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What a story from Elder Soares’ youth taught Primary children during the Friend to Friend

Seven-year-old Brianna Villsnil, a Latter-day Saint from Salt Lake City, sits on the Friend to Friend event’s rotating set next to co-host and 10-year-old Payson Inkley, from Centerville, Utah, during a dress rehearsal Jan. 21 in Provo, Utah. Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Seven-year-old Brianna Villsnil, a Latter-day Saint from Salt Lake City, sits on the Friend to Friend event’s rotating set next to co-host and 10-year-old Payson Inkley, from Centerville, Utah, during a dress rehearsal Jan. 21 in Provo, Utah. Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Primary General President Joy D. Jones talks to 10-year-old Payson Inkley during a dress rehearsal Jan. 21 in Provo, Utah, for the Friend to Friend event. Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles participates in the Friend to Friend event that premiered on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021. Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speaks to children in his office for the Friend to Friend broadcast on Saturday, Feb. 20. Credit: Screenshot ChurchofJesusChrist.org
President Russell M. Nelson shares a message with children ages 3 through 11 as part of the Friend to Friend program that premiered on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021. Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Primary General President Joy D. Jones answers questions during an interview Jan. 21 in Provo, Utah, on the set of the Friend to Friend event. Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Sister Lisa L. Harkness, first counselor in the Primary general presidency, is interviewed during a Friend to Friend dress rehearsal Jan. 21 in Provo, Utah. Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Sister Lisa L. Harkness, first counselor of the Primary general presidency, participates in the Friend to Friend event that premiered on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021. In preparation for the event and to reach the Portuguese-speaking audience in their native la Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Sister Cristina B. Franco, second counselor in the Primary general presidency, is interviewed Jan. 21 on the set of the Friend to Friend event at the Church’s Motion Picture Studio in Provo, Utah. Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Seven-year-old Brianna Villsnill from Salt Lake City, Utah, stands behind a table set up for a rock activity on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021, at the Church’s Motion Picture Studios in Provo, Utah. Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Antonia Ovalle and Louys Pacheco host the Spanish-language Friend to Friend event and listen to a message from Sister Cristina B. Franco, second counselor of the Primary general presidency, on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021. Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
A view of the Friend to Friend event’s rotating set in the Church’s Motion Picture Studio on Jan. 21 in Provo, Utah. Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
While standing on the Friend to Friend program’s rotating set, 7-year-old Brianna Villsnil and 10-year-old Payson Inkley point to Tahiti on a map in preparation for an interaction with a young Latter-day Saint from that location. The event premiered in En Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
A view of 7-year-old Brianna Villsnil and 10-year-old Payson Inkley, hosts of the Friend to Friend program, on the rotating set at the Church’s Motion Pictures Studio in Provo, Utah, on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021. Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
President Joy D. Jones and other members of the Primary general presidency wave to the Friend to Friend English language event’s co-hosts during a dress rehearsal on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021, in Provo, Utah. Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
A virtual children’s choir performs an arrangement of “I’m Trying To Be Like Jesus” and “We’ll Bring the World His Truth” in English, Spanish and Portuguese at the close of the Friend to Friend broadcast on Saturday, Feb. 20. Credit: Screenshot ChurchofJesusChrist.org
Raiarii, middle, from Tahiti, is pictured with his friends Kali, left, and Mia in front of the Papeete Tahiti Temple. Raiarii’s “Helping Hands” experience was shared during the Friend to Friend broadcast on Saturday, Feb. 20. Credit: Screenshot ChurchofJesusChrist.org

It’s not every day a Primary child has the opportunity to visit a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in his office at the Church Administration Building in Salt Lake City. 

During the Friend to Friend broadcast on Saturday, Feb. 20, two young “field reporters” took the virtual audience inside Elder Ulisses Soares’ office to ask him a question about making covenants with God at baptism.

“Some of us have already made those covenants and some of us will soon. What advice do you have for us about keeping these promises?” they asked the Apostle. 

Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speaks to children in his office for the Friend to Friend broadcast on Saturday, Feb. 20.
Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speaks to children in his office for the Friend to Friend broadcast on Saturday, Feb. 20. | Credit: Screenshot ChurchofJesusChrist.org

To answer their question, Elder Soares illustrated a story from his childhood — with the help of an animated 11-year-old Ulisses. 

One day, Ulisses’ mother gave him money to go to the store and buy some fruit. On his way home, he realized he had more money in his hand than he started with. The lady behind the counter had made a mistake when giving him change for his purchase. 

“I thought, I can give the correct change back to my mother and I can keep the extra money to spend however I want,” said Elder Soares, as an ice cream cone flashed in a thought bubble above his animated head. 

“But then I remembered what my bishop taught me. I knew that to keep my baptismal covenants, I needed to be honest. When I had this thought, I felt the Holy Ghost.”

So young Ulisses walked back to the store and returned the money. “Choosing the right during this moment gave me the strength to make many, many other correct choices and keep my promises to my Heavenly Father,” he said. 

In this historic event designed for children and hosted by children, the virtual audience of Primary boys and girls, parents and leaders sang songs, colored pictures, played with rocks, “traveled” around the world to hear stories and listened to special messages from President Russell M. Nelson, Elder Soares and the Primary general presidency. 

As the first Face to Face-style event for children, the Friend to Friend originated in three languages — English, Spanish and Portuguese — with native-speaking hosts. The event’s segments were designed to be watched over and over again and discussed throughout the year at home and in Primary. 

The Prophet’s message to children

With more than 100 great-grandchildren under the age of 12, President Nelson has a special love for the Primary children around the world. 

“We’ve learned some important things today, haven’t we?” he said in a video segment toward the end of the broadcast. “We have been reminded that each of us is a beloved child of God. Please remember that fact. If you never forget that one pure truth, you can face any problem with faith and courage.”

The way to find true joy in life is to walk always on the Savior’s covenant path. “Just think of the light and love you can bring into the world as faithful followers of Jesus Christ,” President Nelson said. 

President Russell M. Nelson shares a message with children ages 3 through 11 as part of the Friend to Friend program that premiered on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021.
President Russell M. Nelson shares a message with children ages 3 through 11 as part of the Friend to Friend program that premiered on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021. | Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

He reminded his young audience that “by small and simple things are great things brought to pass. The Lord can use you — yes, each of you — to do His amazing and important work.”

Some “small and simple things” that can make a big difference include helping someone in need, learning and living the teachings of Jesus Christ, sharing testimony of Him, keeping His commandments and preparing now to go to the temple.

“When you do any of these things, you’re helping Heavenly Father to gather His children back to Him,” President Nelson said.  

“My beloved young friends, I am so very proud of each one of you. I know that Heavenly Father is watching over you. He loves you very much. And so do I.”

‘Helping like Jesus’

Earlier in the broadcast, the child hosts “visited” Tahiti with a costume change and beach backdrop to introduce a 9-year-old boy named Raiarii. 

A few years ago while visiting his grandmother, Raiarii met her friends Kali and Mia. When Kali and Mia started joining Raiarii and his grandmother in their scripture study, Raiarii helped explain the scriptures so they were easy to understand. 

Raiarii was getting ready to be baptized and told Kali about it. Then the missionaries began teaching Kali and Mia about the gospel. Raiarii was able to attend their baptism. “I am so happy that Kali wanted to follow in Jesus’s footsteps,” he said.

Last December, Kali and Mia were sealed in the Papeete Tahiti Temple. 

Raiarii, middle, from Tahiti, is pictured with his friends Kali, left, and Mia in front of the Papeete Tahiti Temple. Raiarii’s “Helping Hands” experience was shared during the Friend to Friend broadcast on Saturday, Feb. 20.
Raiarii, middle, from Tahiti, is pictured with his friends Kali, left, and Mia in front of the Papeete Tahiti Temple. Raiarii’s “Helping Hands” experience was shared during the Friend to Friend broadcast on Saturday, Feb. 20. | Credit: Screenshot ChurchofJesusChrist.org

Raiarii’s “Helping Hands” experience is featured in the February Friend magazine. Introduced in January, each month’s magazine will feature a story of a child who served their family or community, along with an invitation from the Primary general presidency to “help like Jesus.”

“Children, you can be helping hands all around the world,” said Primary General President Joy D. Jones during the Friend to Friend. She then gave several examples of boys and girls who have been serving like the Savior. 

“I invite you to notice someone who needs help. Then say a prayer and make a plan to serve them. Heavenly Father will help you along the way. …

“Boys and girls, please remember how much we love you, and how much Heavenly Father loves you. We can’t wait to see you all again soon in Primary,” President Jones said. 

Primary General President Joy D. Jones talks to 10-year-old Payson Inkley during a dress rehearsal Jan. 21 in Provo, Utah, for the Friend to Friend event.
Primary General President Joy D. Jones talks to 10-year-old Payson Inkley during a dress rehearsal Jan. 21 in Provo, Utah, for the Friend to Friend event. | Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Friend to Friend event concluded with a virtual children’s choir singing an arrangement of “I’m Trying To Be Like Jesus” and “We’ll Bring the World His Truth” in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Sister Lisa L. Harkness, first counselor in the Primary general presidency, participated in the Portuguese version of the Friend to Friend, while Sister Cristina B. Franco, second counselor, spoke in the Spanish broadcast.     

The broadcast will be archived on face2face.ChurchofJesusChrist.org, the Latter-day Saints Channel, Gospel Media and Gospel Library and may be streamed or downloaded. It will be available for viewing in additional languages in coming weeks. 

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