Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles joined with Latter-day Saints in Portugal on Saturday, July 5, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in that country.
Hosted at the Lisbon Congress Centre in the nation’s capital city, more than a thousand people attended the event in person, with thousands more watching around the country and in other locations around the world.
Government and other community leaders also attended. Elder Soares shared a special greeting with them and said he hopes they always feel welcome among the Latter-day Saints anywhere they go.
Elder Soares spoke reverently of the love that President Russell M. Nelson has for all God’s children as His prophet on the earth today.
“He loves you more than you can imagine,” Elder Soares said. “What a privilege it is to know that a prophet of God loves us so much, worries and prays so much for all of us.”
“He never gives up on us.”
— Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Elder Soares was accompanied by his wife, Sister Rosana Soares. Elder Marcos A. Aidukaitis, a General Authority Seventy, serves as first counselor in the Church’s Europe North Area and attended the event with his wife, Sister Luisa Aidukaitis.
Paulo Adriano, the Church’s director of communications in Portugal, conducted the event.
The Church’s invitation to participate in the event marking a half-century of growth promised “memorable moments, inspiring stories and a legacy of love and service” would be commemorated.
“How marvelous it is to be here to participate in this historic, beautiful and special event,” Elder Soares said.
He noted that his own love for the people of Portugal grew significantly when he and Sister Soares served as mission leaders in Porto from 2000 to 2003.
“My wife and I are very grateful for that experience,” he said, adding that his children also have sweet and tender memories of that time in Portugal.
“You transformed our hearts, and we have to thank you for all you did for us,” he said.
After watching the event, Elder Soares stood on the stage and addressed those attending and watching.
“When we participate in an event like this, something divine is drawn from heaven,” Elder Soares said. “Seeing these special presentations reminds us of the history, reminds us of the sacrifices made by many others and reminds us of sacred moments, similar to those experienced by the early pioneers of the Restoration.”
Watching that type of event is much more than entertainment, Elder Soares explained. He said these kinds of presentations serve both to remind people of what has come before and to inspire them for what may come next — for what may be expected of them as part of their role in an eternal story.
“It is motivating and gives people the desire to build something better and bigger as the gospel continues to grow and expand.”
Elder Soares said that coming together as a group strengthens the bonds that individuals share with one another and also provides individuals a chance to reflect on how they use their agency to bless the lives of others.
“We strengthen our desire to be better and increase our capacity to act and become better disciples of Jesus Christ,” he said, noting that this blesses more than the Church. It blesses the communities, countries and families where individuals participate in daily life.
He said Church members should want to join forces with others who want similar outcomes:
- Eliminate barriers
- Build bridges
- Promote peace
- Alleviate suffering
By doing these things together, individuals and groups can contribute to the well-being of all of God’s children, Elder Soares taught.
“We are representatives of the Savior. We need to open our arms to those who suffer because that is what the Savior did during His earthly ministry and what He would do today.”
Elder Soares shared the lesson he has learned from the mangroves that grow in coastal areas. Mangroves filter the water they grow in and provide protection for fish and birds where they grow. Elder Soares said that members of the Church act like mangroves — providing a safe place where others can find rest and peace.
“This is the power that the gospel of Jesus Christ has,” he said. “We feel protected, strengthened and resilient in facing challenges and moving forward.”
Elder Soares extended his invitation to support those in need beyond only the members of the Church present at the event. He recognized the leaders and members of other churches and invited them to likewise lead those in need to the Savior by serving them and being a light to them.
“Regardless of our beliefs, we have the responsibility to bless the lives of those around us,” he said.
Elder Soares closed his remarks by sharing his testimony of the Savior and His willingness to always help and succor the weak.
“Jesus Christ stands before us with His arms open wide every day inviting us to go to Him and to love Him.”
He testified of the Savior’s unique ability to comfort and encourage.
“He understands all the bitterness we may face. He understands our challenges. He knows our individual problems because He suffered in a way we are not capable of doing for ourselves,” he said. “I testify to you the Lord’s heart is full of love and mercy for us. He is willing to help us and to support us.”
Elder Soares said he has always felt comfort in reading from Psalm 55:22, which reads, “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.”
He testified that the Savior is always there to sustain those who go unto Him.
“He never gives up on us.”
Contributing to the community as ‘salt of the earth’
Elder Aidukaitis provided a timeline of the growth of the Church over the past 50 years. He noted that while the Church’s growth has been steady, its members are still in the minority in Portugal.
“But we represent what the Savior, Jesus Christ, taught when He was on the earth when He taught that those who follow Him should be like the salt of the earth,” Elder Aidukaitis said.
Even though the Church’s membership is not as big as some other religions, he said that what Latter-day Saints do matters to those who are blessed by their efforts.
“Our contributions to the community, to the beautiful culture of Portugal, are significant,” he said.
With the growth the Church has seen in five decades, Elder Aidukaitis said it can feel easy to be a part of something that is alive and growing. But he said it is also important to learn from and honor those who were among the pioneers of the Church in the country and thank them for leading the way in 1975.
Regardless of how long an individual or family has been a part of the Church, Elder Aidukaitis said that a celebration like this is a time to offer a gift back to God — a gift of thanks for His Son, the gospel and the happiness that comes through Heavenly Father’s plan for His children.
Celebrating in dance and song
The two-hour event included singing, dancing, skits and reenactments of important moments in Church history and the history of Portugal.
A 40-person choir sang “From Cumorah’s Hill” as an actor portrayed Joseph Smith at Hill Cumorah uncovering the gold plates that he would translate as the Book of Mormon.
With the Book of Mormon translated, the Prophet Joseph Smith then officially founded The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 6, 1830. Actors portrayed the joy of having a complete and printed Book of Mormon.
Then, a video portrayed some of the many innovations that came to the world beginning in 1830, including advances in science, travel, government, sports, music and human rights. All of these led to April 25, 1974.
That day, known as the Carnation Revolution in Portugal, saw a military coup change the landscape of the country’s government and with it an opening to increased religious liberty. The Church almost immediately began the process of receiving official recognition from the new government.
Timeline of Church growth in Portugal
On April 22, 1975, the first branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was created in Portugal by then-Elder Thomas S. Monson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. In five years, the Church grew to have more than 1,000 members. A year later, its first stake was organized in Lisbon.
The growth of the Church continued at a rapid pace that saw five stakes created by the year 2000 to accommodate the more than 35,000 Latter-day Saints in the country. In October 2010, Elder Monson was now President Monson, and he announced a house of the Lord to be built in Lisbon.
During the open house of the temple, 18,000 people toured the house of the Lord, including the country’s president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. The temple was dedicated by Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on Sept. 15, 2019. At that time, Elder Andersen said, “We’re moving into a new chapter of the Church in Portugal.” And the Church has seen impressive growth since that day.
The Church now has 50,000 members in more than 60 congregations and another temple announced for the northern coastal city of Porto, nearly 170 miles north of Lisbon. That temple was announced by President Nelson on April 6, 2025. The exact location and the rendering of that temple have not yet been released.
