MEXICO CITY, Mexico — Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles addressed the concerns of young adults around the world on Sunday, Feb. 18, by teaching about the Savior and His Atonement.
Elder Soares was joined by his wife, Sister Rosana Soares, and Chad H. Webb, administrator of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion, and his wife, Kristi Webb. The event was hosted at the Centro de Convenciones Banamex in Mexico City, Mexico, and was attended live by more than 2,000 young adults, with many more thousands watching via satellite or internet in other locations around the world.
The devotional was a historic event for the Church. It marked the first time an entire event produced for a global audience was broadcast in a non-English language. Elder and Sister Soares and Brother and Sister Webb spoke in Spanish. Prayers and music were also shared in Spanish.

As Elder Soares began his message, he referenced the scene depicted in Harry Anderson’s painting of the Savior’s “Great Commission” that can be seen on the east wall of the Church Office Building in Salt Lake City.
“Jesus Christ stands at the gates of our daily lives with open arms, and He beckons to us, saying: ‘I will encircle thee in the arms of my love’ (Doctrine and Covenants 6:20).”
Elder Soares said individuals don’t need to be perfect or free of worry to feel God’s perfect love.
“The space between His arms has been consecrated through His loving, atoning sacrifice as a place for us,” he said. “What a marvelous way to find peace in this very distressing world.”

Young adult concerns
Elder Soares invited young adults from around the world to send in their biggest concerns prior to the devotional. He shared small video clips of some of the topics young adults said they were concerned with. The five topics addressed in the event were:
- Strengthening testimony.
- Enduring trials.
- Following God’s plan.
- Preparing to enter and worship in the temple.
- Focusing our lives on Jesus Christ.
In sharing ways to overcome these concerns, Elder Soares, Sister Soares, Brother Webb and Sister Webb sat together on the stage to counsel with each other.
Strengthening testimony
Elder Soares shared that he believes strong testimonies can motivate and protect.
“Strong testimonies become our motivation to do better in this life and an impenetrable bulwark that protects us from Satan’s unrelenting attacks,” he said.

Elder Soares shared how the Savior taught during His mortal ministry to strengthen faith and avoid spiritual apathy. The Apostle read from Doctrine and Covenants 19:23, where the Lord taught, “Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me.”
From a more recent example, Elder Soares shared President Russell M. Nelson’s five ways to create positive spiritual momentum:
- Get on the covenant path and stay there.
- Discover the joy of daily repentance.
- Learn about God and how He works.
- Seek for and expect miracles.
- End conflict in your personal life.
“Faith is demonstrated by action, and action builds up and strengthens our testimony,” Elder Soares said.
Enduring trials
In response to various questions about how to best endure trials, Elder Soares reminded the young adults that everyone must navigate their own challenges in life.
“The truth is that we will face adversities in our life regardless of how righteous we are,” he said. And for those who wonder why blessings are not immediately visible to those who are striving to be obedient, Elder Soares added, “On the other hand, the consequences of good actions will certainly come, but sometimes not immediately but according to the Lord’s wisdom and will.”

Sister Soares added that patience and persistence both are important parts of enduring any given trial.
“Little by little we will see the fruits of our efforts. We just have to keep going and be patient.”
Following God’s plan
A young adult from the Philippines asked when it is possible to see God in the details of one’s own life.
Brother Webb answered that his first memory of knowing that God knew him came when he received his patriarchal blessing.
“The Spirit helped me know that the Lord knew me and wanted to help me in all aspects of my life. Since then, there have been countless times I have seen and felt that,” he said.
Elder Soares added: “God indeed has a plan for us. His plan is eternal life. ... As we exercise our agency and make decisions in righteousness, we determine how well we are following God’s plan for us.”

Preparing to enter and worship in the temple
Elder Soares invited Brother Webb to share his counsel on how young adults can best prepare to enter the temple and make covenants in the house of the Lord.
Brother Webb said, “Learn to hear the voice of the Lord, and respond to promptings.”
He invited the young adults to keep themselves spiritually clean and to repent to be worthy to be in the temple.
Sister Webb added that it may be helpful to talk about the temple with others who have made and honored temple covenants.
“I think that can be helpful both before and after you attend for the first time,” she said.
Brother Webb suggested that those who are preparing to go to the temple or who want to learn more about what happens in the temple can go to the Church’s website at ChurchofJesusChrist.org/temple to learn about the endowment, about the temple garment and about each of the covenants made in the house of the Lord.

Elder Soares concluded the discussion about temples by teaching that righteous preparation to enter the temple improves the experience had in the temple. And improved experiences in the temple “transform our lives outside of the temple.”
Focusing on Jesus Christ
Prior to answering questions about the Savior, Elder Soares said Christ is the most important topic that could be discussed in the devotional.
“He desires that we become like Him, that we think and act like He would, because He knows that that is the way to have lasting peace and happiness,” Elder Soares said.
Knowing what the Savior would do requires that individuals focus on Him, Elder Soares said.
“Focusing our life on the Savior requires us to align our mind and our desires with His,” the Apostle said.

Elder Soares said this requires three efforts from those who want to be like the Savior — first, strive to learn more about Him; second, conduct lives in harmony with His gospel; and third, make diligent daily efforts to focus on all that is good.
“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,” he said.
Leader testimonies
Sister Webb shared how her journey to understand the Savior’s love for her changed her life.
“I testify that He gave His life to redeem us. His example of humility, obedience and love inspires me daily,” she said.
Brother Webb testified of the Savior’s central role in Heavenly Father’s “perfect plan of happiness.”
“He is a God of deliverance. We can trust Him with all our hearts,” he said.
Sister Soares expressed her gratitude to Heavenly Father for the way He is always present and ready to answer His children’s prayerful questions.
“I am so thankful for a God that is involved in the little things of our lives,” she said.
In his concluding testimony, Elder Soares promised the young adults that if they “do not turn away from [the Savior’s] outstretched loving arms, your souls will be filled with a fullness that will occupy the innermost chambers of your souls.”
He added that seeking the Savior would allow them to receive His healing power and allow Him to “fill your souls with His peace, light, understanding, courage, joy and love.”
Musical messages

Music during the event included two numbers from a small ensemble. Alex Melecio sang “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” to open the event. He was accompanied by Kendra Lowe on the piano, Edilberto Vela García on the violin and Sonia María del Carmen Bernal Lopez on the cello. Following the opening prayer, the same group also performed “Where Can I Turn for Peace?” The closing hymn of “Our Savior’s Love” was sung by the congregation, with Leinad Sánchez Gutiérrez conducting and Eric Velázquez accompanying.
Rafael Trejo Alonso gave the opening prayer. Meyli Anali Zazueta Ordoñez gave the closing prayer to end the meeting.
Young adult reactions in Mexico City
Dafne Ayelén Herrera Gutierrez of the Valsequillo Ward, Puebla México Valsequillo Stake, said it wasn’t a coincidence that she was at the devotional with Elder Soares and that because she was there, she felt the Spirit.
“It was an answer to questions that I had and that I needed answered,” she said. “Especially, I heard that we have to follow the impressions we get from the Holy Ghost.”
Joshua Alec Ruiz Dorantes, from the Viveros Ward, México City Tlalnepantla Stake, said he felt the Holy Ghost from the second Elder Soares entered the room.
“I learned that we can always receive revelation when we look for it, if we are willing to ask God and have faith that He will respond,” he said.

A list of all languages available by the Feb. 25 rebroadcast is included in the Jan. 18 letter that announced the devotional.
The event is available to rewatch on broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org, the Church’s Inspiration channel on YouTube, Gospel Stream and on BYUtv.
Recent messages for young adults
The most recent worldwide devotional for young adults was hosted on Nov. 19, 2023, with Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Mary Cook at Brigham Young University. In that event, Elder Cook addressed five key concerns for young adults in the Church: facing life and faith challenges, love and belonging, life planning and life balance, standing for truth, and receiving personal revelation and prophetic guidance.
Elder Cook and his wife were joined by Elder Clark G. Gilbert, a General Authority Seventy and the Church commissioner of education, and his wife, Sister Christine Gilbert, for that devotional.
Elder Ronald A. Rasband, also of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, was recently in Hawaii and addressed young adults there as he talked about the need for personal integrity.
Brother Michael T. Nelson, second counselor in the Young Men general presidency, taught students in Idaho that God sent them to earth to choose the kind of life they want to inherit.
And Bishop W. Christopher Waddell, first counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, shared three tools for drawing closer to the Savior, during a recent Ensign College devotional.