Editor’s note: To support personal and family gospel learning, the Church News is publishing articles on messages from April 2026 general conference. It is recommended to listen to or read the full address in addition to reviewing these resources.
About this talk
- “Jesus Christ — the True Vine”
- Elder Ulisses Soares | Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
- Saturday afternoon session of April 2026 general conference.
- Theme: Remaining connected to the True Vine, Jesus Christ, is essential to spiritual survival.
Read the full message here.
Read a summary of Elder Soares’ message here.
Outline
- Among the Savior’s “I am” declarations is one of the most solemn and tender teachings of His ministry: “I am the true vine. ... Ye are the branches” (John 15:1, 5).
- The Savior is the true, trusted and essential source of spiritual nourishment. Through Him, life becomes more hopeful and joyful.
- Abiding in Christ is a constant, conscious and sacred choice. It’s letting daily choices be guided by covenants made and allowing direction through the Holy Ghost.
- Those who place themselves in Christ’s loving care and take upon His yoke receive the spiritual power to endure and overcome the trials, weaknesses and sorrows of mortality.
- Disciples abide in Christ and let Him abide in them (see John 15:4). His declaration that He’s the True Vine suggests there are other vines that subtly and deviously lead minds and hearts elsewhere.
- The world is filled with many voices that relentlessly seek attention and offer persuasive messages. Becoming entangled in such voices ultimately draws people toward fleeting worldly pursuits and weakens their connection to Christ.
- True wisdom is found in using modern tools with spiritual discernment, without letting them replace the voice of the True Vine. The Redeemer is the way, the truth and the life of the world.
- The True Vine invites everyone to come unto Him, offering the promise to dwell with God in never-ending happiness. Those desiring to bring forth good fruit receive spiritual nourishment directly from the Savior, the source of all light and truth.
- After two disciples walked with the resurrected Savior on the road to Emmaus, they invited Him to abide with them (see Luke 24:28–29). Without their desire and invitation, their hearts would not have been transformed.
- Remaining connected to the True Vine isn’t merely desirable; it is essential to spiritual survival. Those who abide in Christ come to recognize and trust His voice, especially through those called to represent Him.
- Jesus Christ is the True Vine. He invites all to abide in Him and continue in His love to recognize His power in their lives.
Reflection questions
What spiritual nourishment do you receive from the True Vine, Jesus Christ?
Why might remaining connected to the True Vine be “essential to our spiritual survival”?
What other “voices” lead us away from the True Vine? How can we turn away from these voices?
When have you received divine strength beyond your own to thrive despite the challenges of life?
How can you make abiding in Christ “a constant, conscious and sacred choice” this week?
Speaker quotes
- “The Savior teaches that He is the true, trusted and essential source of spiritual nourishment for our souls. Through Him, we receive strength beyond our own not only to survive the challenges of life but to grow and thrive. Through Him, life becomes more hopeful and more joyful and the fruits of the Spirit are manifested in us.”
- “Abiding in Christ is not an occasional or casual act; it is a constant, conscious and sacred choice.”
- “In a world of many voices, remaining connected to the True Vine is not merely desirable; it is essential to our spiritual survival.”
Reference scriptures
- “I am the true vine. ... Ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
- “But whoso keepeth his [commandments], in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.”
- “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.”
Invitations and promises
- “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.”
- “If we desire to bring forth good fruit, as the Savior taught, we need to receive our spiritual nourishment directly from the True Vine, for He is the source of all light and truth. Only then do the precious fruits of the gospel grow in our souls, and only then do we find the true light, life and hope that flow from Him.”
- “With perfect love, He invites all to abide in Him and to continue in His love that we may recognize His power in our lives, that God’s love may be perfected in us and that we may know that we are in Him.”
Stories
- In Luke 24, two disciples walked with the resurrected Savior on the road to Emmaus. When they reached their destination, the disciples invited Christ to abide with them (see verses 28–29). Without their desire and invitation, their hearts would not have been transformed and their eyes would not have been opened to recognize Him.
- After Elder Soares was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, then-Elder Jeffrey R. Holland talked with him over the phone to welcome him to the quorum. Elder Soares felt the Savior ministering in love to him through one of His anointed servants.
From the footnotes
- 1. See Topics and Questions, “Atonement of Jesus Christ,” Gospel Library.
- 2. At least in one instance, Jesus may have also identified Himself as the Lord God of the Old Testament (see Exodus 3:14; John 18:5).
Additional resources
- Related image: “Christ Appears on the Road to Emmaus”
- Related video: “Reach Up to Him in Faith”
- Related hymn: No. 1045, “Jesus Is the Way”
Recent conference talks on abiding in Christ
- Elder Gerrit W. Gong: “’Tis Eastertide: No One Walks Alone” (April 2026)
- Sister Amy A. Wright: “Abide the Day in Christ” (October 2023)
- Elder David A. Bednar: “Abide in Me, and I in You; Therefore Walk With Me” (April 2023)
Who is Elder Soares?
- Elder Ulisses Soares was sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on March 31, 2018. The first Apostle from South America, he was formerly an accountant and auditor for multinational corporations in Brazil and, later, director for temporal affairs in the Church area office in São Paulo, Brazil.
