On Nov. 8, 2023, Elder Ulisses Soares became the first member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to visit the twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda.
The significance of the historic visit was announced in a news release the Church’s Spanish Newsroom on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
“I am honored to be the first Apostle of the Quorum of the Twelve to visit Antigua and Barbuda,” Elder Soares said in the news release. “As I shook hands with members, including those less-active, I could see the love for the Savior in their eyes. It was deeply moving. I believe that they need to feel the love of the Savior, connect with Him, and as they experience the Spirit, they will be able to thrive.”
Antigua and Barbuda, made up of the islands of Antigua, Barbuda and Redonda, are part of the Lesser Antilles archipelago and located near the islands of St. Kitts and Nevis, as well as Guadeloupe. The sovereign island country is part of the Church’s Caribbean Area.
Elder Soares was accompanied by Elder S. Mark Palmer, of the Presidency of the Seventy, and his wife, Sister Jacqueline Palmer, as well as Elder Valeri Cordón, a General Authority Seventy, and his wife, Sister Glenda Cordón.
During the visit, Elder Soares presided over a devotional for the Church’s Caribbean Area at a meetinghouse in St. John’s, the capital of Antigua and Barbuda, where he met members, local leaders and community members.
The devotional was broadcast in English and French to the rest of the Lesser Antilles North District, as well as to the districts and stakes of Barbados Bridgetown, Guyana Georgetown and Jamaica Kingston missions.
St. John’s Branch President Donald Giddings said, “Elder Soares’ visit has strengthened my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am grateful to be part of this truth.”
In his remarks, Elder Soares encouraged everyone to “come unto Christ” and know the Savior Jesus Christ. He committed to offering support so that they can have access to the temple, receive ordinances, make covenants with the Lord and walk on the path of redemption, in order to return to Heavenly Father.
“The blessings of the temple are the Lord’s gift to his children in this dispensation,” Elder Soares said. “Those who attend will experience an infusion of encouragement and devotion. The Lord will open the heavens to them forever.”
