Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles met with Brazil’s vice president, Geraldo Alckmin, in the capital city of Brasilia on Thursday, Feb. 26, reported ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
“He respects the Church, and he respects our beliefs. He sees us as somebody who can help the people of this country,” said Elder Soares.
When Elder Soares was serving as the Church’s Brazil Area president, he worked with Alckmin, who was then the governor of the state of São Paulo. Alckmin also attended the Brasília Brazil Temple open house with Elder Soares in 2023.
Elder Soares was back in his native Brazil from Feb. 23 to March 1 with The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square for their “Songs of Hope” tour stop in São Paulo, Brazil.
During the week, he also met with other national and state government leaders, and also received an award on behalf of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the Legislative Assembly of the State of São Paulo.
Meetings at the national capital
In Brasilia, Elder Soares also met with Sen. Carlos Viana, who represents the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, which is northeast of the state of São Paulo.
“As ambassadors of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we try everything possible to bring hope and peace [to] the hearts of people. [The Church is] not connected to any political parties. We are neutral,” said Elder Soares. “But we work with everybody who wants to bless the lives of God’s children.”
He continued: “Peace, hope — that brings us closer to Jesus Christ. That’s our message, and that’s what we declared in [these] visits.”
Elder Soares was accompanied by Elder Joni L. Koch, a General Authority Seventy and the Church’s Brazil Area president; Tabernacle Choir President Michael O. Leavitt; and Gordon Smith, director of Church hosting.
President Leavitt said: “People know [the choir] is a symbol of peace and healing and of testimony of Jesus Christ.”
He added, referencing the choir and orchestra’s concert at Sala São Paulo on Wednesday, Feb. 25: “It does open doors. We had nearly 1,500 [guests] from all over Brazil — leaders of government coming to feel the sense of peace and healing we all crave.”
Elder Soares also visited the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia and met with Gabriel Escobar, the charge d’affaires.
Honor from state of São Paulo
Elder Soares received the Collar of Honor for Legislative Merit from the Legislative Assembly of the State of São Paulo, on behalf of the Church, on Monday, Feb. 23. It is the highest distinction awarded by the Legislative Assembly for contributions to the state’s social, cultural, spiritual and humanitarian development.
Fabiana Bolsonaro, state deputy of the Legislative Assembly, presented the recognition.
“The Church has been a powerful instrument of hope and light. As is written in the scriptures, ‘Ye are the light of the world’ (Matthew 5:14). And for over 100 years, this light has been shining brightly throughout Latin America,” said Bolsonaro.
The 100-year anniversary of the Church in South America was celebrated throughout 2025 and continues in Brazil.
“[This event] is the public recognition that principles like charity, service, faith, family and commitment to God make a difference in building a more just and humane society,” said Bolsonaro. “‘By their fruits, you shall know them’ (Matthew 7:20), and the fruits that have emerged from these 100 years are now clearly visible: strengthened communities, lives restored, families built up and concrete acts of love for our fellow human beings.”
During the ceremony, Elder Soares shared how faith in Jesus Christ and His teachings “cultivates citizens who are committed to peace, to honesty and to the common good.”
“The invitation to come to Jesus Christ and follow Him has been the central focus and guiding principle of all that we have accomplished throughout the course of these many years,” said Elder Soares.
In 2025, the Church of Jesus Christ carried out more than 150 humanitarian projects in the state of São Paulo, blessing the lives of women, children and young people in vulnerable regions.
“We accept this honor with Christian humility and profound institutional respect,” said Elder Soares. “It truly belongs to the dedicated volunteers, to the families who diligently instill values, to the young people who consciously choose to serve, and to the entire population of São Paulo state who have actively participated in so many vital humanitarian projects.”
With more than 1.5 million Church members across nearly 2,100 wards and branches, Brazil is home to the third-highest number of Latter-day Saints, after the United States and Mexico.
“I want to thank all the members of the Church. Because of their efforts, because of their faith in Jesus Christ, they try to love God, and they try to love their neighbor,” said Elder Soares. “We are so thankful for the members of the Church in this country.”
The Tabernacle Choir and orchestra performed four concerts in São Paulo, including Friday, Feb. 27, and Saturday, Feb. 28, with guest artist singer Ivete Sangalo at the Ginásio do Ibirapuera arena, and a devotional on Sunday, March 1.
