Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke during the Saturday afternoon session of April 2026 general conference about abiding in Christ, who is the True Vine. The following is a summary of what Elder Soares said.
Elder Soares’ talk summary
The night before His suffering and death, Jesus Christ declared, “I am the true vine, … ye are the branches” (John 15:1, 5). Through this “beautiful and moving” metaphor, the Savior taught that He is the true, trusted and essential source of spiritual nourishment.
“Therefore, just as the branches cannot bear fruit of themselves unless they remain connected to the vine, neither can we reach our full spiritual measure unless we abide in Him and His gospel.”
Abiding in Christ is a constant, conscious and sacred choice. It doesn’t remove life’s burdens, but through His grace, those burdens are made lighter.
“As we place ourselves in His loving care and take upon us His yoke, we receive the spiritual power to endure and overcome the trials, weaknesses and sorrows of mortality — burdens often too heavy to bear without His redeeming help and healing influence.”
The world is full of voices, some good, some lacking in substance and some that deceive. Over time, these voices can grow into “tangled vines” that lead to spiritual loss and sorrow.
“In a world of many voices, remaining connected to the True Vine is not merely desirable; it is essential to our spiritual survival.”
Read the full text of Elder Soares’ talk: ‘Jesus Christ — the True Vine’
Notable quotes
“Just as the branches cannot bear fruit of themselves unless they remain connected to the vine, neither can we reach our full spiritual measure unless we abide in [Christ] and His gospel.”
“As we place ourselves in His loving care and take upon us His yoke, we receive the spiritual power to endure and overcome the trials, weaknesses and sorrows of mortality — burdens often too heavy to bear without His redeeming help and healing influence.”
“In a world of many voices, remaining connected to the True Vine is not merely desirable; it is essential to our spiritual survival.”
Who is Elder Soares?
- Elder Ulisses Soares was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on March 31, 2018. Born in São Paulo, Brazil, he is the first person from South America to serve in the quorum.
- Both Elder Soares and his wife, Sister Rosana Fernandes 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 was an accountant and auditor for multinational corporations in Brazil and, later, director for temporal affairs in the Church area office in São Paulo.
What has Elder Soares done recently?
- He spoke in October 2025 general conference about the virtue of temperance.
- In March 2026, he spoke at the Provo Missionary Training Center about establishing divine patterns for a lifetime of discipleship.
- Also in March 2026, he met with the vice president of Brazil.
Read more of Elder Soares’ general conference addresses, or follow him on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X/Twitter.
