Elder Ulisses Soares was named to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on March 31, 2018. He was born in São Paulo, Brazil, on Oct. 2, 1958. He married Rosana Fernandes in October 1982.
Elder Soares studied at São Paulo Pontifical Catholic University and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in accounting and economics in 1985. He later received a Master of Business Administration degree. He was an accountant and auditor for multinational corporations in Brazil and director for temporal affairs in the Church area office in São Paulo.
Prior to his call, he had been serving as a General Authority Seventy since April 2005, being named a member of the Presidency of the Seventy in January 2013. He served previously in the presidencies of the Africa Southeast, Brazil and Brazil South areas. He and Sister Soares led the Portugal Porto Mission from 2000 to 2003.
In honor of Elder Soares’ birthday today, here are nine of his quotes from the past year.
1. ‘Collective moral mangrove’
“As a collective moral mangrove, we can protect future generations from forces of addiction, isolation, narcissism and moral relativism that could consume them. A moral mangrove, and all the people who are part of it, are crucial to the fabric that strengthens and holds our society together and gives us faith in the future of the world.”
— Remarks at G20 Interfaith Forum in Brasília, Brazil, Aug. 21, 2024
2. Faith inspires diligence
“Faith is a conduit of God’s divine power in missionary work and inspires diligence. It takes the missionaries to their knees to implore the Lord for guidance and moves them to arise and act with confidence that the Lord can work wonders and do the impossible to make miracles happen.”
— Seminar for New Mission Leaders, June 21, 2024
3. Seed of divinity
“We are all born with the seed of divinity in our spirit, since we are sons and daughters of God. This seed needs to grow, and it grows by using our agency righteously, by making correct decisions and by using the Light of Christ and the Holy Ghost to guide us in the decisions we make throughout our lives. Our choices shape our souls.”
— Portuguese-language Utah Area devotional, June 9, 2024
4. Covenant confidence
“If there is one thing we could possess — and one thing we could pass on to our children and grandchildren that would help each in the tests and trials ahead — it would be confidence in the covenants made through Jesus Christ.”
— “Covenant Confidence through Jesus Christ,” April 2024 general conference
5. The Savior’s healing power
“I have seen firsthand how focusing our life on the Savior brings strength to overcome difficulties, weaknesses and the pains of life, which are extremely difficult to bear without His help and healing power.”
— Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults, Feb. 18, 2024
6. An attitude of joy
“Joy is a gift that our Heavenly Father will give us as we ask Him for it. So, cultivating an attitude of joy is a matter of decision. As missionaries, the joy we find in the service of the Lord has the power to influence others during our service on a mission as well as for the rest of our lives. I testify to you that as we choose to experience and radiate joy in the service of the Lord, we can influence and motivate others to experience the same. Our joy must be reflected in all we say and do and in our interactions.”
— Provo Missionary Training Center devotional, Jan. 9, 2024
7. Youth are here to change the world
“God sent you to the earth during one of the most turbulent times in history. I firmly believe that you are here to change the direction of the destiny of the entire human family.”
— Broadcast for Portuguese-speaking youth, Nov. 17, 2023
8. Blessings of the temple
“The blessings of the temple are the Lord’s gift to his children in this dispensation. Those who attend will experience an infusion of encouragement and devotion. The Lord will open the heavens to them forever.”
— Devotional in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, Nov. 8, 2023
9. God has a divine vision and plan
“The dedication of this and all the other temples testifies that God has a divine vision and plan for His sons and daughters from all generations. It is indeed evidence of the divinity of His true gospel. This temple stands as a beacon in this area.”
— Dedication of the Feather River California Temple, Oct. 8, 2023
