Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke during the Saturday morning session of October 2021 general conference. He encouraged listeners to follow the Lord’s example of compassion for others. The following is a summary of what he said.
Notable quotes from Elder Soares
“In order to qualify ourselves to make righteous judgements, we must strive to become like the Savior and look at the imperfections of individuals compassionately.”
“Christ is capable of clearly seeing all facets of a given situation.”
“We all can be instruments in the Lord’s hands and act compassionately.”
Summary of Elder Soares’ talk
Compassion was one of the most striking principles taught by the Savior during His earthly ministry. Christ’s example offers a perfect model of how to interact with compassion with others.
“The compassionate attitude of Jesus is rooted in charity, namely in His pure and perfect love, which is the essence of His atoning sacrifice. Compassion is a fundamental characteristic of those who strive for sanctification, and this divine quality intertwines with other Christian traits, such as mourning with those who mourn and having empathy, mercy and kindness.”
Compassion for others is, in fact, the essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Striving to incorporate a compassionate attitude will foster sensitivity 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 bringing relief to those whose hands hang down.”
All are in need of God’s understanding and mercy.
“Perhaps it would be better if we sit at Jesus’ feet and plead for mercy for our own imperfections … and not spend so much time and energy fixating on the perceived imperfections of others.”
About Elder Soares
- 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 Soares and his wife, Sister Rosana Fernandez 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.
Elder Soares in the news
- Elder Soares dedicated the new and relocated Mesa Arizona Temple Visitors’ Center on Aug. 12. Its objective, he said, is to provide guests with an experience that both immerses them in Mesa’s rich spiritual heritage and focuses on learning more about Jesus Christ.
- During the concluding devotional of a For the Strength of Youth conference in the Caribbean July 26-30, he emphasized recognizing and listening to the Spirit.
- Elder and Sister Soares taught how to find joy and peace through the Savior — especially amid adversity — in answering questions from a panel of students during a BYU-Idaho devotional on May 16.
Elder Soares’ recent social posts
- “All of our efforts, both religious and humanitarian, will always be able to prosper with God’s help,” Elder Soares wrote in a Facebook post on Sep. 10 about a recent visit to the Dominican Republic, where he met with Vice President Raquel Peña to discuss the local humanitarian efforts of the Church.
- In a July 11 Instagram post, Elder Soares shared what a bishop in Brazil learned about Jesus Christ after losing both his parents due to complications from COVID-19.
- On May 14, Elder Soares bore witness of the Savior’s power to understand all experiences in mortality, and that “He is always ready to succor us.”
