become more aligned with Jesus Christ” and more influenced by the Spirit.
Yielding to temptation is like approaching a magnet with a metal object. The magnet’s force attracts the object and holds it tightly. When the object is moved away, the magnet loses power. “As we resist temptation, it fades away and loses its power over our mind and heart, and consequently, over our actions.”
Such adjustment requires daily and constant effort, in addition to relying on the Savior. “Fighting against temptation takes a lifetime of diligence and faithfulness,” but the Lord is ready to help and promises blessings to those who endure to the end.
While on the earth, the Savior exemplified the importance of constantly resisting temptation as the enemy attempted to divert Him from His mission. “Get thee hence, Satan,” he said.
“I invite all of us to ‘hear Him’ in every thought and follow Him with all our heart in order to obtain the strength and courage to say, ‘No’ and ‘Get thee hence’ to all the things that might bring unhappiness into our life.
“If we do so, I promise that the Lord will send an added measure of His Holy Spirit to strengthen and comfort us, and we may become individuals after the Lord’s own heart.”
In the news:
- During the virtual Youth Music Festival on July 29, Elder Ulisses Soares and his wife, Sister Rosana Soares, invited youth worldwide to strive to hear the Lord’s voice.
- Elder Soares, along with President Joy D. Jones and President M. Russell Ballard, honored pioneers past and present in a video created for Pioneer Day called “Crossroads of the world.”
- Elder Soares spoke to Church News about Sabbath day observance during COVID-19 as part of a series of articles highlighting the teachings of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Elder Soares provided the keynote address at the 2020 Seminaries and Institutes of Religion Annual Training Broadcast from the Church Office Building in Salt Lake City on June 9.
About the speaker:
- Elder Ulisses Soares was sustained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on March 31, 2018.
- Born in São Paulo, Brazil, he is the first and only Apostle from South America to serve in the quorum. In August 2018, he went to Brazil on his first official visit since his call to the Twelve.
- Both Elder and Sister Soares served in the Brazil Rio de Janeiro Mission. They began dating after their missions when they ran into each other at a stake dance. They have three children.
Recently on social:
- In a video posted to his social media pages, Elder Ulisses Soares invited youth around the world to participate in the virtual Youth Music Festival on July 29
- On May 4, Elder Soares posted his testimony on Instagram and Facebook and extended an invitation for others to share their own testimony in the comment section.
- Elder Soares shared a picture of Michelangelo’s sculpture, the “Pietà,” and compared the art of sculpting with the way that the Lord works to shape His children.
